New USFW Deputy Director

[Wheels]

To: ALL MEDIA
For Immediate Release
June 5, 2017
Press Contact:
Stephanie Spika-Hickey
202-609-8175
Gregory Sheehan Appointed Deputy Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
WASHINGTON, DC—Safari Club International (SCI) today praised the appointment of Gregory Sheehan as Deputy Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Director Sheehan has served as the Director of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources since 2012. He is a member of SCI and has been a key participant for several years at SCI's annual Western Directors' Forum at the SCI Convention.

He is an avid hunter and has hunted in the U.S. and in Africa. Director Sheehan is very familiar with many of the issues that affect SCI members and their abilities to hunt and participate in sustainable use conservation in the U.S. and abroad. He has served as Chair of the Threatened and Endangered

Policy Committee of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and has been a member of the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service Federal/State Joint ESA Task Force. He also serves on the Board of the Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports.

Director Sheehan has worked for 25 years in the natural resources and wildlife management community. InUtah, he championed a proactive approach to growing and sustaining wildlife populations. During his fiveyears as Utah's Director, the state's mule deer population increased by more than 100,000 animals, leadingto increased hunting and viewing opportunities for the public.

He is also long-term advocate for shooting sports. Under his leadership the National Archery in the

Schools program in Utah tripled its number of participants.

Director Sheehan earned his degree at Utah State University and later received a Masters in Business

Administration. He and his wife have been married for 30 years and have two sons.

SCI welcomes Director Sheehan to Washington, D.C. and we look forward to working with him to address the domestic and international wildlife management and conservation concerns of SCI and the broader hunting community.

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SCI has a U.S. based-membership of approximately 38,000 but through our Affiliate Member program we represent 930,414sportsmen and women. Worldwide SCI has 51,000 members and 8,613,742 represented through our Affiliate Membership.

Safari Club International – First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlifeconservation worldwide. SCI's approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 othercountries. SCI's proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarianprograms, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies,empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management andconservation. Visit the home page www.safariclub.org or call (520) 620-1220 for more information


Washington, District of Columbia · Tucson, Arizona

www.safariclub.org · www.safariclubfoundation.org

Safari Club International - First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI's approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI's proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.SafariClub.org, or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.
International Headquarters Tucson, Arizona · Washington, District of Columbia · Ottawa, Canada
www.SafariClub.org

 

[Wheels]

Not sure what is going to happen, but I sure am liking this.

Possibly my second favorite appointment behind Scott Pruitt.

 

[Royal27]

Time will tell!

Overall it sure looks like a good thing though.

 

[Philip Glass]

Change is coming to D.C.! Slowly however. I am still praying for my lion permit so this is important to me.
Philip

 

[cpr0312]

Glad to see something positive

 

[Wheels]

Change is coming to D.C.! Slowly however. I am still praying for my lion permit so this is important to me.
Philip

Hope you get your lion too. This may be a first step.

 

[Custom]

Sounds like a positive move!

 

[K-man]

Good news! well at least not bad news! Thanks for the info, Wheels! just once I would like an upper level appointee say they will use science and Cites to make policy.

 

[sandman0921]

I saw this, and it's about time. This is the first time in a long time where I feel like the USFWS might just be headed in the right direction. Of course, actions speak louder than words so only time will tell if the new leadership is serious about implementing positive change, but so far I like the move.....

 

[LivingTheDream]

I'm very happy to see this appointment! Slowly but surely we are seeing the tide turn.

 

[mrpoindexter]

I too am looking forward to this. I have a currently homeless elephant and might soon have a couple homeless lions and a homeless cheetah. It would be great to allow them to immigrate to the USA. I think the only possible loser in this will be the trophy room at Afton Safari Lodge, which would have been their foster home if my import permits are denied.

 

[edward]

two thumbs up!

 

[tigris115]

Does he have an email? Maybe give him congrats and a few ideas

 

[CAustin]

Sounds good. Maybe now I can get my elephant ears and leather into the country.

 

[gillettehunter]

Its good to see some changes that at least seems to be good for hunters. 2 thumbs up!!!!! Bruce

 

[enysse]

Utah does a good job of managing it's resources.

 

[IdaRam]

Utah does a good job of managing it's resources.

I agree @enysse , Utah has faced some difficult challenges in managing it's wildlife and done a better job than most. I have a lot of optimism with this new appointment. At least we have a pretty good idea of what we've got with Gregory Sheehan as Deputy Director.
I do have a few areas of concern and some questions that I would be very interested to know Mr. Sheehan's position on, though.
Over the past ten or so years there has been a strong influence by Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife and Big Game Forever on the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and politicians. The trend has been to shift more and more premium tags out of the general draw and allocate them to SFW to auction off to the highest bidder at their Expo. I am not opposed to some auction tags, but the number of tags keeps going up and up. The length of the list is now staggering. Literally hundreds of tags each year.
There has also been a philosophy and movement contrary to the North American Conservation Model that is becoming more pervasive in Utah. This also concerns me.
I would be interested to know what Mr. Sheehan's relationship, if any, is with SFW and BGF? What is his position on the North American Conservation Model? What is his position on the transfer of public land management to the states?
These are all potential battles heating up in the wetern states with very serious implication for sportsmen and women.
Given the proximity of the Trump administration with some of the SFW folks who worked on his campaign, I fear some of these answers.
On the flip side, I am very excited to see what Sheehan might do regarding trophy import bans and getting back to scientific and fact based management and decision making.
Fingers crossed!

 

[enysse]

I agree 100% with you @IdaRam , it has pissed me off that they moved everything to that Expo setting. They still do a fair good job managing their wildlife. I'm not a fan off the Expo at all but I'm also not a citizen of Utah either.

 

[gizmo]

I certainly think that this is a huge leap in the right direction but boy does he have his work cut out for him. USFW has been full of morons with power hungry ideals for years at this point. It's going to be a tough road ahead for him.

 

[VonJager]

I certainly think that this is a huge leap in the right direction but boy does he have his work cut out for him. USFW has been full of morons with power hungry ideals for years at this point. It's going to be a tough road ahead for him.

Yes, but as deputy director he didn't need senate confirmation and he is now acting director. A hunter who has hunted in Africa as acting director of USFWS? We could really not ask for more.