Citizen ballot initiatives: A failure of the wildlife management profession

The proliferation of citizen ballot initiatives to control wildlife management is a direct reaction to fundamental flaws in the organizations and culture of wildlife management agencies. Thus, agencies characteristically are reactive in nature, stifle employee initiative, punish critics, and are loath to change. Adherence to an agricultural model as an operating paradigm has strongly contributed to a variety of natural resource crises. Future success as a profession will require major changes in culture and organization. Hunting must be viewed as a product of wildlife management rather than the primary tool. The social and ethical boundaries of hunting should receive as equal attention as the biological boundaries. Intolerance of critical debate suggests a lack of maturity and strength in the profession. Change is necessary and will occur. Internal agents of change are the least painful, but there is little evidence of such change occurring.