The Fall from the Summit: The truth about the 2011-2014  Idaho Fish and Game Wildlife Summit's real agenda  
By Steve Alder

Executive Director, Idaho For Wildlife
 

 

Shortly after IDFG director Virgil Moore was recommended by the commission and appointed to be the new Director of Idaho Fish and Game, he began working on what would become his signature legacy, the IDFG Wildlife Summit.
 

Even though Moore touted that the summit was just an opportunity to “check in” on Idaho sportsmen, it was nothing but a deceptive tool to engage the non-hunting environmental groups to secure alternative, broad based funding.
 

The Summit was all about opening the dialog (Beginning the conversation) as Director Moore put it, with the environmental groups to acquire approval and validation from Sportsmen, policy and lawmakers to support the department’s environmental agenda. The Summit was about an effort to fundamentally transform Idaho Fish and Game away from its original 1938 core mission  “of providing continued supplies of wildlife for hunting, fishing and trapping.”  This is exactly what happened with the Summit as Director Moore “began the dialogue” with environmental group’s first and gave them precedence over long-term loyal paying sportsmen. 
 

This dialog with the enviros has been open, alive and well and going on for decades within IDFG. The Summit was an opportunity to expose this radical dialog and hopefully send the appropriate signal to our IDFG commissioners, legislators, governors, ranchers, sportsmen and all citizens that we are fed up with a radical environmental agenda that is an enemy to Idaho’s long-term hunting heritage.
 

IDFG spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and employee  time on the Summit with no positive outcome.  The summit has been written off as a huge failure by Idaho Legislators, Sportsmen and even Director Moore’s environmental partners such as the Nature conservancy. While our IDFG conservation officers were having their traveling miles reduced to cut expenses, Director Moore was handing out $2,000 bonuses to the valiant IDFG employees that worked hard for his environmental summit agenda.

 

Following are multiple subjects that cover from 2011-2014 regarding the IDFG pursuance of alignment away from traditional sportsmen and their efforts to embrace environmental and non-hunting groups and individuals. We recommend reading the articles in order to understand the ideology, mindset and narrative behind this dangerous agenda. Clicking any of the blue links below will take you to that article within the page. Many thanks to those that provided the thousands of hours and years of research that went into this project. Also a hat tip to the brave and courageous IDFG personnel that came forward providing information that they believe will put the IDFG back on the right track long-term.

 

Idaho’s conservative policies, people and leadership continue to protect Sportsmen and Ranchers:

 

Unholy Alliances: The danger of alignment with environmental and anti hunting groups:

 

IDFG Director Virgil Moore had the perfect team to begin the "Fundamental transformation” or “Death and Rebirth”of his agency.

 

2012 Idaho Fish and Game Wildlife Summit and 2013 Wildlife diversity meetings:

 

2014  Leaked Idaho Fish and game document compels commission to demand Director Moore to return the agency to its original 1938 core mission.

 

Idaho For Wildlife’s participation in the Summit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Idaho’s conservative policies, people and leadership continue to protect Sportsmen and Ranchers:


Many Idahoan's do not realize how truly fortunate they are to live in a state that is led primarily by conservative lawmakers and policy makers who value our 2nd amendment along with our right to hunt and fish.  Unfortunately In many progressive states, radical environmental policies prevail because environmental groups were allowed a “seat at the table” inside their own Fish and Game Departments.  Many politically progressive states like WA, OR and CA who have been infiltrated by anti-hunting and environmental groups, are witnessing radical wildlife management policies such as emphasizing  “predator preservation” over  traditional big game harvest for sustenance.

Even though Idaho has a conservative history politically, Idaho Lawmakers, Governors, and Fish and game commissioners continually have to be vigilant in keeping the more progressive IDFG managers in check within our own Idaho Fish and Game department.  For the last 40+ years our Fish and Game has become increasingly convoluted with radical extreme pro predator wildlife managers. The problem originates from leftist academia that indoctrinates most of our new biologists who later become wildlife managers throughout the state. As an example, a few years ago I interviewed a young biologist who had just graduated with a PHD in Wildlife biology.  He had just started working for Idaho Fish and Game at the time. He admitted to me that in 8 years of college, he never met another student who HAD NOT been brainwashed with radical environmental academia that his leftist professors taught regarding the religion of balanced and native ecosystems and the need for more predators. The reason this graduate was saved from this radical indoctrination was because he was raised on a small farm in Southern Idaho where he grew up hunting and fishing where his father taught and instilled in him common sense principles that he never forgot. He also told me that that very few of his classmates had ever hunted. Unfortunately IDFG forced him out within months after hiring him. He believed this decision came as a result of a discreet new policy within IDFG to hire predominantly non-hunters and applicants that met a certain environmental mindset criteria. In the 2013, IDFG Wildlife Diversity meetings, it was revealed by sportsmen that Idaho’s right wing conservative legislators were blamed as Idaho Fish and Game’s biggest threat to thwart their progressive environmental agendas within the dept.
 

Fortunately Governor Otter and his commission selection team have appointed some very capable and vigilant Fish and game commissioners the last 7+ years. These men are currently attempting to put IDFG back on course after decades of a department pursuing a progressive non-hunting agenda. Previous governors had appointed commissioners utilizing different criteria and unfortunately many of these commissioners had become “Duped” by very intelligent and sophisticated IDFG leaders who specialize in Social engineering skills. These IDFG employees receive this specialized training through their membership and participation in national organizations of Fish and Game employees. Many of these past commissioners allowed the “Tail to wag the dog” which allowed IDFG to realize their progressive Wildlife management policies. Examples of these radical environmental policies are emphasizing non consumptive management over consumptive, Pre-Columbian native ecosystem obsession and extreme pro predator policies. 

 Witnessing the results and fruition of these radical bankrupt wildlife policies resulting in less big game harvest opportunity, is the primary reason sportsmen and Idaho lawmakers are so frustrated with Idaho Fish and Game in general. Experts claim that the only tools to change this bankrupt direction is to change leadership and or use the "Power of the Purse" to stop their funding.

 




Unholy Alliances: The danger of alignment with environmental and anti hunting groups


What are the dangers of bringing in environmental groups to fund state Fish and Game agencies? California is a great example of this “slippery slope.” Once environmental and anti-hunting groups began to fund the CA agency they eventually were able to influence and have direct management over it. Examples were changing its agencies name away from ‘Fish and Game” to satisfy non-hunters, anti-hunters and environmentalists. Eliminating predator hunting and use of lead ammo has occurred in CA. States like Florida and Washington state lost the ability to use dogs to hunt bears and Oregon Hunters are frustrated because they cannot hunt cougars. Supporting radicalized native ecosystem religion which suggests returning the land, fish and wildlife back to pre Columbian days. Most environmental groups such as Defenders of Wildlife and some in IDFG actively support and are currently implementing some of these programs.

A lesson from Florida why having conservative Governors and Game commissioners are essential to preserve our hunting rights and to control predators.

In the 2005 book, “A wake up call to Florida’s hunters and fisherman,” the author Raymond Hamlin documents how these “Unholy alliances” infiltrated Florida’s Game and Fish department.  Weak Fish and Game commissioners were politically appointed by leftist progressive governors. As a result, anti-hunting and environmental groups obtained a “seat at the table” to influence hunting rights and privileges. These predator loving radicals were able to stop Florida’s bear hunting in 1994. These radicals even changed a part of the FL Game and fish strategic plan to say, “That in the future, non hunters will be given more consideration that hunters; that there is public opposition to the killing of animals.” The US Fish and Wildlife service continued to deny a petition from Florida Game and Fish to list the Florida Black bear on the endangered species list. In 1999, Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club and other environmentalist groups even sued the USFWS for not placing the bear on the Federal endangered species list.

For over 20 years the black bear population was left unchecked and increased drastically. The un-hunted bears became habituated and unafraid of humans. Bears were found lolling in hot tubs, relaxing in hammocks and breaking into storage sheds. Last year, Florida Fish and Wildlife officials had to kill almost 50 bears that had started to associate humans with food. In 2005, the number of bear complaints was 1,913. By 2011, it topped 4,000 calls. By 2012, that number had increased 50 percent to approximately 6,000! Last year 50 bears had to be killed because of their lack of fear of humans as they have become habituated. Just this past month, the Florida Game and Fish dept. under the leadership of a conservative governor decided they had to finally open up a bear season due to the high bear populations, and to attempt to stop the bear attacks and complaints. Environmental groups are furious with this proposed bear hunting and claim hunting bears will not change their behavior and fear towards man! This validates what Dr. Charles Kay has said for decades that many State Game agencies are greener than the Feds!


On November 13, 2014, newly re-elected Florida Governor Rick Scott (R) defeated pro-gun control challenger Charlie Crist (D) and one of the first things Gov. Scott did was  issue an executive order cutting the price of a lifetime sportsman’s license by 50%  so families can afford to hunt together.
 

What are the conditions to secure $ from environmental groups?
No environmental or anti hunting group is going to fund and support a state Fish and Game agency like Idaho if they have strong predator control policies. We have a great object lesson below of this when Director Moore was ridiculed by his environmental partners “The Nature Conservancy and the “Idaho conservation League,” when a brave and vigilant commissioner sent a trapper in the Middle Fork of the Salmon to trap wolves.
 

On September 18, 2012 at 2:56 PM, (Pacific Time) Idaho Fish and Game director Virgil Moore phoned me and said “He is nervous about deterring broad based funding from “non hunting groups” if the commission continues to develop too aggressive of predator management programs. He had the audacity to ask me to use any type of influence I had to back off the commission of their strong predator management plans.
 

The fallacy of conservation tags and permits:

Once Florida Game and Fish Department became infected with “Conservation groups”, they ushered in a “Conserve Wildlife Tag” and partnered up with the “Wildlife Foundation of Florida”, The Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club, and Defenders of Wildlife.  As expected, wildlife viewers through such a fuss over having to pay for this “Conservation tag” that it was rescinded. It proves that the wildlife viewers ‘want the say but they don’t’ want to pay” while hunters and anglers continue to foot the bill.
 

The Religion of Native ecosystem restoration:

Most environmental groups and unfortunately some within IDFG support Radicalized native ecosystem religion which suggests returning the land, fish and wildlife back to pre Columbian days. IDFG is currently implementing some of these programs where they can.

As an example Idaho for Wildlife recently had to spend $1,000  on “sterilized” rainbow trout to be planted in steams in the Burley area. Frustrated Sportsmen who grew up fishing these streams 25 years ago no longer have fish available for their kids to enjoy as the department only wants “Native” Yellowstone cutthroat to live in these waters. These native trout are not repopulating on their own, and IDFG refuses to pay for or allow any other “non-native species of trout to enter these waters. So we funded the project and realized sterile trout is better than no trout for our youth. We have also witnessed joint operations between IDFG and USFWS to “Sterilize” high mountain lakes eliminating every fish that had previously been planted leaving these lakes barren of fish as this is was the "Historically Natural" state of these lakes based on IDFG's belief. These biologists obsession of native ecosystem restoration can only be bested by certain IDFG biologist’s desire to have far more wolves than our original plan which has destroyed Idaho’s once famous backcountry elk herds.

When you have the Humane Society of the United States and Defenders of Wildlife on your state Fish and Game boards and committees, one can imagine how they would support aggressive wolf control to provide more ungulates for hunters! I know director Moore is probably thinking, "We'd never be like CA and allow the anti-hunting groups to infiltrate Idaho." We'll only let the pro hunting conservation groups work with us and we will work together as one big happy family!"
 

In its playbook, HSUS also reveals a tactic that should alarm every hunter who has viewed state and federal Fish and Game agencies as supportive of hunting. Despite the fact that hunter license fees and excise taxes provide the vast majority of funding for these agencies, HSUS brags about infiltrating these agencies and expresses confidence in shaping their policies when it comes to use of traditional ammunition.
 

"The HSUS has close working relationships with state wildlife agencies all across the country. Our wildlife department staff and state directors regularly attend state wildlife agency meetings where they have presented to top level agency officials and developed close working relationships with wildlife law enforcement officers in the majority of states. Our state directors attend department and commission meetings and have developed long-lasting relationships. We are regularly contacted to participate in stakeholder meetings and asked about The HSUS position on pending proposals. In fact, many of our staff serves on state wildlife agency appointed boards and commissions. These existing relationships will go a long way in our campaign to end the use of lead ammunition."
 

Since the 2012 Summit, a great object lesson took place making it crystal clear why director Moore's environmental group partners cannot be counted on to support Idaho's current pro hunting, predator controlling direction in Idaho. From the governor's office to the Idaho legislators, IDFG commission and sportsmen, we all want to begin restoring devastated elk populations using necessary predator control. Last year, IDFG commissioners, (Not employees) decided something had to be done in the middle fork of the Salmon as the elk numbers, calf recruitment and elk harvest were in trouble despite phenomenal habitat from recent fires in that region. So IDFG hired a trapper to remove a couple of wolf packs to give the elk some relief. How do you think the environmental groups that Director Moore had been wining and dining during the Wildlife Summit responded? John Robison from the Idaho Conservation league said this, “We are deeply concerned about Fish and Game’s recent actions approving the eradication of two packs of wolves in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.” John Robison continued in this letter, “During the Wildlife Summit, we were told that our input was important and that our opinions mattered. We don’t expect to like all of Fish and Game’s decisions, but would like to be engaged in the decision-making process and know that our concerns are being carefully considered.

 Another one of Director Moore’s environmental partners from “The Nature conservancy” put this cartoonin the Idaho Statesmen mocking IDFG’s decision to also trap wolves in the Middle fork and mocked IDFG for not "listening" to them from all of the Summit meetings. To give Director Moore some credit, it wasn't his idea for the wolf control measures in the Salmon as this came from commission directive. Now these groups are not as radical as Western Watersheds and others but because Director Moore and his staff took them on an organizational retreat to plan the summit in August of 2011, they already felt some “ownership” in the management of IDFG and no doubt they felt betrayed by their "Conservation minded" friend. These groups also know that world renowned wolf expert David Mech and even some of IDFG’s own biologist’s claim wolves cannot be controlled with sport hunting alone and that trapping is necessary. But these environmental groups are very content with what is happening in the Middle fork of the Salmon  as wolves are providing the type of  “Natural balance” to the ecosystem that only radical enviros can appreciate. One look at a map of Idaho and realize that its vast wilderness backcountry elk populations have already been devastated by wolves. (Click here to see the elk harvest data.Can you imagine trying to rebuild these once famous elk herds using Director Moore’s vision of “better agency alignment” with his environmental partners? This could become a reality if we don’t stop Director Moore’s radical agenda!
 

Director Moore has lost the support of traditional Idaho sportsmen and most conservative legislators with his obsessive outreach to environmental groups with his summit agenda. But he had done a wonderful job of winning over the hearts and minds of the anti-hunting community with his vision! Our research indicates he has won over 100% of the radical anti-hunting, anti ranching and enviro groups to his way of thinking! Defenders of Wildlife, Western Watersheds, The Center for biological diversity all love his idea. So does Carter Niemeyer the "wolfer." Niemeyer loves the idea of wolf stamps and any type of alternative fundingthat will stop the current Idaho model of listening to sportsmen and pushing for non-hunter influence and influence which will lead to less wolf control which is what the enviros can only hope for!


In this article, The Humane Society of America, details the insidious influence hunting and money has on wildlife management policy in the US. It sums up why state game agencies should NOT be managing wolves or any predators! Can anyone say “conflict of interest”? They quote Idaho Fish and Game deputy director Jim Unsworth on Outdoor Idaho saying: "Right now the overwhelming lion’s share of funds comes from sportsmen. And, you know, sometimes we’re criticized because we manage for sportsman, but, just a reality check, that’s who is paying our bills. That’s who is paying our paycheck and who is paying for the management.”

Do we want the enviros and wolf advocates making IDFG's payroll!!! The anti-hunting groups can only imagine the possibilities and what could happen if we let director Moore achieve his vision!

 
  

Director Virgil Moore had the perfect team to begin the "Fundamental transformation” or “Death and Rebirth”of his agency.

  

For strategic planning and implementation of the 2012 Idaho Fish and Game Wildlife Summit, director Moore brought in Michelle Beucler, his invaluable department planning and “human Dimensions” coordinator to be the summit project manager. Beucler has become well known in the non-hunting/ environmentalist world for her famous presentations such as  Mirror Mirror on the Wall, “Reflections from a Non-Hunter, and the  "Death of Wildlife management where she suggests that "traditional fish and wildlife management must die!" Beucler has given this non-hunting focused presentation multiple times across the country where she claims managing wildlife to provide continued supplies of game for hunters, fisherman and trappers undermines the Idaho Public trust doctrine. Incidentally we found where Beucler also gave her "Mirror Mirror on the Wall presentation at the 73rd North American Wildlife and natural resources Conference in 2008. (See page 172)463061 3289309906152 267116947 o Copy
 
In 2009 at the Wildlife Society’s annual meeting in Moscow, Idaho, while in the company of current IDFG director Virgil Moore, Beucler delivered her signature radical non-hunting presentation advocating even changing the definition of what a hunter is, altering the North American model of wildlife conservation and a host of other radical non-hunting recommendations. The most shocking statement to traditional sportsmen is found in her presentation on page 15,  (Click here ) where she states:

We explain five reasons why hunter recruitment and retention efforts may be ineffective and may be distracting state wildlife agencies from engaging citizens in general and helping to broaden wildlife conservation." Next, we give examples of how state wildlife agencies might connect with and engage non-hunters, including adopting a citizen-based business model and expanding what we call “hunting” and who we call “hunters."
 
In the spring of 2011, while Director Vigil Moore and his staff were busy engaging environmental groups and planning retreats with their environmental allies for the upcoming Wildlife Summit, Michele Beucler was also busy nationally advocating her "Death of state game agencies" theme as the president of the "Organization of Wildlife Planners.
 In this groups Spring of 2011 bulletin, Beucler wrote about the sad deaths of two IDFG employees in the tragic helicopter crash. She compared the IDFG employee’s deaths to the necessary death of current state Fish and Game agencies as they must have the courage to "transform" away from their current model of placing traditional Sportsmen and fisherman first. Beucler writes, "Transformation is a process of death and rebirth." "Agency transformation is also a process of death-rebirth." "It's easy to fear and avoid.""Yet, our organizations must take the rise or else face losing support from the broader citizenry and letting our power in wildlife conservation slip through our fingers."
 

If you belong to another state like Idaho, that was founded on traditional hunting and fishing values but you would like to upgrade your agency to follow Beucler and Director Virgil Moore’s objective of "Fundamentally transforming" your agency, Mrs. Beucler is for hire as a professional facilitator, (See below and notice the cute logo of a wolf!)

Michele Beucler Excellent Facilitators needed


If a State Fish and Game planning and human dimensions manager is advocating in the presence of the agency director, that they are actively working to support the “Death of their game agency”, maybe this explains why in the Eastman’s journal, Idaho ranked lowest in the country for the “worst job of managing its big game populations.” If your goal was to “Fundamentally Transform” your agency by discouraging “hunter recruitment” as it may be distracting agencies from engaging broader groups of people, maybe IDFG has us all fooled and they have attained the success they were looking for?
 

There is little doubt that Director Moore feels very fortunate to have someone like Beucler’s on his team and that her "Mirror Mirror on the Wall, “Reflections from a Non-Hunter,” presentation and message helped inspire him to strategically place her as the mastermind for his 2012 Wildlife Summit.

  


2012 Idaho Fish and Game Wildlife Summit and 2013 Wildlife diversity meetings:

 

In the September 7-9th 2011 IDFG commission meeting held in Coeur D’Alene, IDFG regional supervisor and Summit planner Mark Gamblin gave a presentation to the commission on the summit. He provided the following exact quote validating the purpose of the summit: “We've tried hard not to miscommunicate at this early stage that this is simply a means to raise more revenue." “We hope it will result in a new broadened funding mechanism that will put us on solid track for the future.” (Click here for the actual tape recording of this).
 

During this meeting IDFG admitted that they chose to begin discussion with environmental groups prior to traditional sportsmen groups and this greatly alarmed certain commissioners. Mark Gamblin gave the following report: “Specifically at this point we have ongoing outreach efforts as we speak; we've been talking to and working with representatives among the wildlife conservation oriented non-governmental organizations. ISCAC has been a great one, a partner with us to make discussions as have Nature conservancy and the Idaho Conservation league. In no way do we intend that they that our discussion would be restricted to those groups, we simply begun talking about what we hope to accomplish with the wildlife summit with those groups as their representative our pretty broad cross section of the public we serve.”

IDFG Commissioner Wayne Wright said, “This was a dangerous path” and commissioner Trevey asked if they had spoken to Idaho For Wildlife and other sportsmen groups, (Click here for the recording). Mark Gamblin then said they had not spoken with Idaho for Wildlife and other traditional sportsmen groups about the summit. They admitted their outreach at this point was directed only at “environmental conservation groups."

Two years later, (September 13, 2013, IDFG is now claiming in the Bozeman chronicle,“As far as trying to find non-consumptive funding, that was never the overall plan", and "the summit was meant to renew enthusiasm for wildlife."
 

Originally the dept. wanted to hold the summit in Sun valley, Idaho to be near grand central of the environmental community. The Summit was also scheduled to take place on September 8-12th during the archery hunting season. Many thought this date was a deliberate statement of the agenda behind the summit. After complaints from Sportsmen and commissioners, the Department relented and agreed to change the date to August 24-26th 2012. Click (here to see the initial Summit document) with the September date along with the Carl Marx socialist terminology “Social Compact” that Obama had been coining frequently in the news.(Director Moore and the majority of his leadership team are loyal Obama supporters). Due to complaints, the socialist “Social Compact” term was removed from all Summit material. Too many, the phrase “Social compact is a Hobbesian view of totalitarianism.

 

Director Moore puts his job on the line for the Summit agenda and lays out his expectations to his staff:
 

When director Moore was hired as director he made it a goal to hold a “Wildlife congress” with sportsmen and conservationists, (environmentalists.) Director Moore was so passionate about his Wildlife Summit agenda that he actually said the following in this YouTube video," It is the most important thing I’m doing and I’m willing to risk the directorship on this.
 

 Director Moore lays out his expectations to his staff and uses fear-mongering tactics to push his Summit agenda.

 In this YouTube video, Director Moore says, “I expect the staff of this dept. to individually to be involved in this to the best of their ability." "If we don’t succeed then it’s probably time to find somebody that’s better at succeeding than I am and it may be time for me to exit. To survive we have to change."
 

Federal funding is actually increasing despite Director Moore's claims of "flatlining or declining."

Note in the video how director Moore spoke how they "fear federal funding is going to flat line or decline in the next decade or so." This fear mongering rhetoric by Director Moore was proven disingenuous when IDFG picked up over 20 Million Federal dollars in 2014 setting a new record for the state! Click here to see the upward trend nationally of Federal funds. Hunting is also on the increase in many states where hunting and fishing is at the forefront of their state agencies priority.
 

Despite Director Moore's disingenuous and inflated scare tactics claiming hunting is declining, more Americans are heading outdoors to hunt and fish. 11% more Americans (ages 16 and older) fished and 9% more hunted in 2011 than in 2006. Youth hunting, ages 6 to 15 increased by 13%!
 

January 6, 2012, Director Virgil Moore lies to the President of Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation about the Wildlife Summit promising he would include him in the Summit agenda and development.

In the January 6, 2012 email below, director Moore promises RMEF president David Allen that he would include Mr. Allen in the Wildlife Summit agenda development and that he would get back to him. Director Moore not only didn’t keep his word about getting back to the CEO of RMEF as promised but never included RMEF or any traditional sportsmen’s groups in the Summit agenda. The only speakers in the summit were environmental groups and individuals. My question to Director Moore is if elk hunting was a top priority of yours as a director and your wildlife summit goal was all about, “creating a renewed enthusiasm for wildlife," then why didn’t you include RMEF or any traditional hunting organizations in the agenda planning process of the summit? Why didn’t you “, get back to,” and invite a traditional sportsmen group leader to speak such as David Allen instead of just environmentalists?
 

 From: Moore,Virgil
Sent: Friday, January 06, 2012 5:09 PM
To: David Allen; Moore,Virgil
Cc: Kirk Murphy; Radocha, Dennis L; Rod Triepke; Unsworth,James; Keckler,Mike; Gamblin,Mark; Kiefer,Sharon
Subject: Re: Wildlife Summit


"Thanks David for the willingness to work with us on the summit." We plan to include you and other sportsman groups in the agenda development. I agree the North American Model is a good theme to build the Idaho summit around and will discuss internally with my staff next week and get back to you. I will review the date of the summit with staff to see if other options are available that makes sense."
Virgil

 

January 2012Petersen's hunting magazine releases article about the Wildlife Summit

 Initially Petersen’s magazine editor did not believe us about IDFG’s non-hunting agenda when we first began communication.  We continued to provide enough proof, quotes, articles and data that supports why IDFG allowed this to happen to our wildlife resource and has become possessed with radical environmentalism to the point of no return for our Big Game resources.

 

July 2012:  Steve Alder appears with IDFG director Virgil Moore and defends Sportsmen against the Summit agenda on Idaho pubic TV discussing the Wildlife summit.

 

August 24-26 2012: Wildlife Summit meetings.    http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/about/?getPage=320
 

All speakers provided typical rhetoric and attempts to justify why IDFG must continue aligning themselves away from conventional sportsmen and continue their pursuance or closer alignment with environmentalists and non-hunters. Idaho Fish and game paid a small fortune to hire some of these speakers to provide Director Moore's enviromental agenda.


Toni Hardesty
- Director of The Nature Conservancy – Idaho
https://www.youtube.com/watch?persist_safety_mode=1&safety_mode=true&v=jbb5WALcv30

 

Tara Teel
- Associate Professor – Colorado State University    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6jSZF3b_tQ

 

Jim Posewitz  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e54rg7FhM3w

 

Shane Mahoney   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp7Tpd_oyqY

 

2013 Idaho Fish and Game Wildlife Diversity meetings:
 

IDFG reaches out to anti Ranching Western Watersheds leaders and other radical environmentalists during the Idaho Fish and Game Wildlife Diversity meetings being held state-wide.
 

After the failed 2012 Wildlife Summit, IDFG Director Virgil Moore continued his obsession with pursuing alternative funding and input from environmental groups. Moore and his summit leadership team were politically savvy enough not to invite and be seen with the more extreme radical environmental groups during the well publicized primary Summit meetings of 2012. But once the public Summit meetings were over Director Moore ordered his supervisors in every region of the state to conduct regional Wildlife Diversity meetings in 2013 and bring "everyone" to the table.  This is where he “directed” his regional supervisors to engage every type of environmental group including anti hunting/ranching groups like Western Watersheds to seek their ideas and suggestions on how IDFG can secure alternative funding. To appease the public process, IDFG invited a few real sportsmen to these meetings who reported back to us after each meeting.  In all of these “Diversity” meetings the overwhelming consensus coming from IDFG leaders was that the biggest threat or vulnerability to IDFG’s radical environmental plans was Idaho’s “Right wing” conservative legislators.
 

Recently KAREN BUDD-FALEN from the Budd-Falen Law office in Cheyenne, Wyoming released a MEMORANDUM that Western Watersheds has issued at least 675 Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) requests just to the BLM and Forest Service, related to livestock grazing on public lands! Karen also released a SECOND memorandumhow Western Watersheds and other radical anti-ranching environmental groups are using taxpayer dollars through (“NEPA”) "as the litigation tool of choice,” to follow through with their, “to do” list, to, “Get all cows and sheep off federal lands ASAP!"Over 400 federal court complaints were individually analyzed and filed by either the Western Watersheds Project (“WWP”), WildEarth Guardians (“WEG”) or the Center for Biological Diversity (“CBD”).

Salmon Regional Work Group (RWG) – Wildlife Diversity Funding Meeting Minutes 
Salmon Valley Business and Innovation Center Tuesday,
March 5, 2013, 3:00p.m.-5:30p.m.
RWG Participants: Gary Power, Lucy Littlejohn, Michele Tucker, Jody Brostrom, Lisa Whitman, Stephanie Smith, Travis Bullock, John Jakovac, John Goodman, Dave Reeder, Vincent Guyer, Mary Ann Oberhaus, Bill Bernt, Larry Zuckerman, Chad Fealko, Sherry Elrod, Jim Lukens, Hadley Roberts, Mark Davidson, Toni Ruth, Ron Troy, Louise Wagenknecht, Billijo Beck
Idaho Fish & Game participants: Steve Schmidt, Gary Vecellio, Beth Waterbury, Viki Harber
 


 

To learn more about the Summit, see the following  articles:

 https://idahoforwildlife.com/files/pdf/georgeDovel/The%20Outdoorsman%20No%20%2050%20Sept%202012-Summit.pdf

http://www.lobowatch.org/adminclient/Conservation2/go





 

   


Leaked Idaho Fish and Game document compels commission to demand Director Moore to return the agency to its original 1938 core mission.

 

In June of 2014, frustrated Idaho Fish and Game personnel leaked out this document to Idaho For Wildlife leaders expressing concern that the IDFG director is “more determined than ever” to transform Idaho Fish and Game into a California style Wildlife model catering more towards non-hunters than traditional Sportsmen. (Note in the CA model which groups in CA are the stake holder "advisory groups" who run their "Non-consumptive" department!)

The document is a summary report of the 2014 Idaho Fish and Game in-service training school held in Boise where approximately 550 IDFG employees participated in meetings which were facilitated by the environmental consulting firm “Enviroissues.com.The two fold purpose of this meeting was to answer the questions, “Are we in business” and “What business are we in?”
 

Multiple frustrated sportsmen read parts of this document at the July 9th 2014 IDFG commission meeting in Salmon. One man who testified against the current direction of Director Virgil Moore was later confronted by an IDFG employee after the meeting while the man was walking to his vehicle along with his 11 year old step-daughter. The officer came up and shook his hand and said the following to him, "I feel sorry for you because now I'm going to go after you." The sportsmen were in shock and it really upset him. Just a few years ago a key IDFG leader in this same region was accused of threatening and intimidating a courageous and vigilant mother of three as she stood up to the department. Fortunately justice was served and the man was relieved of his position after the governor’s office got wind of this.

During the beginning two days of these IDFG in-service meetings, Director Moore invited such speakers as Lieutenant Governor Brad Little, Senator Dean Cameron, Representative Marcus Gibbs, RMEF President David Allen, and IDFG commissioner Fred Trevey. He also invited opposing environmental speakers to provide their counter positions to justify why the IDFG needs to seek further alignment and funding from non-hunters and environmental groups. RMEF president David Allen debated one of these enviros that Moore had invited, basically telling him that if IDFG doesn’t begin building  a product again (Big Game) and start listening and taking better care of their current customer base, their funding and support will continue to decline.

The following days after the non-IDFG speakers left, Director Moore turned the environmental facilitation experts of “Enviroissues.com” loose on his entire department. This environmental facilitation team successfully “helped” Director Moore’s staff to come to the desired outcome and expectations that summarizes what is written in the document. His staff successfully fulfilled his predetermined goal and vision of validating why the IDFG is not properly aligned between non-hunters and hunters. The overwhelming consensus from Virgil’s employees is that the department is not providing a fair amount of support for non hunters because of unfair legislative laws requiring it to continue catering towards traditional hunters and fishermen.
 

According to frustrated IDFG employees, they feel their boss, Director Virgil Moore is attempting to “Fundamentally transform” the department through "Social engineering" into a California style agency. This includes changing the name of the agency and “re-branding” their mission and purpose to better suit the environmentalists, non hunters and anti hunters alike. All while being funded and paid to do this on the backs of Sportsmen.

Soon after the Salmon commission meeting ended, The IDFG commission not only demanded Director Moore to cease his obsession with aligning away from traditional Sportsmen but demanded Director Moore to write a letter to all IDFG employees informing them of this new direction put forth by the commission. The commission also asked Director Moore to make this letter public so all Sportsmen can see this new direction. IDFG Commission chairmen Fred Trevey wrote this email regarding the commission’s new direction when he said, “However, today there is a small group of folks that do not believe in consumptive use of wildlife and would prefer management that permits a “let nature to take its course” philosophy. They especially disagree with predator management. The Commission firmly disagrees with this philosophy.”  What commissioner Trevey didn’t mention is this “Small group of folks” within IDFG is composed of many of its top leaders and many biologists!

 


Idaho For Wildlife’s participation in the Summit.

By Steve Alder
 

In December of 2011, I was asked by IDFG commissioner Fred Trevey to represent sportsmen in region 2 during the Summit process.

Idaho For Wildlife’s mission statement and our group’s fundamental purpose was born on standing up and fighting against a non-hunting agenda that was becoming more rampant within IDFG. I felt this was a great opportunity to stand up and do my part in conveying a message back to IDFG and the commission that the Dept. needed to return to their foundational purpose that was established in l938 to provide surplus game for hunters. For the past 15+ years I had personally witnessed and fought against their success of allowing our surplus big game to be fed to the wolves. I vowed to myself after I first witnessed the damage wolves were capable of causing to our elk herds that I had to fight and try to stop this radical environmental travesty as any chance of passing down my hunting heritage to my kids and grandkids were in jeopardy. Some nays Sayers were critical that I agreed to accept this opportunity to be involved in the summit. Some have even said I could have stopped the summit from happening. Unfortunately I didn’t have the power or influence to stop the summit but I did have the ability to document what I witnessed the past 4 years because of my involvement. Being in this position allowed me to shed light on what I felt was a very dangerous trajectory that IDFG was on and this allowed me to convey my concerns to the appropriate authorities to help IDFG get back on track.  
 

 Following is a basic timeline listing some of my involvement in the Wildlife Summit. We also sent out over 100 emails to legislators, commissioners and sportsmen warning them of the dangers of this summit. We exposed the “Unholy Alliances” with environmental groups that IDFG was attempting to align with. All of these enviro groups are vehemently opposed to Idaho’s strong predator control policies thereby advocating opposition to rebuilding our big game populations.


On May 3rd 2011, shortly after IDFG Director Virgil Moore was appointed to be the Director, IDFG commissioner Fred Trevey arranged for a meeting between Director Moore and Steve Alder. We had a long lunch meeting in Lewiston and director Moore discussed and explained his purpose and objectives behind having a Wildlife Congress, (The Summit name came later). He told me it was an opportunity to reach out to Sportsmen’s groups across the state and to better communicate with them. I told him that communication has been poor between past IDFG directors and that Sportsmen have felt that the department has maintained their own agenda and Sportsman have not felt included or their opinions valued. I told him of a challenge we had with another sportsmen’s group regarding auction tags and he indicated how he would love to “Mediate” and handle these types of issues.  He assured me that sportsmen’s groups would have a part of this congress and he’d ask our input in the planning and agenda items. He never mentioned “Conservation” groups attending and sold his idea as working with Sportsmen and improving communication.

December 22, 2011:  3 IDFG Regional Supervisors met with me in Lewiston, ID to get my support for the Summit agenda.  During this meeting, Regional supervisor Mark Gamblin, told me that if IDFG doesn’t get more $ the first thing that would go would be aerial gunning and wolf control. I told the 3 of them that if they would just listen to sportsmen, rebuild big game herds the $ would come. I told them that if they would tell the truth about wolf depredation and implement predator control they could rebuild their product (Elk) and the $ would flow. I could tell I wasn’t connecting with them. Then I used David Allen the CEO of RMEF as an example of leadership and how he admitted RMEF had been on the wrong path regarding wolf predation for years. After Allen took the helm at RMEF, he did his homework and recognized that wolves were having a devastating impact on elk numbers. So as great leaders do, he “manned up”, admitted the problem and went to work to find positive solutions.  Soon RMEF membership and revenue exploded and broke new records because he told the truth and began taking measures to fix the problem and if IDFG was wise they’d follow this same model and the problem would be solved. It was apparent due to their body language that they were not interested in solving their financial crisis in this manner. They repeated the same rhetoric that they needed to acquire additional funding from “other sources.” They had mastered their talking points of justifying alternative funding by “spinning” that they felt sportsmen shouldn’t have to foot the bills for all of the funding. At this meeting, Mark Gamblin handed out the prepared Idaho Wildlife Summit document describing their Purpose, Justification and Desired Outcomes (See attached). He also handed out the Summit invitation (See attached) where the location would be held and the Summit Date was set for September 7-9, 2012. 
We learned that initially IDFG had wanted to hold the summit meeting at Sun Valley for their first location of choice due to the proximity of “Conservation groups” whom they were targeting. Later they were advised that this location would likely reveal their true agenda so a less controversial location was found.

On December 30th,   I released an email regarding the Summit and that the “Social compact” terminology written into the summit objective had been used by used by Karl Marx and other dictators and socialists. Obama had been using this phrase recently and we believe this is why IDFG also liked this word. Many folks complained about this “Marxist” terminology and so IDFG removed the “Social Compact” phrase in the document.
 

January 2012Petersen's hunting magazine releases my article warning of the real truth behind the Wildlife Summit

 Initially Petersen’s magazine editor did not believe us about IDFG’s non-hunting agenda when we first began communication.  We continued to provide enough proof, quotes, articles and data that supports why IDFG allowed this to happen to our wildlife resource and has become possessed with radical environmentalism to the point of no return for our Big Game resources.
 

May 8th 2012. I sign an agreement to be part of the Summit Sounding board. After I agreed to be on the Summit steering committee, as expected, not once did IDFG staff ask me for any input on the Summit agenda including who the Summit speakers would be or the material to be presented.

 

July 2012:  Steve Alder appears with IDFG director Virgil Moore and defends Sportsmen against the Summit agenda on Idaho pubic TV discussing the Wildlife summit.

August 2012: Idaho Outdoor Journal, An Idaho Sportsman’s thoughts on the Summit.
 

August 24-26: Wildlife Summit. I drove to Boise and attended the first day of the Summit and could not attend any more of it. The Speakers were all discussing why we need to move away from traditional sportsmen and engage enviro groups. The outcome was worse than I had predicted.  That same evening, our Idaho For Wildlife chapter in Burley held their annual banquet and had more in attendance than the Boise Summit meeting and this occurred with next to no advertising!
 

September 18, 2012 at 2:56 PM, (Pacific Time) Idaho Fish and Game director Virgil Moore phoned me and said “He is nervous about deterring broad based funding from “non hunting groups” if the commission continues to develop too aggressive of predator management programs. He had the audacity to ask me to use any type of influence I had to back off the commission of their strong predator management plans.

2013: We had sportsmen attend, document and give feedback during the statewide Wildlife diversity meetings.

2014: Idaho Fish and Game personnel leaked the above in-service information to us. We asked multiple sportsmen  to testify at the Salmon, Idaho commission meeting in June and share their frustration with the commission and public. We also made this information available to key state legislators.