Big Game

The chairman of the Kentucky Department of Fisheries & Wildlife Commission is under fire after being charged with obstructing legal hunting and the head of the KDFW law enforcement division has resigned amid an ethics investigation into his involvement. Commission Chairman Jimmy Bevins of Georgetown was charged with obstructing legal hunting after putting out corn as illegal bait near his property and contacting KDFW officials to investigate. According to LEX18.com News, the situation arose because Bevins reportedly was upset in January 2016 that hunters were near his property on Elkhorn Creek. From LEX18.com: According to court records, the controversy began last January when Bevins contacted Fish and Wildlife about people shooting guns and hunting ducks near his house. Jimmy Bevins A wildlife officer suspected Bevins knowingly put corn out to bait the property so no one else could hunt there, which is illegal. Two other fish and wildlife employees face ethics charges for allegedly discouraging one of their own from pursuing a charge against Bevins because of his role with the department. Colonel Rodney Coffey, who was director of the KDFWR Law Enforcement section but has resigned, and Capt. Richard Skaggs, who still is with KDFWR, were identified in a separate, more detailed Lexington Herald-Leader story about their involvement. According to the Herald-Leader, Coffey resigned in mid-January after the state's Executive Branch Ethics Commission began an investigation. Bevins was appointed to the commission in 2016. His term ends in August 2020. Commission appointments are made for by the governor four-year terms. According to the KDFWR website, Bevins has Life Memberships with the National Rifle Association, Safari Club International, Bass Anglers Sportsmen Society and National Sporting Clays Association. He also is a member of Ducks Unlimited and Quality Deer Management Association. He is the owner and president of Bevins Motor Company in Georgetown and has John Deere dealerships in Paris, Richmond and Mt. Sterling. The commission Bevins chairs hears public input about KDFWR policies, regulations and laws, and is an advisory board to the department and state legislature about such matters. Wildlife Officers Vote 'No Confidence' in Agency Commissioner In a separate situation that points to deeper issues with the KDFWR, Bevins' situation was included as part of a "no confidence" vote by the Kentucky Conservation Officers Association about the state agency's commissioner. Greg Johnson Rodney Milburn, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 100 and KCOA, said the vote was approved at the association's board of directors meeting in February. It was specific to KDFWR commissioner, Greg Johnson, who is in charge of the state agency. Johnson is the eighth commissioner in the agency's 70-year history. From LEX18.com: The (KCOA) letter stated that the KCOA has declared that they have no confidence in Commissioner Gregory Johnson’s ability to guide the agency ethically and with resolve to provide employees with fair and impartial treatment. They have asked commissioners to remove Gregory Johnson immediately as Commissioner of the Department. Also among complaints in the officers' association resoluation are those about inadequate compensation and promotion opportunities for wildlife officers, and failing to be added to the agenda at commission meetings.

A whitetail collected on Jan. 25, 2018, in Issaquena County has tested positive for chronic wasting disease. To date, CWD has been confirmed in 24 states, three Canadian provinces and two foreign countries.

Almost 40 percent of the United States is thirsty, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, with lack of rain and snow contributing to a mounting problem. The USDM, located at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, says approximately 38.4 percent of the country including Alaska, Hawaii and the Puerto Rico territory currently is affected by the ongoing drought. Seems difficult to imagine Alaska or Hawaii not having enough snow or rain, but parts of each state are having issues. Deer and other wildlife may be feeling the impacts of the drought gripping much of the United States. (Photo courtesy iStock) On the mainland, there's less rain and snow along the West Coast and parts of the western mountain ranges, and little rain in the Southwest and Southeast. All this presents potential problems with more wildfires like those last year in southern California and impacts on winter crops. The drought also can impact vegetation needed by wildlife, such as mast-producting trees and seed-bearing plants. Remember that whole "circle of life" thing from elementary school? That's in play here, too. Lack of water can reduce forage, which impacts big and small game, the latter of which can impact predators, and in areas where streams, creeks or smaller rivers dry up the animals begin roaming to search for water. Or they die. Maybe both. Drought also obviously affects aquatic creatures and fish, too. What does it matter? It matters a lot for economics and the environment in the country. More rain, or normal rain, would be the best scenario. How about deer, turkeys, predators and other wildlife? Deer in several states including Ohio, West Virginia, parts of eastern Kentucky, eastern Tennessee and others experienced some deaths from epizootic hemorrhagic disease last summer. It's a common disease in the whitetail world, and we usually see more of it in drought years. We haven't seen any other news about drought-related wildife problems yet but are monitoring the situation.

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