Honoring Doug Pineo

The Archives of Falconry Board and staff are deeply saddened by the loss of Doug Pineo who recently passed away. Doug was a vibrant source of support for all matters relating to falconry and its future, a tireless advocate of wildlife conservation, and a renowned falconry craftsman.

The core of Doug’s legacy is service toward the future of falconry and the future of our natural resources. Trends in wildlife populations and declining access to hawking grounds can and do cause many of us to become more cynical about the future and, as a result, withdraw from personal involvement. Doug was the opposite. If it benefited the future of falconry or wildlife, Doug served that cause. He embraced mentoring new falconers, teaching his craft, and urging falconers’ support for key conservation initiatives. At a time of life when we naturally look to idealized memories of the past, Doug was invigorated by change and embraced the incoming generation. He was a determined bridge-builder between otherwise disconnected contingents of our falconry community.

Most of us know Doug in a falconry context and his service to falconry organizations, however, he lived a successful professional life with the Washington State Department of Ecology in their Shorelines Program. Beyond the Department of Ecology, he was highly engaged with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s grouse work. Washington’s lead grouse biologist Michael Schroeder relayed this poignant example:

“Doug regularly interacted with us on grouse issues and regularly attended our annual workshops. Doug was a founding member of the North American Grouse Partnership… Many years ago, Doug and I were on a plane returning from the North American Grouse Partnership’s annual meeting in Ft. Collins. As luck would have it, the cattlemen were having their national convention in Denver at the same time. Doug had a seat next to a Lincoln County rancher who not only attended the cattlemen meeting but was in the receiving line to shake President George Bush’s hand. She was very excited about that. By the end of the flight, Doug had her more excited about grouse in Lincoln County.”

Like NAGP, Doug was a founding Board member of The Archives of Falconry and played a key role in focusing the Board on a vision for The Archives 2.0. Always with a finger on the pulse outside of our small community, Doug presented us with models like the American Museum of Fly Fishing. With a similar niche mission involving field sports heritage, and a passionate constituency, AMFF engaged its supporters with a series of dynamic, changing exhibits, events, and exceptional online resources. Doug helped coalesce our direction around a better Archives that is more accessible and thus more relevant.

In keeping with his ethos of embracing positive change, Doug committed many hours, over the last few years, to bring this vision to fruition. We are indebted to his service. On behalf of The Archive’s Board of Directors and staff, we would like to express our heartfelt condolences to Trish and the rest of Doug’s family.

I hope to see you at the 2023 Rendezvous where we will present a special exhibit of Doug’s falconry craft.