Still Behind Closed Doors: What the WDFW Investigation Means for the Rest of Us

A while back I wrote a piece called Behind Closed Doors: Why Transparency Matters in Washington’s Wildlife Policy. At the time, I was writing about a situation that was still unfolding, an investigation that had been ordered but not yet concluded, and a question that hung in the air over every hunter and angler in this state: what exactly has been going on inside the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission?

Now we know and it’s pretty much what we figured.

If you haven’t been following the WDFW news, let’s recap a bit;

It started with a vote in November 2022. The Fish and Wildlife Commission decided to end recreational spring black bear hunting in Washington. A lot of hunters were frustrated by that decision, and not just because they disagreed with it. They were frustrated because it didn’t make sense and they felt like the outcome had been decided before anyone walked into the room. The Sportsmen’s Alliance had the same feeling, and instead of just shaking their heads about it, they went and got the receipts. After a lengthy legal battle, they obtained thousands of commissioner emails, texts, and communications. What they found was enough to petition Governor Ferguson to remove four commissioners: Barbara Baker, Lorna Smith, Melanie Rowland, and John Lehmkuhl.

What happened next says a lot about how far this had gone. Kelly Susewind, the Director of WDFW, went to Governor Ferguson and asked him to investigate the commission. The same commission that Susewind answers to. The same commission that has the authority to remove him from his job. That is not a small thing. When the director of an agency feels compelled to ask the governor to investigate his own bosses, something has gone seriously wrong.

Ferguson ordered an independent investigation. Fourteen months and nearly $80,000 in taxpayer money later, the report landed on July 31st, 2026.

The findings confirmed what the Sportsmen’s Alliance had been saying all along. Commissioners routinely ignored public records laws. They held illegal back-channel meetings outside of public sessions to align votes before anyone in the public had a chance to weigh in. They coordinated privately and repeatedly with outside advocacy groups that were actively suing the department. The Washington State Standard, the Spokesman Review, and NW Sportsman Magazine all covered the findings. The Sportsmen’s Alliance published the full report. (Read it. It is worth your time).

And then there is the Hatchery Coalition.

The Lummi Nation, Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, Tulalip Tribes, Squaxin Island Tribe, Puget Sound Anglers, and Ilwaco Charter Association wrote a letter to Governor Ferguson back in April, long before the investigation report was released. They were not writing about public records violations. They were writing about something more personal. The Coalition described firsthand experiences of dismissiveness toward Tribal perspectives, resistance to government-to-government engagement, and a lack of respect for Treaty rights and co-management responsibilities from Commissioners Ragen and Rowland. They noted documented incidents of unprofessional conduct, including dismissive remarks directed toward Tribal representatives. The letter, shared publicly by the Conservation Coalition of Washington, makes clear that the concerns about this commission go far beyond a policy disagreement between hunters and conservationists. When the tribes are sending letters to the governor, that tells you something.

Now that you’re caught up, here is where it sits today:

The report is out. The wrongdoing is confirmed. The Sportsmen’s Alliance has sent a formal demand letter to Governor Ferguson calling for the immediate removal of all four commissioners. Three of the four have terms that expire at the end of 2026. Governor Ferguson has not yet publicly stated what he intends to do.

And here is the part that should get your attention: right now, as of this writing today, WDFW is holding public meetings and accepting comments on proposed hunting and fishing regulations for the next three years. The comment period runs through August 30th. These are the rules that will govern your deer season, your waterfowl season, your upland bird season for 2027 through 2029.

And the four commissioners at the center of all of this are still on the commission.

I am not going to tell you how to feel about that. You are all adults and you can draw your own conclusions. But I will ask the question out loud that I think a lot of us are already asking quietly: how do we trust that the decisions coming out of this commission right now are being made on the merits? How do we know that the public comments being submitted by thousands of Washington hunters and anglers are actually going to matter when we have a documented pattern of outcomes being shaped before the public ever got a seat at the table?

Those are not rhetorical questions. They deserve real answers from the people in positions of authority. And they deserve our attention.

The INWC has been fighting for the rights of hunters, anglers, and wildlife in this region since 1951. We have sent representatives to WDFW commission meetings. We have stood up when it counted. That is not going to stop. This community has a long memory and a longer tradition of showing up when the land and the people who love it need a voice at the table.

Submit your public comments before August 30th. Read the report. Follow the Citizens Conservation of Washington for updates. And stay engaged. This story is not over.

Sources and Further Reading

Behind Closed Doors: Why Transparency Matters in Washington’s Wildlife Policy (INWC Blog, Melannie Jones) https://www.inwc.org/behind-closed-doors-why-transparency-matters-in-washingtons-wildlife-policy/
WDFW Commission Final Report and Addendum (July 31, 2026 — full investigation report) https://sportsmensalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/WDFW-Commission-Final-Report-Addendum.pdf
Fish and Wildlife Commission Probe Finds Wrongdoing, Doesn’t Recommend Punishment (Washington State Standard) https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/07/31/fish-and-wildlife-commission-probe-finds-wrongdoing-doesnt-recommend-punishment/
Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission Probe Finds Wrongdoing (Spokesman Review) https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/aug/03/washington-fish-and-wildlife-commission-probe-find/
Investigation Into Washington Fish and Wildlife Commissioners Released (NW Sportsman Magazine) https://nwsportsmanmag.com/investigation-into-washington-fish-and-wildlife-commissioners-released/
Sportsmen’s Alliance Vindicated with Release of Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission Report https://sportsmensalliance.org/news/breaking-sportsmens-alliance-vindicated-with-release-of-washington-fish-wildlife-commission-report/
SAF Demands Removal of Washington Wildlife Commissioners After Investigation https://sportsmensalliance.org/news/saf-demands-removal-of-washington-wildlife-commissioners-after-investigation/
Hatchery Coalition Letter to Governor Ferguson (April 10, 2026 — shared publicly by the Conservation Coalition of Washington) https://www.facebook.com/ccofwashington
Citizens Conservation of Washington (ongoing coverage) https://ccofwashington.com
WDFW Public Comment Surveys (open through August 30, 2026) https://wdfw.wa.gov/newsroom/news-release/wdfw-hosting-virtual-public-meetings-about-potential-hunting-rule-proposals