Sen. Jeff Siddoway, R-Terreton, told the Senate, “I didn’t know Joan Hurlock from Adam until last summer at the Republican convention when I was standing in a lunch line.” He said he met Hurlock, and “I said, so what do you think about wolves? Her reply was, ‘They have their place.’ Fine. I said, so are you a hunter? She said no. I let it go. So I said, are you a fisherman? She said no.”

Siddoway said he then met with Lt. Gov. Brad Little and demanded to know, “What the heck is going on here? This lady is not qualified.” He said, “All I wanted to hear from her was her experience in hunting and fishing.“

Siddoway said Hurlock is now much better informed about Fish & Game issues, but said she lacks “the passion, the passion that a hunter and fisherman has – the love that draws you out there,” that makes you want to leave family for weeks at a time to pursue hunting and fishing. “This is an intelligent woman, she is well-informed, she is a quick study,” Siddoway said. “Her passion for hunting and fishing I submit to you is not there."