Fish & Game Departments throughout the West are facing major challenges, and nowhere is that more evident than in Idaho. Concerns about political influence, funding issues, disagreements among sportsmen -- in the past several years, Idaho's Fish & Game Department has experienced them in spades.

Since 1998, the Department has been led by three different Directors. Steve Mealey was hired in 1998 and dismissed in 1999. Rod Sando was hired in 2000 and resigned under pressure in 2002. This led to attempts in the spring of 2002 to put an Initiative Petition on the ballot. Steve Huffaker, the current director, was appointed in the spring of 2002.

OUTDOOR IDAHO's "Fish & Game in the Crosshairs" examines some of the issues facing the Idaho Fish & Game Department and other wildlife agencies, who are being asked to do more, even as their traditional funding base is slowly eroding.