Olympia Considering End to Department of Fish & Wildlife! Hunters and Sportsmen MUST Contact their Legislators Immediately!

The Senate budget released this week would zero out the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) budget and transfer all WDFW functions to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in a merger of the two agencies.  Further, it would reduce by $10.5 million the amount spent on the functions that have been handled by WDFW.

To those involved in the shooting sports, the net result of such a transfer of authority would likely be devastating.  Gun owners and sportsmen have been fighting DNR for years with regard to shooting and hunting on DNR land.  Leadership in DNR is, at best, indifferent to the interests of sportsmen and, more likely, hostile and antagonistic.

The majority of hunters and sportsmen in Washington State agreed last year to surcharges on their licenses to keep important WDFW functions in place.  Every hunting (and fishing) program and every dedicated fund is at risk for reduction or termination.  Sportsmen’s support of the department could be wiped out if the Senate Budget is allowed to advance with the merger language in it. 

It is critical that hunters and sportsmen contact the members of the Senate Ways & Means Committee immediately!  Tell them to OPPOSE THE MERGER OF WDFW INTO DNR!  Please leave messages for your Senator and Representatives, as well.

Following are the email addresses for the 22 members of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, including Senator Rodney Tom who is the author of the merger effort:

State Senator Margarita Prentice (Chair) - [email protected]
State Senator Karen Fraser (Vice-Chair, Capital Budget) - [email protected]
State Senator Rodney Tom (Vice Chair, Operating Budget) - [email protected]
State Senator Joseph Zarelli (Ranking Minority) - [email protected]
State Senator Dale Brandland - [email protected]
State Senator Mike Carrell - [email protected]
State Senator Darlene Fairley - [email protected]
State Senator Mike Hewitt - [email protected]
State Senator Steve Hobbs - [email protected]
State Senator Jim Honeyford - [email protected]
State Senator Karen Keiser - [email protected]
State Senator Adam Kline - [email protected]
State Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles - [email protected]
State Senator Joe McDermott - [email protected]
State Senator Ed Murray - [email protected]
State Senator Eric Oemig - [email protected]
State Senator Linda Evans Parlette - [email protected]
State Senator Cheryl Pflug - [email protected]
State Senator Craig Pridemore - [email protected]
State Senator Debbie Regala - [email protected]
State Senator Phil Rockefeller - [email protected]
State Senator Mark Schoesler - [email protected]  

Your Senator and his or her email address can be found here: https://dlr.leg.wa.gov/MemberEmail/Default.aspx?Chamber=S

The toll-free Legislative Hotline number for those wanting to leave a phone message for their legislators is (800)562-6000.

Please call and email these legislators immediately!  A Ways & Means vote on the Senate Budget with the merger language could occur as early as tomorrow morning.