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Topic: What Happens When Anti-Hunters Join a State Game co*mission and Take Charge of Hunting Seasons (Read 46 times) previous topic - next topic

What Happens When Anti-Hunters Join a State Game co*mission and Take Charge of Hunting Seasons

What Happens When Anti-Hunters Join a State Game co*mission and Take Charge of Hunting Seasons

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black bear in washington state
Black bear management in Washington reached a boiling point in 2021 when wildlife co*missioners canceled the spring hunt following outcry from the animal welfare co*munity. James / Adobe Stock

In the second of a four-part podcast series, a former Washington wildlife co*missioner describes what happened when co*missioners ignored science to purse an anti-hunting agenda


The post What Happens When Anti-Hunters Join a State Game co*mission and Take Charge of Hunting Seasons appeared first on Outdoor Life.



                              

                   
black bear in washington state
Black bear management in Washington reached a boiling point in 2021 when wildlife co*missioners canceled the spring hunt following outcry from the animal welfare co*munity. James / Adobe Stock

Dr. Kim Thorburn is an unlikely hunting advocate.





An MD who practiced internal medicine and worked as a prison physician before turning to public-health administration, Thorburn describes herself as a “hippie doctor” and avid bird-watcher. The Spokane resident was as surprised as anyone when Washington’s governor tapped her to serve on the state’s Fish and Wildlife co*mission.





“I think I was the token non-game representative, considered [for the co*mission] because of my long work monitoring and advocating for prairie grouse and grassland bird habitat,” says Thorburn. “I’m not a hunter.”





But her professional background in medicine and public health prepared her well for the co*mission, which considers the public policy, social implications, and the science of wildlife management decisions. She threw herself in the volunteer work on the co*mission, developing an appreciation for the balance between recreational opportunity and species conservation, and participating in the give and take of managing limited public resources.





Thorburn is now a former wildlife co*missioner. She was not reappointed by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee in the latest round of selections. Her tenure overlapped a high-profile decision in November 2021 to end a long-standing limited spring bear hunt, and opposition to a conservation policy that de-emphasizes the role of hunters and emphasizes the importance of ecosystem health. Thorburn has been publicly critical of co*missioners she says are ignoring science as they pursue an anti-hunting agenda.









In the second episode of a four-part podcast series on Hunt Talk Radio, OL’s hunting editor Andrew McKean and host Randy Newberg talk with Thorburn about her experiences as a member of a polarized co*mission, and about the future of wildlife management in Washington and beyond.


The post What Happens When Anti-Hunters Join a State Game co*mission and Take Charge of Hunting Seasons appeared first on Outdoor Life.


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