Mountain Lion Hunter May be Removed from Post

[PackerGreg]

Mountain lion hunter may be removed as president of California Fish and Game Commission

Paul Rogers
San Jose Mercury News
August 07, 2012

Six months after one of California's top wildlife officials faced a fury after shooting a mountain lion in Idaho, fellow commissioners are expected Wednesday to remove Dan Richards as president of the state Fish and Game Commission.

But the unabashed hunting enthusiast isn't going down without a fight.

"This originates from the enviro-terrorists being threatened by me," Richards said in one of his first interviews since his mountain lion hunt enraged environmentalists.

"They see a guy who is paying attention to the issues, and who calls them out on the crap they throw out. Their involvement is important but by and large it's a farce, and I'm not afraid to call it that."

The state Fish and Game Commission will vote on "election of new officers" at its meeting in Ventura, a vote that is expected to dethrone Richards, a San Bernardino County real estate developer and big-game hunter, but leave him as a member of the commission.

"The president of the commission should be someone who has the confidence of a majority of his peers," said Mike Sutton, vice president of the commission, and executive director of Audubon California.

Richards said he plans to attend the meeting. If he is replaced as president -- a role that allows him to set the agenda, speak for the commission and run its meetings -- he said he will remain on the commission until his term expires in January.

The powerful five-member commission sets rules for fishing, hunting and endangered species in California.

It has been rattled by the bitter debate between hunters and animal welfare groups that began in February, when Richards sent a photo of himself grinning broadly and holding a dead mountain lion to Western Outdoor News, a hunting newspaper.

Richards, a Republican appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2008, shot the lion legally while at the Flying B hunting ranch in Northern Idaho.

But animal welfare groups, 40 Democratic Assembly members and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom called for Richards to resign, saying he showed bad judgment and ignored the will of California voters, who banned the hunting of mountain lions for sport in 1990 when they passed Proposition 117.

Hunting groups rose to his defense. Richards retained his seat on the commission after State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, declined to hold a vote in the Legislature over his ouster.

In May, however, the commission, whose members are appointed by the governor, voted 4-1 to throw out its rules that give the presidency to the person who is most senior in their term and instead hold a simple majority vote.

Richards became president in February in an unusual vote. One commissioner, Richard Rogers, was absent with an Achilles tendon injury. Richards was approved by a 2-0 vote, with two other commissioners abstaining.

He said this week he does not expect Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, to reappoint him when his term expires in six months.

"I'm not lobbying for it," Richards said. "I think there is a zero chance that Jerry Brown will appoint me, so it doesn't matter what I think. He has his hands full with shoplifters and other thugs in the Legislature."

He noted that he broke no wildlife laws in California or Idaho, a state where mountain lion hunting is legal. He didn't poach, he didn't import exotic animals, or commit any other violation other than offending people who don't like mountain lion hunting, he said.

"There's no chance I did anything wrong," Richards said. "I did everything by the book."

Animal welfare groups said they are pleased Richards appears to be losing the gavel.

"I hope that it is the beginning of a new chapter for the Fish and Game Commission, one in which we might anticipate a commission that is reflective of all the values of Californians," said Jennifer Fearing, state director of the Humane Society of the United States.

Fearing said that Richards "has been embarrassing the rest of the commission" with his outspoken style. She noted that Richards opposed creating marine protected areas in the ocean to restore fish populations, resisted efforts to limit lead bullets that have been linked to poisoning condors, and pushed to increase the number of black bears that can be killed each year by hunters in California.

But hunting groups say they support him.

"I think he's done a good job as president. What he did in Idaho was legal," said Bill Gaines, president of the California Outdoor Heritage Alliance. "It's unfortunate the reason why he's being removed, but it's nothing more than just symbolism by a majority of the members of the commission. At least he'll still have one of the five votes."

[cougarmagic]

"There's no chance I did anything wrong," Richards said. "I did everything by the book."

What book?

Scientifically, there is no justification for what he did. Legally, we don't allow that in California.

[palmeredhackle]

I'm guessing I am in the minority here, but I feel bad for the guy for the amount of flak he's getting. I'm not a hunter and the thought of shooting a big cat is pretty sad to me, but he flew out of state to a legal hunt. It seems a bit sad to oust a man from his position for doing nothing illegal.

[hvydrt]

I'm guessing I am in the minority here, but I feel bad for the guy for the amount of flak he's getting. I'm not a hunter and the thought of shooting a big cat is pretty sad to me, but he flew out of state to a legal hunt. It seems a bit sad to oust a man from his position for doing nothing illegal.

I agree with you. I like Richards quotes in the article:

"They see a guy who is paying attention to the issues, and who calls them out on the crap they throw out. Their involvement is important but by and large it's a farce, and I'm not afraid to call it that."

"I think there is a zero chance that Jerry Brown will appoint me, so it doesn't matter what I think. He has his hands full with shoplifters and other thugs in the Legislature."

[tracker]

It must bother a lot of people here in Ca. that they can't legislate their will on those in other states.
>I wonder if a CHP officer can own a race car and still objectively do his job?
>Show your 215 cards in a place that doesn't recognize it.....
Sometimes people just do things because they want to. If it's legal, there doesn't have to be a reason that everyone understands and accepts.
This is called freedom.

[cougarmagic]

Likewise we are free to criticize, and remove him from his post, if he does something opposite to the duty of the position.

The Department of Fish and Game maintains native fish, wildlife, plant species and natural communities for their intrinsic and ecological value and their benefits to people. This includes habitat protection and maintenance in a sufficient amount and quality to ensure the survival of all species and natural communities.

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/about/

An adult male mountain lion, in Idaho or any other state, does not negatively impact deer populations for hunters. There is no reason to remove one from an area. The belief that they "need" thinning or managing is not based on any current science or research, and is false.

I strongly feel it is important to reinforce decisions based on reality, not emotion. Richards says he killed a mountain lion to protect local elk populations. His actions show he is uninformed and uneducated about predators, and wildlife in general, or that he's lying to excuse a trophy hunt. Either way, this is not what the majority of Californians want from a policy maker.

[AlanK]

Sometimes people just do things because they want to. If it's legal, there doesn't have to be a reason that everyone understands and accepts.
This is called freedom.

I have seen nothing suggesting that the guy lose his freedom. He had his freedom, he exercised it, and he still has it.

[palmeredhackle]

Uh oh, shouldn't have probably started off as devil's advocate on here!

You are right about the mission statement of the DFG, however you left off the last sentence, which mentions that the DFG is also responsible for the use of fish and wildlife for recreational activities. The bottom line is that the department oversees not only protection but the hunting of game species and having a Commissioner who is a sportsman isn't something uncommon.

However, I'm a very conflicted person as I have never hunted nor do I ever intend to. I value the protection of our wildlife and as I had said, seeing the picture definitely tugged at my heartstrings. But on the other hand, I am a fly fisherman and I can't exactly come down on Richards without looking kind of like a hypocrite. I catch and release fish, avoid fishing during drought seasons, and do as best a job as I can to make sure that the waters I fish are kept sustainable, but oftentimes I see myself being lumped in with all fisherman and I see the water I fish being threatened from complete closure instead of managed as a wild trout fishery.

A very strange line I balance on, between conservationist and sportsman and so seeing such a polarizing issue such as this really concerns me.

[tracker]

I have seen nothing suggesting that the guy lose his freedom. He had his freedom, he exercised it, and he still has it.

It seems like Mr. Richards is not free to engage in a legal activity without suffering reprisals from those who don't agree with what he did.
I was making a comment about freedom in general. There seems to be a lot of people who don't like that he has the freedom to do what he did. So much so that they feel it necessary to punish him, and gloat when it looks like their point of view prevailed. Sad.
We are all a minority of some sort. We all have interests and engage in activities that might not be understood by others. We should cherish the fact that we have the freedom to do those things. What is the scientific justification for allowing a person to walk around in the mountains alone - with no obvious motive or benefit to others? I'm exaggerating to make a point, but if it was put to a vote it could be banned. People don't Need to be doing that...
I could never go mountain lion hunting. But I would never criticize another for doing so where it was legal; Nor would I believe quotes in the media; and then base conclusions on unreliable information.
Thank you CM. You prove my points perfectly.

[AlanK]

I have seen nothing suggesting that the guy lose his freedom. He had his freedom, he exercised it, and he still has it.

It seems like Mr. Richards is not free to engage in a legal activity without suffering reprisals from those who don't agree with what he did.

That is true of just about everybody in just about every workplace.

[Hikin_Jim]

It seems like Mr. Richards is not free to engage in a legal activity without suffering reprisals from those who don't agree with what he did.

That is true of just about everybody in just about every workplace.

There is however a disturbing trend toward punishing people in our society that we don't agree with. Of course there are and always have been consequences to our actions. It just seems to me that things are becoming more narrrow. General comment.

In this specific case, Mr. Richards is a public figure. Perhaps a game commission should have representation from the hunting community, but an individual commissioner who engages in an activity that his commission is supposed to be in charge of prohibiting does seem rather ill-advised. Yes, his action was in another state and therefore legally permissible. But consider this: Say the governer of a state where marijuana use is illegal goes to Amsteram and lights up. Would there be no repercussions upon his arrival home? Of course there would be; no state governor with half a brain would do such a thing. Neither should Mr. Richards have. One wonders if Mr. Richards has a deliberately provocative style or is merely of lesser intellectual stature.

HJ

[tracker]

Yeah HJ, you're right about several points.
When I first heard of this story I thought, "What a fool. Doesn't this guy know what is going to happen now?" Then I realized that we all know of his hunting trip ONLY because he chose to tell us about it- and in the most public way possible. One has to suspect he deliberately wanted to stir the pot. Look at the smile on his face.... he knew - and his comments to everyone when first confronted - this was planned. It may be that he is tired of political correctness and wanted to go out with a bang. Something not well known: FG Commissioners only earn $100 per full day of actual service up to a maximum of $500 per month. And they don't even meet every month. So a semi-retired real estate developer wouldn't have much to worry about. If what I have read is accurate, his appointment is up at the end of the year anyway.

[hvydrt]

I have seen nothing suggesting that the guy lose his freedom. He had his freedom, he exercised it, and he still has it.

It seems like Mr. Richards is not free to engage in a legal activity without suffering reprisals from those who don't agree with what he did.

That is true of just about everybody in just about every workplace.

Alan is right. Its like a politician or CEO having an affair and getting thrown out of their position. Its not against the law, but not a politically smart thing to do.

I just like the fact that Richards didn't resign, apologize for offending people, or some other politically correct PR spin move to save him self. He stood up for what he believes rather than cave to the opposition.

[Bill]

I am not a hunter, however I support the right of those who do in a responsible way. What evidence would be sufficient to determine that there was a negative impact on deer, elk or other creatures to allow hunting of predators such as mountain lion.
This is the the department of fish and GAME after all. It seems this gentleman is responsible to the game hunter as well as game management. Reminds of the rediculous policy of not allowing restocking of trout in some of the Sierras, and the Spotted frog policy, which in my view are an over do.
It seems more who oppose hunting do so out of emotion than those who support it.