short notice of meeting

[couesdiehard]

This is very short notice and the meeting is today from 1-5 p.m.! I love the ADA and generally like the tough job the G&F do but come on guys! They were disappointed by the turn out at the Hunter Retention and Recruitment forums so they schedule a meeting for the hunting public to attend with less than a day's notice and during business hours. I hope some hunters can attend and represent us.

 

Lee

 

Arizona Deer Association Newsletter

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SPORTSMEN MEETING WITH ARIZONA GAME AND FISH!!!!

 

 

 

THE SPORTSMEN / GAME & FISH MEETING WILL BE AT THE LA QUINTA INN ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF I-17 AND GREENWAY ROAD! FROM 1-5 PM TOMORROW, TUESDAY, JULY 17TH. PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO COME.

 

 

 

READ BELOW FOR THE REASON THIS MEETING HAS BEEN SCHEDULED:

 

 

 

 

 

To All: Bear with me as I try to give you the events of last week and what prompted a meeting next Tuesday (7 / 17) between Sportsmen and the Arizona Game & Fish Department.

 

 

 

Last Monday and Tuesday a handful of sportsmen attended the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies meetings in Flagstaff. Part of those meetings dealt with the issue of "Hunter Recruitment and Retention". Two half day (morning) plenary sessions were held, with some excellent speakers discussing the HR&R issues.

 

 

 

Those of us who were there were then asked to participate in a Tuesday afternoon discussion about HR&R and sportsmen / department relations and how to improve them!

 

 

 

Deputy Director Ferrell along with just about every Division Chief, Regional Supervisor, and many more Department staff participated. We also had Commissioners Hernbrode and Woodhouse in attendance. I believe seven sportsmen participated; which was certainly not enough to adequately represent sportsmen's issues.

 

 

 

We discussed many issues, agreed on some, disagreed on others! Central to the discussions and offered up by the Department was "Why can't we get along better?", "Don't you believe we are working to insure hunting and what is best for hunters?", "What do we need to do to improve relations and cooperation?", and others.

 

 

 

The discussions lasted for over three hours and as you might guess, not much was settled other than agreement that we needed to meet soon with a larger group of sportsmen and try to focus on getting to the root of some issues and hopefully finding some solutions on how to improve relations.

 

 

 

At today's Commission meeting it was decided next Tuesday we will have a meeting to get the issues on the table and begin to discuss them! Commissioners Hernbrode and Woodhouse along with a large number of Department staff will be there.

 

 

 

I realize this is extremely short notice, particularly when the meeting time is from 1 - 5 pm on a weekday. Unfortunately this is about the only day and time, in the next few weeks that would work for many of us.

 

 

 

I have heard many of you gripe and grumble about "what has happened to the Commission and Department". Quite frankly, now is the time to bring some of that to the table (in a constructive manner) and get your thoughts out in the open and invite dialogue, out of the public eye, and try to put some of this to rest. Here is your or your organizations opportunity to help clear the air.

 

 

 

I hope all of you, I'm pleading with you, to come or have someone come to represent you and give your input. The Sportsmen / Game & Fish relationship is the best thing that has ever happened for wildlife, we owe it to the resource to try and improve our cooperation and get back into a better working partnership. Feel free to spread the word, please do not discount this opportunity!