FWP being systematically dismantled

Flynarrow

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 24, 2011
Messages
161
Location
Missoula MT
Leadership is being systematically dismantled and replacements, if they can be found, are "yes" people chosen by the Director. Centralization is replacing people close to the field resources. Like gophers, remaining biologists don't dare stick their heads out of the holes. The Director and the Commission was chosen by Gov GG. Outfitters and high roller landowners are benefitting at the expense of sportsmen and wildlife/fish enthusiasts. The following letter gets to some of the issues.

Montanans should demand better for our wildlife and our democracy

I am a 70-year-old, retired farmer. I am a 4th generation Montanan and a lifelong avid hunter,
angler, and conservationist. I have a degree in Wildlife Biology and research experience on
large predators. I started farming in 1977. I own Circle S Ranch in eastern Montana and pay
property taxes in 5 counties. I have always shared the bounty of the ranch with sportsmen and
conservationists for free. No one has ever paid a dime for access. I have been engaged in
conservation, habitat improvement, and fish and wildlife management for a lifetime. I don’t hold
myself out as a Republican or a Democrat. However, I write this letter as hunting season begins
to urge all Montana hunters to start paying attention to how you vote, and which party is helping
local Montana hunters, and which one is not.

Just when we think our Fish, Wildlife & Parks couldn’t go lower, bam! More news about the
manipulative internal workings of Dustin Temple and his inner circle cohorts has come to light.
Word on the street, certain reporters and news outlets being shunned by FWP upper
management.

The freedom of the press was considered important enough to put into the First Amendment of
the U.S. Constitution to guarantee that right along with freedom to redress government, freedom
of religion, and free speech. Some state government leaders believe they can circumvent those
freedoms by intimidating employees to keep them from revealing the agency's workings.

This news comes from sources inside the agency, but they can't be named because surviving
FWP employees are scared of Temple’s retribution. One can’t blame those employees for not
being as transparent as they once were, considering the numerous employees that have been
shown the door because they dared to stand up. But news flash here, folks: We are still supposed
to have freedom of the press.

Volumes are spoken of our FWP leaders working in the shadows. Decisions that in the past
would have been freely reported by reporters are now often only revealed by whistleblowers or
court documents. The agency is being about as secretive and deceiving of our Montanans as
any time in the past.

In a campaign speech a few years ago, Governor Gianforte claimed that FWP was extorting
landowners and he was going to do something about that. Turns out, he wasn’t kidding. But
what he did was enable large landowners to take over wildlife management. Furthermore, he
also campaigned with outfitters, saying he was inviting them to the table. He did that too, and
now Montana's wildlife is increasingly for sale.

Governor Gianforte is true to his twisted beliefs. After election, his administration immediately
began tearing apart a revered wildlife agency. He and Lt. Governor Kristin Juras are still on that
same mission, and now, Dustin Temple is the Governor’s tool, doing his best to keep the public
in the dark. Montanans should demand better for our wildlife and our democracy.
Joe Perry
Conrad
 
Unfortunately if that turd Knudsen gets elected after Giantfart's second term, it'll get much worse.
This is something I can't shake. Gianforte, for his flaws, could be so much worse. Under him, we've still got big acquisitions and CEs, a much much improved elk plan, and at the very least, an attempt to appear diplomatic to the working stiff. It's worth noting that FWP just prevailed in a lawsuit against UPOM

Knudsen has said plainly he will not support any new acquisitions or CEs, no collaboration with groups like RMEF and the like, he plainly and outwardly favors UPOM, he doesn't seem that bright, and I sense a vindictiveness in him I don't like.

Montana Democrats, poisoned by the well of their party nationally, will need someone incredibly strong to ever win in this Montana - even if the GOP picks Knudsen. It increasingly looks like Tester is done and dusted, and I wonder about that matchup if he were interested and it ever came to it.

All conjecture, I know.
 
This is something I can't shake. Gianforte, for his flaws, could be so much worse. Under him, we've still got big acquisitions and CEs, a much much improved elk plan, and at the very least, an attempt to appear diplomatic to the working stiff. It's worth noting that FWP just prevailed in a lawsuit against UPOM

Knudsen has said plainly he will not support any new acquisitions or CEs, no collaboration with groups like RMEF and the like, he plainly and outwardly favors UPOM, he doesn't seem that bright, and I sense a vindictiveness in him I don't like.

Montana Democrats, poisoned by the well of their party nationally, will need someone incredibly strong to ever win in this Montana - even if the GOP picks Knudsen. It increasingly looks like Tester is done and dusted, and I wonder about that matchup if he were interested and it ever came to it.

All conjecture, I know.
Knudsen would be even more dangerous if he were intelligent. He is such an ideologue he charges ahead regardless. However his position on the Land Board is seriously threatening conservation easement and acquisition programs.
 
I think we just got lectured about political posts.
It's a direct political post regarding public lands, the FWP lack of anything resembling leadership, threat to Montana's wildlife, and anything to do with land acquisitions or CE's.

There is one, and one party only that is using their political pull to dismantle it all...and they need to be exposed and taken to the woodshed.
 
'Seems like Montanans don't like anyone from Montana anymore.

I don't want to stray from the OP too much, but I don't think it's so simple. There was a time not too long ago when a D from Montana was very different than a D from the east coast. Jon Tester, who delisted wolves with a rider on a budget bill, is a good example of that dichotomy - but a vestige of it for sure. Not about him but generally, it's still somewhat true, but less so. It's true with Rs too, but moreso with Ds, that there's a seeming increase in the national uniformity in the parties , and it makes pointing to the "other" easier. Tester, who didn't attend the DNC, and won't endorse their candidate for President, is trying like hell to distance himself from it.

If we only voted on public lands and hunting, the calculus a lot of Montanans might make would be simpler, but folks are also voting on other topics I'm not touching with a 10 foot pole on here. I don't like where we are headed in the slightest.
 
We are getting the policies that the majority of Montanans voted for. I fully expect it to continue, at least for a while.

As long as they are smart enough to only halfheartedly try to get a transfer of federal lands, to state control, they will be able to implement most of their agenda.

I'm kinda riding off into the sunset, it is not the sunset I'd like, but it is the one I see.
 
Seems the least of our problems at this point. mtmuley
It seems like it would be a show of good faith to the people of mt. That the particular candidate isn’t in the pocket of their donors. The money trail is why it’s never been addressed
 
It seems like it would be a show of good faith to the people of mt. That the particular candidate isn’t in the pocket of their donors. The money trail is why it’s never been addressed
There actually was a corner corner crossing bill several sessions back. For reasons that bewilder me, it was sponsored by one of the more liberal Dems, and whether that was an element or not it went nowhere. I agree with you on this, however; it’s textbook arrogance and overpowerful lobbying.
 
This isn’t about politics. It’s about destroying a states wildlife. Nobody cares if it’s an R or D doing it. Result is the same. Montanas need to stand up to this bullsh!t.
It makes it political if you only talk about it during election season.
 
This isn’t about politics. It’s about destroying a states wildlife. Nobody cares if it’s an R or D doing it. Result is the same. Montanas need to stand up to this bullsh!t.
Maybe there are more people than you think who could give a rip about wildlife and care more about party identification.
 
Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

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