Submitted by an elderly gentleman who had the severe misfortune of dealing with Anthony Botello and Officer Dingman face to face.
This is one of many complaints, but is typical of the type of rudeness and unprofessional behavior you are likely to encounter when dealing with Anthony Botello and most of the Payette National Forest staff.
Forwarded message begins:
TO: USDA, DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, USFS
IN THE EARLY SPRING OF 2017 I BECAME INTERESTED IN SOME RECREATION ACTIVITIES IN IDAHO, IN THE 90'S I WAS ABLE TO GO THE AVERY, IDAHO AREA AND LIVED IN THE MOUNTAINS FOR 5 WEEKS FOR THE ELK SEASON AND TO TAKE A HORSE I HAD JUST PURCHASED THAT NEEDED TO BE TRAINED AS HE WAS NOT EVEN CONSIDERED TO BE GREEN BROKE. IT WAS THE MOST AWESOME THING I HAVE EVER BEEN ABLE TO DO IN MY LIFE. THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE OF THE WONDERS OF OUR COUNTRY, FREEDOMS WE HAVE, PLACES TO BE EXPERIENCED AND THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE THE WAY TO EXPERIENCE WAS UNHINDERED.
IN MY INTERNET SEARCH FOR AN AREA TO GO TO I RAN ACROSS THE SUBJECT OF MINING CLAIMS, THE IDEA OF ESTABLISHING A PLACE TO GO, REPEATEDLY AND DO A VARIETY OF THINGS ON A RECREATIONAL LEVEL APPEALED TO ME. I PURCHASED A COUPLE OF CLAIMS IN THE PAYETTE NATIONAL FORREST AND BEGAN PLANNING A TRIP TO THE AREA, NO SMALL TASK, I HAD TO SELL AND PURCHASE A TRUCK THAT WOULD BE SUITABLE FOR TOWING A HORSETRAILER WITH A CAMPER. THIS TOOK WEEKS OF SEARCHING AND FINALLY I FOUND WHAT I NEEDED, A TRUCK IN COLORADO AND A HORSE TRAILER WITH LIVING QUARTERS IN TENNESSEE.
ON THE 19TH OF JUNE 2017 I LEFT MY HOME IN IOWA WITH MY GRANDSON CODY AND MY WIFE PAULINE. I WAS TAKING 2 HORSES AND OUR DOG AS WELL. WE ARRIVED IN MCCALL, IDAHO ON OR ABOUT WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22ST, 2017 ABOUT 1600 HOURS.
I FOUND DIRECTIONS TO THE CAMPSITES LOCATED ON LICK CREEK ROAD AND THE SESECH RIVER, ALSO THE AREA OF THE CLAIMS I OWN.
UPON ARRIVAL AT THE SESECH HORSE CAMP WE CHOSE A CAMPSITE AND NOTED THAT THE ENTIRE CAMP GROUND WAS A MESS OF DEADFALL, DEBRIS AND WOULD NEED A LOT OF CLEANUP TO STAKE OUT THE HORSES AND EVEN PULL OUR TRAILER INTO THE SITE, THERE WAS ONE OTHER SITE BEING USED AT THE NORTH END AND LATER I WOULD COME TO KNOW THEM AS JIM AND JUDITH KEENE, FROM THE CASCADE, IDAHO AREA. WE WOULD ALSO JOIN FORCES AND SPEND SOME THREE DAYS CLEANING UP THE AREA WE WERE USING OF THE DEBRIS, PICK UP BOTTLES AND CANS, CUT UP A DEADFALL THAT HAD CRASHED ONTO THE KEENES TABLE, BREAKING A 3X9X12 PORTION IN TWO, JIM ALSO ASSISTED ME IN CLEANING UP THE SOUTH END OF MY CLAIM, I INTENDED ON MAKING A CAMPSITE ON THE CLAIM. JIM ALSO HAD SOME HAND TOOLS FOR FINDING GOLD, AND SHARED HIS KNOWLEDGE ON THE MATTER WITH ME DURING OUR STAY.
DURING THE NEXT 2 WEEKS I BEGAN A SEARCH FOR ANY OFFICIALS OR OFFICIAL INFORMATION ON HAVING CLAIMS IN THE AREA AND WHAT, IF ANYTHING, IN ADDITION TO MAKING A CLAIM PURCHASE/FILING I NEEDED TO DO.
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THE AREA WE WERE IN DID NOT HAVE ANY SIGNALS FOR CELL OR INTERNET, IT WOULD REQUIRE AN ALL DAY TREK INTO THE CASCADE AND MCCALL TOWNS TO MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO LOCATE SOME INFORMATION OR A REPRESENTATIVE. I WAS ABLE TO FIND OUT THE PERSON I NEEDED TO SPEAK TO WAS THE HEAD RANGER, ANTHONY BOTELLO, I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO DO THAT ON THE 11TH OF JULY, 2017 AT THE MCCALL USFS OFFICES WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF SUSAN LAU, ALSO OF THE FOREST SERVICE, AROUND 1530 HOURS.
I WAS INTRODUCED TO RANGER BOTELLO AND IN A JOKING MANNER SAID THAT I NEEDED A GUN AND BADGE TO FIND ANYONE (IN THE USFS WHO KNEW ANY INFORMATION ON GOLD CLAIMS) AND HE ASKED IF I EVER USED A GUN AND BADGE TO FIND SOMEONE, I REPLIED FOR 30 YEARS OR SO, HE SAID DID YOU FIND THEM, I SAID YES, EVERYTIME.
RANGER BOTELLO WAS ALREADY AWARE OF ME AND THE REASON FOR TRYING TO LOCATE HIM, HE WAS AWARE THAT I HAD CLAIMS IN THE SESECH AREA, THAT I HAD HORSES THERE, AND SAID IT WAS REPORTED TO HIM THAT MY HORSES HAD THE SITE THEY WERE IN 'BEAT DOWN PRETTY GOOD', I SAID IT IS A HORSE CAMP ISN'T IT, HE SAID YES, SARAH LAU WAS PRESENT AND DID OR SAID LITTLE, JUST HANDED ME A MAP OF THE AREA INDICATING OPEN AND CLOSED ACCESSES TO THE AREA I WAS CAMPING IN. THE SUBJECT OF MY ATV ALSO CAME UP AND I THEN ADVISED MR. BOTELLO THAT MY ATV WAS USED TO OFFSET MY DISABILITY TO MY FEET AND LEGS, TO AVOID MEDICATION AND ALLOW ME ACCOMPLISH THINGS IN SPITE OF THE DISABILITY.
MR. BOTELLO ASKED WHAT I HAD BEEN DOING ON THE CLAIM AND WHAT MY RELATIONSHIP WAS WITH THE OTHER CAMPERS, JIM AND JUDITH KEENE, HOW LONG WE ALL HAD BEEN THERE AND WHEN WE WERE PLANNING TO LEAVE. I ADVISED HIM THAT I HAD SENT PAULINE BACK TO IOWA IN A RENTAL CAR THE 5TH OF JULY, MY GRANDSON CODY AND I PLANNED TO STAY LONGER AND HAD TO BE BACK FOR HIS SCHOOL ACTIVITIES IN EARLY AUGUST AND WE TALKED ABOUT STAYING TO AROUND THE 20TH. I AM RETIRED AND HAVE NO HARD LINES ON MUCH OF WHAT I DO.
I TOLD MR. BOTELLO WE WERE PANNING, AND HAD A SLUICE ON THE CLAIM KNOWN AS A HIGHBANKER WITH A PUMP. WE HAD JUST PURCHASED IT FROM A PAWN SHOP IN BOISE AND WERE ATTEMPTING TO SET IT UP AND PREPARE IT FOR USE ON A ROOTBALL HOLE FROM A FALLEN TREE AND ROTTEN STUMP ON MY CLAIM, ALSO THAT WE HAD BEEN CHECKING FOR GOOD PLACES TO LOOK FOR GOLD ALONG THE BANKS OF THE RIVER. MR. BOTELLO STATED THAT THIS WAS A MAJOR DISTURBANCE AND WOULD REQUIRE A LETTER OF INTENT AS WELL AS A PLAN OF OPERATIONS, I SAID 'REALLY' AND WOULD NEVER HAD MADE THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN THAT AND WHAT WE WERE DOING. MR. BOTELLO ALSO STATED THAT THE USFS DID NOT LIKE THAT CLAIMS WERE BEING FILED WITHOUT CONSULTING THEM AND I SHOULD HAVE CALLED HIM BEFORE BUYING THE CLAIMS, HE FURTHER ADVISED THAT THERE IS A PROCESS WHICH THEY CAN PROTEST CLAIMS AND THEY WERE IN THE PROCESS OF PROTESTING SOME OF THE CLAIMS IN THE AREA. HE DID NOT STATE THAT MINE WERE BEING PROTESTED.
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I HAD INVITED MR. BOTELLO TO THE CAMP AND CLAIM SITE TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION OF THE CLAIMS AND THE CAMPGROUNDS AND HE STATED HE WAS BUSY ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY BUT COULD MAKE TIME IN THE MORNING ON FRIDAY.
MR, BOTELLO STATED THAT HE WANTED ME TO STOP SLUICING, I SAID, OK, HE ALSO SAID TO CONTINUE TO STAY IN THE CAMP, KEEP PAYING THE REQUIRED FEE, I AGREED. DURING THIS FINAL MOMENTS OF THE CONVERSATION MR. BOTELLO STATED, 'I'LL TELL YOU WHAT TO DO, GO BACK TO THE CAMP, KICK A FEW ROCKS AROUND, RIDE YOUR HORSES THEN GO BACK TO IOWA'. I WAS DUMBFOUNDED AT THAT POINT AND REASSURED THAT THIS MEETING WAS NOT A POSITIVE GESTURE BY THE USFS AND WHAT I COULD EXPECT FROM THEM WAS NOT ASSISTANCE BUT INTERFERENCE. IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT THESE ATTITUDES COME FROM BIGGER SOURCES THAN THOSE WHO DISPLAY THEM.
THE MEETING WAS CONCLUDED AND ON FRIDAY ABOUT 1000 AM MR. BOTELLO ARRIVED AT THE CAMPSITES. HE MET WITH JIM AND I IN THE SITE OCCUPPIED BY JIM AND THE SOUTHERN AREA OF MY CLAIMS. MR. BOTELLO WAS SHOWN THE AREAS WE CLEANED UP OF DEBRIS, THE CAMPSITES STILL TRASHED OUT AND OUR CLEANED UP SITES. I ALSO SHOWED HIM WHAT I HAD DONE TO MY CLAIM IN TRYING TO CLEAN UP SOME OF THE DEBRIS LYING ON IT, IN AN AREA OF 50 FEET OR SO, HARDLY MAKING A DENT IN THE BRUSH, DEADFALL OF STICKS AND PARTIALLY BURNED STUMPS. MR. BOTELLO COMPLAINED OF MY RIDING OR USING MY 4 WHEELER ON THE CLAIM, I USED IT FOR TRANSPORTING AND DRAGGING DEBRIS ABOUT THE SITE, ON AND OFF THE CLAIM. MR. BOTELLO FURTHER STATED ALL THIS IS A MAJOR DISTURBANCE OF THE SURFACE AND WOULD REQUIRE A LETTER OF INTENT AND A PLAN OF OPERATIONS. I ASKED MR. BOTELLO ABOUT A ROAD THAT EXISTS, ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CLAIMS, WHICH WOULD ALLOW ACCESS INDEPENDENT OF THE CAMPSITES AND THE ROAD THAT EXISTS ON THE EAST SIDE AND TRAVELS WITHIN THE CLAIMS TO THE NORTH OFF XENA CREEK ROAD. MR. BOTELLO SAID HE COULD LOOK INTO OPENING THEM, BUT THAT WOULD TAKE A YEAR TO DO. MR. BOTELLO INSTRUCTED ME TO TAKE THE DEBRIS WE HAD PILED UP AND SCATTER IT AROUND THE CAMPSITES AND ON MY CLAIM WHERE IT CAME FROM, HE SAID IT WAS TO MAKE IT LOOK NATURAL, MR. BOTELLO ALSO SAID THERE WAS A BOND THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE POSTED FOR THE USE OF THE CLAIM, MR. BOTELLO AND I DISCUSSED WHAT WAS TO BE DONE WITH THE HORSE MANURE FROM THE AREA I HAD THEM IN AND HAD NO OBJECTION TO THE WAY I INTENDED ON CLEANING IT UP AND WHERE IT WAS TO BE PLACED. MR. BOTELLO THEN TOOK PHOTOS OF MY CAMPSITE AND OF JIM AND JUDITH'S SITE.
MR. BOTELLO WENT BACK TO JIM'S SITE AND WAS SPEAKING TO HIM OUT OF MY PRESENCE FOR A FEW MINUTES, AFTER THAT JIM WAS VERY UPSET, HE MADE A COMMENT THAT HE WAS GOING TO LEAVE THE AREA UNDER MR. BOTELLO'S CHARGE AND NEVER COME BACK. I HAD SOME CONTACT INFORMATION FOR JIM AND JUDITH, I HAVE TRIED TO CONTACT THEM WITHOUT SUCCESS.
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DURING THE STAY AT THE SITE, FROM THE 22ND OF JUNE TO THE 11TH OF JULY WE SAW ONE PERSON FROM THE FOREST SERVICE, HE DROVE IN TO GET THE FEES FROM THE BOX AND OUT AGAIN. ON SATURDAY, THE 15TH OF JULY, AROUND 1500 HRS A LAW ENFORCEMENT TRUCK PULLED INTO THE CAMP, THE OFFICER, DINGMAN WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT, HE EXITED HIS TRUCK AND APPROACHED JIM AND I, WE ENGAGED HIM IN A CONVERSATION, JIM HAD MET HIM PRIOR TO THIS DAY AND IT SEEMED THEY HAD A CORDIAL RESPONSE TO EACH OTHER. DURING THIS CONVERSATION THE USE OF MY ATV WAS BROUGHT UP, I WAS ASKED IF IT WAS REGISTERED/PERMITTED IN IDAHO, I SAID NO IT WAS REGISTERED AND INSURED, AS A CAR IS IN IOWA, HE ADVISED ME THAT IDAHO REQUIRED THAT IT BE REGISTERED THERE AS WELL. HE THEN ASKED IF I HAD CERTIFIED HAY, I SAID THAT I DO AND THAT I BOUGHT IT AT THE FARM STORE IN BOISE, I ALSO HAD COMPRESSED HAY PELLETS AND GENERAL HORSE FEED IN BAGS.
OFFICER DINGMAN ALSO ADVISED THAT THE USFS DID NOT RECONIZE ANY OF THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITES ACT IN RELATINSHIP TO WHAT I WAS DOING, AND IN HIS WORDS 'THAT HAS BEEN TRIED BEFORE' I TOOK THIS TO MEAN, AND BELIEVE THAT IT IS SO, THAT MR. BOTELLO, THE USFS IN GENERAL, BELIEVES ME AND OTHERS LIKE ME, OR WORSE, TRY TO USE THIS AS A MEANS TO CIRCUMVENT SOME RULES, OR TO GAIN SOME PREFERENCIAL TREATMENT OVER THOSE WHO ARE DENIED ON A GENERAL BASIS. I REPLIED THAT THE SAME GOVERNMENT THAT CRAMS THIS NON-DESCRIMINATORY RULES AND LAWS ONTO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY RESERVED THE RIGHT TO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE SAME RULES? NOT SURPRISING TO ME REALLY. I ALSO ASKED OFFICER DINGMAN IF HE WAS SENT TO CHECK UP ON US AND HE SAID THAT NO ONE SENT HIM, BUT I WILL NOTE THAT THE SAME SUBJECTS INCLUDING THE CLAIM AND THE SAME CONCERNS WERE DISCUSSED, SORT OF A RECOUNT OF THE VISIT BY MR. BOTELLO ON FRIDAY.
JIM AND I HAD DISCUSSED LEAVING THE SITE ON TUESDAY, HOWEVER AFTER ALL THIS JIM HAD BECOME VERY AGITATED, I WAS NOT HAPPY EITHER, BUT HE WAS MUCH MORE SO, HE BEGAN PACKING UP HIS CAMP AND BY SUNDAY ABOUT NOON HE HAD LEFT AND WE LEFT A SHORT TIME AFTER ON THAT SUNDAY.
THE ENTIRE INCIDENT LEFT ME IN QUESTION AS TO WHETHER I WANTED TO COME BACK OR EVEN ATTEMPT TO BRING IT TO SOMEONE'S ATTENTION WHO WOULD LISTEN. I ALSO KNOW THAT TO HAVE SOMEONE LISTEN AND THEN SEE NOTHING REALLY DONE OR THINGS LEFT THE SAME AND SOMEONE ELSE HAS TO DO THIS ALL OVER AGAIN IS A REAL POSSIBILITY AND LIKELY TO BE THE CASE.
IN DOING SOME INVESTIGATING INTO ALL THIS I SEE AT LEAST 3 AGENCIES IN SOME SORT OF BATTLE WITH THE LAWS THAT ARE SUPPOSE TO AFFORD THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO BECOME INVOLVED IN THIS AREA, OR COME TO THE USFS FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, AS A FREE PEOPLE, IN A FREE AND SELF GOVERNING NATION TO BE DENIED ACCESS FOR REASONS THAT ARE HIGHLY SUSPECT FOR VALIDITY AND REASONABILITY, A GOOD ARGUMENT FOR EACH IS AVAILABLE TO MOST OF THE RESTRICTIONS. THE GOAL IS APPARENT, EXCLUSION NOT INCLUSION OF ALL INSTEAD OF A FEW CHOSEN LIKES OVER WHAT OTHERS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO.
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IN ADDITION I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE AN OPINION, SOMEWHAT EDUCATED ONE, DUE TO MY EXPERIENCE WITH LIVING IN WOODED AREAS MOST OF MY LIFE AND DOING MANY OF THE THINGS DONE IN THOSE AREAS SINCE BEFORE I WAS 10 YEARS OLD, LIKE FISHING AND HUNTING, SHOOTING, HIKING, TRAIL RIDING ON BIKES BEFORE A 'MOUNTAIN BIKE' WAS EVER MADE. BEING TAUGHT HOW TO PLANT, GROW AND MAINTAIN TREES, GARDENS, FLOWERS, LIVING AND WORKING ON FARMS AND ACREAGES. I HAVE ALSO DONE SOME QUICK INFORMATION CHECKING ON WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FOREST IN THE PAYETTE, TALKED TO SOME LOCALS, ABOUT BEFORE AND AFTER, AND NOW. THEIR OPINION IS NOT A GOOD ONE WHEN IT COMES TO THE USFS AND ITS REPRESENTATIVES. THE CONDITION OF THAT REGION IS HORRIFYING, THE SIGHT OF IT MADE ME SICKENED TO MY STOMACH, IT WOULD TAKE ME WEEKS TO EVEN GET AN IDEA OF THE SIZE AND EFFECTS OF THE DAMAGE, THEN TO LEARN THAT ANY EFFORT TO REMOVE THE DEAD AND DYING TREES IS BLOCKED AND MAY BE POINTLESS NOW, AS FOR 15 YEARS AFTER THE FIRE THERE WAS AND IS NO RESPONSE TO CLEAN IT UP AND REDUCE THE DAMAGE AND ENHANCE THE AREA FOR USE OF ALL SORTS OF ACTIVITIES. THE ENVIRONMENTAL ARGUMENTS, THE ENDANGERED SPECIES CONCERNS DO NOT ADDRESS THE VISIBLE AND OBVIOUS, I COULD SEE MANY LOG JAMS FROM DEADFALL, OBVIOUSLY FROM THE FIRE DAMAGE, JAMMING UP STREAMS, LANDSLIDES THAT DWARF WHAT IS IMMAGINABLE, UPROOTED TREES BY THE DOZENS IN A GIVEN AREA, THIS HAS TO BE THOUSANDS OVERALL, DISEASED LIVE TREES, RANCID MARSHES CRAMMED WITH DEAD AND ROTTEN WOOD FROM COLLAPSING TREES, ENTIRE MOUNTAINS COVERED FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, WITH LAYERS OF DEADFALL TREES PILED LIKE STREWN MATCHSTICKS, IMPOSSIBLE TO TRAVERSE BY FOOT OR HORSE. A NATURAL RESOURCE LEFT TO ROT IN THE SUN.
