Excerpts reprinted from Washington-Oregon in the Field publication October 1999

Three of Oregon's top-ranking wildlife biologists were suspended (but have kept their jobs) after using insider information to garner better odds toward landing coveted big-game hunting tags in 1998.

The suspensions were the stiffest penalties imposed as a result of the findings of an internal Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife probe into the controlled-hunt applications of 15 department employees.

Eleven of the employees were reprimanded for unfairly and unethically using their knowledge of hunts recommended for cancellation to obtain extra preference points, which put them in a better position to land tough-to-get tags in the June controlled-hunt lottery. The ins and outs of the practice were never shared with the public, and the insider information would have been tough for

average hunters to get. However, none of the employees was fired or demoted as a result of the in-house probe, ODFW director Jim Greer said.

The director imposed a one-week unpaid suspension on the agency's big-game program leader, Dan Edwards. Greer also ordered a two-week unpaid suspension without pay for Steve Williams, the agency's deputy director, and a one-week unpaid suspension for Chris Wheaton, Williams' predecessor and current Northwest Region director. (Edwards earns $4,890 a month, Williams $6,556 and Wheaton $5,394.) Further, the three were barred from applying for controlled-hunting tags this year.

Ed. Note: At least Oregon's corrupt Fish & Wildlife employees received some disciplinary action. That's more than Nevada Division of Wildlife employees received for their unlawful acts pertaining to the tag draw.