Commission Template 1: (Click HERE to Download a Copy)

Good morning, my name is _______________________, I live in ______________________ County.

First I’d like to say welcome to the new commission members.

With the background and experience that you both bring to the table I am excited to see what you can accomplish.

I would also like to say thank you to the commission members who have made management decisions based on the best available science and upheld the commission’s mission and mandate.

As a hunter, angler, and conservationist, I appreciate your dedication to safeguarding the North American model of wildlife conservation which is the most successful wildlife management practice in the world.

Give a couple sentences explaining why the opportunity to hunt and fish is so important to you.

The voice for our public lands, waters and wildlife, the health and abundance of our natural resources for current and future generations is of the utmost importance to me.

I look forward to continuing to work with the commission on making sound policy decisions based on the best available science and participating in the boots on the ground conservation efforts that hunting and angling organizations such as BHA are so famous for.

Commission Template 2: (Click HERE to Download a Copy)

Good morning, my name is _______________________, and I live in ______________________ County.

Give a couple sentences explaining why the opportunity to hunt and fish is so important to you.

EXAMPLE: (I really enjoy the opportunity to get outside and interact with wildlife through hunting and fishing. Not just look at, but really be a part of the natural cycles. My family eats fish, shellfish, mushrooms, and wild game meat all year long. I want my daughter to be able to have the same or better fishing and hunting opportunity during her life.)

I appreciate you utilizing the North American model of wildlife conservation which is the most successful wildlife management practice in the world and has proven itself to work.

I would like to say thank you to the commission members who have not criticized our biologist, suggested new timely and costly studies with risky and un-proven new wildlife practices, but rather made management decisions based on our state’s science and upheld the commission’s mission and mandate.

The health and abundance of our natural resources for current and future generations is of the utmost importance to me.

Thank you for your time today, and I’m looking forward to engaging with you all in future meetings.

Commission Template 3: (Click HERE to Download a Copy)

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today!

My name is _____ and I live in ____ County.

I would like to say congratulations to Commissioner Myers and Parker on their new appointments, I’m excited to see the balance you both can bring to the Commission and sound management of state resources.

With an end goal of a healthy environment and populations, it might appear there are multiple routes to take. My preference is that of the North American Model of Wildlife conservation which has been the most effective model for over 130 years and continues to adapt to the new challenges each year.

I also support boots on the ground conservation work primarily lead by the various hunting and angling organizations who are practicing what they preach.

Pull from one example below to speak to how these organizations are benefitting the ecosystem, or list a couple facts from your favorite hunting and angling group:

Ducks Unlimited- Mission to conserve, restore and manage wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people. Total acreage conserved in North America: over 2 Million

Pheasants Forever- 15,000 wildlife habitat projects annually, by working in conjunction with local, state and federal natural resource agencies they’ve helped in protecting and opening over 187,000 acres to the public.

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers- On the calendar already are over 294 boots on the ground projects oriented around habitat improvement and public access.

My goal today is to speak in support of the North American Model of wildlife conservation and to shine a light on hunters and anglers who are more than just hunters and anglers, they are conservationists who are investing their time and money in projects and organizations which are directly addressing the struggle of changing habitat.

Thank you all for your time today.

Commission Template 4: (Click HERE to Download a Copy)

My name is ____ and I live in ___ county, thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

I feel it is important to surface valuable information regarding hunting and angling efforts and speak in support of proven conservation models. 

The North American Model of Wildlife conservation is hard to sum up with 100 years of conservation wins, it was designed based on 7 separate tenets that support wildlife species management in ways that can be sustained, forever. 

It's already adapted to the drastic changes since the time of market hunting and continues to be a vital and necessary tool in what's to perpetuate our nation's greatest resources. 

The years of effort from those before us to create the opportunities we have today is worth protecting as are those proven methods of wildlife conservation, which encompass the ecosystem as a whole, and include hunters as a management tool.

Beyond boots on the ground conservation projects, hunters, anglers, sportsmen and women also are also the primary contributors to the migratory bird hunting and conservation stamp act, the wildlife restoration act, the Pittman-Robertson act and Dingell-Johnson Act, on average accounts for 75% of state’s fish and wildlife agency’s annual budget. In 2022 alone $1.5 billion was distributed to benefit that which we all care deeply about. 

Because of all this, I am a proud hunter, angler and conservationist here in Washington, and I’m looking forward to engaging with the commission in coming meetings. 

Thank you all for your time today.