Idaho Fish And Game Official Brags About Killing Animals, Resigns

An Idaho Fish and Game Commissioner resigned after photos showed him and his wife posing with slaughtered animals on a recent trip to Africa. The commissioner, Blake Fischer, apparently sent an email with the photos to a list of over 100 contacts, according to USA Today.

Idaho Gov. C.L. Butch Otter said in a press release that he asked for and received the resignation of Fischer on Monday.

“I have high expectations and standards for every appointee in state government,” Otter said in a statement. “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.”

Per USA Today, Fischer wrote in the email that the trip to Namibia was his wife's first trip to Africa and she wanted to watch him and "get a feel" of the continent.

"So I shot a whole family of baboons. I think she got the idea quick." the email read, according to USA Today. "After we left all of the animals in Africa that were still alive we pretty happy we were on a plane headed home!"

According to The Associated Press, Fischer and his wife shot at least 14 animals, according to the photos and descriptions in the email. Along with the family of baboons, the couple also killed a giraffe, a leopard, an impala, a sable antelope, a waterbuck, a kudu, a warthog, a gemsbok and an eland, the AP reported.

In his resignation letter, Fischer said he "recently made some poor judgments that resulted in sharing photos of a hunt in which I did not display an appropriate level of sportsmanship and respect for the animals I harvested."

Fred Trevey, a former Fish and Game commissioner, wrote in an email to Fischer that he was disappointed by the photos, KTVB reported. In the email, Trevey wrote that the photos risk the credibility of the commission and hunting in general. Trevey suggested in the email that Fischer should resign, according to KTVB.

Fischer was first appointed to the commission in 2014 and was reappointed in June 2018. His photo and details have been removed from the Idaho Fish and Game website.

According to a press release from the governor's office when Fischer was reappointed to the commission, Fischer manufactures specialty archery equipment and is the Idaho co-chair for Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and a past president of the Idaho Traditional Bowhunters. In his application to the commission, Fischer wrote that he wants to address a decline in the number of people hunting, according to the release.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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