Dear editor:

The reassignment of former director of the Wyoming Game and Fish was welcome. She publicly stated last year that it was her contention that Game and Fish should not “advocate or speak for wildlife.”

There should not be one G & F employee who doesn’t advocate for our wildlife.

In 1937, the inception, the message was very clear: The purpose of the Wyoming Game & Fish was game management. Previously, they proudly had, as their motto, “Conserving Wildlife and Serving the Public.” And for decade upon decade followed The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.

This went terribly by the wayside when the then director, Jay Lawson, sent Mark Brucino, of the Cody office, to Canada to bring in the worst invasive species to our region. That broke their own stance on NO invasive species to be allowed. The Canadian gray wolf was never here until they brought them here.     Wolves are a tool to use for anti-hunting.

This has been proven in over 31.5 years of their agenda by them and their anti-hunting “constituents” to first limit human hunting, eventually taking it away.  The wolves have killed tens of thousands of our game animals in this period of time, as well as the over-population of grizzlies.

Local warden Dave Bragonier stated that if he had his way, he would see all of the elk killed off in the North Fork and then he wouldn’t have to babysit them.  He also advocated closing a ten-mile perimeter around the Park to all hunting.  Thankfully, this was derailed by then Bob Dohse, our game commissioner, as well as Don Gibbs, Jay Ward, Roy Coleman and others from Cody at the yearly G & F meeting in Cheyenne.

Politics and socialistic style control of the people is the direction now. To hell with our wildlife, the license buyers who built the G & F with their hard earned dollars.  Our wildlife, big game herds should be FIRST, not politicians and special interest groups.

I’ve learned, even previously the most recent possible reasons for Bruce’s departure from the department, that staff in the field has no say in the direction of the department or problems they see or hear about, or they will never be advanced in their careers, all dictated from Cheyenne.

Then the truth about Bruce’s abrupt resignation and reassignment [with no real job description for a supposedly five- month term and a pay cut] has been kept quiet.  This should be public knowledge, upfront.  Both Gordon and Bruce are paid public servants, but there seems to be a gag order on anything to do with this.  Taxpayers and license buyers, it appears the thinking off them both, is that this change is not to be discussed.

Finally, the acting director, if you read his bio on the WY G & F page and in articles about his position, has no wildlife management schooling.  He is schooled in law enforcement and finances.     

Our next governor needs to appoint a person who is wildlife management trained to head the department to conserve wildlife.

Randy Selby

Wapiti