Ken,

If you PM me your home address, I shall snail mail you a hard copy
of the survey that I obtained.

Cornell is also e-mailing us trappers to invite us
to participate in the survey.

PM me your e-mail address and I shall forward you
a copy of the e-mail from Cornell

walleyed

Questions: NYSDEC survey

#1 Did you set any traps in New York during the 2022-2023 season? yes or no

#2 Are you a licensed NWCO? yes or no

#3 Referring to the map, indicate the number of animals for each species you trapped in areas A, B, C, or D

#4 For last season, please indicate the total number of days you had traps set on land and the average number of traps set on land and water each day.

#5 Please indicate how many days in total you trapped and the average number of traps you used per day in the last season for the following species.
Muskrat, Beaver, Otter Raccoon, Bobcat, Fisher

#6 If you observed any river otter, bobcat, fisher, marten or moose in NY during the past year. (fill in the boxes)


#7 Why did you choose to respond to this survey? (select all that apply)
1. The topic is important to me 2. To help NYSDEC collect accurate information 3. To make sure my information is included 4. The questions were easy to answer
5. I thought I could complete the survey quickly 6. I trust NYSDEC to use the information properly 7. I don't know 8. Other (describe below)

#8 What factors would keep you from responding to a future mail, telephone, or internet survey from NYS DEC? (select all that apply)
1. Survey arrives when I am busy/don't have free time 2. I don't want to complete more than 1 DEC survey per year 3. Survey has to many questions 4. Survey topic is not of interest
5. I screen my calls; I wouldn't answer a call about a survey 6. Its hard for me to complete survey forms on a computer. 7. It's hard for me complete survey forms on a cell phone
8. Survey questions looked complicated 9. Other (describe below)

#9 What would make it easier for you to complete surveys sent by NYSDEC?
box provided for a written reply.




My survey responses to 7,8 and 9:

Question #7 Why did you choose to respond to this survey? (select all that apply)
choice #2. To help NYSDEC collect accurate information

Question #8 What factors would keep you from responding to a future mail, telephone, or internet survey from NYS DEC? (select all that apply)
choice #9. Other (describe below)
NYSDEC manipulation of answer choices that could result in negative outcome for trapping

Question #9 What would make it easier for you to complete surveys sent by NYSDEC?
written reply:
NYSDEC consulting with and including input from NYSTA

I private messaged Bill Swagler (Vice President of NYSTA) a copy of the NYSDEC survey that he asked for, and it's gone unread. I also emailed him a copy but don't know if he got it because it went unacknowledged. This was quite a while ago.

Emails are available for officers of NYSTA on their site

They sent me one, I filed it.

I worked for DEC for 9 years, not as a biologist, but as a Ranger on Lake George. The entire outfit is purely political.I had to go through my county political chairman to get the job.I saw how they operate, and it stinks.There is at least one Regional Wildlife Manager worth his salt,,but there are a bunch of biologists and managers that are only concerned with covering their butts.
The department has a lot of antis in it.Gordon Batcheller warned us about the young biologists coming in,, products of ultra liberal, anti trapping college professors..
They hold public information meetings, but already know what they are going to do.Same thing with the surveys.
They could care less about seasons when fur is prime,.Look at the October fisher season in the southern tier,or shortening The adirondack season, but on rhe wrong end.. Look at the otter restoration and the closed season for well over twenty years in the Catskills and Mohawk valley.What is this huge delay for opening a season?Lies and secret deals?
The Cornell brilliants are not any better. They fed contaminated great lakes salmon to some of the reintroduction salmon.Both Cornell and DEC are not to be trusted, in my opinion.

"Far above Cayugas waters there's an awful smell, It;s an abandoned outhouse, they call Cornell."

Al has it right; nothing leaves DEC until the governor's office ok's it. No science or engineering pure politics.

Well said, Al/ FM. I DITTO your statement.... .......... PLUS a bunch of DESK JOCKEY'S. Tut