Published: July 20, 2008 12:13 am            

Joe Gorden | Seeing the light

Those who complain about the fish and game commissions like to cast those agencies as stubborn, defensive and unresponsive to the public.

In fact, they are probably the most transparent and receptive agencies in state government.

Proof of how easy it is for a determined few to change fish or game regulations goes by the name of Bill Simbeck. Hearing that the fish commissioners would consider adding catfish to the species that can be taken with bows statewide, the St. Marys man and his wife, Millie, traveled to the commissioners’ April meeting in DuBois to lend their support. When they got there, they were told they had arrived too late.

At the Fisheries Committee meeting a day earlier, Commissioner Len Lichvar had tried to advance the proposal, but his motion died for lack of a second. The Simbeck’s came the next day for the commissioners’ formal session, and were told it was unlikely the matter would come up again. But, they stayed all day anyhow and, as the meeting came to new business, were rewarded by a unanimous vote giving tentative approval to a change in the regulations.

“I was surprised, being just one person and giving a small presentation on how it worked, to get a proposal before the public,” Bill Simbeck said. “That’s all it took.”

Simbeck not only had the opportunity to provide support for adding catfish to potential bow-fishing targets, but was able to influence another policy decision.

“When I got there, they were discussing state record certification, and it was mentioned to drop bow fishing for state record certification,” Simbeck recalled.

He was able to talk the commissioners into allowing bow-shot, speared or gigged fish to qualify for state records under a separate category.

Early last week, the commissioners gave final approval to a motion by Lichvar to allow bow-fishermen to shoot catfish anywhere in the state. Once again, Simbeck and his wife were the only supporters in the audience.

“Now that I see that, I’m going to pay attention more to the fish commission Web site, the game commission Web site, and voice my opinion,” Simbeck said. “Two seconds to put your name and address on that Web site is not a difficult thing to do.”

Simbeck, state representative of the 300-member Bowfishing Association of America, said the proposal began with him looking for support from local sportsmen’s clubs. One recommended that he approach the Elk County Federation of Sportsmen, which resulted in a letter to the fish commission.

Simbeck then tried to drum up support among bowhunters, including a presentation before a 62 participants in a bow-fishing tournament at Bald Eagle State Park, whom he exhorted to write letters or offer opinions online.

From the time of that April meeting until just before last week’s session, the agency received just 16 letters on the subject, all in favor of the proposal.

“I’m going to basically chew the butts out of the guys I’m associated with,” Simbeck said. “That is very low, very lame.”

But, he said, the experience was a revelation. He and his wife sat through both days of last week’s fish commission meeting, each offering comments and suggestions on more than just bow fishing. All were well-received.

Simbeck said he never before thought about how easy it might be to bring a regulation from concept to reality. Now, he said, he’s going to work on some more ideas.

“I guess I’ve seen the light,” he said.



Joe Gorden is the outdoors writer for The Tribune-Democrat.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.