HUNTERS

[Hiker of the Woods]

For those people out there that think ODFW biologist are never out in the field and not a single person on the F&W Commission hunt; I beg to differ.

Dan Edge is on the F&W Commission, the Department Head of OSU Fish and Wildlife, and a avid hunter. Dan Edge could talk about so much fish, wildlife, management, science, etc?..to make everyone on any hunting website feel like they don't know a thing when it comes to science and wildlife management.

The second topic is about people thinking no ODFW biologists are ever out in the field. That one right there makes me laugh. I would have to assume a few things here:
1. Yes they never have truly seen a biologist out in the woods.
2. They are lying.
3. They don't know any biologist personally.
4. They have never volunteered their time to work with a biologist

I can personally say that I have worked and volunteered with biologist in several different areas around Oregon. A person has to understand that biologist don't spend every second in the field. Lots of computer work, statistics, phone calls, emails, meetings, and such are all part of the job as well. A person who has gone to school in any type of biology or science program would understand this. Observation is only a very small part of wildlife management and conservation.

Here is a small list of things I have been able to help out ODFW biologist do. A ODFW biologist was with me on all of these in the field:

Summer long wolf surveys, cougar predation study(Mt. Emily unit), Mt. goat capture and release, turkey capture, deer spotlight survey, repair pheasant pens (refuge), remove old pheasant pens (refuge), falcon survey, oak grove restoration, mow blackberries (refuge), set wolf traps, capture and collar cougar, monitor pheasant hunts, check hunters for license and tags, Sage Grouse survey, Bighorn Sheep survey, and put out bait balls for bear study.

I have done several other volunteer work that I was by myself working for ODFW. ODFW relies on volunteer work, since the biologist can not be out in the field 24/7. There are more things to be done with our wildlife than what ODFW can keep up with when it comes to money and time. Every biologist I know would love to spend every second at work out in the field, but that is just not how a biologist job works.

So please give ODFW biologist a call and even volunteer your time if you would really like to see what they do for a job. Please don't listen to the rumors and lies that other people put out there from word of mouth or on the internet. Get your facts straight from the source (ODFW biologist) and not someone who was never a biologist.

 

[robinsg61le]

I know both biologists very well here in Burns. Both are very active hunters of all sorts... For what it's worth.

 

[Wanted]

I am more pissed about the politics involved that handcuffs the bio's more than the job they do......

 

[Hiker of the Woods]

>I am more pissed about the
>politics involved that handcuffs the
>bio's more than the job
>they do......

+1

 

[440sixpack]

You can say whatever you want but the fact is compared to the other 7 states I apply for tags in and hunt when I can Oregon's hunting sucks, I don't mean it's not as good I mean it sucks with the deer being the worst. I'm an eastern Oregon 3rd generation rancher and I've watched it out my front window, the deer are pathetic and the elk have peaked and started down.

My problem is not with the biologist themselves but the fact even when they do come up with useful information it isn't used. sometimes this is because of politics, sometimes it's because the budget is a priority over game managment. none of this is to say you can't have a good hunt in Oregon because you can, but it could be much much better if ODFW managed game rather than dollars. if they aren't going to use the biologist work then get rid of them and use that money elsewhere, if I'm going to shrug off my vet's recommendations what's the point in paying him to come out and look at my animals? same thing excatly.