Right or Wrong? Idaho Game Commissioner hunts Africa

[CorbLand]

I would say that was his biggest mistake. I don't see a case for firing him. You can't fire someone for poorly representing a legal activity.

He was in an appointed position which opens you up to a whole nother ball game of rules and whats acceptable.

 

[seldomseensmith]

You can fire someone for not being ethical, which does not mean there's a hard and fast, black and white rule. Ex. A conflict of interest is not illegal, but it breaches ethical standards. I take it you don't work in the corporate/public sector world.

Point taken. Thanks
Dead wrong on your last point though.

 

[Kootenay Hunter]

Several former Idaho Fish and Game Commissioners supported calls for Fischer’s resignation. Keith Carlson, a Fish and Game commissioner for 12 years who represented the Clearwater Region from 1987 to 1999, provided the Journal on Monday a copy of an email he sent to Fischer on Sept. 30 condemning him for the photo.

“As an Idaho Fish and Game commissioner you have an obligation to represent the highest standards of ethical sportsmanship and respect for the animals we hunt,” Carlson wrote. “That photo, which is now public, falls woefully short of that obligation. To uphold the integrity and the high public regard for the commission, I ask that you apologize publicly and submit your resignation from the commission.”

 

[seldomseensmith]

Thanks to everyone that helped explain why he no longer holds his job. I understand it much better. It stings me to say that but when you add in the fact that it was an appointed position it holds a bit more water. I don't like it but hopefully the story will serve many of us in the future.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Some clarifications are in order for those who think he was or could have been fired. According to a couple news stories, the position of Wildlife Commissioner in Idaho is an appointment made by the governor. He (Blake) didn't work for the F&G in any way. He served at the pleasure of the governor, and he was subject....as all commissioners are...to removal from that appointment. I'm not even certain he received compensation, though it seems likely he did.

In his resignation statement he basically admitted what he did was not representative of his ethics, beliefs and good sportsmanship. He took ownership of his images and comments and did not resign under protest. It's been reported that several former wildlife commissioners, a F&G warden and the sitting governor all expressed dismay at the situation (meaning the pictures and comments...NOT the hunting of baboons) and advised Blake to resign. I think I know enough about his (and his family's) strength of character to say he wouldn't go down without a fight if he felt wronged by the judgments of others.

Blake....by my opinion....is a better man than the picture or subsequent furor portrays. Unfortunately the picture made it to people not intended to see it, and that's where things went sideways. And let's be honest: A female coyote and 5 dead pups might have singed a few hairs, but the baboon is a primate and the entire non-hunting population of this country doesn't see any primate as a legitimate game animal...let alone a varmint to wipe out en-mass. The picture was guaranteed to start a rabies epidemic on social media....but only if it made it to the wrong person and then went viral. It did.

 

[Trial153]

Commissioners receive a daily salary that is appropriated through the F&G budget. The amount is 50$ day for total of 13k for the year.
No mention of the requirements other then the agenda and meeting schedule.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Commissioners receive a daily salary that is appropriated through the F&G budget. The amount is 50$ day for total of 13k for the year.
No mention of the requirements other then the agenda and meeting schedule.

Good to know. WV commissioners don't receive pay for their appointment.

 

[cnelk]

It didnt take long for the 'other side' to latch on to this story.

James Woods calls for '''licensed hunting of poachers''' following Idaho game commissioner controversy | Fox News

Again, even though hunt was legal, it wasnt - and isnt right - to post photos like that - JMO

 

[Trial153]

It didnt take long for the 'other side' to latch on to this story.

James Woods calls for '''licensed hunting of poachers''' following Idaho game commissioner controversy | Fox News

Again, even though hunt was legal, it wasnt - and isnt right - to post photos like that - JMO

I was googling info for Idaho F&G commissioner info and the first 3 to 4 pages were news stories on this.
This is was tragedy for hunting and the commissioner. Totally avoidable.

 

[robby denning]

John Stallone wrote a blog post earlier this year, partly on this, partly on hunter recruitment. His first paragraph in the section "Why we need to be unified" (about 2/3 down), pretty much sums up most people's opinions on this thread.. I think...

Hunter Recruitment…Do you want to see hunting go away? | John Stallone Days in The Wild

 

[Trial153]

John Stallone wrote a blog post earlier this year, partly on this, partly on hunter recruitment. His first paragraph in the section "Why we need to be unified" (about 2/3 down), pretty much sums up most people's opinions on this thread.. I think...

Hunter Recruitment…Do you want to see hunting go away? | John Stallone Days in The Wild

" We may not agree with each other’s methods or style, but as long as it’s legal and as long as it’s not foolishly airing distasteful content out for our enemies to exploit, then we should be supporting one another"

And this is it in nut shell. We need to police ourselves first and foremost.

 

[Btaylor]

John Stallone wrote a blog post earlier this year, partly on this, partly on hunter recruitment. His first paragraph in the section "Why we need to be unified" (about 2/3 down), pretty much sums up most people's opinions on this thread.. I think...

Hunter Recruitment…Do you want to see hunting go away? | John Stallone Days in The Wild

Good article, thanks for linking that one.

 

[Sverimerica]

This guy.... That picture, is why people hate hunters. That photo is so damaging to what we do.

Sent from my G8142 using Tapatalk

 

[archp625]

I don't know the whole story and never will. With today's society and everyone being so fragile, I wouldn't have posted those pictures. My thought is why open up a can of worms. I know everyone has done stupid things in there life, but why not honor the animal a little more than that. People hunt them all the time but don't post pictures and say he killed a whole family. To me he should have lost his job over it.

 

[sndmn11]

It didnt take long for the 'other side' to latch on to this story.

James Woods calls for '''licensed hunting of poachers''' following Idaho game commissioner controversy | Fox News

Again, even though hunt was legal, it wasnt - and isnt right - to post photos like that - JMO

He didn't "post" photos, he shared them privately with a limited number of folks of which at least one distributed them.

The links in that same article are the reason why I think it is important for hunters to stick together. The controversy and subsequent resignation is used as support against hunting in general and provides to anti-hunters the feeling that it is OK or encouraged to harass more legal hunters. A look at the link about the "Big Game Hunter Beauty Queen" is pretty good evidence of that. The mindset provided in being successful against a legal hunter gives confidence in acting against the next legal hunter and it snowballs because we are too busy quibbling over minute details to be a singular voice.

 

[Murdy]

I hope nobody who has defended this on the basis that it's legal has ever said anything bad about high-fence hunts. or long-range hunting. or baiting. or deer drives. or running deer with dogs. or ground shooting birds.

 

[Kootenay Hunter]

you're well within your rights to stand behind him (in the unemployment line), but the fact is that the incident hurt hunting's image and us hunters as a whole have to uphold the integrity of hunting and hold those that do not accountable.

 

[robby denning]

He didn't "post" photos, he shared them privately with a limited number of folks of which at least one distributed them.

I learned a long time ago that sharing photos in any digital format almost guarantees they'll be posted somewhere by someone, especially if they're controversial (anyone with even 1 brain cell would know his baboon photo was). Sharing and posting are almost indistinguishable now. That's why'd I said I'd never let a photo loose like that.

No offense sndmn11, but your point has been made multiple times, considered and answered (almost all to the contrary) by multiple posters, on this thread and by credible others involved in the story at different points. It's getting hard to read your posts. No one wants to defend this guy. If I see "quabbling" it's from you. Sorry man, you're welcome to post, but it's getting tiresome to read.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Not sure there's anything else useful to be said within the confines of this thread. I'm closing up shop on this one.

 

[sndmn11]

I learned a long time ago that sharing photos in any digital format almost guarantees they'll be posted somewhere by someone, especially if they're controversial (anyone with even 1 brain cell would know his baboon photo was). Sharing and posting are almost indistinguishable now. That's why'd I said I'd never let a photo loose like that.

No offense sndmn11, but your point has been made multiple times, considered and answered (almost all to the contrary) by multiple posters, on this thread and by credible others involved in the story at different points. It's getting hard to read your posts. No one wants to defend this guy. If I see "quabbling" it's from you. Sorry man, you're welcome to post, but it's getting tiresome to read.

I guess you could close the thread then? I will stand up for legal methods of hunting because I believe strongly that hunting should not be attacked and I believe strongly that people following the law should not be turned into villains. I am quite alright with you guys looking down on me for sticking up for those things and I will never agree with the slippery slope of censorship.