Go Time: Final Action On MN Deer Audit

[SD51555]

*Spoke to Reinert's office: Hasn't taken a position. Has an audit of his own he's trying for, likely not to pass (according to his aide). I asked for her to confirm his position and she declined because I'm not a constituent. They've gotten emails and "quite" a few calls. I asked to pass along my sentiment anyway. :mad:

*Kahn's office: Left voicemail voicing support, asking for call back to confirm position.

*Quam's office: Spoke to aide. Voiced support, asked for position. Aide wasn't aware but is going to ask and call me back.

*Runbeck's office: Ditto. Also mentioned I was calling as a member of the MDDI and we were trying to get votes counted and I could help head off unnecessary phone calls to her office if we knew she was a supporter. Aide will call me back with an answer. ***Update: Got a call back. She is voting for the deer audit.

*Bensen's office: Ditto. Ditto. Wasn't going to get a call back. Then I mentioned I was organizing the phone bank for the MDDI and I could help head off tons of unnecessary calls if we could find out whether Sen Bensen was a supporter or not. Then I got a commitment to find out and get back to me.

*Metzen's office: Ditto. Ditto. Wasn't going to get a call back. Gave same story. Was told Metzen didn't really have any horse in this one. Aide said it's highly likely that he would take guidance from Sen Tomassoni on this one. I called his office to get an answer and ask for a nudge in Metzen's direction. Left a voicemail.

*Sen Rest: Ditto. Ditto. No position yet. Email is preferred mode of communication as she does her own. Use a specific subject line so she knows it's specific to her and not a mass blast. The aide also committed to help find out and get back to me.

***Judy @ Auditors Office: Called to get final details on votes needed, process etc. Left message, waiting for call back.

 

[wiscwhip]

Nice work SD! It looks like you are busting your @$$ on this, so I hope it pays off!

 

[SD51555]

New Info

Spoke to Judy at OLA office: She is the organizer of the subcommittee for the OLA. She informed me that the way this is going to end is that the eval subcommittee will pick 6 (that is the number OLA recommends) to send to the full commission for a vote. "Traditionally" the full commission does not change the recommendation of the eval subcommittee. So it looks like we've got to put the screws to the four members of the eval subcommittee to ensure the deer audit gets through on Wednesday.

*Sen Rick Hansen (D) Chair - 651-296-6828
*Rep Connie Bernardy (D) - 651-296-5510
*Sen Mary Kiffmeyer (R) - 651-296-5655
*Sen Warren Limmer (R) - 651-296-2159


It wouldn't hurt to find out if we don't have a stinker in the bunch that will try to head it off in the full vote on Friday, but for now, stay on the 4 members of the subcommittee.

Judy is going to call me back later today to give me the legislator survey results once they are made public. She did tell me the audit topics came in with a big six getting majority support, and the deer audit was one of those six.

 

[SD51555]

Nice work SD! It looks like you are busting your @$$ on this, so I hope it pays off!

We're this darn close. We've got to close strong. Pick up the phones guys. Everyone. Four phone calls to make have a chance at seeing productive change from all your habitat dollars and days. Do it for the deer, Brooks, your hunting party, whatever. Pick up the phone and call.

 

[SD51555]

Kiffmeyer and Limmer are on board. Now we've got it down to two phone calls. Hansen and Bernardy. Two phone calls. Make em!

 

[bat man]

Called and emailed a recap.

Members of the Audit Selection Committee,

The bowhunters of MN are requesting your support of the MN deer management audit. We are seeking real changes to a system that needs some attention. Our DNR does not want to admit a problem exists.

I have attached 4 graphics for your consideration. They summarize a complicated issue, but help show real problems exist with the current deer model and herd monitoring tools.

The MN DNR model would suggest we have 9% fewer deer than 10 years ago. Graphic below contains MN DNR provided data.

Ground surveys are a tool the MN DNR uses to estimate the size of our deer herd. They would suggest a herd numbers rising rapidly for the past 7 years.

But the deer harvest is the only 'real' data our DNR collects. The harvest tells a much different story than our model or ground surveys suggest.

And hunter satisfaction with deer seen on stand is dropping rapidly.

Please bear in mind these are all MN DNR provided numbers, but there is no consistency. The model suggests deer numbers are fairly steady or possibly on the rise, while the harvest and hunter satisfaction are declining rapidly.

Please support the proposed audit. Our current deer model and herd monitoring techniques are not functioning at an acceptable level.

Please feel free to call with any questions.

Brooks Johnson
President MNBowhunters Inc
763 213 6811

 

[SD51555]

Here's the results from the legislator survey given out by the Auditor's office. This is the one to all legislators where they select 4 they would like to see audited. Some notes:

*52 of 201 legislators didn't respond (I'd like to see that list).
*Deer audit came in 4th most popular selection (missed third by 1 vote).
*Top six are apparent. Auditor is asking them to pick six for audit this year.
*Over 40% of respondents want the deer audit.

Did anyone call today ? Did you hear anything back?

 

[bat man]

Hi Brooks

I so appreciate getting the stack of signatures. Looking forward to them arriving. I will share them with other members especially those who need some encouragement that this is a real issue.

We make our decision on Wednesday in the subcommittee. But then we will be having a full legislative audit commission meeting, in which we will make the final decision.

Please stay in touch and be good if you would attend the meeting on Wednesday if you can just to be present. When the next one is scheduled the full legislative audit commission it will be good for you to be there as well.

Just to let you know we have received a letter from the DNR and they support having the deer audit. I hope that is good news to you

In addition I think you should take a look at what the legislative auditor wrote the one page summary of the study of the audit and see if there's any changes additions etc. that can make sure that we accomplish the purpose of this audit. Stay in touch with me as to that language and let me know yes no changes etc.

Thanks for writing. Good to work with you Brooks.

Mary (Kiffmeyer)

State Senator SD30
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St Paul, MN 55155
651-296-5655

 

[SD51555]

That's a mind blower! When did the the DNR get behind it all of a sudden? Also, what one page summary is she talking about?

 

[bat man]

That's a mind blower! When did the the DNR get behind it all of a sudden? Also, what one page summary is she talking about?

I requested the one page document as well as the wed and friday itineraries from Mary. You will be looped.

 

[sandbur]

At a Regional MDHA meeting that I attended, the DNR reps and retired DNR people did not want the audit.

Brooks-please make sure an evaluation of how deer hunter's license dollars are spent stays in the audit request.

 

[biglakeba$$]

The DNR now supports an audit of themselves.

So they approve to have their numbers reviewed... such as a 9% herd reduction they agreed to with the public that has gone way beyond 50%....

What are they thinking? Or better yet, what underhanded plans do they have?

 

[SD51555]

If and when we get the audit off the ground, the next biggest step is to ensure the scope of the audit is on the right things. Here's an example from the forestry audit. They start by compiling a list of questions that guide the audit. We have to make sure the right questions are asked. That's new water for me. I imagine Jim Nobles is going to be a lot more familiar with us if we punch this thing through. The next big risk is that the wrong questions are asked.

 

[BuckSutherland]

Buy agreeing to the audit, it may be the only way some of those in the DNR's Deer management program will "maybe" be able to keep there jobs........but I hope not!

I would say that is exactly what they are doing. Then they are gonna bitch and complain that they didnt/dont have enough money to do the job adequately and they need more funds, research, and phony departments. If they support the audit then they can go back to the legislature with their hands out and get more money, probably keep doing a shitty job of managing the herd, and then in six months give themselves a raise while they are getting wasted on the golf course after a nice meal of prime rib and lobster at Breezy Pt.


You wait, it will be all someone else's fault, just like it always is with gubermint and they will all get raises and the license fees will all go up.


The guy I emailed last week about why the DPSM numbers for PA 172 are so f'd up from 2009-2014 hasnt emailed me back. Probably thinks I am a PITA now for calling into question their useless made-up numbers.

 

[foggy]

When your caught with your hand in the cookie jar......you better admit to your sugar craving. So it goes with the DNR. They might be idiots.....but they know how to play politics.

 

[wiscwhip]

Maybe they are trying to set it up to fail. It seems like that is what the WI DNR is doing at times. We have a whole new social-based management system in WI, that the DNR can now say they have little to do with the management decisions in the new system. They collect and present the data to the public, public evaluates data, public "votes" for quota, turns numbers over to NRB, NRB OK's quota per public desire, DNR off the hook no matter what happens. I could see them agreeing to an audit if that is what they see as an end result. The WI DNR has put in "emergency rules" that can be used in case us stupid @$$ hunters decide to vote for too many deer and apparent overpopulation is taking place. Kind of like Buck said, blame someone else or at least make it so you can't get blamed.

 

[bat man]

Deer Audit Advances to Selection Committee

Our elected voted last Friday as part of the audit selection process. The deer audit was the 4th most popular selection, but it ranked 7th in ‘promise’. The deer audit was also 1 of 2 that received volumes of email and phone traffic in St Paul. Tip of the cap to the hunters of MN who chose to be active in this effort.





On Wednesday (tomorrow) at 10.30 am the 4 member selection committee will pick the 6 audits to be presented as final choices at Fridays 1 pm meeting of the full Legislative Audit Committee.

Of the 4 members involved in the selection process, Senators Kiffmeyer and Limmer are 100% on board with the audit and have been actively lobbying support, but we have yet to receive positions from Representatives Hansen or Bernardy.

In the next 24 hours please consider calling (you will get an aide or voicemail), or emailing Reps Hansen and Bernardy. politely requesting they support the proposed audit.

*Rep Rick Hansen (D) Chair – 651-296-6828 rep.rick.hansen@house.mn

*Rep Connie Bernardy (D) – 651-296-5510 rep.connie.bernardy@house.mn

*Sen Mary Kiffmeyer (R) – 651296-5655

*Sen Warren Limmer (R) – 651-296-2159

We are at the doorstep of long term change to the way our herd is monitored and managed. Please take 2 minutes to help us finish up this phase so we can move onto helping shape the future of deer management in Minnesota. Lets make sure the audit is selected as 1 of the 6 to be conducted by the OLA.

Brooks Johnson

President MNBowhunters Inc

 

[leexrayshady]

called and left voicemails for Benardy as well as Hansen

 

[SD51555]

That's three of us that have called this week. Anyone else?

 

[centralmnhunter]

Called, and sent e-mails to friends to call.