2017-08-22 Game Management Advisory Commission Minutes

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Hawaii Game Management Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – August 22, 2017 answers are still weighted, it seems, on one side. And so, you know, and frankly I’ve been doing this for twenty years, twenty-plus years so, I mean, there’s got to be a change and I don’t like to get into arguments but it appears to me like we’re talking to the wall. We keep asking the same questions, we reasonably ask for changes and you know... Public statements coming out of DLNR now are predominantly those of the protectionist nature and, you know, I appreciate those but we also would like to see some balance comments coming out about game management. So that’s my editorial comment. But I appreciate what you guys are doing but I understand that it has to start at the top and when the top comes to one meeting in the very beginning but doesn’t revisit us, it tells us something, yeah? So maybe she should come visit us again and don’t send the flack catchers here, cause we know about the flack catchers, you know, she should come and talk to us and hopefully the message gets to her. Thank you. TL: Well, game management... DY: And thanks for your efforts... TL: Our game animals should be appreciated by the department and they should have value, poaching or any of these other things should reflect that value, you know, what happens with poaching. At one time we had a poaching – anti-poaching bill, for example, that the fines of that thing went up to $25,000. And confiscation of vehicles and all of this. DOCARE actually argued against it because they didn’t want to have a used car lot – to have to deal with it. I appreciate that part of it – but in many states poaching is a really serious offense and sometimes you can go to jail for it. I think you can here, too, but I don’t know that it’s ever – I was in court and $25.00 fine got reduced to $10.00 – Chillingworth – and so, I mean, you know, the economy’s of people that are there, too, you know, it’s just people are hunting and they get caught – I understand that as well, but, I think the promotion, protection and preservation of our game animals needs to be advocated by the department – with that I kind of agree with them – Kanalu, I appreciate what you did – I really – no, it was a good presentation and we’re not giving you a hard time so don’t... WC: We’ve, in the past three months meetings – if we look back at what has been said, what has been argued – I, personally, have a pretty good understanding on how – on a lot of the challenges that these guys here on the ground have – just by Mr. Banko’s statements, I mean, we all here have been here long enough to understand that they have challenges – I think instead of – now I don’t disagree with anything that anybody has said here tonight – I agree 100% but I think we’ve already beat that horse enough that we’re not getting anywhere. So I think maybe we should ask these guys what is – truly what it is that we can do to try and help in accelerating some of these processes, I 33