Americans furious as Idaho game commission official boasts about killing 14 animals on Africa trip
Blake Fischer killed a family of baboons, including babies, to impress his wife by his own account, and shared the photos with a host of friends and colleagues. Photo by Alamy
Update: This evening, Idaho Gov. Butch Otter announced that he had asked for — and accepted — the resignation of Blake Fischer. “I have high expectations and standards for every appointee in state government,” Gov. Otter said in a press release. “Every member of my administration is expected to exercise good judgment.” We applaud Gov. Otter for this swift action, and for making it clear to Mr. Fischer, and the world, that there is no tolerance among decent people for the mindless killing of wildlife.
The first thing that struck me about Blake Fischer, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission member who gleefully posed for a “family” photo with the group of baboons he killed in Namibia, and sent it out widely via email, was his cluelessness. His actions have caused a number of former Idaho Fish and Game Commission members to question his judgment. We do too. It is difficult to imagine a man who kills an entire family group of animals (to impress his wife by his own account) and whose subsequent instinct is to share the photographic evidence with a host of friends and colleagues.
During his Namibia trip, Fischer and his wife killed at least 14 animals. In addition to the baboons, the toll included a giraffe, leopard, impala, sable antelope, waterbuck, kudu, warthog, gemsbok (oryx) and eland.
A handful of onetime Idaho Fish and Game Commission members have criticized his conduct, and some are calling on Governor Butch Otter and the Idaho senate to reconsider his reappointment to the commission during its 2019 legislative session. “Sportsmanlike behavior,” one of them wrote, “is the center pin to maintaining hunting as a socially acceptable activity.”
Fischer’s timing wasn’t great, on another account. Back in July, Namibia’s Environment and Tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta announced that his ministry is working to amend the nation’s conservation ordinance to prohibit, and to punish those who post, photos with dead wild animals on social media.
Taking selfies with their kills and sharing them with their friends and the public at large is one of the things trophy hunters like to do. Digital technology has dramatically altered perceptions about the propriety of image sharing, and it’s a problem for trophy hunters like Fischer who continue to do so.
Some of Fischer’s fellow trophy hunters know better what is at stake, and their reaction reflects a growing self-consciousness on the part of sportsmen and wildlife agencies alike. They have come to understand that there is a lot at risk for them in the 21st century, with more and more trophy hunters taking the view that selfies and staged kill photos are drawing unwanted attention to their misconduct. We recommend that anyone feeling outraged by this photo channel that anger into respectfully amplifying calls for more humane leaders in departments of fish and game in Idaho and around the country.
Trophy hunting organizations like Safari Club International are under increasing pressure to restrain the excesses of their members in the United States and abroad. Fischer is just the latest to shoot his way into this particular hall of shame.
“I didn’t do anything illegal. I didn’t do anything unethical. I didn’t do anything immoral,” Fischer said.
Yes, Blake. Just keep telling yourself that.
This guy is twisted. A perpetrator of mayhem under the guise of “hunting.” I’ve already shared my views with Idaho’s governor. Something needs to be done about this creep – and his wife. Apparently an accomplice.
I’m from the UK and don’t understand the paragraph about “his reappointment to the commission during its 2019 legislative session”. Surely he won’t be re-appointed after he has resigned? I’m so pleased you have corresponded with the governor – maybe you could check this out….? I don’t imagine Idaho’s governor would take any notice of the views of a UK citizen. And, by the way, he should have been fired, not allowed to resign!!
Someone who does this has no humanity. Anyone who enjoys killing any of God’s creatures is morally bankrupt. What a way to impress your wife. Great example for your kids. This man is sick. He should be removed from his position.
Why a horrible thing to do!
He needs to step down!!
Relatedly, only weeks ago, despite major public support, California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed SB 1487 (Stern), which would have outlawed the importation of African hunting trophies (so prized by President Trump’s two elder sons).
Trump if you look stopped the export of our wild mustangs in his new budget and Governor Otter is a Republican who made this guy step down from his job so please stop talking if you sure do not know all the facts and it was only 1 son of Trumps that did that hunting years ago now he stands against it. I like to hunt deer, elk to but I have every right to also. But this guy what a idiot to kill this family of apes and the giraffe
I am also one more of the furious Americans, who is sickened and outraged after seeing Blake Fischer’s photo of all the animals that he so proudly killed! Apparently his wife likes to kill defenseless animals too? They are certainly a “special” couple…
I am absolutely astonished at the people who seem to think that the number of wildlife species is limitless, so they can just continue to hunt and kill as many as they want to, without any reprocussions whatsoever!
There is a very strong possibility that our great grandchildren, or maybe even our grandchildren, will never even get to see an elephant, or a tiger, or a giraffe or many of the other animal species, in their lifetimes!
As far as I’m concerned one of the worst problems we have on our planet right now, is that there are way too many species of wildlife listed as endangered!
So when people like “Blake Fischer” come along and decide to kill off an entire animal family, then take a picture that shows how proud he is to have done that…it helps to escalate an already growing problem.
I think that Blake Fischer is careless and cruel…and I hope that Govenor Butch Otter of Idaho will carefully reconsider Fischer’s reappointment to the commission during the 2019 legistature session! It’s seems obvious that Mr. Fischer should pursue a totally different kind of career!
I doubt that Blake Fischer has even thought about how “hard” it is to kill an animal in the first place…It isn’t equal at all, is it? I mean, God has already given us dominion over the animals, so I have to wonder why some people believe that they “got one over” on some defensless animal by killing it? Poor Mr. Fischer…killing living things makes him feel proud, how sad!
If you would do some research there is a big difference between poaching and trophy hunting.
The first one is indiscriminate killing of wildlife to sell to buyers. Monies from poaching is used to pay off corrupt govt officials, buy equipment,hire more poachers/spotters,etc. Poaching/wildlife trafficking is the worlds’ 4th largest criminal enterprise. Ranks right up there with drug trafficking, arms trafficking and human trafficking.
Trophy hunting is managed wildlife .A certain number of animals of a species may be hunted in a given year by a country. There are permits ,licenses that are bought with the funds used for conservation purposes. CITES is a international trade organization, which 180+ countries are members. Since 1975,CITES members have made rules and regulations regarding the use of wildlife and plants. Some species of wildlife cannot be legally taken ,sold nor hunted due risk of extinction. Other species are more in population and not at risk of extinction and may be taken ,sold or hunted. http://www.cites.org
Why? What did they do except want to LIVE!
Mr. Blake and his wife are both self-absorbed cowards. Like a baby baboon had any chance to fairly defend himself. Maybe there is merit in hunting deer to control overpopulation and to prevent animal starvation, but when did Africa become overpopulated with leopards and giraffes? Aren’t leopards endangered? You can’t help but feel sick to your stomach when looking at these pics. What a disgrace!
Thank you to Governor Otter for calling for the resignation of Blake Fischer. This has to be the worst episode of senseless wildlife killing since the death of Cecil the lion. To kill innocent magnificent creatures like a leopard and a giraffe whose numbers are dwindling is abhorrent.
This is shockingly cruel and morally bankrupt. He and his equally moronic wife need to be ostracized from civil human beings.
Wow, Governor Otter to the rescue. Good on you, Governor Otter. As for Fisher, he seems like a risk to the community given his utterly unethical, immoral and cruel behavior directed at innocent, defenseless animals. A common characteristic of mass murderers is that their murderous lives often begin with mistreatment of animals. Fisher has shown a proclivity for mistreatment of animals. Perhaps the police should check in on him to ensure that he is not continuing his cruel, inhumane treatment of animals.
I can’t get over how disgusting and what a crime against humanity all of this is. This
human believes he is entitled to destroy at his leisure because he pays large amounts of blood money and has a big bad ass gun!!! How SAD a scenario and what an UGLY UGLY picture!!! All of us humans that are repulsed and DO NOT WANT THIS DONE have rights also!!!! PLEASE let us unite to shut these people down!!!
I guess I just don’t understand trophy hunting. I understand hunting for food, but not this senseless killing. This guy is totally clueless and insensitive. Killing an entire family of baboons just broke my heart!! So sorry for all the animals that were killed and for no reason at all, except maybe to impress his wife. I’m NOT impressed! It makes my stomach turn and my blood boil!!
Hunting, among many people, is considered normal. Men and women have been doing it for decades, so the line between right and wrong is probably stretched invisibly thin. This guy probably traveled to Africa without a doubt in his mind that killing these animals was just for fun. Did not think about if it were wrong or if there would be consequences. There is a difference between deer in america, whose population is bustling, and the dwindling population of elephants when hunting. There is also a difference for those who use every part of their kill in a buck, feeding their families and whatnot, and killing a leopard just to have trophy value. I think society needs to sit down and take a good long look about the way they are treating the Earth and it’s wildlife. I am not saying we as people need to give up who we are based on the opinions of others, but change the way we do things to preserve life on our planet. Isn’t that our responsibility as human beings?
Why do countries like Namibia and South Africa allow this kind of killing? If these countries didn’t allow this horror then there wouldn’t be a problem. I don’t understand this.
Exactly … especially when ecotourism dollars far outweigh trophy hunting dollars.
Welcome to the mind of a trophy hunter and the sycophants he tries to impress and please.
I know too many of those so called “elite trophy hunters” and though many would say he is wrong for this hunt, they are ALL just as sick in the head.
Please let’s expose these people and boycott their businesses and shame them. Look at the board of directors of these hunting organizations and their chapter leaders.
Not only is the game warden barbaric, ignorant trash, but his wife and obviously his children are, as well! A human mind needs to be twisted and deranged to find murdering other unthreatening beings pleasurable. And the world is that much emptied and
deprived of beautiful, peaceful animals!!! !
Fischer and his smiling wife are despicable.
It makes me sick every time I think about that poor family of baboons being killed just for the sport of it. What type of human being is this Blake Fishcer? How can someone think that this was not unethical or immoral! Glad he resigned but would of been better if he was fired! How can this senseless killing go on?
My daughter has just returned from the Limpopo, having spent her hard earned money, to look after orphaned baboons and to then re-introduce them to the wild. I could not bear to tell her about these “human beings”
I volunterred as a baboon caretaker at CARE in Phalaborwa, South Africa. Breaks my heart for the troop and all the other animals they murdered.
Blake Fischer and his wife in carrying out these cowardly killings of animals have demonstrated acts of depravity and a complete lack of any humanity. That they would repeatedly kill majestic animals including a whole family of baboons for what purpose other than their own gratification. How depraved, how tragic and how senseless! May you be punished severely for what you have chosen and done.
So……saying that you did nothing illegal, immoral or unethical DOES NOT MAKE IT RIGHT. You are a really sad and sick example of a hunter and you and your wife should both be ashamed, and very very sorry for all the lives you ended and for WHAT??? SO YOU COULD TAKE PICTURES WITH YOUR ****FACE GRIN AND HOW PROUD YOU ARE OF YOURSELF. WELL, YOU AND YOUR WIFE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT FEEL THAT WAY. I’M SO GLAD THAT YOUR RESIGNED EVEN THOUGH I WISH YOU HAD BEEN FIRED. I HOPE THAT YOU TAKE SOME TIME FOR REFLECTION TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU DID AND WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THESE ANIMALS MURDERS WILL MAKE NOW AND IN THE FUTURE FOR THE SPECIES.
RIP ALL THE ANIMALS THAT YOU KILLED AND I HOPE ONE DAY SOON THE PICTURE THAT YOU TOOK WITH THAT HUGE DISGUSTING SMILE WITH THE WHOLE BABOON FAMILY INCLUDING A VERY YOUNG BABY DEAD AND BLOODY IS NOT IN MY HEAD WHEN I SHUT MY EYES!!
Just fired? That is it? He chose to kill the baboon family instead, he could take a pic of a harmonious family full of beautiful creatures and share those moments with his wife. Mr. Blake Fischer, how are you different from a terrorist who simply takes lives and leaves their families in grief. I am feeling extreme sad looking those dead animals and feeling sick looking at his smile. Very painful.
its bad
very bad
not at all good
No good.