Take Back The MDC
A Gathering Point for True Sportsmen
The MDC That Won't Hunt
Monday, June 11th, 2007
Sent in by a reader,
In the June 1, 2007 edition of the Rivers Hills Traveler published at Piedmont, MO on page seven an article states,
"Studies show that 30 years ago more than 95% of Missouri Conservation personnel hunted and fished. Today that figure has dwindled closer to 40%."
This is not the first time we have heard this information. In fact, a couple of MDC employees past and present have presented information that concludes that only about 50% of Missouri Department Headquarter staff hunt and fish and an even lesser number inside the O&E division headed by Lorna Domke. This information is accessible simply by looking up who has purchased fishing or hunting permits. The numbers are lacking to the point of alarm.
This is just another glaring reason why hunters and sportsmen of Missouri need to be concerned and take steps today to contact the governor about the upcoming commission appointments.
Time and time again we receive feedback from within the department of hiring practices that are loading it down with staff that are anti-hunting, vegetarian, and have no experience hunting or in the shooting sports. The current leadership has this mentality that they can bring in people with "different backgrounds" other than hunting and the outdoors and still somehow run an effective conservation agency. Well that's the same as having experienced professionals in bio chemistry come to coach a college football team. It won't work....and isn't working.
What we find equally troubling is certain pro-hunting and fishing organizations in Missouri that are scared to speak out against what they see happening because they get a certain amount of financial assistance and they are worried they might be blacklisted by MDC leadership if they become critical or vocal about the concerns.
The numbers speak for themselves and they cannot be ignored. The MDC is moving away from hunting, angling and shooting activities both from within and without. The people they are hiring have absolutely no business being employed there.
We were actually happy to see the amount of fishing articles in the last edition of the Missouri Conservationist Magazine as its usually hard to find one or even two main fishing or hunting related articles in each issue. Maybe the editorial staff is feeling the heat and starting to wake up.
The fact of the matter is we need to change the leadership inside the Missouri Department of Conservation. We need MDC management who will hire those who have a love of the outdoors including shooting sports, hunting, fishing and trapping. We can accomplish this by contacting our governor and asking him to think carefully about upcoming commission appointments.
Do we want to wait 10 more years and discover that only 20 or 30 percent of MDC employees are actively hunting and fishing? That is the downward trend we are on and if we don't do something about it now we will only have ourselves to blame then.
Let us not be afraid to act.
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NOTE: We are now on google. The amount of letters coming in and feedback received have told us that we are being found on search engines when people search for Missouri Department of Conservation. We are getting the word out and readers like you are helping.
Sen. Dan Clemens Remarks
Just last month State Senator Dan Clemens made remarks on the Missouri Senate Floor expressing his concerns with the current leadership at the MDC. Please read his remarks and forward them on to others who may wish to read them. Click Here
Report to Elected Officials
Please download and pass on the Take Back The MDC report to elected officials concerning the current state of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Please call your state elected representatives and senators and tell them that you are concerned with the Leadership at the MDC. Tell them you want change!
Download HERE
