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McCook Gazette
Letter to the Editor

Elect Game & Parks commissioners

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Dear Editor,

Wildlife conservation and science have been kidnapped by Nebraska Game and Parks Commissioners for self-serving political agenda.

Nebraska Game and Parks Commissioners are currently appointed by the governor and have limited accountability to the citizens of the state. Nebraska wildlife and parkland resources should not be a "political football" managed at the political whims and self-serving interests of Commissioners.

A much less politically influenced system could be created by a Nebraska Statute that requires commissioners be elected. The University of Nebraska Board of Regents, local boards, Natural Resource Districts boards, Nebraska Public Power District board, and Central Nebraska Public Power District board are all governed by elected representatives responsible to the citizens of Nebraska. Elected Nebraska Game and Parks Commissioners could be expected to make science-based, non-political policy decisions regarding state park management and wildlife conservation on behalf of all Nebraska citizens.

I retired from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission a couple of years ago after 40 years as a wildlife biologist and district manager of the Southwest District of the Wildlife Division. The North American Model for Conservation mandates that wildlife is managed using science (not politics).

Commissioners often ignore fish and wildlife professionals, and micromanage for their personal or political agenda disregarding science, research, and sometimes state statutes.

Richard Nelson

Norwood, Colorado

Comments
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Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. Please note that those who post comments on this website may do so using a screen name, which may or may not reflect a website user's actual name. Readers should be careful not to assign comments to real people who may have names similar to screen names. Refrain from obscenity in your comments, and to keep discussions civil, don't say anything in a way your grandmother would be ashamed to read.

  • SW Nebraska would be well served if the commission would do stocking of game like they have in the East. Pheasants, quail, p. chickens, antelope, fish, That would be nice along with improvements in the area state park land.

    -- Posted by dennis on Thu, Jan 15, 2015, at 3:22 PM

  • Dennis you are an idiot! What do you know about wildlife management?

    -- Posted by swnetrapper on Thu, Jan 22, 2015, at 8:38 PM

  • @ swnetrapper: you must not have read the sentence directly above this dialogue box.

    @ dennis: I lurk a lot more than I comment and appreciate your thoughts and pride in this community. I am surprised user "Todd Cappel", if that's even his real name, isn't on this thread telling you via misspellings and extreme views how stupid you are too!

    Regarding this article: I agree. I feel that the NGPC is an unregulated mess. Officers have all the rights and privileges of a peace officer, yet have to follow none of the rules. If they even "suspect" a crime is being committed, they can walk into your home and seize your property through warrantless searches. They are able to walk onto private land and deliver justice as they see fit. As a private citizen who tries hard to follow all of the arbitrary rules and purchase all of the "stamps", I feel that I should have some rights.

    I recognize my comments won't amount to a hill of beans, but our current warden has "Little Dog Syndrome". I have no problem with a GW doing his/her job and taking appropriate precautions while doing so to protect his/her life, but they need to treat people with a little bit of respect while they trample that person's 2nd and 4th Amendment rights.

    I am sure I could have written something a little more objective, but I am frustrated and this is what you get.

    -- Posted by speak-e-z on Fri, Jan 23, 2015, at 7:49 AM

  • I agree with Mr. Nelson. The G&P commission is a joke and the district commissioners are the ultimate definition of political cronyism that is alive and well in Nebraska. The fact the man had to retire before speaking the truth speaks volumes......

    -- Posted by regular guy on Fri, Jan 23, 2015, at 8:04 AM

  • Trapper, sorry I made you upset. I know I had upset you several months ago when I commented on why the G and P planted ash trees in SW Nebraska when the U.S. Forest Service was recommending to not plant ash due to the beetle moving our direction. I greatly appreciate the efforts of G and P and was merely suggesting additional improvements.

    -- Posted by dennis on Fri, Jan 23, 2015, at 2:29 PM

  • I agree, the present system doesn't work. At present, the purpose of the NGPC is to provide full funding for eugene mahoney state park. Anything west of hiway 77 gets to cut back or be eliminated. The ash tree idea was stupid.

    -- Posted by Hugh Jassle on Sun, Jan 25, 2015, at 2:53 PM
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