Washington State Game Commission Corruption Uncovered!

Longtime readers of this blog will know that in the State of Washington going back to 2022 the current Commission has been taking away hunting opportunities in this state.  A few examples of what the anti-hunting commission has done over the last three years includes removing the spring bear season in 2022 despite having over 48 years of data supporting that the spring bear hunt does not negatively impact the population.  Reducing cougar quotas (despite a healthy population of cougars) and most recently outlawing baiting because of a few instances of CWD being found in one part of the state.  

Hunters have thankfully become more vocal and showing up at meetings despite walking away from those meetings feeling like there had been some decisions already made and that the public meetings were simply a formality.  What has gone on in Washington has attracted the attention of national groups that fight for hunters rights.  One such group, the Sportsmen’s Alliance has now obtained evidence to support the feelings that hunters have walked away from these meetings with.  Because of this evidence obtained there is now enough evidence to have these commissioners removed from their positions.      

Earlier in May, the Sportsmen’s Alliance petitioned the governor of Washington for the removal of four of the nine commission members for corruption, secret meetings, excluding tribes and others from these meetings.  The four commissioners that have been requested to be removed include Barbara Baker, Lorna Smith, Melanie Rowland, and John Lehmkuhl after evidence of corruption and bad practices were obtained as part of a lawsuit to force disclosure of internal communications.  These individuals regularly engaged in open content for the public and the law.  They would hold daisy chain meetings where three or four would meet through zoom or email and then have one or two reach out to another commissioner to secure the majority vote.  Sportsman’s Alliance has obtained thousands of pages of this corruption that has been going on for years.  

So continue to do your part and get involved, the pendulum is starting to swing but we must keep the pressure on.   Show up at meetings and join groups like the Sportsmen’s Alliance that are fighting hard for your rights.