That Controversial Deer Audit

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That Controversial Deer Audit ©

By Jim Slinsky
07/18/09

Never has there been an issue mired in so much misinformation than the current deer management audit recently awarded to the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI). Truthfully, this audit has become as controversial as our deer management. A few are still trying to stop the audit based on the allegation that it will be nothing but a whitewash of the current PA Game Commission’s (PGC) deer management plan.

If we wind back the clock almost two years, an audit of the PGC’s deer management was the brainchild of the Unified Sportsmen of PA. State Representative (SR) Ed Staback was quietly discussing the idea with a few trusted colleagues. SR David Levdansky, a member of the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC), caught wind of SR Staback’s discussions and announced he was going to spearhead a deer audit. By Harrisburg protocol, this was not a classy maneuver.

Shortly thereafter, SR Levdansky put out a list of parameters for the audit to investigate. Typically, the LBFC would generate a “request for proposal” (RFP) and solicit bids to perform the audit from across the nation. SR Levdansky’s attempt at constructing an RFP was rejected by the LBFC and the House Game & Fisheries Committee (HGFC). It appeared to be designed to whitewash the PGC’s deer management plan. The same document resurfaced two more times in the ensuing months. Once it was on PGC letterhead and once on Audubon’s letterhead.

On 4/7/08 the House officially passed the deer audit by resolution and a vote of 201 to 0. Mr. John Rowe and Mr. Philip Durgin of the LBFC went to work and developed their own RFP. It is quite comprehensive and demanding. There are few similarities between SR Levdansky’s initial attempt and the final RFP. Actually, the final RFP requires an in-depth look at the PGC’s forestry policies and how it relates to deer management. Let us not forget the people of PA are paying for this audit as instructed by the PA House of Representatives.

Only three entities responded to the RFP; the Wildlife Management Institute out of Washington, DC at $90,000, Mr. John Eveland out of Pittsburgh, PA at $265,000 and Applied Ecological Services (AES) from Illinois at $72,000. AES area of expertise is the grassland habitats of the Midwest. John Eveland did not meet the requirement of an out-of-state auditor. WMI was awarded the contract. They have been in business 80 years conducting such audits and related projects. The last project WMI conducted for PA was the “Deer Management Working Group” in 2001. The recommendation of WMI in that endeavor was to convert PA’s deer management into county “citizen task forces” taking the PGC out of the deer management business.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the PGC has deep concerns with this audit and it probably is the true cause of the continuous controversy. Mr. Steve Williams, the current WMI President and Mr. Peter Duncan a current member of WMI’s Board of Directors are both former PGC employees. They were both fired about twenty years ago in a scenario that is embarrassing for the PGC. Both went on to have glorious careers in other states. Mr. Steve Williams ultimately became the Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Can anyone guarantee that the audit will be totally fair and completely objective? Not hardly. The whole process reminds me of going to court. One rolls the dice. There are guilty people walking around and innocent people in jail. However, let us not forget WMI is a long-standing, respected national organization with a national reputation to protect. They are also keenly aware that those looking over their shoulder are extremely knowledgeable in all facets of deer management. Certainly they realize a hocus-pocus deer audit will become a national embarrassment.

Actually, WMI is in a difficult situation. Our current deer management program is indefensible and everyone knows it including the PGC. WMI has the tough job of putting their words together in a politically acceptable manner. Deer management is political, always was and always will be.

My concerns are somewhat different than most. I suspect WMI will find plenty wrong with our deer management program. I just hope they don’t venture into pontification. I just hope they don’t conclude the PGC had no choice, but to kill the deer as the cheapest way to save our forests.

Of course, we all realize now that killing our deer didn’t save anything, especially our forests.

Jim Slinsky is the host and producer of the “Outdoor Talk Network”, a nationally syndicated, outdoor-talk radio program. For a station near you or to contact Jim, visit his website at www.outdoortalknetwork.com.

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