# Division of Wildlife Survey



## OutdoorMediaCo (Sep 6, 2016)

With this being the first survey after the DOW house cleaning, be sure to take it and leave your comments. 

http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/stay-informed/wildlife-access-and-opportunities-survey


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## the_waterwolf (Feb 8, 2013)

#outoftheloop was the house cleaning for better or for worse for sportsman?


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## nitrofish1 (Apr 13, 2013)

the way i understand it they are replacing biologist with politicians. sounds like a disaster to me. you should read the resignation letter the dow boss wrote to the governor of ohio.


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## OutdoorMediaCo (Sep 6, 2016)

nitrofish1 said:


> the way i understand it they are replacing biologist with politicians. sounds like a disaster to me. you should read the resignation letter the dow boss wrote to the governor of ohio.


You talking budzik or the chief that was just fired? Post up the link if you have it. The DOW has done a terrible job managing game populations the last 5-6 years in my book. I'm worried about what else the DNR is trying to change but as far as a house cleaning, DOW needed it. They do not listen to sportsman bottom line. The deer hunter satisfaction is the worst I've seen it.


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## Dillon Friend (Jan 12, 2016)

Now are we ensinuating the deer population is high or low? Where I sit I wouldn't mind being able to take another doe every year in the early parts of bow season. I wouldn't say the herd is hurting in any way, would just like to thin out a few more does before the rut starts so the bucks push and chase a bit harder. The squirrel and rabbit populations on the public lands I like to hunt however are getting a bit low but it seems I'm seeing the litter size go up on both which will mean nature is fighting back the only way it can. I guess I would have to say I'm indifferent on all of the speculations.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

That's interesting. Kill more doe so you can kill a buck.


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## OutdoorMediaCo (Sep 6, 2016)

Dillon Friend said:


> Now are we ensinuating the deer population is high or low? Where I sit I wouldn't mind being able to take another doe every year in the early parts of bow season. I wouldn't say the herd is hurting in any way, would just like to thin out a few more does before the rut starts so the bucks push and chase a bit harder. The squirrel and rabbit populations on the public lands I like to hunt however are getting a bit low but it seems I'm seeing the litter size go up on both which will mean nature is fighting back the only way it can. I guess I would have to say I'm indifferent on all of the speculations.


I'm not saying the population is high or low. Deer populations vary by the township across the whole state. I hunt some areas with decent densities, but my favorite places to go with friends and family the population is the lowest I've seen in my lifetime. Places that are critical for hunter retention and recruitment. I can hunt private land in Licking county that has fairly high numbers but it is zero access for everyone else. I never hunted that property once myself, only took a new hunter out with permission in late season and got him his first deer after he tried all season on public land. He is a year two hunter and has no private to hunt, only public. He's tried I can attest but you shouldnt HAVE to hunt private land. It's not about how many deer are where "I" hunt, its about the state managing the resource in a balanced and equal way that maximises opportuntiy for EVERYONE. Most importantly youth and new hunters in a time access is disappearing rapidly. 

The regulations are not being made on science. It has been proven it is about tag revenue and political pressure. 

Glad YOU have plenty of deer to hunt, hopefully you share the resource and experience with family and friends.


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## D. R.Hodge (May 17, 2015)

OutdoorMediaCo said:


> With this being the first survey after the DOW house cleaning, be sure to take it and leave your comments.
> 
> http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/stay-informed/wildlife-access-and-opportunities-survey


Thank you for your post


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

OutdoorMediaCo said:


> With this being the first survey after the DOW house cleaning, be sure to take it and leave your comments.
> 
> http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/stay-informed/wildlife-access-and-opportunities-survey


FWIW...Done!


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## UNCLEMIKE (Jul 23, 2014)

OutdoorMediaCo said:


> I'm not saying the population is high or low. Deer populations vary by the township across the whole state. I hunt some areas with decent densities, but my favorite places to go with friends and family the population is the lowest I've seen in my lifetime. Places that are critical for hunter retention and recruitment. I can hunt private land in Licking county that has fairly high numbers but it is zero access for everyone else. I never hunted that property once myself, only took a new hunter out with permission in late season and got him his first deer after he tried all season on public land. He is a year two hunter and has no private to hunt, only public. He's tried I can attest but you shouldnt HAVE to hunt private land. It's not about how many deer are where "I" hunt, its about the state managing the resource in a balanced and equal way that maximises opportuntiy for EVERYONE. Most importantly youth and new hunters in a time access is disappearing rapidly.
> 
> The regulations are not being made on science. It has been proven it is about tag revenue and political pressure.
> 
> Glad YOU have plenty of deer to hunt, hopefully you share the resource and experience with family and friends.


Nicely put. You have said it better than anyone I have run across. Sad that so many fellow hunters need to be told this. It seems most cannot see past their own experience.


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## nitrofish1 (Apr 13, 2013)

mike budzick resignation letter to the governor in the blade newspaper . i don't know how to post the link .


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## Elias Hayes (Jul 26, 2017)

Thanks for the post.


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## VJhooked (Mar 15, 2017)

Below is the complete text of Budzik’s letter to Gov. Kasich. 


The text reads:

6/10/17

Dear Governor Kasich,

I notified Scott Milburn Friday afternoon 6-9-17 that I would resign the last day of this current pay period 6-10-17 because it became apparent to me that the role I was given had come to an end because of a lack of or no meaningful dialog with ODNR leadership, “the thirtieth floor”, and yourself. I tried on two different occasions to talk with you personally during the last several months primarily about the AEP opportunity, the license fee increase and the Wildlife Officer issue, but to no avail. I didn’t even get a response. I also had no meaningful discussions with the Department on these issues in spite of the fact that my monthly contact status forms, which I was required to submit, indicated that sportsmen were very, very concerned about these issues.

*Governor, what happened? Why did you and your administration quit talking with me and caring or listening about the concerns of Ohio sportsmen and women? At the start of my position you were concerned about the sportsmen’s interests and issues. You preserved the wildlife fund, stood up for the Second Amendment; your leadership on Senate Bill One to improve water quality on Lake Erie was superb. You and I, along with your administrative staff, had meaningful dialog on many occasions. But since November 2016, you and your administrative staff became silent and indifferent to the issues of importance to the sportsmen and women of Ohio, when in fact they have stood solidly behind you for nearly six and a half years. On a personal note I did my level best to put you in the very best light to sportsmen and women in Ohio and nationally only to be rebuffed and cast aside. If you recall, sportsmen and women filled the backyard of the Governor’s mansion by the hundreds on several occasions. That positive news or ‘feeling’ was spread across the state of Ohio by outdoor news articles, outdoor magazines and radio.*

*Governor, today there is a very different type of news or feeling being spread across the state about the Department and yourself concerning three of the most important sportsmen’s issues that have come forward in more than a decade; the acquisition of AEP Recreation land, the much needed license fee increase, and turning wildlife officers into Department of Natural Resource officers. In these issues, the facts are abundantly clear: The need and support to acquire the AEP Recreation land is overwhelming. The facts and need for the license fee increase is indisputable. And fact that Ohio sportsmen oppose turning wildlife officers into Natural Resource Officers.*

Governor, as your former policy staff and / or sportsmen liaison advocate I should make you aware of the following: *on more than one occasion several sportsmen leaders have been confronted, intimidated and outright lied to by DNR officials and/or by DNR family members at public meetings, an administration official referred to some sportsmen leaders who belong to national conservation organizations, such as Ducks Unlimited, as “cult” members. They have further stated we don’t need or want anyone who belongs to those “cults”, and lastly, some Division of Wildlife officers have been told by a member of the Director’s staff that their days as wildlife officers are numbered- you are going to become part of the Department’s Natural Resource officers, it’s too far down the track- quit fighting it*. Now I would question whether these things had ever been said, if I didn’t receive reports like this on a regular basis from many different people that I worked with and have respect.

*Why would any Department official confront or try to intimidate any sportsmen leader or publically disparage any sportsmen or former state employee who has a different opinion from the Department? These people are passionate about what they believe and know. They should be shown some respect, not branded as members of some conservation “cult”. The truth is that the leadership of ODNR has no regard for the sportsmen and women of Ohio. And no respect for the organizations that represent them. The Director openly questions whether they even speak for Ohio’s hunters, anglers and trappers.*

Earlier this month the Director told the media that he opposes an increase to hunting and fishing fees because he is concerned about decreasing hunting numbers. *After nearly six years leading the agency, the first time the Director speaks about one of our top concerns as a community, is to use it as a tool to oppose a long overdue increase in fees. The truth is that the Division of Wildlife is slowly being financially starved,* which prevents it from taking bold steps to try to address this problem, which faces not on Ohio, but all fifty states. And while the Division of Wildlife has worked for many years on this issue, with some of the groups that have been disparaged by ODNR leadership, the Director has never publicly spoken about his concern over falling hunter numbers, until now as a tool to oppose the license fee increase.

In our earliest discussions, you mentioned your commitment to seek and provide professional natural resource leadership and your intentions to not transform the Division of Wildlife into something less than what it is.

I’m asking you to personally get involved with the AEP opportunity. It is truly the wildlife conservation opportunity of a half century. The loss of access to these lands would be a terrible blow to outdoor recreation in Ohio. This issue requires your leadership. I’m asking for your personal support for the license fee increase. We can’t cut our way to find innovative solutions to attracting new participants, especially in the face of rising healthcare, retirement and salaries, that were all approved by the legislature and this administration. The fee increase, which has been a rare occurrence, is about business, and providing quality opportunities at a reasonable price.

*Lastly, I ask that you commit to keeping the Division of Wildlife whole, leaving wildlife officers to be wildlife officers directed by the Chief of the Division. At this moment, the agency is short 25 officers because it cannot afford their salaries, or the cadet classes to recruit them. Five counties are vacant, having no wildlife officer at all. Issues like this are what has convinced many sportsmen that the administration is trying to financially starve the Wildlife Division to force consolidation of law enforcement. Opposition to the fee increase provides fuel to that belief. *

Look at the overwhelming support on these issues from the conservation organizations across the state; Sportsmen’s Alliance, the Nature Conservancy (AEP). Ohio Environmental Council, Ohio Conservation Federation, The Buckeye Trail Association (AEP), League of Ohio Sportsmen, Chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Ohio State Trappers Association, Lake Erie Charter Boat Association, etc., the list goes on and on. These groups and their members, would be ecstatic to have your front and center leadership on these issues. It’s not too late to address these issues.

I assure you this will be received in an overwhelming positive light.

Your friend in conservation,

Michael J. Budzik


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## the_waterwolf (Feb 8, 2013)

Completed and submitted!


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

OutdoorMediaCo said:


> With this being the first survey after the DOW house cleaning, be sure to take it and leave your comments.
> 
> http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/stay-informed/wildlife-access-and-opportunities-survey


Done! Thanks for sharing that!!!


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## Saugernut (Apr 22, 2013)

Wow what an eye opener!
Hard to believe they've let it go this far.


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## OutdoorMediaCo (Sep 6, 2016)

All, as you take these surveys I would recommend commenting that survey results be publicly displayed. It's our right as sportsman and women to know where we stand on these important issues. Too much has been kept from sportsman and there is a lot happening that is impacting fish and wildlife resources in Ohio. We pay the bills we deserve transparency. Meetings should be live streamed. Many states are already doing. We are behind with accountability with the DNR and DOW. They work for us.


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