Tonk is the easy target

[Ohiosam]

I know Tonk gets a bunch of crap here, some of it deserved, but he's just the public face and mouth piece for the Division and the Department. He isn't the one who really is to blame. That would be the Director James Zehringer and Chief Scott Zody, those are the people we need to focus pressure on. Also the members of the wildlife council. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Default.aspx?tabid=5724


Anyone have contact info for those people?

 

[brock ratcliff]

Tonk has been in his position longer than any of the others. He's held his title since the mid 90's I believe. That makes him THE man to blame in my opinion. He knows darn well what he's done to the herd with his "suggestions".

 

[Milo]

Yeah not so much sam. They will hear from us soon enough.

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

Tonk has been in his position longer than any of the others. He's held his title since the mid 90's I believe. That makes him THE man to blame in my opinion. He knows darn well what he's done to the herd with his "suggestions".

And his data could go exactly the other way if the policy makers wanted it to...

 

[Ohiosam]

Tonk has been in his position longer than any of the others. He's held his title since the mid 90's I believe. That makes him THE man to blame in my opinion. He knows darn well what he's done to the herd with his "suggestions".

Alright let's assume its true that Tonk has been completely autonomous in deciding seasons and bag limits to this point. Seems to me the only hope in affecting change would be to pressure his superiors into doing their job and reining him in.

 

[brock ratcliff]

Fair enough. As anyone would know, we don't actually KNOW who all to blame. The point being, once upon a time the DoW was a source sportsmen could trust. The fact the herd has dwindled across the state, and the DOW continues to spew the same herd estimate shows, without a doubt, they are either incompetant, or blatantly lying. Either way, there is an issue that needs resolved. I haven't a clue how to go about that. There is no good way. If it were possible to demonstrate they haven't a clue what they are talking about, we essentially show that hunters have no guiding force. The anti-hunting crowd would have a field day with that. As it is, we are over-harvesting the resource we all hold dear. We need a blood-letting, but the blood will draw the anti-hunting sharks. How do we win in this?

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

Fair enough. As anyone would know, we don't actually KNOW who all to blame.

So, Brock, if you're running rabbits, are you more likely to put one in the pot with your .22 or your 12 gauge?

No run of the mill, state employee can do anything. A policy maker that says what the state employee does or says, now that's who you want to influence.

Ready? You want to make this personal? Tonk made $58,797.00 in salary last year with $332.04 in overtime. Do you REALLY think someone who is a Wildlife Biologist 2 and makes 59k a year determines the policy for the deer hunting in the state that makes MILLIONS of dollars?

If you truly believe that, any fuggin campaign will NEVER get anywhere.

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

So, yes, you hound Tonk all you want. But get the attention of others too...guess what? State employees don't keep their jobs based on votes. Directors and deputy directors do.

 

["J"]

I agree with you Huck, but those above him take a lot of stock in his findings/opinions...... That is what he's there for.... The go too guy so too speak.....

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

I agree with you Huck, but those above him take a lot of stock in his findings/opinions...... That is what he's there for.... The go too guy so too speak.....

He's an influential cog, I agree with that. But there are many more bigger gears that matter. I've seen plenty of posts that talk about the influence of the OFBF and Nationwide on the deer heard - are those nonprofit organizations suddenly? Follow the money and you'll find the policy makers.

 

[bowhunter1023]

Regardless of how you shake it out, Tonk is facilitating the nonsense in one way, shape or form. Given that I have met him and such, he serves as the direction of my anger whether deservedly so or not simply because I can put a face to it. I know he's not solely at fault here, but he is a player in the game and deserves some heat...

 

["J"]

He's an influential cog, I agree with that. But there are many more bigger gears that matter. I've seen plenty of posts that talk about the influence of the OFBF and Nationwide on the deer heard - are those nonprofit organizations suddenly? Follow the money and you'll find the policy makers.

Oh I agree with you Huck, just not letting Tonk completely off of the hook.... He's a part of this desimation of the deer heard..... All involved should be pointed out and held accountable......

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

Regardless of how you shake it out, Tonk is facilitating the nonsense in one way, shape or form. Given that I have met him and such, he serves as the direction of my anger whether deservedly so or not simply because I can put a face to it. I know he's not solely at fault here, but he is a player in the game and deserves some heat...

Facilitating and being the mouthpiece, yes. People that speak for the state and have their names in the newspaper are not by and large the ones making the decisions.

I'm by no means defending Tonk, nor saying that he or the system is right or wrong; I'm just saying that this message isn't going to go anywhere on one pair of ears and it's time to broaden the net, loosen the choke, and start hitting bigger targets.

--

And, Jesse, I completely know what you mean by having a face to direct your anger towards...that makes total sense. There are just bigger fish to catch. Tonk isn't gonna lose his job over this and he's not going to get a raise either. He's just a player in a much bigger game.

 

[Beentown]

Lets just see what sticks...

 

[mrex]

In the begining, the intent of the TOO/ Strouds Run get together was to “break it off in Rex’s pro-DOW ass.” I think Brock felt like he could organize a group of guys to come hunt Athens County, (close to me), and show me the negative impacts of his perceived reckless DOW deer management policies.

As the off season progressed and the anti-DOW rhetoric diminished, the hunt evolved into a chance for forum members to put a face with a name and get together in fellowship. I didn't meet a single person that weekend I wouldn't invite back and I hope the number of hunters doubles next year…we certainly have plenty of room…and deer.

Anticipating these yearly rants, I thought I might get out ahead of it on this forum and invite Mike Tonkovich to drink a beer around the fire with us. When I first asked Mike to join us, I warned him that he would be meeting some of his most outspoken “cyber critics.” Mike welcomed the opportunity and said he never passes up an opportunity to take the pulse of the guys in the field. The following Monday after the hunt, he called me and said, “I thought you said those guys wanted to kick my ass?” I asked him if he thought the kill would be down again this year? He said, “yes it will.” I said, “give it a few months.”

 

[xbowguy]

How do you argue with straight up honesty? Sorry Mike, that just cracked me up....rotflmao

 

[cotty16]

Lol
Love the last line "give it a few months"

 

[brock ratcliff]

In the begining, the intent of the TOO/ Strouds Run get together was to “break it off in Rex’s pro-DOW ass.” I think Brock felt like he could organize a group of guys to come hunt Athens County, (close to me), and show me the negative impacts of his perceived reckless DOW deer management policies.

As the off season progressed and the anti-DOW rhetoric diminished, the hunt evolved into a chance for forum members to put a face with a name and get together in fellowship. I didn't meet a single person that weekend I wouldn't invite back and I hope the number of hunters doubles next year…we certainly have plenty of room…and deer.

Anticipating these yearly rants, I thought I might get out ahead of it on this forum and invite Mike Tonkovich to drink a beer around the fire with us. When I first asked Mike to join us, I warned him that he would be meeting some of his most outspoken “cyber critics.” Mike welcomed the opportunity and said he never passes up an opportunity to take the pulse of the guys in the field. The following Monday after the hunt, he called me and said, “I thought you said those guys wanted to kick my ass?” I asked him if he thought the kill would be down again this year? He said, “yes it will.” I said, “give it a few months.”

Where is your sense of humor?

You told me Athens Co had plenty of deer. Relative to where I am, it does! I have no interest in breaking anything off in your pro-DoW rear end. I have no interest in your rear end at all... really, I don't....seriously....

You do not see that the source of aggevation comes from Tonk saying the same thing "we have the same herd again, bla, bla, bla", even though reports from all over the state indicate the exact opposite? You do not see that his statements are the cause for him being the target? You don't think his practices, suggestions, estimations, are questionable in any way?

I'll agree with you, he's a bright guy. Well-spoken, nice enough. What is the motive to kill the herd off, and continue doing so while publicly saying there is no measureable head-way being made toward the goal of an 80's like herd?

How is it that in the mid-90's when you organized a group screeming about the decimation of the herd, things got changed in short order? What did you do? Tell me, because all we have managed to do is cry like babies on internet forums and continue to watch the deer disappear! How did you do it? And why is it that now, regardless of you knowing as well as anyone that the herd is knocked back to levels not seen for 30 years, you are still carrying the DoW torch?

 

[hickslawns]

Mike Rex- Thank you for what i feel was a straight up honest answer. I didn't make the hunt. Wish I could have. Fellowship of deer hunters seems to have been achieved. Mike Tonkovich met some passionate guys. Seems like he had some in depth conversation with them. I am guessing he felt the pulse. If I had to guess though, he felt the pulse at rest.

 

[LonewolfNopack]

In the begining, the intent of the TOO/ Strouds Run get together was to “break it off in Rex’s pro-DOW ass.” I think Brock felt like he could organize a group of guys to come hunt Athens County, (close to me), and show me the negative impacts of his perceived reckless DOW deer management policies.

As the off season progressed and the anti-DOW rhetoric diminished, the hunt evolved into a chance for forum members to put a face with a name and get together in fellowship. I didn't meet a single person that weekend I wouldn't invite back and I hope the number of hunters doubles next year…we certainly have plenty of room…and deer.

Anticipating these yearly rants, I thought I might get out ahead of it on this forum and invite Mike Tonkovich to drink a beer around the fire with us. When I first asked Mike to join us, I warned him that he would be meeting some of his most outspoken “cyber critics.” Mike welcomed the opportunity and said he never passes up an opportunity to take the pulse of the guys in the field. The following Monday after the hunt, he called me and said, “I thought you said those guys wanted to kick my ass?” I asked him if he thought the kill would be down again this year? He said, “yes it will.” I said, “give it a few months.”

From what I have found, Tonk is not very welcoming of any type of criticism at all. Really a pretty thinned skinned guy for such a high position if you ask me. You know exactly what I am talking about. This guy should have rawhide for skin for doing what he has done to our deer herd and being in the naturally conterversial position of state deer manager.

None of that really matters to me though. We know the truth, you know the truth and so does he. Hes a smart guy and I have no doubt in my mind that he knows exactly what is going on. I do believe that he is probably a decent man, and is getting a lot of pressure from Columbus to do some things that he knows is not biologically or morally right in order to stay in good standing with his job, and continue to get pats on the back from the guys wearing suites and ties. I also believe that hunters in Ohio are coming nearer and nearer to their breaking point, and something has got to give very soon. I have been a big opponent of all of the liberal seasons and bag limits from the start, and will continue to be an even bigger opponent until we either once again have a biologically sound population of deer or no deer at all.

I would love the opportunity to talk to Tonk again in a professional manner, but I do not want to scare him so badly like I did last time. However, I am not sure how he expects people NOT to have very stong feeling about what is going on when it impacts their hunting lifestyle so greatly. I think I am going to stick with a letter this year, and slowly work my way back up to a handshake.