What Idaho's sportsmen, sportswomen should know

Gov. Otter has chosen not to re-nominate, for their second terms, two members of our Fish and Game Commission. That action has gutted the leadership of our Fish and Game Commission. The two commissioners are Chairman Mark Doerr of the Magic Valley Region and Vice-Chairman Will Naillon of the Salmon Region, whose first terms end on June 30.

Those two commissioners and their fellow members of the commission comprise one of the very best Fish and Game Commissions Idaho has had the privilege of having in recent years. Our Fish and Game Commission stood up for Idaho’s fish and wildlife resources and for Idaho sportsmen and that is a big part of the problem as viewed by some members of the Idaho Legislature who support large landowner agricultural interests in and around their legislative districts.

The commission recently voted unanimously to turn down the opportunity to offer more auction tags which the Legislature had made available, on an optional basis, by a recently passed law. In voting to turn down more auction tags the commission did precisely what Idaho sportsmen wanted them to do. A group of legislators in the Idaho Senate and House of Representatives had been pressuring the Fish and Game Commission for some time to increase the number of auction tags and Landowner Appreciation Tags (LAP tags). Additionally, they want to allow landowners to sell those LAP tags to hunters who hunt on their land. Presently, landowners possessing LAP tags can charge a fee which allows the hunter access to their land. The landowner then gives the LAP tag to the hunter who then can legally hunt on the land. Charging for access and its associated use of LAP tags has been a practice for many years. Not all landowners sell access often giving LAP tags to family members or employees who then hunt the land.

Some landowners get multiple LAP tags based on the size of their land holdings and the manner in which the land is legally divided between family members or corporate entities to include absentee landowners and corporate entities. LAP tags represent one method employed by the Fish and Game Department to recognize and repay landowners for what wildlife does to their agriculture businesses and related interests. Other methods include payments for depredation and to a lesser degree, department leased hunting access programs.

Gov. Otter needs the support of Idaho sportsmen starting right now and through late January 2017, the beginning of legislative session, when the governor’s appointees face confirmation hearings in the Resources and Environment Committee of the Idaho Senate. The governor has likely been told by that small group of legislators supporting large landowners that Commissioners Doerr and Naillon will not be confirmed in The Senate Resources and Environment Committee.

Apparently Gov. Otter was influenced by that group of legislators as his recent press release announced commission vacancies in the Magic Valley and Salmon Regions.

What must be accomplished to have commissioners doerr and naillon re-appointed for second terms and ultimately confirmed by the senate in January 2017:

GOV. OTTER

Get up, dust yourself off and re-nominate Commissioners Doerr and Naillon to well-deserved, second terms on the Fish and Game Commission. Put your staff and legislative allies of all political persuasions to work to isolate that small group of legislators who have promised the action they threatened.

Do the tough horse trading that successful governors are known for and get the votes necessary to assure ultimate Senate confirmation of Commissioners Doerr and Naillon. You have been in tough situations requiring bold, aggressive political maneuvering many times in your career of service to the state 0f Idaho. Now is the time to exhibit the strong leadership you posses. Appeal to the sportsmen of Idaho of all political backgrounds to overcome the forces of self-interest which have initiated and motivated the situation in which we find ourselves. Many sportsmen have signed an online petition put forth by the Idaho State Bow Hunters which calls for the re-nomination of Commissioners Doerr and Naillon. Tell Idaho sportsmen what else they must do to accomplish this important goal. They will follow your lead.

IDAHO SPORTSMEN

Tell Governor Otter to re-nominate Commissioners Doerr and Naillon. Attend the upcoming Fish and Game Commission meeting in Coeur d’Alene on Monday, May 16, 2016, especially the public testimony portion which begins at 7 p.m. at the Panhandle Fish and Game Headquarters, 2885 W. Kathleen Ave.

Sign up prior to or during the public testimony and express your opinion on Commissioner Doerr’s and Naillon’s service to Idaho’s fish and wildlife resources and Idaho sportsmen. Urge Commissioners Doerr and Naillon to reapply for their commissioner positions. Urge the governor through the Commission to re-nominate Commissioners Doerr and Naillon. Thank the entire commission for the brave, unanimous vote against more auction tags, taken at its March 2016 meeting. Be deliberate, strong and polite when addressing one of the best Fish and Game Commissions Idaho sportsmen have had in recent years.

Call Gov. Otter’s Office at (208) 334-2100 and tell Ann Beebe of the Governor’s Staff that Commissioners Doerr and Naillon should be re-nominated for second terms by Gov. Otter or email her at ann.beebe@gov.idaho.gov. Sign the petition to re-nominate Commissioners Doerr and Naillon found at the Idaho State Bow Hunters Facebook site.

IDAHO FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONERS

Re-elect Commissioners Doerr and Naillon to the positions of Chairman and Vice-Chairman. Urge them to reapply for their positions as Fish and Game Commissioners. Remain resolute in your brave and correct position related to auction tags.

This will be a long and hard fight to prevent over reaching, self-interest motivated politicians from influencing our Fish and Game Commission and the hard work it does in serving Idaho’s fish and wildlife resources and Idaho sportsmen.

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Ed Lindahl is an Idaho sportsman from Sagle and Pete Thompson is former Fish and Game commissioner from Region 1.