Wildlife official says he ate cougar that he shot
(Reuters) - The President of the California Fish and Game Commission, who sparked the ire of animal rights groups when he hunted and killed a mountain lion in Idaho in an act prohibited in his home state, was unanimously voted out of his position on Wednesday.
All five members of the Commission, including ousted President Dan Richards, voted to appoint another president effective immediately although Richards will remain a member of the group until his term expires in January, a commission staff member said.
Controversy began when Richards killed a mountain lion in Idaho earlier this year in a legal hunt and a photo of him with the dead animal was posted on the Internet. Idaho Fish and Game officials said he legally purchased a hunting license.
The Sierra Club of California, the Humane Society, and others decried the kill and called for Richards' resignation, noting that hunting mountain lions has been illegal in California for more than two decades.
California voters passed a ballot measure in 1990 that classified mountain lions in the state as a "specially protected species," making them illegal to hunt or kill.
Jennifer Fearing, California state director of the Humane Society of the United States, applauded the commission's action and faulted Richards for posting graphic photographs of the hunt online and for criticizing detractors.
"Richards has paid a high price for flaunting his out-of-sync values in Californians' faces," she said. "We are very glad to see the commission hold him accountable for his unprofessional behavior."
Richards, who was named to the Commission in 2008 by Republican former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, works in commercial real estate and real estate development
The California Fish and Game Commission is a separate entity from the much larger California Department of Fish and Game, which receives a roughly $400 million annual budget from the state.(Additional reporting by Laura Zuckerman in Salmon, Idaho)
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VIDEO California wildlife commissioner
in his next life on earth let's hope he's hunted down and most viciously slaughtered .
How horrific not only to slaughter such a beautiful endangered Mountain Lion, but to post pictures of himself idiotically grinning with a dead animal. What a Wanker. Hang your head in Shame.
What a MAN !
let's get the guy up a tree, unarmed, and set a mountain lion on him - see who's more likely to "win the game".
people, that's as sick as what they did to foxes in the uk!
It is illegal to bring mountain lion meat back to his state. He did--in his stomach. He admitted it--he is guilty. Case closed.
Who's the moron that wrote "What a MAN"? Yeah, takes a real man to kill a roaming cat from a distance with a rifle. Don't blame you for remaining anonymous after a comment like that.
Lets make him unarmed and through a mountain lion and see who wins "the game" sick ... sick man
This scumbag goes to a state where it's legal (appalling) to kill such a beautiful animal as a mountain lion and illegal in the state where not only does he reside but is (was) the President of the Fish and Game Commission!!! What a complete and utter douche bag! I sincerely hope he doesn't have any children...
Trophy hunting is sick.
I hope he suffers a much worse fate than that of the mountain lion. He deserves only pain and suffering.
Without a doubt,from what seems obvious ,it is clearly a troubling view of this mans personal make up and the delight he demonstrates in killing this animal... Besides the fact that he took, what appears to be great pleasure in such a crime, I worry about his apparent lack of compassion ,empathy and lack of a sense of allowing the dignity so needed, towards other life. (This is not about hunting for food)
You small penised stupid man...feel so big and macho with that big f'n grin of yours!!! You stupid, stupid man. Our Creator is watching your every move and you will be held accountable. You have no heart and you have no shame. I am so glad you got fired. OMG I am not a violent person, I follow the Golden Rule, but I would love to see a Mt. Lion get a hold of you and demolish you, you moron!!!!!!
If you go to Bing search, you will find that Dan Richards is also a pervert that shots nudie pictures of women...you are one sick ___________!!!
shoot that president
Sick bastard... First for killing such a beautiful creation and secondly showing off happily his horrible action. We should have laws for sentencing those "people". If you kill another human you go to jail, why not the same for harming any sentient being?
I don't do Twitter it's annoying. Do you have a facebook?
By the way we are passing this story about on FB, this guy should have been FINED & JAILED!!!
Lisa Bee
My son works with an animal refuge in Florida, and is very upset with the Fish and Game dept and there incompetent use of funds.
Scum bag murdering redneck piece of garbage
Scum bag murdering redneck piece of garbage