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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Fish & Game commissioners caught in fight over hunting tags

Idaho sportsmen have been buzzing about Gov. Butch Otter’s decision to make two current Idaho Fish & Game commissioners reapply for their positions, rather than reappointing them; Otter announced last week that he’s accepting applications for the two commission seats, now held by Mark Doerr of Twin Falls and Will Naillon of Challis.

Today, Idaho Statesman reporter Rocky Barker reports that the issue stems from a dispute between sportsmen and state lawmakers over special hunting tags for landowners. Rural Idaho lawmakers have backed the special tags, which benefit wealthy sportsmen who can afford to purchase hunting or fishing preserves, and landowners who want to give or sell tags to people who buy rights to hunt their lands. But the commission, after hearing from sportsmen, has resisted the idea; Idaho traditionally has tried to keep hunting access equal for all, to avoid putting game owned by all Idahoans up for sale to the highest bidder.

This year, controversial legislation to auction off big game tags was introduced, but died without a hearing.

Barker reports that Doerr and Naillon both said they haven’t yet decided whether or not to reapply for their commission posts; the Idaho State Bowhunters Association has gathered more than 1,000 signatures on a petition calling on Otter to reappoint the two. Jon Hanian, Otter’s spokesman, told Barker that the two are welcome to reapply; if they don’t, he’ll ask them to serve on a committee he’ll appoint to choose their successors. Barker reports that generally the governor reappoints commissioners he’s happy with, without making them reapply for the job; his full report is online here.



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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