For those that don't know-Jack Kehne is now game commisioner in Eastern Washington. He's been a member of Earth First, claims to be an "Outreach Associate" for Conservation Northwest a pro-wolf organization. He says he's committed to the "science" of wildlife management and professes neutrality.
WDFW has been pro-predator for a couple of decades, and is trying to offset losing 116,000 license sales by creating "special hunt" fees. When we have the desired 500 wolves eating 44 deer apiece (their numbers) or 22,000 deer a year-pretty much more than are being taken by hunters, I'm curious as to what this cash strapped entity will try to sell us then.
Consider at election time folks these are appointees.
This guy also is apparently a hunter. I think his first name is actually Jay, from what I've seen. He's a classic political appointee in the given political environment--perfect for Gov. Gregoire. He's from the eastside, he is a hunter (so that should give him credibility with the hunters, right?), but in reality he's a pro wolf, pro predator member of environmental groups.
It's not that we are anti-predator--the issue is they aren't being controlled as they should and that we are managing for predators here and seemingly all across the west.
Here is a post from
Hunting Washington Forum, Hunts, Photos, Videos, Contests, Classifieds. The poster emailed Jay and Conservation Northwest apparently and this is the post and the emailed response:
"I noticed Jay Kehne was affiliated with Conservation NW. By reading the Conservation NW website they did not seem hunter friendly and did not have any affiliations with any prominent hunting organizations despite the fact they claim to be a conservatoin organization. In addition, their stance on wolf ment seem far more pro-wolf. Anyway, I thought I'd take the liberty to email Conservation NW asking what their stance was on hunting and I got a reply...it just so happend to be from the newly appointed Jay Kehne. It should be noted that I did not ask anything about predator/wolf hunting but his resopnse seem to be tailored to that exact subject. Here's what he had to say:
'Conservation Northwest supports science based wildlife management and fair chase hunting according to the laws of the state. That's the short and simple of it. When you consider all that is encompassed in that simple statement its a lot. It means we support predator hunting when the laws of the state support that. If we don't think a predator population should be hunted because the science does not support that we would work very hard to try and get those laws changed and to be based on science. If we were not successful in changing those laws then we would still support them and whatever hunt is allowed by them. Several of our members are avid hunters, so we are not your run of the mill, greeney environmental group that doesn't understand predator prey relationships or get out in the woods during hunting seasons. We do believe hunters are a part of the equations, just like deer, elk, and predators. All of it needs to be managed in todays world to be successful. I hunt deer, and elk but not cougars or bears. I have been on bear hunts but somewhere along the line I just decided to keep to the animals that I really like to eat and I'm not that fond of bear. Hope this helps.
Jay Kehne
Okanogan Outreach Associate
Conservation Northwest'"
https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=88459.0 You can got to this link to follow this discussion.
Jay lives in Omak (used to live there myself and Winthrop as well) which is within Okanogan County. Since his appointment, the Okanogan County Commissioners have taken it upon themselves to collectively write Governor Christine Gregoire and the WDFW to complain about his pro-wolf stance and the fact that, due to this stance, he is, in fact, not truly representing the wished of the area of the state that he is supposed to be representing.
But you see, he is a 'perfect' fit for the liberal, pro-wolf agenda.
For the Okanogan County Commissioners, as a group, to do what they did regarding Jay's appointment, speaks volumes.
Any hunter who doesn't understand this issue and is continuing to allow themselves to be deceived by it very much needs study this issue in depth.
