O'Connor responds to commissioner's comments

Please see paragraph 2 below.  It clearly refers to a human mortality, not a bear mortality, putting the lie to the statement in paragraph five or your “Commissioner Irked” article. 

And it is also true that the “proper enforcement person with Fish and Game” -- that is, the officer who responded and wrote up the report on the incident -- (see paragraph 4 in the commissioner's letter below) made no recommendation to prosecute or not to prosecute Hill, putting the lie to Ron Smith’s, or your, suggestion in your paragraph five.

August 22, 2011

Senator Jim Risch

610 Hubbard, Suite #213

Coeur d’ Alene, ID 83814

Dear Senator Risch:

Boundary County, through efforts of all of our partners and the efforts of our local collaborative, Kootenai Valley Resource Initiative, has assisted and promoted the recovery of Grizzly Bears in the Selkirk recovery zones for many years. We have one goal in mind, which is to see the population increase to a point the species is recovered. In doing so, it will ease the restrictions on our National Forest and help our community economically.

The efforts of educating the community regarding bears have shown that the last human mortality in the Selkirk recovery zone in the United States and in Boundary County occurred in year 2004. That is a remarkable achievement.

We recently had a bear killed by a local resident, Jeremy Hill. The shooting occurred approximately five miles outside of the recovery zone and adjacent to State Highway #1.

Mr. Hill was defending his family when the incident occurred and he quickly contacted the proper enforcement person with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, from which a recommendation was made not to prosecute.

Mr. Hill has lived here most of his life and is an honest, upright, and productive member of this community. Jeremy has been charged by the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife in Federal Court. We feel that at all costs, this man has the obligation and responsibility to protect his children. This is not some flagrant or malicious act. We urge you to do all that is in your power to have this matter settled. We must assist and protect the ability of the average citizen to protect his family when they are in danger.

The press has stated that the animal was just crossing his property. In fact it was a female with two sub-adult cubs. Three Grizzly Bears in a yard with your children is at the very least a dangerous situation and the children must be protected at all costs. 

Respectfully,

Ronald R. Smith                                    Dan R. Dinning                                     Walt Kirby

Chairman                                              Commissioner                                       Commissioner