House Bill 747 help!!

I will be interested in the response/support you get to this.  I can honestly say that I have never met a DWCO in the woods (at least not to the point that one has identified themselves as such).  However, I have heard a ton of comments from landowners (both in SWPA and NCPA) and fellow sportsmen regarding DWCO's and I cannot remember ever hearing a single positive comment. 

S-10,
 
Many, myself included had issues with the broad brush that WCO's were painted with.  An out of control rogue agency with little oversight.  That is how the story was presented.
 
I do not doubt that Bimber is a bad apple from the reports I have seen, but in this case he was just enforcing the laws as they exist. 
 
Griffon,
 
I would be a little shocked if you would thought that this ammendement is a good idea.  The PGC is stapped and thier are remaining WCO vacancies.  Deputies are an essential part of LE and sure there may be some bad ones but one thing we do not need is a shortage of officers that can enforce the game laws.
 
 

DPMS--FYI--I knew the person in question before he was a DWCO and listened in on some of his stories as he told them after becoming one and also other stories  that were told by folks I knew he harrassed. I also hunted in some of the same places as him and saw how he reacted to some folks who
bear hunted near his favorite spot when he was a DWCO. He was not a shining example for the PGC and his award brought many negative comments around Warren County as to the type people the PGC thought highly of. BTW- I am still confused about this admendment and what exactly it means.

dpms-  I will research the issue this weekend and try to develop a better opinion.  I am certainly not for any bill that restricts wildlife law enforcement as anybody will attest to.  I to looked on the other site and it appears that most sportsmen over there are not in favor of the bill.  Those who are for it seem to have personal grudges against DWCO's or have been in circles where others have held grudges.  I do think that the DWCO is a good program (perhaps invaluable), but almost every account on the other site seems to have stated that the criticisms are justified and have been brought on as a result of some (not all) DWCO inappropriate actions. 
 
I would be interested in seeing some statistical data regarding the job they do.  Stats such as # of convictions vs. dismissals when compared to other law enforcement agencies (even vs. WCO's).  The amount of court costs sewn up on dismissals comparitively.  I would also like to see the number of complaints filed against DWCO's vs. WCO's by sportsmen and landowners.   What kind of training do DWCO's receive vs. WCO's?  Is there a minimum standard of competency to be a DWCO vs. that of a WCO.  In many states, becoming a WCO requires a two year college degree at minimum (not sure about PA) 

Accepted.

Just got word that this bill is dead.  It was killed quickly I am told because of the overwhelming response by caring sportsman in this state that flooded the house with emails and phone calls against this ammendment that would have affected us all.
 
Thanks to all that contacted the legislators.

ORIGINAL: dpms

Just got word that this bill is dead.  It was killed quickly I am told because of the overwhelming response by caring sportsman in this state that flooded the house with emails and phone calls against this ammendment that would have affected us all.

Thanks to all that contacted the legislators.

 
dpms- Thanks for your work on this and all other fellow sportsmen that got involved.  Obviously this was a bill that needed to be repealed as it served no good purpose for anyone. 
 
FYI- I still would like to see some numbers as I mentioned earlier.  I have looked and they are difficult to come by.
 
 

http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/224018
 
Here's some info on the case. Very interesting.