HARRISBURG
Carl Roe has never claimed to have all the answers.
What the current executive director of the Pennsylvania Game Commission does have, however, is the desire to find what is best for both the game and non-game wildlife species the agency is responsible for managing and balance those decisions with both the hunting and non-hunting residents of Pennsylvania.
More than once Roe has answered the question of a state legislator, a representative of an outdoors or conservation organization, an outdoors writer or a private citizen with "I don't know, but will find out." It is that kind of honesty that brings out his sincere desire to do what he believes is the right and best thing and makes his decisions easier to understand, even if they differ with one's own views.
Unfortunately, that will come to an end early next year. After what will be more than eight years of service since he was unanimously elected executive director by the board of game commissioners in 2005, Roe will retire Jan. 17, 2014. That he is so able to take the "heat" and communicate eye-to-eye with both critics and supporters is easy to understand when one considers this man cut his teeth serving his nation in the U.S. Army from 1970-2000.
During his military career, Roe achieved the rank of colonel, serving combat tours in Vietnam and El Salvador. At his retirement, he was Director of the Americas Studies at the U.S. Army War College's Department of National Security and Strategy, teaching strategic planning for national security.
Despite Roe's long and distinguished military background, when engaging him in an official or unofficial setting, he projected an image of "Red Green" rather than that of "Gunny" as portrayed by R. Lee Emery. Clearly, the Montgomery County native is defined by his love of hunting and fishing in Pennsylvania and Maryland's Eastern Shore and his memberships in the National Rifle Association, National Wild Turkey Federation, Ducks Unlimited and Woodcock Limited.
When Roe came to the PGC in 2001 it was also to serve as the agency's first-ever long-range strategic planner. He designed this strategic plan to provide the direction for present and future wildlife management statewide.
Among its many objectives, the plan contained one of Roe's most well-known guiding philosophies, that Pennsylvanians should understand the PGC plays an integral role in the encounters people have with wildlife. To that end, he developed the "Connect with Wildlife" slogan the commission has used for several years.
Roe later was named director of the commission's Bureau of Administrative Services, where he spearheaded a transition to the electronic sales of hunting licenses. Today, the Pennsylvania Automated License System helps nearly one million hunters purchase licenses annually.
"Serving with the Game Commission, particularly in the role of executive director, has been a great honor and privilege," Roe said. "I take pride and satisfaction in the years I've spent here, and our many, many achievements.
"I'll never stop caring about Pennsylvania's wildlife, but the time is right for me to step into retirement. I'll have more time to spend outdoors enjoying it."
Roe is the last person to take credit for the positive accomplishments of the PGC during the last eight years. However, the record will show that it was on his watch that more than 50,000 acres were added to the State Game Lands system, the statewide general bear season was expanded to four days with a Saturday opener, the Mentored Youth Hunting Program was created and expanded, the Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas were created and the number of pheasants stocked annually was doubled to 200,000.
It was also under Roe's leadership that the focus of the deer-management program was shifted to take into account items such as the herd's health and habitat. As with any and all aspects of deer management, this plan has its critics, but the change in direction has been supported by independent outside audits.
No, Roe never claimed to have all the answers, but he never backed down from any questions.
(Dietz is outdoors editor)