Idaho Conservation Officer’s Association

In Opposition to H 274
The Idaho Conservation Officer’s Association strongly opposes H 274

The members of the ICOA share the concerns and frustrations about wolves voiced by our Governor and most of the public. When the wolves were again re-listed Governor Otter largely removed the IDFG from wolf management.
It is important to note, that conservation officers were instructed by the Governor and the IDFG Commission to be ‘good witnesses’ and forward any violation information to US Fish & Wildlife agents. By taking this route the Governor and the IDFG Commission allowed conservation officers to maintain the public trust, along with their professional and personal integrity.
H 274 not only attacks the officer’s integrity, but it would make an officer a defendant and subject them to penalties.
The adverse affects of H 274 are:
1. Forced ethical breach by ordering officers not to cooperate with another enforcement agency “in any way”.
2. Violation of public trust for turning a ‘blind eye’. This is why so many police officers in other countries are not respected. The public must know that an officer will consistently do right by the law.
3. Makes an officer the defendant and subject to penalties.
H 274 would only complicate the difficult job of a conservation officer.

ICOA - Working for Wildlife, Working for Officers, Since 1976

Idaho Conservation Officer’s Association

In Opposition to SB 1159
The Idaho Conservation Officer’s Association strongly opposes SB 1159.

In situations where state and federal agencies have the shared goals of natural resource management and protection, it is only reasonable to cooperate with each other on the ground. Particularly in a state that has a vast holding of federal lands.

This bill prevents the Idaho Fish and Game from having that kind of cooperation on federal lands, primarily the US Forest Service. Neither agency has enough field personnel to address the growing public use of federal lands. Together we can be more effective.

Enforcement and education partnerships with the US Forest Service and IDFG have been highly successful in gaining compliance for both US Forest Service Travel Plans and game laws.

This bill will;
1.) Dramatically increase conflicts between hunters who are hiking up those closed roads and those who are illegally driving vehicles behind locked, signed US Forest Service gates on closed roads.
2.) Lead to increased game harvest due to increased vulnerability.
3.) Lead to big game seasons being converted from general hunts (open to all) to controlled hunts (limited draw).
4.) Will reduce income to local communities; hotels, gas stations, restaurants etc., due to fewer people hunting for fewer days each year.
5.) Increase Grizzly Bear vulnerability, which could lead to more federal land, private timber land, and state land being locked up to protect Grizzly Bears.

This bill impedes the ability of Conservation Officers to fulfill their duties for all Idahoans.
ICOA - Working for Wildlife, Working for Officers, Since 1976

Idaho Conservation Officer's need your help to protect your wildlife resources from those who would destroy it.

Several bills will be heard this Monday morning that are intended to remove authority from the Department of Fish and Game to regulate the use of motorized vehicles as an aid to hunting. In many areas unregulated use of motorized vehicles will lead to increased harvest of deer and elk that our populations will not be able to support. The end result will be that in order to maintain the deer and elk numbers that the public and sportsmen desire, general hunting seasons will be reduced to limited drawings and hunting seasons overall will be shortened. There will be less opportunity for all of us to hunt or otherwise enjoy wildlife.

Another bill proposed by Senator Monty Pearce will strip the ability of IDFG and conservation officers to enforce any Forest Service travel plan restrictions. In other words, gamewardens would have no authority to stop people from going around closed gates or off trails and off roads.

Please make 2 phone calls and send 1 email to the Senate Resource and Environment Committee urging them to vote no on Senate Bill 1015 and Senate Bill 1016 by Monday, March 14 at 10:00 am. These two bills will severly restrict IDFG abilites to restrict and monitor ATV's engaged in hunting activities.

Bill London, ICOA commissioner, is going to testify on Monday with our position statement against the two bills. Please see ICOA's position statement attached.

Please call 208-332-1323 and leave a message with the secretary of the Senate Resource committee. Tell the secretary your name and city and that you would like to leave a message to all Senate Resource Committee members asking them to vote no on SB 1015 and SB 1016.

Please also call 208-332-1000 or 1-800-626-0471 and leave a message for all senators to vote no on Senate Bill 1015 and Senate Bill 1016.

Please also email the 9 members of the Senate Resource Committee. You can cut and paste email addresses below and send one email to the entire committee urging them to vote no on SB 1015 and SB 1016.

We need a solid blitzkrieg of phone calls over the next 4 days to let the Senate Resource Committee know these bills need to be voted against. Legislators do listen and want to hear from you.

Attached is the RS from Senator Pearce that will also receive testimony along with S1015 and S1016 on Monday at the Senate Resources and Environment Committee meeting. We’ll know the bill number soon.

This is a distributable document. Please feel free to forward to other friends you know who may care about Idaho's wildlife.

If you cannot make it to this hearing in person, please feel free to submit your comments to the other members of the committee via email. Here are their names and email addresses:

Chair: Monty J. Pearce
mpearce@senate.idaho.gov
Vice Chair: Steve Bair
sbair@senate.idaho.gov
Dean L. Cameron
dcameron@senate.idaho.gov
Jeff C. Siddoway
jsiddoway@senate.idaho.gov
Bert Brackett
bbrackett@senate.idaho.gov
Lee Heider
lheider@senate.idaho.gov
John Tippets
jtippets@senate.idaho.gov

Elliot Werk
ewerk@senate.idaho.gov

Thank You for supporting Idaho's Wildlife!!

ICOA - Working for Wildlife, Working for Officers, Since 1976