Division of Wildlife Chief's job - a revolving door

Under the Kasich Administration, and especially ODNR Director James Zehringer, the position of Division of Wildlife Chief has been a revolving door. Ray Petering, who was fired on July 5, is the latest victim in what appears to be a "don't let the door hit you on the way out" policy. The firing was likely in political retribution for the license fee increase that was opposed by the Kasich Administration and ODNR Director Zehringer. The official Administration position is that Petering "returned to retirement". Rest assured, he was fired. This is really sad because it was mid-November 2015 Petering was lured out of retirement by Director Zehringer and hailed as the right man at the right time for the job. This was following the rather forced resignation of then Chief Scott Zody. I still believe Petering is the right man at the right time. Sadly the ODNR leadership never allowed him to do the job they hired him to perform.

In hailing the return of Petering to a full-time job at the Division, the ODNR press release of 11/13/2015 included this quote: “Ray’s background and experience in the field of fish and wildlife resources, as well as his success in establishing and maintaining partnerships to strengthen wildlife conservation, made Ray the ideal candidate for this job,” said ODNR Director James Zehringer. “Under Ray’s leadership I anticipate the Division of Wildlife will make great advancements in furthering ODNR’s efforts to improve Ohio’s fish and wildlife management.” More importantly Petering had the respect of the staff, sportsmen organizations, the Ohio Wildlife Council, his peers in other states, as well as, this writer.

In addition to differences over the license fee increase, Petering had strongly supported the purchase of the 60,000 acres of American Electric Power (AEP) land. AEP is selling some significant acreage in SE Ohio. It is land that has long been open to the public and managed by the Division through agreements with first Mead Paper and later AEP. Petering wanted ODNR support in purchasing the ground for continued public use. The administration balked. Obviously, the Division couldn't afford to purchase 60,000 acres. It appears Ohio sportsmen will soon lose most, if not all, of the acreage, which represents about 10% of the available public land for hunting, fishing and trapping.

Petering also locked horns with the brass over the proposed plans to close the District 1 Columbus offices and sell that property. ODNR had the facility appraised in an anticipated effort to move the office into the ODNR Fountain Square facility. The price per square foot at Fountain Square is considerably more expensive than maintaining the current District 1 offices. Such a move will surely prop up the ODNR budget with sportsmen dollars leaving the Division of Wildlife further strapped for funding for fish stocking, wildlife management and range upgrade projects. Petering simply refused to support what he viewed as a dismantling of the Division of Wildlife.

Starting with 1985 and forward until March 2011 at the beginning of the Kasich/Zehringer administration only five people served as Chief. This provided a steady professional, and largely non-political, leadership over a long period of time. Petering was the fifth Chief for the Division under the Kasich Administration since 2011. Several people have served as Acting Chief during this time but the list clearly reflects the volatility when compared with other recent administrations. The Zehringer era includes: Vicki Mountz - Acting Chief (March to May 2011); David Lane - Chief (May to November 2011); Scott Zody - Chief (Nov 2011 to September 2015); Sue Howard - Acting Chief (October to November 2016); and Ray Petering - Chief (November 2015 - July 2017.

It was January 2014 when I wrote about a meeting with Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor and sportsmen. I presented the administration's "micro-management" of the Division of Wildlife. The revolving door policy certainly indicates that nothing has changed since that time. During Kasich's initial campaign and early part of his first administration there were communications and even a sportsmen's reception at the Governor's Mansion (where Kasich doesn't live). Since those early days, ODNR has largely eliminated sportsmen meetings. The Director has met with the Outdoor Writers of Ohio during their annual convention. This year Deputy Director Gary Obermiller addressed the group. It was a tense exchange with the Deputy Director often lecturing the writers and even making accusations of the writers spreading rumors and lies about the administration. Clearly the administration's approach has only deepened the divide. It is a dreadful situation with little hope for improvement in the last 18-months of the Kasich Administration.

Assuming the hot seat as Chief of the Division of Wildlife is Mike Miller. Miller is a 28-year veteran of the ODNR with nearly 20-years in various positions within Wildlife. Director Zehringer again heralded his latest choice saying, "“Mike brings an experienced wildlife law enforcement perspective to the position, along with some creative ideas in regard to helping the division thrive. I believe he will bring energy and focus to the chief’s role that will help us provide additional opportunities and access for our hunters, trappers and anglers.” How long Miller will remain as Chief will likely depend on his willingness to blindly support the administration in their efforts to fundamentally change the structure of the Division of Wildlife.

Outdoor writer and hunter education instructor Larry S. Moore is a long-time volunteer leader for Buckeye Firearms Foundation and winner of the 2005 USSA Patriot Award, the 2007 League of Ohio Sportsmen/Ohio Wildlife Federation Hunter Educator of the Year and the 2010 National Wild Turkey Federation/ Women in the Outdoors Hunter Education Instructor of the Year.