I would like to see more wardens hired and an actual game check system in place that works. The license process is a cluster as well especially getting the harvest record and baiting permit for an unlicensed hunter. I didn't know this until this year but you can't buy an annual license for a 15 year old. I tired to buy my son's buddy a license a week before he turned 16 and was going to get it all so I wouldn't have to do it again in a week and it wouldn't let me buy the license. As others have stated put turkey season back to opening on the 15th and leave it alone.. Also, I think 5 birds a year is too many especially with everybody trying to double up on them just for youtube videos.

I realize they do the best they can but you can't blanket manage wildlife in the state and I would like landowners to be able to manage their property a little more as they see fit.

Having zero experience means he should NEVER HAVE GOTTEN THE JOB!!!!!!
That job is NOT A TRAINING POSITION!
Chuck needs to go.

Sgtred, your attitude toward your job is admirable. I never could have dealt with the public and kept such.a level headed attitude. I know my limitations.

I have to disagree with.you on Sykes. When he wrote that "Entitlement" article he had a choice which direction to write it. The subject was not the problem. We can discuss back and forth everyone buying a license. He could have written it as being looked at, welcome alternative ideas, and thank the people for their time. Or he could write it in a demeaning way toward the hunters of Alabama. That's the way.he chose. It was bad enough it was reprinted painting him as against the hunters in other publications such as Alabama Forest Owners newsletter. He could have printed a retraction claiming people just misunderstood his point. but did not. To this day he has not printed a retraction. Why?? Because his attitude toward the hunters of Alabama hasn't changed. He's the King and we are, well, on an entitlement program in his realm. He needs to be gone if the DCNR and the hunters are ever going to come together.

And don't forget my favorite Chuckie statement..... I'm not a wealthy man, I can only afford to hunt all over north America.

Point taken, I can respect your opinion on that. All I can do is ask, I don't agree with everything , but as a former employee I am just trying as that old saying goes, "can't we all just get along"

I can get along with a lot of people. But it's like I told Don Knight, former head of Alabama dog hunters, when he said those same words to me.
Don said we (as hunters) need to get along and stand against the antihunting force. I said, "I'm not standing with outlaws and poachers in defense of hunting".
By the same logic, I will not support an arrogant, incompetent, indignant, unqualified tyrant in the wildlife section.

Point taken

I would grade it about a 1 on a 10 scale. And that is based on the number of other States I hunt or fish in each season. This is the worst managed State for wildlife in the entire country.

I believe the leadership bases our game regulations off of one of 2 things. Economics and the desires of wealthy landowners.

I think the admin believe that if they just let everyone run wild and extend the season to March they would sell more out of State hunting licenses, hunters would buy more corn and stay in more motels and spend more money. There is a definite economic impact but that is not keeping the wildlife's best interest 1st. And nothing good is going to come of that for everyone as a whole. The reason the focus is completely on deer is because that is where the money is. Always follow the money. Doesn't matter if you are Hillary Clinton or Chuck Sykes.

The deer herd in this State has been out of whack for 30 years. 40 years. Pick a year. Yet, we wonder why it never fixes itself. There is no real improvement. Just over the horizon there is always the solution. Shoot more deer. Your deer herd can't be effectively managed by hunter's trigger fingers. There is no other State in the entire country where this is more obvious than right here in Alabama.

I appreciate all the input. I have always enjoyed everyone's passion on this site. I have always read it with great interest, and learned a lot. I thank everyone for that.I am going to check out and leave discussion to y'all. One last thought, forgiveness is not only a kindness to others ,but really a kindness ,more so to one's self. I certainly have needed to receive and also give forgiveness in my life. Thanks everyone.

Forgiveness is an act of penance and much like respect, it must be earned.
I can forgive the Dept, for appointing an incompetent ass, when they boot the incompetent ass.

Again your point is taken. Have good one. I'm out

No offense to you, Alan. You're alright. 😆

No offense taken, Thanks

I’m bamaeyedoc and I approve this message.

Dr. B

I keep telling you people, those are just random numbers on a calendar. They used zero biology to determine the date, just politics.
Any one of us can use the same logic and determine our own random numbers.

Night time coyote and hog hunting should be allowed without applying for a dang permit. I can't think of a justifiable reason to have to ask for permission to kill nuisance animals.

Game warden gets a 10 where I hunt. The law changes and disregard to the requests of hunters for the last few years would get Montgomery a -2

I'd forgotten about the Jessica Butler fiasco . Disgusting . You can bet $ she took her orders from Chuck, they were pretty good pals.

Bullchit.

I’ve forgiven people who didn’t earn it or deserve it because it was the right thing for me to do to move on. I also have been forgiven when not asked for it or earned it.

However, I agree with you that respect must be earned.

Dr. B

He doesn't need the benefit of the doubt any longer , he's had plenty of time. I was in his corner when he was hired and defended him on here early on, then he lied to me .

I've been critical and vocal of my disgust of our DCNR because of the doe days. I've been critical of Chuck as well 50% of his job is selling hunting in Alabama, and the other 50% is making hunters happy. He probably has a tough job balancing which 50% is more important, and I do have some sympathy for him, because I know that is a tough decision to make every day as an executive.

I got so disgusted by what they did with doe days and extending the season even longer I didn't even hunt for 3 seasons. There is no way, and I mean no way, the biologist on the state's payroll can say that there are not vast expanses of property in this state that cannot support the number of doe days Alabama offers, as a sales pitch. That is what perplexes me. I just started back hunting last season, and I have killed a great deer both seasons, but I am still not satisfied or happy about the way our season and doe days are structured. If we ever get bloodthirsty savages in the club I am currently in, I will just hang it up and do something else besides hunt, and probably never take it back up.

I will say that contrary to what some say about the turkey season, I don't have an issue with it. Years ago when I worked 2nd shift and other times when I had a job where I could turkey hunt 7 days a week, like most on here, I would have been up in arms about it, cussing Chuck and feeling like he was taking hunting days away from ''me''. It is comforting knowing the retired people and self employed have to wait until Saturday to start just like everybody else. I was probably a pos to alot of people I shared a club with in the past, because I could hunt every day the first week and kill 2 or 3 birds before the 8 to 5 working members even had a chance to set up on a bird, and they were paying the same dues that I was.

As to the length of the season, we already have probably the top 2 or 3 longest deer and turkey seasons in the country, so we can't really complain about available hunting days. In this state, if they made hunting legal 365 days a year, there are 1000's of Alabamians that would put every effort into killing every animal they could 365 days a year, so losing a few days isn't really an issue for me.