As Mississippi’s wildlife commission and the qualifications to become a commissioner continue to be a hot topic, a well-known outdoorsman is presenting his concerns to state leaders.
Will Primos, the founder of Primos Hunting, penned a letter on Sunday to members of the Senate Wildlife Committee, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, and Gov. Tate Reeves. In it, he pleaded with decision-makers to rethink their decisions when it comes to choosing not to change the makeup of the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.
Primos points to three bills, two of which (House Bill 188 and Senate Bill 2460) would have expanded the commission from five members to nine with four additional members required to have a background in biological science. The other (Senate Bill 2290) would have limited the number of consecutive terms a commissioner could serve. All three died in committee last Tuesday.
The letter goes on to ask Senate leaders to block the upcoming confirmation of Wildlife Commissioner Leonard Bentz, citing allegations that Bentz has consistently made anti-science decisions and statements over chronic wasting disease (CWD) zones in Mississippi.
“Let’s get together again to benefit the public of Mississippi by NOT voting for the confirmation of Commissioner Leonard Bentz and let’s revisit the two bills that would have created an important conversation about the qualifications of commission members,” Primos wrote. “WE NEED SCIENCE-BASED DECISIONS if we are going to make a lasting difference for all Mississippi outdoorsmen and women for generations to come.”
The qualms over the commission’s current makeup in general, according to Primos, come from some of the members’ nonchalant attitudes over CWD and the disastrous ramifications it could reap on deer populations if not kept in check. Fearing that the commission could make a perceivably rash decision to allow white-tailed deer to be purchased and sold, elevating the chances of CWD spreading, the prominent Mississippi outdoorsman deems it necessary to have a presence of commissioners with scientific prowess making decisions on wildlife matters.
Frustrated with the legislature’s refusal to pass the bills and the governor’s unwillingness to back them due to an alleged desire to avoid increasing
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