Mike Rex understands that his outdoors life is about to
become much more complicated than simply trying to outsmart another
trophy-class white-tail or work to bamboozle the next coyote.
Rex was recently appointed by Ohio Governor John Kasich as
the newest member of the eight-person Ohio Wildlife Council, replacing the seat
vacated when Horace W. Karr of Pomeroy died February 25th.
The 51-year-old Rex lives in Athens County with his wife and
their three children. He is the business development manager for the Heartland
Wildlife Division, a component of the Upper Sandusky-based and family owned
Kalmbach Feeds Company.
Having all ready begun his four-year term, Rex will have
until January 31, 2020 to get his feet wet and adapt to the ever-changing scope
of helping direct the affairs of the Ohio Division of Wildlife. That is because
the Wildlife Council is the legislatively approved body that approves – or
rejects – the agency’s proposed rules and regulations.
Each Wildlife Council member is either appointed or
reappointed (Council member George Klein was just reappointed) by the sitting
governor but with certain requirements. No more than four members can be from
the same political party, and two council members must represent agriculture,
said John Windau, a Wildlife Division spokesman.
Even though Rex has an agricultural-based job he is climbing
aboard the Wildlife Council’s train as a replacement Republican. His
appointment came about after Rex completed an application for the vacated slot
left by Karr.
Windau also said that Wildlife Council members frequently
visit events and meetings outside of the oversight group’s official duties, and
which can embrace everything from checking out local sportsman’s club functions
to attending Wildlife Division fish and game species summits and annual open
houses. The Wildlife Council meets monthly in public session from January
through April and again July through October.
Though the position of a Wildlife Council member is
voluntary they are entitled by law to claim expenses for such things as mileage
and meals, Windau says.
Rex says he’s not approaching his new role as one of eight
Wildlife Division overseers with either bravado or blinders. He readily admits
he has much to learn.
“I believe that I can bring a unique perspective to the
board, and part of that is because I am a very good listener, and a fair one,
too,” Rex said in a telephone interview. “As a manager I’ve learned not to make
snap decisions.”
However, Rex says he’s a realist and understands that
neither the Wildlife Council nor the Wildlife Division is going to make
everybody happy all of the time. Or- for that matter - many of Ohio’s hunters,
anglers and trappers happy even some of the time.
“Being on the (Wildlife) Council is going to involve a lot
of work; I understand that,” Rex said. “It’s going to be tough to make the hard
decisions that are going to impact so many different constituencies.”
Importantly, says Rex as well, he does not intend to be a
Wildlife Council wall flower.
“I’m not going to be afraid to ask questions if I have
doubts or if something doesn’t make sense to me,” Rex said regarding an
interview question about an oft-said observation that the Wildlife Council is
little more than a rubber stamp for the Wildlife Division.
“I’m not a combative person but I’m not a yes man, either,”
he said.
To help in transitioning into his appointment, Wildlife Council
president Karen Stewart-Linkhart, will meet with Rex “to bring him up to speed
on current fish and wildlife topics, discuss the position, the council and its
responsibilities with the ODNR Division of Wildlife,” Windau said.
Rex will also meet with division administration to discuss
the same topics. And at least one of those Wildlife Division officials is very
eager to assist in Rex’s educational process.
“I am pleased with the Governor’s appointment of Mike Rex to
the Ohio Wildlife Council,” said the Wildlife Division’s chief, Ray Petering.
“Mike is an avid sportsman, and I am confident he will represent Ohio’s
hunters, trappers, and anglers well.”
Yet more than anything else, Rex says, it is his background
as a “multi-layered” outdoors recreationalist that became the spark that cranked
the engine to become Wildlife Council appointee.
“Our family’s activities revolve around the outdoors,” Rex
said.
Small wonder than that Rex has been an Ohio Buckeye Big Buck
Club board member for some 20 years and is currently that group’s secretary and
one of its former presidents.
He also has 16 Ohio Buckeye Big Buck Club trophies
registered with a 17th that was taken with a compound bow - Rex’s
favorite deer-hunting implement – last October. That animal will almost
assuredly be enshrined in the club’s ledger next year and following the group’s
waiting period and scoring criteria.
A Google search of Rex
pretty much begins and ends with photographs and testimonials about his archery
deer-hunting prowess at killing trophy bucks.
Rex likewise is an avid turkey hunter in addition to being a
true-blue multi-species fishing enthusiast, including spending time muskie
angling – an activity which Rex readily admits “I’m not really very good at.”
Even so, while Rex is a devoted archery deer hunter, takes
up the task of chasing turkeys in the spring, hunts down the elusive (for him,
anyway) muskie, or works at catching Lake Erie walleye, there is an if-I-could-do-only-one-thing
outdoors pursuit, Rex said in the telephone interview.
“Hunt coyotes,” Rex said. “They’re just plain smart.”
And Rex will have to work hard to help ensure that for the
next four years no one is going to outsmart this fox.
By Jeffrey L. FrischkornJFrischk@Ameritech.net
Jeff is the retired News-Herald reporter who covered the earth sciences, the area's three county park systems and the outdoors for the newspaper. During his 30 years with The News-Herald Jeff is the recipient of more than 125 state, regional and national journalism awards. He also is a columnist and features writer for the Ohio Outdoor News, which is published every other week and details the outdoors happenings in the state.
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