Well, here it is: Regional Reps must be conduits for information to the membership and from the membership. When the President, VP, and Secretary­Treasurer need to know the thoughts of the membership on an issue, they will turn to the Reps for that information. When an issue is hot, and word has to go out fast, Reps will help to spread the message. New Reps will soon be elected in Regions 2, 4, and 9. We're moving in the direction of greater fraternalism. I expect, in the near future, to see the bylaws amended, creating a voting board member to represent retirees. Let's face it---the honorable title ``retiree'' is going to fit an awful lot of us in the next five plus years! We may move in the direction of having an ``executive director''---a bulletproof person to advocate on our be­ half without fear of retaliation. 

Commemorative Pistols Attention Current or Former Charter Members of the FWOA: Former Game Management Agents and Retired Special Agents of the FWS interested in additional information regarding the commemorative pistol should contact an executive board member of the FWOA. At the meetings, there was a great deal of interest in our electronic newsletter to save on publication costs. 

Our most excellent web site will get even better. As you know, Dick Hart is our most recent recipient of the Association Special Achievement Award. A more deserving guy, you'll never find. Do Dick a favor---visit the site and give him some feedback on what you see, or what you'd like to see. He's full of ideas ---chat rooms, password protected areas, etc.---he needs to hear from you. 

What's going to happen to some of our members, vis­a­vis the medical program? The buzzword at in service was ``accommodation''. What accommodations will be made for field agents? We left West Virginia with that one still up in the air. 

One of the underlying themes of this year's in­service has to be ``erosion''. Erosion of our ability to protect the nation's trust resources. How so? Close on the heels of Congress' weakening of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Service has ``rewritten'' the baiting regulations. Read the new regulations in 50 CFR 20 and compare them to the regulations in existence only a short time ago. Did the Fish and Wildlife Service rewrite the regs to better protect migratory game birds from the greedy? Then, there's DOJ's decision that makes the ESA just a little bit harder to enforce. Thanks---endangered critters were just too darned easy to protect. Now, we've put some challenge into it! Hmmm. 

And, oh yes---in fiscal year 2001, if LE's ship doesn't come in, we're toast. Folks, the reasons for having a strong Association are all around us. We need to hash out the important issues, then speak with a strong voice. We won't win on every issue we care about. But, with capable officers and an involved membership, we'll be in the fight, speaking up for ``...the protection of wildlife, the enforcement of federal wildlife law, the fostering of cooperation and communication among federal wildlife officers, and the perpetuation, enhancement and defense of the wildlife law enforcement profession...'' Keep smilin'.

Spring Waterfowl Hunting
While Lower­48 agents are patrolling for poachers illegally taking waterfowl in the Spring, Alaskan agents are teaching Alaskan natives how to take birds more effectively in the Spring with steel shot. This is a far cry from the 1960­61 Spring season when agents attempted to fully enforce the statutorily closed season in Spring and Summer. This enforcement effort resulted in shots being fired at agents in airplanes patrolling the wilds. 

A Barrow hunter was cited for taking a duck with the results being mass surrenders by Eskimos carrying illegally taken ducks. Senator Ernest Gruening also got into the act by giving his support to the natives. In 1978 the prosecution of three natives with birds was attempted but the case was refused by the AUSA. The 1916 MBTA did not recognize the nutritional and traditional take of migratory birds by the northern in habitants of either Canada or the United States. The 1997 Amendments to the Act say that indigenous in habitants of Alaska will be given a meaningful role in migratory bird conservation by participating on relevant management bodies. These groups are being formed to work with the Service and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to develop Spring water fowl regulations which can be enforced. 

Currently the policy is that emperor geese, spectacled or Stellers eiders may not be taken at any time, black brant or cackling Canada geese may not be taken during the nesting, brood­rearing, or flightless periods; the five species' eggs may not be taken. Hunting Pacific white­fronted geese south of Norton Sound during the nesting, brood­rearing, and flightless periods; taking while using a private or chartered aircraft to assist in hunting; wasting; or possessing lead shot while hunting are all prohibited. The policy also states that the hunting of migratory birds is illegal between March 10­September 1, but that it is unlikely that prosecution would be recommended for waterfowl hunters who are residents of rural communities with a long history of relying on waterfowl for food during the closed season, unless they violate the policy. 

This year's planned enforcement patrols were stopped by the warm weather which prevented the use of snow machines in the western Alaska area near the mouth of the Kuskokwim River. SAs Young and Cegelske patrolled in the area around Tooksook Bay but were limited due to good and bad weather. On the first day ---after a 40­mile snow ma chine trip to Chefornak ---the sun warmed the ice on the numerous ponds and rivers in the area. While crossing the river, the Refuge Interpretive Technician was breaking the ice for four feet around the smaller snow machine he was on. After seeing what was happening and feeling the ice give way under the ma chine carrying both agents, SA Cegelske opened the throttle to keep the machine from sinking through the ice. 

Upon contacting hunters and other resource users, Joe Asuluk, the RIT would tell people who the agents were and what our function was. It was interesting to hear him tell them that ``they are almost human like US!'' Joe also explained what was required by the  management plan and that there would be no problems as long as everyone abided by the plan. Due to severe weather with high winds and blowing snow, the patrols were of a limited nature due to a lack of hunting activity in the area. The agents had been staying in the library at the school as the motel was not open. At the request of several teachers, classes at the high school and grade school were addressed by the agents who explained job opportunities with the Service and need for educated law enforcement and biologists in the state and nation. SA Wade is conducting aircraft patrols out of Bethel in anticipation of having other agents patrol areas that have been previous trouble spots with the take of illegal waterfowl. 

There have been village meetings for about 15 years to advise the natives of the closed season policy and of the lethal effects of lead shot. Lead shot has been very lethal to waterfowl populations because it remains available to the birds year after year due to the soil and weather conditions (freezing) which prevents the shot from sinking out of reach (the spectacled eider population has dropped 95% since the 1970s). In the past there were pallets of lead shot shipped to the commercial companies in the villages. With the efforts of the Service and agents in conducting steel shot clinics and contacting the store managers and requesting that they no longer carry lead, the use of lead has dropped sharply. 

In order to encourage the natives to switch to steel shot, agents are becoming instructors in conducting steel shot clinics. On April 16­18 agents Wade, Roberts, and Young were in Barrow for a seminar. Approximately 100 people attended the indoor seminars on Friday evening and Saturday morning. Approximately 25 people took part in the shooting exercises conducted on Sunday. This attendance was good as it was between 5­10 degrees with a 15 mph blowing wind. The two top shooters each won a gun which was donated by the Barrow Gun Club. Agents were asked if they were coming back next year for another session. The training gives the agents a chance to meet and talk with the Barrow natives which should develop better relations. Some of the older more militant members of the community are no longer in leadership positions and any increase in communication is welcome. 

Increased communication and cooperation is necessary due to the remoteness of the area and the difficulty and cost in patrolling these areas, as well as the variations and severity of the weather. It frequently costs over $1,000 just to reach an area where you may have to start your patrol which could be 500­700 miles from Fairbanks. What a difference 40 years makes! 

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