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Corey Rossi and the 30 bear weekendAlaska News & FeaturesIt's probably just a coincidence, but Corey Rossi and Rick Rydell were planning to hunt black bears together in Game Management Unit 16B the same week that Rossi committed the fraudulent acts that landed him an indictment for 12 Class A misdemeanors. Rossi is the former director of the Alaska Division of Wildlife Conservation. He resigned on Jan. 12, vanishing without a comment. Some of the specifics of his violations were revealed in his charging document; other sordid details have been uncovered since then. Rydell is a conservative talk show host for an Anchorage radio station. He has written a couple of books about his hunting adventures in Alaska. In Blood on the Tundra, Rydell tells the story of a hunting trip he planned with Rossi and Aaron Bloomquist on the weekend of June 6 to June 8, 2008. The 30-bear weekendThe way Rydell tells it, the state of Alaska had just declared war on bears. A predator control program in Unit 16B, a few miles west of Anchorage, sought to remove 1,140 of the estimated 1,900 black bears in the area. All that was needed for an Alaska resident to shoot an unlimited number of black bears, including cubs and sows with cubs, was a predator control permit "with no limit and very few rules." Rydell wrote, "For Corey Rossi, Aaron Bloomquist and me, it was the birth of the 30-bear weekend. Three guys, three days, taking 30 bears." This was, he continues, "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a chance for greatness, to help put nature back in balance for a short period of time, and a chance to sight in new rifles on moving targets, over and over and over again." If you've ever listened to him on the radio, you'll recognize this as pure Rydell. It's hard to tell if he believes his own hyperbole. But there's usually a grain of truth in it. Rydell tells us that Bloomquist was a member of Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife (SFW). SFW is a pro-hunting group that isn't really "for" wildlife, if that term includes predators. The organization was planning to use helicopters to rotate hundreds of hunters into remote camps to shoot enough bears to reach the harvest quota. Rossi told the Anchorage Daily News that SFW would assist hunters with bait, food, and transportation costs where possible. At the time, Rossi was a board member of Sportsmen for Habitat, a "sister organization" helping SFW set up the remote bear-hunting camps and shuttle hunters from Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley. To take advantage of the free transportation and other amenities, hunters were required to pay a $30 membership fee to SFW. In addition, Sportsmen for Habitat, the profit-making arm of the organization, required all hunters and camp volunteers to have a "signed agreement with our registered guide." Rossi and Bloomquist seem to have been at the epicenter of all this action. Bloomquist was a licensed assistant big game guide and the owner/operator of Full Curl Outdoors LLC, a hunting and fishing guide service operating out of Tyonek. According to Rydell, "in his day job [Bloomquist] aggressively worked the bears near the road system with clients," but he planned to shoot additional bears after hours with his predator control permit. Bloomquist must not have proofread Rydell's book. An anonymous post on an outdoor forum's website, dated May 12, claimed "Aaron Bloomquist, SFW's contact for the SFW subsidized hunt, is not a legal guide in Unit 16." Bloomquist responded to the post about three weeks later, on June 5, saying he had a guide on his staff who did the contracting for Unit 16. Thank you for the information Rick. Rydell moved out of state and is now pretending to be in Anchorage while doing his show from Spokane. I think he smells the heat as he is a buddy with Rossi, right? What about the little fiasco in Nome when Rossi, Judkins and Bell tried to influence a ADF&G biologist to let them take intact Muskox horns out of the area when it is prohibited if harvested on a subsistence hunt? Need more? There is no "indictment" in this case. The charges against Rossi were absolutely not handed up by a grand jury. The charges were filed by the State Troopers without the evidence ever having been reviewed by a grand jury. Please, Mr. Sinnott, either stick to subject matter that you can write intelligently and accurately about or employ a competent editor to review your copy before you publish it. Rydell moved out of state and is now pretending to be in Anchorage while doing his show from Spokane. I think he smells the heat as he is a buddy with Rossi, right? What about the little fiasco in Nome when Rossi, Judkins and Bell tried to influence a ADF&G biologist to let them take intact Muskox horns out of the area when it is prohibited if harvested on a subsistence hunt? Need more? They say they are Republicans, dressed up as (D)emocrats. http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org/kidscorner/tr_teddy.htm The nagging question I continue to have is how many other crimes have Rossi, et al committed? After all, it's only a fluke (resulting from an Outside investigation) that we know about this one. Why would anyone who you knew your history have questions about you? Aren't you the same public official who told the world that you knew of only one heathy moose calf killed in 15 years, yet you publicly stated that you had a "secret calf disposal site?" Are you willing to admit that as a public official you "Misled" the public about killing calves? If not, why not? If not, why should anyone believe anything you have to say about the ethics of others? Are you going to accuse other deparments and enforcement officers of killing those calves like you did last time? Weren't you also an ADF&G enforcement officer? Did you dispatch and dispose of those calfs at your "secret calf disposal site" without any authority of regulations and did you then "Misled" the public about it? Are you willing to tell the truth now or along with the Rossi investigation, should the public ask for an official investigation of how many calves were killed or disposed during your tenure in office? Don't you still exercise undue influence over existing ADF&G enforcement officers? Especially those you trained? Is that where you are getting some of this juicy information that you are now leaking to the press? Isn't that a violation of law? Aren't you putting those enforcement officers at risk of disciplinary actions or dismissal if they are caught, or is this part of the internal good ole boy network, where you look after your own? Is anyone who dares to criticize you at risk of being stopped or investigated by one of your own, or worse? Is that what happened to Mr. Rossi? Are you also working to get rid of anyone else in the department? Are you working to get rid of the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and Governor? It looks that way by what you've written. Who else in the department is working on this with you? You don't mind answering these questions do you? After all, you are there to inform us of all the truth, aren't you. And of course, you really are an ethical person, aren't you? Palin and Parnell's promotion of Corey Rossi brings to mind the blunder initiated by Wally Hickel in his second term, when he appointed Carl Rosier as F&G Commissioner and Dave "Machine gun" Kelleyhouse as Director of Wildlife Conservation. Like the SPs, Hickel should have seen it coming. The men had been historical boneheads before their appointments. Kelleyhouse's plans to kill 80% of all the wolves in Alaska resulted in a public relations disaster. The tourist industry almost was placed on the endangered list as thousands of those who were more likely to bring cash and cameras to Alaska than they were to bring their guns, threatened to cancel cruises and tours. Kelleyhouse saw Alaska as a subarctic Serengeti. Rossi saw it as "The Killing Fields." http://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/19/us/alaska-to-kill-wolves-to-inflate-game-herds.html Parnell is thoroughly committed to unmanaged use of all the state's resources for the benefits of powerful special interests. His malfeasance that includes his appointment of Rossi, based on intervention by Palin's family, will set the state back decades, if it can be undone at all. OK...so I read this entire article and I can't help but wonder what role did Rydell and Bloomquist play in the allegations that have been brought against Rossi? Did I miss something here? Because I read this twice and don't really understand why the author elected to spin these two guys into the Rossi story. You can give me all the negative votes you want, but can anyone answer my question? How relevent was it that Bloomquist and Rydell needed to be spun into this article? How did either of them play a role in the allegations against Rossi? I just don't see it. Maybe someone can enlighten me here, but it's obvious to me that the author used this as a means to grind an axe against these two individuals. If he doesn't like these men, that's his business, but he shouldn't use this story to attack two guys that have apparently done nothing illegal. sailor said: "Maybe someone can enlighten me..." <---That's funny right there...I don't care who ya are. I was hoping for a bit more HD907, but at least you had it in you to comment. The reason that nobody is answering my question is because the answer is clear. These guys had nothing to do with the Rossi investigation. Their role in this alleged crime is nonexistant and the author took the opportunity to take cheap shots at two people who are not being accused of any wrong doing. But that's what you get when you let a biologist play journalist. He didn't use any discretion in his article and threw two men into a story in an attempt to paint a scandalous picture of them. Doesn't matter if you like or dislike Ridell or Bloomquist, but to take a cheap shot like this and try to discredit their reputations only makes Rick Sinnot and Alaska Dispatch look bad.When I read the Dispatch, I'm hoping to get the fact's, not some guy's wild and scandolous interpretation of what's going on. This article is simply that. Sinnot had an axe to grind with Bloomquist and Ridell and he used this opportunity to grind it. That's not called journalism, it's called scorn. And that's not funny...no matter who you are. From the article: "... single-minded zealots like Rossi, who inevitably manage wildlife for themselves and a few relatives and friends." "with no limit and very few rules." Rydell wrote, "For Corey Rossi, Aaron Bloomquist and me, it was the birth of the 30-bear weekend." "Rydell, whose show airs three hours a day, five days a week, is a huge supporter, often bragging about Rossi's credentials and achievements on the air." "Rydell, also a licensed assistant big game guide,..." "Bloomquist supported Rossi's appointment as director and carried his water in numerous meetings at the Alaska Board of Game and other venues." "Bloomquist was named in Rossi's charging document.." "Someone seems to have aided and abetted Rossi by giving him the information and forms necessary to submit false information on hunt records." Excellent piece Mr Sinnott, although this was very painful to read. I felt like throwing up. I couldn't agree more with the commenter below who said it's long past time for these game whores to slither out of the state. Don't send 'em down the Alcan, though as they'll just try to kill all game along the way. I was raised on wild game and although I do not hunt myself, I respect the hard work & true sportsmanship shown by my father while bow hunting in backcountry throughout my childhood. This sleazy, greedy attitude by Rossi & Co is a vehicle to corruption no matter where they land. They just happen to like killing things which they can cut parts off to hang around their neck - but they would be just as sleazy and disgusting in any position of opportunity or authority. I wrote to the Gov, the Legislature & Commissioner multiple times when Rossi was thrown up all over us. Not an answer, not a care in return. This is completely unacceptable. Now that the Legislature is in session again as a body, they need to hear from us. Alaskans, use the POM (Public Opinion Messaging) system for an easy way to send a 50 word message to the entire body with a few clicks. Once registered as an Alaskan, it takes about two minutes to speak your mind (in brevity) using the POM. Use it often, use it well! Let them hear from each and everyone who is horrified and angry at this misuse of power and abuse of the Governor who was not doing his job in listening to the voices of experience. Put pressure on your own Representatives, and the body who convenes to represent all of us. Representation means nothing if the Legislators only hear from a few, or none. Free Alaska! (humorously and seriously said) Public Opinion Messaging system: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/poms/ It does not get any easier to speak your mind to many. Now. Yes, many thanks to the Dispatch writers for continuing to follow up on this story. I had no idea Rydell had written those things, makes all of us hunters look bad. "A chance for greatness" indeed, their 30 bear weekend, I'm flat-out disgusted and I'm a longtime hunter and trapper. I really think we need to run SFW out of this state, but unfortunately they have now taken over AOC. Hard to believe that Ralph Seekins can be "president" of SFW-Alaska and a board member of AOC at the same time. The entire AOC board was taken over by these guys. What we have now is one entity comprised of SFW/AOC and AMF. Bloomquist was the AMF representative at the BOG meeting, he's also the SFW representative who will auction off the governor's tags he/they got from Rossi. Rossi also gave another coveted bison permit to AOC to raffle off. I really am just amazed at how all these guys gamed the system, infiltrated ADFG, how easy it was for them to do and to continue doing, they have no shame and they firmly believe they were immune to any repercussions. It' the CBC all over again, I'm ashamed of our state in allowing these things to happen. Help me out here. Don't these same grifter "sportsmen" also hold Natives and other true subsistence users in complete contempt? The Dispatch has long had the number of these connivers. Here's part of the "War on Wildlife" article written almost three years ago, at the time Palin was trying to install her personal legal pit bull as A.G. Mark Richards / Talk of the Tundra / Alaska Dispatch / March 30, 2009 Right when I thought things couldn't get any worse in terms of the politicization and corruption of Alaska's wildlife management by Governor Palin, she announced Wayne Anthony Ross as her new pick for Attorney General and included these words: "As Attorney General, Ross also will... work tirelessly to manage Alaska's fish and game resources for abundance through science and not politics." Through science and not politics? I can't believe she said that with a straight face. Just recently Palin overtly politicized the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) by creating a brand new "leadership" position and filling that position with family friend Corey Rossi who has for the past year been a Board member and spokesman for a radical new hunting organization whose only work so far has been to try to kill as many animals as they can that may have blood-stained pointy teeth. In fact, that same group - the Alaska chapter of Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife/Sportsmen for Habitat - had a slew of controversial proposals before the Board of Game seeking to legalize things like the snaring of bears and helicopter transport of "hunters" who participate in such activities. I and many other longtime hunters didn't really think there was a chance any of those proposals would pass, but we showed up at the Board of Game meeting anyway and strongly opposed them in both written and oral testimony. yep, these guys are not only pissing on all of us, they aren't even bothering to call it rain. Thanks for the additional background Sinnot. You were right to point readers eyes on Bloomquist because what the Alaska State Troopers are still investigating is not all about Rossi. Bloomquist is not a true mover and a shaker. Bloomquist reminds me of a lap dog. Bloomquist is a conduit that people like Parnell and Rossi use and we can probably be sure that Bloomquist will and likely has crossed the line of legal, ethical and moral conduct to make himself look good and protect his lap dog territory. Among the people who are most fond of Bloomqist lap dog attributes are Gary Olson of the Alaska Moose Federation....who got 1.1 MILLION dollars of our money last year. Bobby Fitian of the Alaska Professional Hunters Association. Paul Johnston...Chair of the Big Game Guide Board. But those most fond of Bloomquists lap dog relationship; now that King Rossi is retired, are unfortunately the most dangerous to wildlife management...Ted Spraker and Cliff Judkins and Nate Turner of the Board of Game. And, this is where Bloomquist lap dog attributes have led the most public damage of all. Amazingly enough at the most recent Board of Game meeting; on the heels of the Rossi indictment, Spraker/Turner/Judkins were not even slowed down by the Bloomquist/Rossi connection. Don't overlook the Kevin Saxby/Aarron Bloomquist conspiracies to undermine the Anchorage Fish and Game Advisory Committee and it's public representations and how Bloomquists lap dog leadership on that public committee has influenced Board of Game decisions the last few years. We should know more about the recent Bloomquist appointment by the Board of Game to the committee on bears. The content, numbers and relevance of proposal lapdogBloomquist carried to the Board of Game has not yet been reported either. We should have a look at ALL those Bloomquist's proposals and their back stories that Bloomquist has fetched for his Board of Game pals (Spraker, Turner and Judkins) for approval that consequently expand the commercial exploitation of bears and led to the Rossi indictments. Bloomquist is not yet charged true enough but he is named for a reason in the Rossi charging documents but in time Alaska Wildlife Troopers will sort out what happened and what is happening with Bloomquist related to the taking of bears, gall bladders, Bloomquist guide licensing statuts, including his connections to Sportsman for Fish and Wildlife, The Alaska Professional Hunters Association, the Alaska Moose Federation....and interviews with people in the periphery like big game guide Jeff Burwell regarding that relationship related to SFW moose hunts and how that all ties into the Tetlin Indian reservation and AHTNA native corporationis exclusive guide contracts...in the mean time...it's at least worth a phone call from a reporter or two. EditReply Report Abuse Excellent piece. We really have to turn the tide on this kind of attitude and behavior if we are to keep the quality of life (including wildlife) in our state decent. We are seeing it in the fisheries too, sport and commercial. It will not work out well in the long run unless it is stopped. Hang 'em high, Parnell with him. Thank you for all the recent fantastic reporting on wildlife issues and politics. It's clear that these guys aren't hunters, they just like killing animals. Fortunately for them, the BOG is making it so very easy to indulge themselves. True hunters recognize the damage people like Rydell, Rossi and SFW members are doing to the hunting community. An interesting note about Aaron Bloomquist: He is at the forefront of a mysterious group calling themselves "The Greater Alaska Black Bear Committee," which sponsored several proposals at the recent Board of Game meeting. The committee said in their proposals that they are a users' group that met during the March 2011 BOG meeting to "clarify and remove excessively restrictive regulations." I wonder if Rossi was in on that? One of their proposals asked for no closed seasons on black bears and a 3-bag limit in most of Alaska except in intensive management areas, where there would be no bag limit. Yay for more 30-bear weekends! At the rate the board is going, most of Alaska will be deemed an IM area before long. The board didn't even need the IM statute to authorize the aerial shooting of brown bears in Unit 26B. The group also proposed up to 10 bear-baiting stations run by guides and their assistants. Gee, I wonder who that helps? Bloomquist's name came out only when the board began discussing his proposals. Member Nate Turner said he sat in on this committee's first meeting. This particular proposal was deferred to the March meeting in Fairbanks. It's undoubtedly undergoing a rewrite to make it somehow more palatable. It is quite obvious to the most casual observer that rossi never actualy saw hunting or guifding as a priority in his life,and had/has no respect at all for wildlife,he is a narcicist of the highest degree, everything he did was centerd around pleasing his highest priority,himself his friends were no different,untill the story serfaced i beleved i had never met him but after seeing his photo in the news i realized that once at a gun show i had had a very heated argument with him about intensive manegment of bears,he was toeing the party line that he created, that explains his zeal in the argument,at the time i was surprised by it because he was with someone that knew me well and would understand why i was not backing down once they walked away, it is also clear that had he actualy tryed to become a regesterd guide or master guide he would not have made it due to lack of ethics and reveresnce/respect for wildlife.he obviously is not from here and came up for all the wrong reasons,.niether he or anyone he was involved with in this should be allowed to hunt in any state for the rest of their lives,governor Parnell and ex governor Palin were shown to have very poor personal skills by this,. Mr. Rossies lack of caricture and ethics would stand out as central tenats of who he is, it is hard to asses just how far the stains left by this clown will go,resonable predetor controll mesures are needed in the wildlife mannegment tool box,the 8 years of almost nothing under Knowels brought the wildlife populations to the level that a drastic kneejerk reaction was inevetable,the last governor we had who handeled predetor controll properly was one who had actualy done arial wolf controll hunting himself,Jay Hamond since then it has bnen a continuos back and forth driven strictly be politicians who were catering to either anti hunting groups or urban subsistance hunters, the only thing that seams to be a comon thread in the governors that handel wildlife with the respect it deserves is that they were here a long time before becoming governor, long enough to say this is where they were/are from,long enough to understand the significant value we place on every spieces, and understand that value is much wider than monitary, or just something to kill,. Hamond and Hickle were such men, all the rest have seen wildlife manegment as nothing more than political curenctyRossie's conduct willcreate ripples that will resonate for years in alaska wildlife manegment as well as politics in general Thanks for the additional background Sinnot. You were right to point readers eyes on Bloomquist because what the Alaska State Troopers are still investigating is not all about Rossi. Well, just another example of where our Republican party has gone to. If we want integrity in Juneau, we the voters need to hold these folks accountable. They have proven time and again they are off the track, and getting back on the track is not something they will do on their own. We must do it for them. Why are any of us surprised science is verboten in the Parnell administration?!??! Remember during that gubernatorial debate when the moderator asked the candidates point-blank if they thought the earth is incredibly old or not, and he dodged around it, saying some garbage about how only god knows how old the planet is. Those pesky isotopes decaying at a constant rate. I don't fault P for his beliefs, but I do fault him for letting them supersede his freaking DUTY handling the state on behalf of us. Those pesky biologists. Don't they know what dominion means? Pesky reason. Why do the bears and wolves get all the credit for the game shortage? It seems that there is a much larger population than in the past and perhaps part of the problem just might be the increased pressure from more hunters. rydell... Yuck. I have hunted all my life, am a State Champion Trap Shooter. Well the Wildlife Director's office is open now - can we propose a REAL wildlife biologist with some ethics to fill the job? Or will any with integrity spurn Parnell's house of clowns? And while we're at it, take a look at DNR's Sullivan singlehandedly and surreptitiously changing that agency's mission statement in the last couple weeks. Parnell looks meek but he's a snake when it comes to our resources. Before Parnell became lt. governor a friend who knew him told me that Parnell was nearly uncoruptable, it may be that he would never stoop as low as to take money or other personal favors ,but he obviously has trouble with keeping pressure groups at bay and sucumbing to cronyisim,it is almost better for the state if he had just taken money for himself,it is a mistake to beleve that only burkly trained wildlife bioligests need to be appointed to the admin positions within the state but it also is /was clearly a mistake to apoint Rossi who had no real field qualifications either,he was a fox/coyote trapper from outside who came here to kill as much as he could,not an Alaskan with any respect for this place its people or its resorces, we fortunatly do have the oporotunity to make some changes in 2014, with any luck and with new found name recognition Parnell can run for congress and we can elect an Alaskan,who knows this place. Either Parnell is corrupt or he is an idiot. What are "burkly [sic] trained wildlife bioligests [sic]"? Are you trying to say that the person who runs the state's wildlife management program doesn't need a thorough education in the biological sciences and management experience relevant to the job? I'll bet you take your neighbor's advice on medical issues instead of consulting a physician, or use your barber as a source for legal council. Why not just choose any bum off the street the way we do when we elect our representatives? I think Rossi, Campbell, and Sullivan are good examples of why not. Another brilliant exposition by an Alaska Dispatch staffer. Great work, Rick. Joe LaRocca Sad to see the results of the Palin/Parnel war on science, professionalism and basic good and ethical judgment. Too bad the Gov. didn't heed the many professional biologists' recommendations which then resulted in this black mark against the Fish and Game department and the State. It is shocking although, it isn't surprising that the blithering right wing radio entertainer I sometimes unfortunately and accidentally wake up to in the mornings was involved in this barbaric slaughter. What a bunch of clowns. They can't even forge documents correctly. And then they write a book documenting their activities. Criminal masterminds, all. I can't stand the low-grade whores who slither to Alaska and then run amok. That's the price of an oil boom. Maybe it's time for Rat Killer Rossi and Rydell to drive on back down the Alcan, after their sentences have been served, of course. |
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