Crawforth picked for state wildlife job

Thursday, Aug. 20, 1998 | 10:37 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Terry Crawforth, a 28-year veteran in the state Division of Wildlife, will succeed Administrator Willie Molini who is retiring.

The appointment to the $72,000-a-year job was announced Wednesday by Peter Morros, director of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and is effective Sept. 26.

Morros said Crawforth of Reno has "an excellent blend of education, wildlife management and financial management skills that will be invaluable in directing the various game and non-game initiatives facing the division over the next several years."

Crawforth is respected by the wildlife community both in Nevada and in other western states, Morros said.

However, Gerald Lent, president of Nevada Hunters Association which has been critical of the division, said the selection of Crawforth "represents business as usual."

Nevada doesn't have any game, Lent said, and predator control is down. He said new ideas are needed for the agency which has a budget of about $16 million a year.

Lent said his organization and many other sportsmen groups supported Raymond Lee, who is a wildlife specialist supervisor for the Arizona Department of Game and Fish, as the new administrator. Lee was one of three finalists for the job.

Lent has been particularly critical in the past of Molini and his policies, which Lent feels Crawforth is tied to.

Crawforth, besides currently serving as the division's deputy administrator and chief financial officer, has been chief of law enforcement and regional game warden supervisor. He also has served in various game, fisheries and boating capacities.

"We worked with him (Crawforth) in the past and know him to be a hard-working and dedicated individual committed to Nevada's wildlife resources," said Bill Bradley, chairman of the wildlife commission.

There were seven applicants for the job and the commission narrowed the finalists to three -- Crawforth, Lee and Tom Spalding, deputy director of the Arizona Department of Game and Fish.

Crawforth has a bachelors's degree in wildlife management from the University of Nevada, Reno and has completed graduate level work at the school.