Dear Wenatchee Sportsman's Association Members: Please look over the following information and contact the legislators listed below to make them aware of your thoughts. These legislators represent constituents in all of the WDFW's Region 2. Your timely input does make a difference. The items listed below are from Gov. Locke's 2003-05 proposed budget. The budget in this session will be drafted in the Senate and may vary from the governor's. After the Senate develops its proposed budget, it presents it to the House. After working out a compromise, the budget then goes to the Governor to sign. No one knows for sure what will be in the final budget, therefore it is important to let the legislators know our thoughts early in the session. There are currently 5 enforcement positions in the state that are vacant and will not be filled. Additional officers will be retiring with additional unfilled vacancies. Since Officer Larry Klump retired last year, the Leavenworth position is vacant and will not be filled.

• The governor's proposed budget would consolidate WDFW Region 2 & 3. Region 2 headquarters in Ephrata would be closed eliminating Dennis Beich's regional director position as well as the office manager. Region 2 is currently the largest geographic region in the state with 22% of the total land base in Washington for fish and wildlife related activities. Dennis Beich has been supportive of the Wenatchee Sportsman's activities regarding Mission Ridge. • The new "mega region" headquarters would be in Yakima. This location would require many extra travel hours for biologists and enforcement officers when they attend meetings or activities at the headquarters. Example: Oroville to Yakima is 4 ½ to 5 hours each way. The Wenatchee office will not be open to the public for license purchases, horn and hide branding or provide general information and assistance. • In 2001, Region 2 ranked number one among the state's regions in the harvest of chukars, quail, ducks and geese. Fifteen percent of the state's deer hunters hunted in Region 2, harvesting 5,451 deer, which represented 15% of the state's harvest • Another bad proposal in the governor's budget is the elimination of public service and license sales in all regional headquarters and the Wenatchee office. This would require license purchasers to buy their licenses at retail outlets. The WDFW employees that sell licenses are very knowledgeable regarding seasons, bag limits and emergency closures. Retail salespeople frequently don't have the slightest idea about such matters and the department-issued pamphlets do not contain emergency regulations. The Wenatchee office will be closed to the public for license purchases, horn and hide branding or to provide general information and assistance.

REGION 2 STATEWIDE STATISTICS

**Region 2 manages 22% (9,524,937 acres) of the total land base in the State of Washington for fish and Wildlife related issues. That's a large responsibility.

**15% (23,400) of the States deer hunters hunted in Region 2. They hunted 105,000 hunter days - harvesting 5, 451 deer which represented 15% of the States harvest.

**15% (221) of the States annual bear harvest comes from Region 2.

**20% (43) of the States annual cougar "Recreational Hunting Harvest" comes from Region 2.

**21% (79) of the States bobcat harvest comes from Region 2

**Approximately 39.4% (9,373) of the States chukar harvest comes from Region 2. Amongst allWDFW Regions, Region 2 ranked #1 in chukar harvest.

**Approximately 37% (50,492) of the States California (Valley) quail harvest comes from Region 2. Again Region 2 ranked #1 in quail harvest.

**Approximately 18.9% (23,069) of the States pheasant harvest comes from Region 2. Region 2 ranked #2 amongst WDFW Regions for pheasant harvest.

**Region 2 ranked #1 in total harvest for both ducks and geese. 32% (920,903) of the States goose harvest as well as 28% (11,256) of the States duck harvest comes from Region 2. If you are a waterfowler, Region 2 is the place to hunt!!

PLEASE CONTACT THE FOLLOWING

Sen. Larry Sheahan	PO Box 40409	Olympia, WA 98504-0409	e-mail	360-786-7620
Sen. Joyce Mulliken	PO Box 40413	Olympia, WA 98504-0413	e-mail	360-786-7624
Rep. Don Cox	PO Box 40600	Olympia, WA 98504-0600	e-mail	360-786-7942
Rep. Mark Schoesler	PO Box 40600	Olympia, WA 98504-0600	e-mail	360-786-7844
Rep.Janea Holmquist	PO Box 40600	Olympia, WA 98504-0600	e-mail	360-786-7932
Rep. Bill Hinkle	PO Box 40600	Olympia, WA 98504-0600	e-mail	360-786-7808
Rep. Mike Armstrong	PO Box 40600	Olympia, WA 98504-0600	e-mail	360-786-7832
Rep. Cary Condotta	PO Box 40600	Olympia, WA 98504-0600	e-mail	360-786-7954
Sen. Linda Evans-Parlette	PO Box 40412	Olympia, WA 98504-0412	e-mail	360-786-7622