What new changes would you expect out of a well funded AK Fish and Game?

[bbags]

With the perception that "The sky is falling" due to oil prices, and state funding dropping, it is inevitable that sooner or later hunters, resident and non-residents, will be charged more for the privilege of pursuing AK's wildlife.

With this increase in contributions, what changes would you expect?

 

[bbags]

Personally, I would expect more frequent population surveys, and tighter management for populations at risk.

However, after attending the last set of Board of Game meetings in Wasilla, I was disappointed that the AK Fish and Game consistently offered a "neutral or no opinion" to all of the proposals that sought a resident preference for allocation of tags, season dates, or youth hunts.

It makes me wonder if all the folks advocating for huge budget increases for AK Fish and Game would be better served by using that money towards holding the state accountable for appropriate management of the resource and upholding the state constitution for resident preference.

 

[CapnMike]

Not much different than the past 30 years of up and down budgets. More personnel, more studies, but not many more answers.

 

[bushrat]

changes I'd expect

changes I'd expect

Ability to carry out BOG - directed IM programs and at the same time be able to do wildlife survey and inventory work.

More funding for research staff and programs, like a sheep research biologist in the interior. More expansion of sheep surveys.

Ability to hire new, quality staff as we continue to lose long-time ADFG bios and managers to retirement.

Lessen the push by some to create more governor tags.

Lessen the ability of mostly Outside interests to continue to dominate sheep allocation issues.

That's just for starters.

 

[BRWNBR]

Man sheep sure are a hot button right now.

 

[Amigo Will]

ADF&W game wardens. We now have one troopper in all of unit 3

 

[homerdave]

ADF&W game wardens. We now have one troopper in all of unit 3

F&G and the brownshirts are not analogous. Though F&G biologists have enforcement authority, the troopers are the primary LEO's for all fish and wildlife regulation. Not the same.

 

[BrettAKSCI]

Folks,

Right now we're just trying to figure out how F&G can keep at the funding level they have been let alone any kind of increase in funding. If there is an increase I hope a fair amount will go the population studies for key species and updated management plans.

Brett

 

[Amigo Will]

F&G and the brownshirts are not analogous. Though F&G biologists have enforcement authority, the troopers are the primary LEO's for all fish and wildlife regulation. Not the same.

Yep and I would like ADF&W to be the game cops and let troopers be state police not involved with game.

 

[CapnMike]

ADF&G hires people as BIOLOGISTS, they don't have law enforcement training. So, you'd like to take these biologists, who don't have enough time or money to get all their work done now, send them off to training for up to a year on how to be a game warden, then have them be both wardens and biologists?? Terrible idea.

 

[Amigo Will]

ADF&G hires people as BIOLOGISTS, they don't have law enforcement training. So, you'd like to take these biologists, who don't have enough time or money to get all their work done now, send them off to training for up to a year on how to be a game warden, then have them be both wardens and biologists?? Terrible idea.

Every other place I know of does. I'm sure plenty of brown shirts would love to transfer to ADF&G along with plenty of city cops and new folks wanting to become game wardens.

 

[CapnMike]

Every other place I know of does. I'm sure plenty of brown shirts would love to transfer to ADF&G along with plenty of city cops and new folks wanting to become game wardens.

Other states may have the game wardens as a part of their F&G Department, not as a part of their Dept Public Safety like Alaska does, but they are still just game wardens. No state that I know of has game warden biologists, that do the studies and enforce the regs.

 

[Sobie2]

ADF&G Division of Wildlife is predominately funded with Pittman-Robertson Funds under the Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) program.

http://tracs.fws.gov/public/

Sobie2

 

[Amigo Will]

Other states may have the game wardens as a part of their F&G Department, not as a part of their Dept Public Safety like Alaska does, but they are still just game wardens. No state that I know of has game warden biologists, that do the studies and enforce the regs.

I'm not saying must be bio's just game cops full time much like fed forrest service cop we have here.

 

[CapnMike]

I'm not saying must be bio's just game cops full time much like fed forrest service cop we have here.

I got ya now. Full time game wardens, not out writing speeding tickets, arresting shoplifters, etc. And enough of them to actually be a deterrent. Different money source, but definitely needed.

 

[anchskier]

I got ya now. Full time game wardens, not out writing speeding tickets, arresting shoplifters, etc. And enough of them to actually be a deterrent. Different money source, but definitely needed.

I know when I was down in Washington elk hunting, I was checked by a game warden (or whatever they are classified as there). I had gotten an elk earlier in the day and we hung it in a tree. Due to heavy snow, we realized our plan for someone coming to get us was likely not going to work, so we headed out on foot/bike to the highway to call for someone to pick us up and we would return to get all our stuff including the elk the next morning. We were probably 10-15 miles from where the elk was and waiting at the phone booth and the warden pulled up and asked if we had gotten an elk. Somehow he had found it hanging in the tree back in the middle of nowhere and connected it to us. Pretty good work on his part I would say. He checked my tags and all was in order so there was no issue there. While I would never intentionally do anything wrong, seeing this guy track us done like he did really reinforces the issue. It was good to see someone out there making sure people were not breaking the rules. Due to lower staffing number and a lot bigger area to cover, I don't see this kind of thing happening up here very often. It would be good to have some more enforcement capability across the board.

 

[brio]

ADF&G hires people as BIOLOGISTS, they don't have law enforcement training.

Actually, many of the ADFG biologists have LEO credentials and have been through the Trooper academy. I don't know what the official ADFG policy is, but I've known several ADFG biologists (both fisheries and wildlife) who had enforcement credentials, even though enforcement is not their principal job duty.

 

[CapnMike]

Actually, many of the ADFG biologists have LEO credentials and have been through the Trooper academy. I don't know what the official ADFG policy is, but I've known several ADFG biologists (both fisheries and wildlife) who had enforcement credentials, even though enforcement is not their principal job duty.

Agreed that many biologists have some LEO credentials, but for most it was just a 1-2 week course to cover the very basics. Few, if any have been thru the entire Trooper Academy. But, might as well have them at least partially trained and available to enforce the regs if they are going to be out there as part of their jobs. Every little bit helps!

 

[Dr.No]

As someone who only hunts deer and opportunistically black bears in Units 1 & 4(0 taken so far), I expect nothing. At the last BOG meeting the biologist said *again* that the predominate factor in deer populations is winter kill. My $$ will all go funding sheep / moose stuff....

Ability to carry out BOG - directed IM programs and at the same time be able to do wildlife survey and inventory work.

More funding for research staff and programs, like a sheep research biologist in the interior. More expansion of sheep surveys.

Ability to hire new, quality staff as we continue to lose long-time ADFG bios and managers to retirement.

Lessen the push by some to create more governor tags.

-- not gonna happen...

Lessen the ability of mostly Outside interests to continue to dominate sheep allocation issues.

-- not gonna happen...

That's just for starters.

 

[Dr.No]

ADF&G Division of Wildlife is predominately funded with Pittman-Robertson Funds under the Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) program.

http://tracs.fws.gov/public/

Sobie2

How is one supposed to use that website to figure out the percentage of ADF&G budget is PR funds? Best I could tell it shows what projects are underway by what government agencies. I don't see any $$ figures.