Gianforte prioritizing out-of-state profiteers

If you live in Montana, then you already know that our hunting and fishing are the envy of the entire nation. It doesn’t matter whether it’s trout, elk or upland birds, or whitetails, waterfowl or mule deer.  Montana, with its untamed mountains and vast prairies, is a true sportsman’s paradise.  

 At the same time, every hunter or angler worthy of the name should recognize that the stellar professionals at Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks deserve a huge share of the credit. Without our incredibly talented and dedicated biologists and managers, we don’t have great elk hunting, or the finest wild trout fisheries in the Lower 48, or the chance to shoot pheasants, ducks or sharp-tails when the weather cools and the season opens.  Our wildlife and fisheries professionals do the hard work — the never-ending work —to make Montana a little slice of heaven for all of us who hunt and fish.

Or at least they did until Gov. Greg Gianforte took an axe to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Every business owner out there knows that you need good employees to keep the doors open and take care of your customers. Every rancher knows that nothing gets done without men and women willing to give an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. And yet Gianforte seems to think that no one will notice if his underlings drive away the wildlife and fisheries professionals who are responsible for the lion’s share of our great hunting and outstanding fishing.

Well, some of us have noticed. And we’re not going to stay quiet about it.  Not any longer.

Gianforte’s appointees and managers have been systematically eviscerating Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. They’ve chased off some of the most talented professionals in the entire country, while welcoming new managers who prioritize non-residents and out-of-state profiteers. Real Montanans — folks who live here year round, and have strong roots in our local communities — are left to wonder what in the world is going on, and why our fishing and hunting have suddenly taken a turn for the worse.

It’s no surprise that morale at Fish, Wildlife and Parks is at the bottom of the barrel, or that top professionals in fisheries management and wildlife management have heard the horror stories and are no longer applying to work here in Montana.  Gianforte, in his greed, arrogance and short-sightedness, has decided to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. If his attack on Fish, Wildlife and Parks continue unabated, we’re in serious trouble. 

To offer just one example, Eileen Ryce, Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ highly-regarded fisheries administrator, was recently placed on administrative leave. What does that mean? Well, under Gianforte, it’s code for “don’t let the door hit you in the backside on your way out of town.”  

We’re losing good people — talented people — to a governor who seems to care way more about his rich out-of-state buddies than about the Montana citizens he’s sworn to serve.  And to top it off, he seems to think that we’re too preoccupied, or too ignorant, to realize what’s going on.

Come November, we have a serious choice to make. We can accept the status quo and watch our cherished outdoor traditions continue to fade away, or we can vote to restore Montana’s hunting and fishing. At the end of the day, it’s just that simple.  

In the meantime, be sure to call Gianforte’s office in Helena (406-444-3111) and ask why he put the foxes in charge of the hen-house. If we’re going to protect our fishing and hunting, then we need to stand up to a governor who has sold us out. 

Todd Tanner lives in Bigfork, where he hunts, fishes and writes about the outdoors.