Hunters who want to have a say in wildlife management and contribute to the future of the sport in Washington can apply for a position on an advisory board.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is accepting letters of interest for membership in the Master Hunter Advisory Group.
Applicants must be certified master hunters. The advisory group communicates with other master hunters and shares their views with WDFW.
Applicants must answer three questions in a letter -- why they want to be members, why they are qualified and how they can help achieve the group's goals.
For three of the four open positions, applicants must live in specific areas. The open positions are in region one, which includes Columbia and Walla Walla counties; region two, which includes Grant and Adams counties; and region five, which includes Klickitat County. There also is one open at-large position, which is not restricted to specific counties.
The advisory group meets up to four times a year. Members are not paid for their work, but travel reimbursement is available. Members can expect to donate up to 200 hours of their time each year and will participate in master hunter orientation, information and outreach and special hunt management meetings held near the area where they live.
Interested applicants should thoroughly review the group's mission on the WDFW website -- wdfw.wa.gov. Click on the "hunting" tab, then click on the link for the master hunter permit program.
Send a letter of interest to Eric Anderson at Eric. Anderson@dfw.wa.gov or Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Enforcement Program, Attn: Eric Anderson Hunter Education Division; 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091.
