Chib Espinoza is new Chief of CSKT Fish and Game

By B.L. Azure

Pablo "Chib" Espinoza was recently named Chief of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Fish and Game program. He succeeds Frank Gillin who has moved out of state. (B.L. Azure photo)

POLSON - The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Fish and Game program has a new Chief at the helm. Pablo "Chib" Espinoza slid into the Chief's chair in January of this year with the retirement of his predecessor Frank Gillin who subsequently moved to California.

Espinoza praised the departed Gillin for his leadership at CSKT Fish and Game.

"Frank is a nice guy and was a good chief," Espinoza said. "He did a great job here for the Tribes."

Gillin's former boss and Espinoza's current honcho Tom McDonald, manager of the Natural Resource Department's Fish, Wildlife, Recreation and Conservation Division said the Tribes Fish and Game program lost a good leader in Gillin but gained a good leader in Espinoza.

"Frank was the longest serving Fish and Game Chief and that in itself says a lot about him and his leadership abilities. But he had the opportunity to move to California that was too good to pass on," McDonald said. "Frank had excellent technical law enforcement skills and was very knowledgeable about search, rescue and recovery. He was tremendously familiar with all the legal framework and policies of the Tribes."

The changing of the guard at Fish and Game went smooth, like a good hand-off in a relay race, McDonald said, adding that Espinoza brings a lot of positive attributes to the chief's position.

"Chib has been a game warden a long, long time. He has deep knowledge of the reservation, the people and the other cooperating agencies. He has excellent communication skills with the public. He is really, really strong there," McDonald said. "He brings a real strong work ethic to the position. He also has great supervisory skills and an excellent working relationship with his fellow Fish and Game employees. The people at the Natural Resources Department have a high regard for Chib as do the people in the state natural resources agencies."

The 53-year-old Espinoza was born in Texas while his father was stationed there in the U.S. Air Force. Other than that brief time he has spent his life on the Flathead Indian Reservation in the Jocko Valley. He graduated from Arlee High School in 1973.

Espinoza started working for the Tribes in 1977 as a law enforcement officer when they were still at the old Dixon Agency. Chib said he worked for the Tribes for a period of time then his legs got a bit froggy and he jumped from job to job working for Sanders and Lake counties Sheriff's Departments at hop stops.

"I was young and I wanted work my way up the ladder in law enforcement and gain a variety of experience," Espinoza said. He brought that well-rounded experience to the Tribes Fish and Game program in 1987 and has been with them ever since.

The department has recently lost three members of its staff with Gillin's retirement, Charlie Morigeau's election to the tribal council and with the recent untimely death of Gordon Hunter.

"Gordon had a real long career and was a very good guy," Espinoza said. "He was very loyal to the Tribes and he will be greatly missed by all of us as well as the public he served."

McDonald said Espinoza's love for fieldwork and close-to-the-bone work ethic is a plus for the Fish and Game program.

"Chib is a hands-on leader. He likes to be in the field, which is good," McDonald said. "We need our chief to be out there doing field work given the tribal budget and manpower restrictions."

The Fish and Game program offices are located in Polson at the former Mission Valley Power complex near Linderman School. The Fish and Game officers patrol all lands and waters within the exterior boundaries of the Flathead Indian Reservation.

The current staff is comprised of Chief Pablo "Chib" Espinoza, Sgt. Archie Fuqua and Sgt. Brian DuCharme and officers Tom Haynes, Calvin Bourdon, Darwin Parker, Mike McElderry and Willie Burke.

"We have a very veteran staff. Most of them have more than 20 years on the job. They enjoy working for the Tribes because the Tribes treat their people well and take care of them. The tribal council has ensured that we are well equipped and we are thankful for that," Espinoza said. "I am real proud of our Fish and Game officers. They are a very experienced staff. We are all proud to work for the Tribes and the reservation is a great place to live and work."

Over the years the Fish and Game officers' scope of authority has increased with the cross-deputation with the state. All of the game wardens must attend a certified law enforcement academy and pass its courses in order to become a game warden. They must also know at the current tribal laws, regulations and policies as well as pertinent state and federal laws.

"Because of the joint agreement between the Tribes and the state to manage bird hunting and fishing on the reservation we have established a very good working relationship with the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks department," Espinoza said. "We work real well with the area's state warden, Frank Bowen. He has been very helpful and cooperative as was his predecessor Rick Schoening."

That good working relationship extends to the sheriff departments in Missoula, Sanders, Flathead and Lake counties as well as the search and rescue teams in the counties.

"We are very proud of our working relationship and cooperative effort with the various governments and agencies," Espinoza said. "We really get along well them. Cooperation is really important here. We are able to bring a lot more bodies to our search and rescue efforts and investigations. That serves us well but more importantly it serves the public well. They benefit from this good coverage."

Espinoza said county sheriff's departments take the lead in search and rescue efforts. "We assist under the direction of the county," he said. "In Lake County, Sheriff Lucky Larson is a joy to work with. It is just a good situation here."

Espinoza said the increasing population on the reservation and bears keep him and his officers pretty busy. Increased population means more people recreating on lands and waters within the exterior boundaries of the reservation.

"We have a real big problem with off-road use. That damages tribal lands and transports weed seeds to the lands," Espinoza said. "Poaching and killing of animals for their antlers are big concerns of ours."

Soon bears will be emerging from hibernation and that means dealing bear situations until the fall.

"We like to educate people about bears and what attracts them to property and homes in the urban interface," Espinoza said. "It is really important that people remove food sources. Summer is really a busy time on the reservation with the influx of people and recreation. When we have to deal with bear problems it keeps us from patrolling the backcountry recreation areas and the lake and rivers. There are a lot of black bears here and dealing with them takes away from the other duties and other plans we have for the day."

However, Espinoza added that the CSKT Fish and Game officers are flexible and professional enough to dance to the tune of the day.

"We are well trained, professional and ready for whatever the day beholds," Espinoza said.