# Search Committee for NDGF Director?



## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

From Alan Reed, editor of the Dickinson Press:

-- *Hoeven should use search committee to fill Game and Fish director opening*Thursday, June 23, 2005

Dean Hildebrand's announcement that he is retiring as director of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department provides Gov. John Hoeven with the opportunity to unify the hunting and fishing industry in our state.

Hoeven can start this unification process by filling the Game and Fish vacancy in the same manner that he filled the state Tourism Division director vacancy in late 2002.

A search committee comprised of representatives from the state's tourism and hospitality industry conducted the review and screening of applications for the tourism director. This committee also conducted the interviews of finalists for the tourism position before giving Hoeven a ranked list of the top three individuals.

Sara Otte Coleman was the top choice promoted by search committee members who still remain very happy with the process that was used and the final selection.

The search committee was used in the tourism situation to bring people who were actively involved in the tourism industry into the decision-making process. By doing this, it eliminated the "politics" from the selection process. The politics, either real or imagined, associated with appointing a director had hampered overall tourism efforts for decades.

Bringing tourism industry representatives into the selection process, however, produced a unified direction for the division that has resulted in added effectiveness and success.

The appointing of the Game and Fish Department director and subsequent job performance reviews of that individual have been sidetracked by alleged political motivations for decades. Given the ongoing concerns regarding hot topics like out-of-state licensing limits, land access, Missouri River reservoir and Devils Lake water levels, enforcement and others, now is the time to bring hunting and fishing industry representatives together to set a unified direction for Game and Fish.

This search committee comprised of industry representatives worked extremely well for our state Tourism Division, and it can duplicate the same for our Game and Fish Department.
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Your thoughts? Could it be effective or would commercial interests sandbag the effort? A few names come to mind.


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## jhegg (May 29, 2004)

Dick,

I do not like the reference to "hunting and fishing industry representatives" as used in the article.



> ...now is the time to bring hunting and fishing industry representatives together to set a unified direction for Game and Fish.


We have been working hard to minimize the detrimental effect of commercialization on the quality of our ND hunting. To allow industry represenatives (which to me would be outfitters, guides and their ilk) to choose the G&F Director would be literally using the fox to guard the chicken coop. I would much rather see an individual appointed to that position who will look out for the interests of ND sportsman and ND resources.

Jim Heggeness


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## gandergrinder (Mar 10, 2002)

I agree completely with you Jim.

The search committe should be made up of state representatives from the USFWS, NRCS, Army Corp, State Water Commission, A sportsman group representative, one "industry person" and a high level game and fish individual. These are the groups that the game and fish will be working with and the director should be a person who has the experience and knowledge to work with these groups to achieve goals that are beneficial to all of these seperate organizations.


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

I nominate Gandergrinder for the post!!!!! :beer:


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## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

12


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## gandergrinder (Mar 10, 2002)

I think it would be very helpful having a farm group representative as well.

Dan,
Someday my friend. In the mean time I have to work on my credentials. Now days you have to have a whole bunch of letters (B. S., M.S., PHD) to get jobs like that one and a whole bunch of work experience to go along with it.

I just printed off 92 pages of my credential work. Man am I tired of working on credential.


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## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

12


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## MRN (Apr 1, 2002)

Its not the palms, and you'd be lucky if there'd be grease....

Stick to the high road GG.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

*g/o wrote*


> No sense anyone from the farm groups being allowed. Its only where the hunting takes place


It would take another search committee to decide which farm group should be on the first committee since they don't get along worth a hoot. Maybe the sportsmen could be on that board. Whatever happens I'm sure Farm Bureau will get six out five votes anyway.


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## BigDaddy (Mar 4, 2002)

I've been debating whether or not the governor should utilize a search committee to find candidates for the new Game and Fish director, and I have come to the conclusion that he shouldn't. Did the governor have a search committee to find the new Tax Commissioner? I don't think that he did.

The danger of a search committee is that competing interests can sway the search, from tourism folks to farm groups to landowners. I would like to see the Game and Fish director focused on one issue: doing what's best for the wildlife of North Dakota. I don't want the tourism people and commercial hunting interests to divert focus from that area.

It is my sincere hope that the new director will have sound training and experience in wildlife biology. That person must also be a good listener and be able to receive and respond to input from diverse groups.

Couldn't existing Game and Fish staff sort through the applicants and provide a short-list to the governor for consideration?

Last, this may ruffle some feathers, but the hunting debates in North Dakota have become personal, and many people argue with their emotions instead of their intellect. I think that there are also personal histories and personality issues that stand in the way of real progress. Therefore, it may be beneficial for the new Game and Fish director to NOT be a native North Dakotan. This way, we will hopefully bring in a fresh perspective to the position and allow the new director to approach the problem with an open mind. Just my two cents.


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Holy Moly ! The sky is falling, I agree with everything you just said Big Daddy. Please don't do that to me often I am a heart patient :wink:


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Zogman let me add my agreement of BigDaddy's evaluation to yours. I especially like the part about the Game and Fish people sending a short list of qualified applicants to the governor. I think this would ensure that we get a person who was picked for biological expertise, not political loyalty. This would have the added benefit of cooperation within the department because they would have a hand in picking their own director.

BigDaddy, those were some very good ideas, but I'm left so perplexed, I just have to turn you from the dark side.


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

Hey Plainsman, why don't you retire from your job and then go for it. You'd make a good director.

huntin1


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

Why does anyone care about who the new director will be? The Governor ends up making all the decisions anyways. Hoeven should just appoint himself since I doubt he's going to let the new guy make any of the calls either. :roll:


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Why,......... because complacency got us right where we are at.


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## Hunter_58346 (May 22, 2003)

As long as the search committee has NO members from the tourism industry. That's just what we need, somebody from the Devils Lake Chamber of Commerce having a say in who manages our G&F. Everyone should be concerned who we end up with.


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## MResner (Mar 14, 2002)

I'm just curious...Has anyone heard anymore about the appointment of the new GNF Director?


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## frosty (Dec 6, 2002)

The one name I have heard recently (from a fairly reliable source) is that MartyEgland may be one of the candidates for the new director of Game and Fish.


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## Field Hunter (Mar 4, 2002)

Marty Egland?


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

I am told that Marty is not one of those being considered.


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## always_outdoors (Dec 17, 2002)

I know Marty personally and I don't want to speak for him, but I wouldn't think Marty would want the job.

I am pretty sure he monitors this site from time to time, so I think he is probably smiling right now!

Marty: I would vote for ya! See you on September 1st man!


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## always_outdoors (Dec 17, 2002)

I am not sure who started the rumor that Marty was considered for the position, but I just spoke with him and he says that he isn't even qualified for a position like that so he isn't sure how a rumor like that would start.

Hopefully if there is a "list" someone can post it here. I am guessing there is a "political" list that Hoeven has under his belt, but we will probably never see that.


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