Washington hunters, it’s time to lock and load. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is calling on Governor Bob Ferguson to fire four Washington Fish and Wildlife Commissioners—Barbara Baker, John Lehmkuhl, Lorna Smith, and Melanie Rowland—for actions that gut our hunting heritage. These commissioners are pushing anti-hunting policies and dodging transparency, threatening the science-based wildlife management hunters depend on. The Sportsmen’s Alliance is drawing a line in the sand, and we need you to join the fight. Here’s why this battle matters and how you can stand with the Sportsmen’s Alliance to protect hunting rights.
Commissioners’ War on Hunters
On May 16, 2025, the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation dropped a 118-page petition accusing Commissioners Baker, Lehmkuhl, Smith, and Rowland of “incompetence, misconduct, and malfeasance” . After a lawsuit forced the release of thousands of internal emails, the group exposed violations of Washington’s Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), with commissioners holding secret “daisy-chain” meetings to exclude hunters and tribes [or.web:1,4,8]. Evan Heusinkveld, Sportsmen’s Alliance President and CEO, slammed their actions as “bad government on steroids,” accusing them of running a “cabal” that mocks public input.
Their anti-hunting record is clear. In 2022, they axed Washington’s spring bear hunt without public notice, ignoring science showing healthy bear populations [or.web:4]. Lorna Smith, a long-time anti-hunting advocate, was caught illegally holding two appointed positions until the Sportsmen’s Alliance’s 2024 Supreme Court win forced her to resign from a county planning board. Yet Smith, Baker, Lehmkuhl, and Rowland keep pushing policies that shrink bear and cougar hunting seasons, sidelining sportsmen.
The Threat to Hunting Rights
These commissioners are strangling hunters’ rights. By slashing bear and cougar seasons, they’re robbing us of our heritage and ignoring the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, which uses hunters’ license fees to fund wildlife management [or.web:1]. Their secretive meetings—uncovered after a 16-month battle for public records—prove they’re dodging accountability . A 2024 legislative report branded the commission “politically polarized,” citing staff mistreatment and disregard for tribal interests.
If these commissioners stay, expect more hunting bans, like those creeping into other states. This isn’t just Washington’s problem—it’s a warning for all hunters. The Sportsmen’s Alliance’s petition is our shot to demand a commission that respects sportsmen and science.
Your Role in the Fight
Governor Ferguson can remove these commissioners for cause under RCW 43.06.070, and the Sportsmen’s Alliance’s evidence—hundreds of pages strong—is airtight. Hunters, here’s how to back this fight:
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Join a Local Hunting Group: Link up with groups like the Washingtonians for Wildlife Conservation to rally sportsmen.
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Use Howl for Wildlife: Hit howlforwildlife.org to send letters to Ferguson, demanding he act on the petition.
Join the Sportsmen’s Alliance Now
The Sportsmen’s Alliance is our bulldog, taking on anti-hunting forces with lawsuits and relentless advocacy. Commissioners Baker, Lehmkuhl, Smith, and Rowland want hunters silenced, but we’re louder when we stand together. Join the Sportsmen’s Alliance today at sportsmensalliance.org to fuel legal battles, block anti-hunting bills, and keep our hunting heritage alive. Your membership is the ammo we need—sign up right now, drop your thoughts in the comments, and let’s show Washington hunters won’t back down!
Sources: U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance , Howl for Wildlife.
