Sportsmen unite for 'ordinary Idahoans'

A multi-year chess game is in progress between the Idaho Legislature and appointed Commissioners of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Governor Otter seems on the brink of favoring the monied elite to the detriment of ordinary Idahoans.

A handful of Idaho State Senators and Representatives seem hell bent to accomplish a series of legislative changes that favor wealthy landowners and corporations. More than one change is contemplated, but the largest is expanding the Landowner Appreciation (LAP) big game tag program. Idaho already has a working LAP system administered by the IDFG Commission.

These few legislators have tried to expand the LAP system, through changes in Idaho law, requiring that increased numbers of LAP tags be awarded to large landowners and by allowing the landowners to sell big game tags on the open market. At public meetings, IDFG stated that in some hunting units, mandatory increases of LAP tag numbers could mean very few remaining tags for over-the-counter sales. A logical extension of this policy would mean that more hunts will become draw hunts. This could bring a significant reduction in family hunting. Moreover, one ranch in Utah sells elk tags for $20,000; this is much higher than $30.75 for an over-the-counter Idaho resident tag. Does anyone believe that landowners will allow a regular hunter to access their property when the landowner can make this amount of money? Imagine the trouble if a regular citizen is caught selling, or giving, an over-the-counter elk tag to a neighbor.

Two things have hindered passage of these legislative giveaways. First, Idaho citizens have made it very clear at public meetings that little appetite exists to expand the LAP program and that re-selling of big game tags is ethically unacceptable. Second, IDFG commissioners have been outstanding at setting game management policies according to several sources of input. Citizen input to the commissioners at public meetings is supplemented by scientific information from IDFG biologists and game managers. Landowners are often present at public meetings. In the end IDFG commissioners hear all sides of important issues.

Back to the legislators and Governor Otter. A clever strategy of the large landowners is to implement game management policies through the Idaho legislature, usurping the authority of the IDFG commission. To shorten the story, let it suffice that the clever legislators have tried several years in a row to get the LAP program expanded and to legalize re-sale of LAP tags. Between failed legislative attempts, IDFG commissioners were threatened with losing their seats if the expansion is not supported. Multiple years of non-support by the commission led to the situation today. If his mind is not changed, in June Governor Otter will carry through with his intention to replace the two senior members of the IDFG commission with ‘better’ appointees. It seems obvious that replacing IDFG commissioners with more compliant ones is the current move in the chess game; the end goal is enabling landowners to re-sell LAP tags.

It should be noted that the two jeopardized commissioners, Naillon and Doerr, were nearly unanimously approved fours ago by the legislature and the same governor, and they are highly regarded in their respective regions.

National news followers can recite multiple examples of politicians supporting legislation that clearly favors corporate donors and organizations, such as the Chamber of Commerce, to the detriment of American workers. People are fed up with being ignored by lawmakers who seem to favor their wealthy friends.

If big game hunting as an affordable family activity is important, Idahoans should light up Governor Otter’s desk. The governor’s phone number is (208) 334-2100. Or, email him at governor.gov.idaho.gov. Names of the clever legislators can be found here: http://bit.ly/1V7L00O.

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Mike Ewing is a Pocatello resident.