True North

Three separate mentions of the Department Of Natural Resources (DNR) in today's Strib (collectors edition) all got my attention. On the front page Richard Maryhew memorializes the fishing opener with an article about the steep decline in new anglers each year heading to Minnesota's 10,000 plus lakes. The situation must be extremely dire (license cash shortage could threaten public jobs) when a lib rag like the Strib publishes such a straightforward piece on the disintegration of the nuclear family unit and the subsequent impact on fishing. That wasn't really Maryhew's angle but it fits in nicely with all the other reasons he and the DNR public relations folks offered in the article.

On B1 David Shaffer chronicles the state hiring of an outside consultant to "investigate whether fundraising for a state-supported game warden conference violated conflict of interest laws". The DNR spent $383,000 of our money to host an international conference of game wardens. As the smell of misuse of taxpayer money wafts from the DNR kitchen, a bigger picture emerges about the size, scope and behavior of the DNR.

The third mention was from a Selkirk, Manitoba chap in the letters-to-editor section defending the aformentioned conflict/spending boo boo from the apparent perspective of an executive committeeman from the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association. He didn't say he was, but the stats he supplied sounded like he's the top banana. The DNR must be feeling considerable heat if their PR folks are so instantly starting the public campaign to cover the bare buns of our DNR. But don't expect any real scrutiny or a necessarily just outcome here. This is Minnesota. We always err in favor of big bureacratic monstrosities. Especially publicly funded ones. Viva la government!

I'm biased. I hunt and fish. And from time to time I enjoy the sort of interaction I expect with our DNR. That would be the expectation I have as both a customer and as a Minnesota taxpayer. Too often Conservation Officers behave like militant KGB agents sent out to shakedown the clientele they should be serving. Maybe the state is saving money by having the DNR agents trained by the Attorney Generals Office. If that's the case, while I admire their frugality, I cringe at the level of unchecked ego being put into the field. Leave that to the lawyers.

Probable cause is a good threshold for law enforcement. It's extremely annoying when a hunter, concealed in a field watching as flocks of delicious geese decend into their decoy spread and then suddenly veer away--suddenly realizes that the fool that spooked the birds is the Klondike Kop marching up to the blinds to shakedown the hunters. This happened to me. Wihout any probable cause our hunt was ruined. The CO ordered each of us to remain in our blinds and set out our weapons for insopection. He searched our bags for lead shot. He stuck a probe into the magazine of each of our guns to see that they were compliant with the three shell maximum. Such unwelcome intrusion is akin to your doctor checking your prostate without bothering to tell you what to expect. But I digress.

I typically hunt in Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Saskatchewan. Every now and then I also get to Nebraska and Missouri. Minnesota's conservation officers are without question the least hospitable and the most annoying of any territory I've hunted. It doesn't have to be that way.

I certainly mean virtually no offense to the fine folks who serve as our conservation officers. My angst is wholly focused on upper level management that sets the draconian policy that is sent into the field. We need to encourage our DNR to treat the resource of hunters and fishermen as cherished clientele, not criminals. By all means hammer dowm on the poachers and the cheaters. But show some respect for the people who pay your salaries, belong to Pheasant's Forever, Ducks Unlimited, etc. We are not the enemy.

It would be great for kids to hear Dad say "Let's go over there and chat with that nice Conservation Officer", instead of grimacing in pain at the very sight of the 'bureau of outdoor enjoyment prevention'.

We can do better.

Cross-posted and comments welcome at Wright County Republican.