Whistle-Blower Charge Is Filed for Park Ranger

A Yellowstone National Park ranger who brought national attention to illegal hunting practices charged in a whistle-blower complaint Wednesday that park management declined to rehire him in retaliation for his criticism that lax law enforcement endangered wildlife.

The action was taken on behalf of Bob “Action” Jackson, the park’s longest serving seasonal ranger with 24 seasons on the job, by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a watchdog group that supports federal employees. The complaint -- filed with the Office of Special Counsel in Washington, D.C. -- alleges that Jackson was singled out in staff cutbacks by the park.

Jackson gained national notoriety for exposing the practice of “salting” by commercial hunting outfitters -- placing salt licks just outside park borders to attract Yellowstone’s trophy elk. Jackson, who worked in the far southeastern corner of the park, accused federal and state game wardens of turning a blind eye to the salting, which, he said, also led to the shooting of federally protected grizzly bears when those animals were drawn to elk carcasses.

Elk hunting is forbidden in the park, but permitted in adjacent Bridger-Teton National Forest. The use of salt to bait game animals is illegal in Wyoming and in federal wilderness areas.

Since 1978, Jackson has worked a portion of every year as a law enforcement ranger in the remote Thorofare district, which is accessible only by foot or on horseback. He lived in a cabin without electricity or running water.

In 2001, he was abruptly removed from his post before the fall hunting season, then reinstated in December after PEER charged that he was being punished for disobeying an illegal order not to air his concerns about hunting excesses. Jackson had begun talking with reporters and environmental activists in 1998.

Park officials have disputed the charge of retaliation, saying Jackson wasn’t rehired because of staffing reductions.

Yellowstone is drastically reducing its law enforcement staff, cutting nearly 75% of its seasonal rangers. Although the park’s budget increased by 8% this year, mandated costs in other areas drained the additional funds, Yellowstone officials said.

“Law enforcement will not be fully staffed,” said park spokeswoman Cheryl Matthews. “We are trying to find funding. We hope to add additional rangers in the next several weeks.”

Last year the park hired 46 seasonal rangers to work there from June to October. This year, there was funding for only 10, Matthews said.

Although PEER claims that Jackson’s backcountry position has not been filled, Matthews said a full-time ranger had been assigned to the Thorofare district.

This was to be Jackson’s last season at Yellowstone. Reached at his 1,000-acre bison ranch in Iowa, Jackson said he wanted to return to the park to serve as an example to other rangers.

“It’s important for me to be there to let other people in the service know that they can report what they see,” he said.

Republican Sen. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, Jackson’s home state, weighed in on the ranger’s behalf.

“It looks like the Park Service would rather lose out on ranger Jackson’s enforcement skills than suffer scrutiny for what’s wrong in Yellowstone,” Grassley said Wednesday. “Preemptive retaliation is still retaliation in my book. A clear answer has never been given to me for the Park Service’s decision to not retain ranger Jackson, and I intend to get one.”