New director in place for Game and Inland Fisheries

Jim Brewer For the News & Messenger
Published: February 22, 2008

Virginia has a new Director for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and this time I think we have a winner. His name is Bob Duncan, a wildlife professional of 34 years.

The Game Department has gone through a yo-yo like period for the past few years, first, when Bill Woodfin was forced to resign following the Africa-gate affair where the Director and several board members charged hunting equipment to a state credit card. I was never privy to the details, but I had always liked Bill Woodfin. He and I hunted together on occasion and spent many hours talking about hunting and fishing and how to improve it. I don't think Bill was dishonest, probably just guilty of some bad judgment, but his departure sent the department into a downward spiral and provided the media with lots of fodder to air the dirty laundry at the Department, including all sorts of internal squabbles. Woodfin was ultimately replaced by J. Carlton Courter, III, who served briefly, then disappeared from the radar screen. No reasons were given for his abrupt departure, but I suspect politics had a little something to do with it. Recently, the Board picked one of their own, Bob Duncan, a great guy, knowledgeable and perfect for the job.

Over the years when I needed a column, I'd call Bob Duncan and he was always accessi-ble. I'd ask him about the deer forecast and he was amazingly accurate. If I ever went to Las Vegas, I'd take Bob with me, because he really has the capacity to see things that others overlook. Before the season even began, Bob would uncannily predict the deer harvest within a couple thousand animals. I'd be off by 50,000—one way or the other. But the great thing about Bob Duncan is that he took time to communicate. He was never too busy to discuss wildlife issues.

Thirty of his 34 years of public service have been with VDGIF, most recently serving as Director of the agency's Wildlife Division. He has held that leadership role since March of 1990. Prior to that, he served as Assistant Chief of Wildlife. Before that he worked as a Game Management Field Coordinator.

One of Duncan's greatest qualifications is that he is an avid hunter. He's one of us. As VDGIF Board Chairman Jimmy Hazel has stated, "Bob Duncan is highly regarded by wildlife professionals and sportsmen alike. His passion for his work and commitment to the sci-ence of wildlife management has earned him a national reputation among wildlife professionals. His passion for hunting gives him a special connection with the Department's constitu-ents."

The Game Department faces an uphill struggle, particularly as we try to salvage hunting as a viable sport. With the number of hunters in decline, the challenge facing the Department is to find ways to preserve land for hunting and to introduce the sport to youngsters.

But if anybody can do it, Bob Duncan can. I have all the confidence that he will be an excellent Director for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Hunter Education. I took a hunter's education course. It started when I was a boy of about five and it continues today. In fact, every time I hunt, I learn just a little more than I did the day before. But I never took a formal class in hunter education as is required of first-time hunters today. My education as an outdoorsman was heavily influenced by my Dad, who taught me every-thing I know about hunting safety, ethics and wildlife in general.

I believe that one reason we are losing hunters is that we make it very difficult for young people to get started in hunting. If you want to get a drivers license in Virginia, you get a little book at DMV, study it for a couple hours, pass the test and you've got a license. Before a young person can get a hunting license, he or she has to take 10 hours of Hunter's Ed, a burden on many of today's busy families.

Recently, the Virginia legislature actually passed a good bill, one that will go a long way to in-creasing the number of young hunters.

The Apprentice Hunting License legislation, passed in both houses, creates a mechanism to allow newcomers to experience the outdoors and participate in the traditions of hunting prior to taking the 10-hour Hunter Education Course. Parents, family members and adult mentors can expose any new hunters to the great outdoors on a trial basis. The hope is that they will enjoy and em-brace the tradition and become actively involved. The next step would be to take the Hunter Ed course and join the ranks as a fully licensed hunter. Virginia will become the thirteenth state to enact an apprentice license program.

One of the things Bob Duncan could work on as our new Director would be to try to get Hunter's Ed within the school system. Expose kids to Hunters Ed while they are at school, so as to not inconvenience families with three or four hours sessions on school nights.

The Apprentice bill, however, is a good start.