FWP Audit

[S.Clancy]

Fear and intimidation: FWP wardens detail turmoil within agency

The audit documented a division riddled with morale problems and distrust in management.

helenair.com

I only know a couple wardens, but know more biologists. Pretty much the same or worse feedback. Really shouldn't be surprising given the man at the helm of the State.

 

[The Guide]

The MT FWP has been a wreck since the late 90's. A little over 20 years ago I was at a turning point in life. Did several interviews with people trying to find a new career path. Really wanted to to go into wildlife biology or wildlife law enforcement due to my love of the outdoors. Every single person I talked to lead me away from that career path. Said I would end up hating what I loved. Went into engineering instead which gave me a live that allows me to still spend more time in the outdoors than I thought was possible while still remaining financially solvent. The culture of that industry is the issue. No pay, no funding, and no respect from the public or other agencies tear down any type of moral or pride in job.

Jay

 

[S.Clancy]

The MT FWP has been a wreck since the late 90's. A little over 20 years ago I was at a turning point in life. Did several interviews with people trying to find a new career path. Really wanted to to go into wildlife biology or wildlife law enforcement due to my love of the outdoors. Every single person I talked to lead me away from that career path. Said I would end up hating what I loved. Went into engineering instead which gave me a live that allows me to still spend more time in the outdoors than I thought was possible while still remaining financially solvent. The culture of that industry is the issue. No pay, no funding, and no respect from the public or other agencies tear down any type of moral or pride in job.

Jay

Ha, you and I did similar things for similar reasons.

 

[finner]

Pretty shameful. This administration has intentionally hamstrung the agency at a time when we need more enforcement, not less. I know people were optimistic when the old director stepped down, but all indications are that the new guy is gonna be even worse, and smarter about it.

 

[VA2MT]

Pretty shameful. This administration has intentionally hamstrung the agency at a time when we need more enforcement, not less. I know people were optimistic when the old director stepped down, but all indications are that the new guy is gonna be even worse, and smarter about it.

Do you by chance happen to know the new director?

 

[mi650]

About 15 years ago, a distant relative of mine was deer hunting during firearm season, sitting in a blind in a field on his own property. A fish cop drove by and spotted the barrel of his rifle sticking out a window, then decided he needed to walk thru the field to check my relatives license.

Said relative was watching him with his binos, so knew it was a fish cop. When he got to about 20 yards, relative stepped out of his blind to find out what the guy wanted. He wasn't too happy about the situation, but showed him his license. Then the fish cop gave him a ticket for not wearing orange, because he'd left his coat on a hook in the blind.



And then they wonder why they get no respect.

 

[mi650]

Oh, and another one:

Last fall a neighbor of mine shot a very nice 9 point, well after dark. Dumbass then bragged about his feat to everyone he knew, even posted it on book of faces. Well, surprise!, he got a visit from the fish cops.

He was threatened with all kinds of fines, total of $16k, no hunting for 10 years, and some jail time. Short version, a few months later he ended up with a $150 fine and lost the $300 deposit he'd given the taxidermist.

So someone who really didn't do anything wrong gets smacked, and someone else who deserved every bit of what he was threatened with got a slap on the wrist.

 

[mi650]

1 morning my son and I were in my blind, heard a shot from the property to my north. A couple hours later we were walking back to the house and found blood on my trail. We followed to the left for about 30 yards and found a dead deer, a unicorn, 4" spike on his left side, nothing on the right. We back and followed the blood the other direction, it started about 3 yards off my trail, 40 yards from the property line. So whoever it was shot it on my land.

Now I was kinda pissed off, but walked back to the house and waited a couple hours to see if maybe the shooter would come ask permission to track the deer. Nobody came, so we went back out and the deer was still there. Came back to the house and called the DNRs poaching hotline. Basically they didn't care, told me I could leave it, tag it, take it to a butcher and donate it to Sportsman Against Hunger... I called a nephew who said he wanted it, so I dragged it to my house and gutted it.

Again, they wonder.