Idaho Fish and Game commissioner resigns amid backlash over African hunting picture


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BOISE, Idaho — An Idaho Fish and Game commissioner has resigned amid backlash he received after sharing multiple pictures from a hunting trip to Namibia via email.

One of those pictures showed him posing next to a family of baboons he says he hunted with a crossbow.

Around 4 p.m. Monday, Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter announced that he had asked for and subsequently received the resignation of Idaho Fish and Game Commissioner Blake Fischer. The many calls for his resignation quickly spread online, and among at least one former game commissioner, after Fischer returned from his trip.

One photo, in particular, showed Fischer posing with a family of baboons he said he had hunted with a crossbow.

CNN reported Fischer sent an email boasting about using the baboons to introduce his wife to game hunting.

Among the 12 pictures of Fischer and his wife were also an oryx, a giraffe, a waterbuck and a leopard.

The biggest backlash was over the picture of the baboon family.

“I have high expectations and standards for every appointee in state government,” Otter said in a press release. “Every member of my administration is expected to exercise good judgment. Commissioner Fischer did not. Accordingly, I have accepted his resignation from the Idaho Fish and Game Commission.”

Opinions among Utah hunters over the photo varied, many pointing out that Fischer did not break the law.

“Anti-hunters find anything they can to nitpick about hunters and throw them off their game,” said hunter Jarrin Vine.

“I think that if he’s out there – hunting legally – I don’t think it’s really an issue,” Jayden Burton added.

Not everyone was OK with the photo, however. Longtime hunter Glenn Mikkelsen felt some exotic animals should be left alone.

“As humans, (we) should respect other species, and certain species that should not be threatened by us,” Mikkelsen said. “There are certain creatures in this world that are put on here for human consumption, but baboons is not one to be bothered, in my opinion.”

In Idaho Fish and Game Commissioners are appointed by the governor. Fischer was appointed to the commission in 2014, and re-appointed in June of 2018. His resignation was effective immediately.

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Mike Anderson
Mike Anderson often doubles as his own photographer, shooting and editing most of his stories. He came to KSL in April 2011 after working for several years at various broadcast news outlets.

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