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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Changing times


The Spokesman-Review A pickup truck equipped with a digital camera, computer and satelite Internet access is the mobile office for John McColgin, enforcement agent for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
 (Rich Landers / The Spokesman-Review)
The Spokesman-Review

The biggest wildlife changes during John McColgin’s watch in Spokane County during his 32-year career include:

“The influx of moose and wild turkeys.

“They were very rare in 1975 and now they’re very common,” he said. “We don’t trap and relocate problem turkeys anymore because there’s no place else to put them. And, generally, we only tranquilize and move a moose when it poses a major threat, such as around I-90.”

“Improvements in tranquilizing drugs.

Immobilizing and capturing a moose or cougar is serious business, especially a couple decades ago when the drugs were not as efficient, he said.

“Sometimes we got beat up pretty good by animals,” he said. “One moose came charging when I tried to block him off while the drug took effect. It scared the heck out of me; I thought I was done for—and I was still in my pickup!”

“An anti-trapping initiative approved by voters in 2000, which took some wildlife issues out of the agency’s hands.

“Problems with skunks, coyotes, squirrels and things like that are referred to animal nuisance control professionals,” he said.

“Less time to patrol.

“Very few days anymore are devoted to just going out and patrolling and looking and being proactive. Any more our job is very reactive. If we plan a stakeout, it’s very likely that we’ll be called away.”

“Technology in the field.

In the past five years, McColgin’s pickup has been outfitted with digital cameras and a computer with satellite technology to give important field access to criminal backgrounds and license plate data.

And he continues to get results catching road hunters and spotlighters using robotic deer decoys, the most modern of which have moving heads, and ears and tails that twitch.

“The unflux of various immigrant groups and their impact on wildlife.

“We started seeing it in the 1970s and it’s continued as new immigrant communities form,” he said. “It’s a difference in culture. Where they come from, fishing and hunting is a matter of survival regardless of laws. With each group, we’ve tried to be tolerant of the differences, but there comes a time when you have to draw the line.”