Brian Nesvik, a former Pinedale game warden turned Wyoming Game and Fish Department director, has been nominated by the Trump administration to lead the agency that manages the nation’s wildlife.
Nesvik’s nomination to be U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service director, a post most recently occupied by Joe Biden appointee Martha Williams, appeared on Congress.gov on Tuesday. The Wyoming resident, who retired from his Game and Fish job in mid-2024, still must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Nesvik’s nomination has been referred to the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee — and his selection passing muster there is the first step in the confirmation process. Later, the entire Senate would vote on his nomination.
An interview request to Nesvik on Wednesday was directed toward the White House.
Wyoming’s congressional delegation and Gov. Mark Gordon had ample praise for Nesvik as Trump’s pick to lead the Fish and Wildlife Service.
“Brian has spent his entire career serving the people of Wyoming and working alongside outfitters, hunters, landowners, fishermen, and anyone else who loves the great outdoors,” U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis said in a statement. “That attitude and passion for balancing wildlife conservation and recreational access will serve him well in this important role.”
Gordon also lauded his former employee’s nomination, saying Nesvik is well qualified and has “extensive experience” dealing with “the complexities of endangered species issues.”
“His intimate knowledge of the challenges facing Western states will ensure Wyoming has a seat at the table when engaging with the federal government on these issues,” Gordon said. “The nation’s gain is also a win for the states and [the Fish and Wildlife Service] will be well-served with Brian at the helm.”
The future of grizzly bear management could be one of the first issues relevant to Wyoming that Nesvik could confront if he’s confirmed. Protected under the Endangered Species Act with little interruption since 1975, Ursus arctos horribilis is in line to continue its federally “threatened” status throughout the Lower 48 states because of a proposal that came from Williams in the Biden administration’s waning days.
Praise for Nesvik wasn’t universal. He isn’t a sound choice to be making the decisions about what comes next for grizzlies and other species, according to one hard-line environmental advocacy group.
“In Wyoming Nesvik led one of the most anti-conservation wildlife agencies in the country, and it’s glaringly obvious that he wants to destroy the Endangered Species Act and with it our best chance of fighting the extinction crisis,” Center for Biological Diversity Deputy Director of Government Affairs Stephanie Kurose said in a statement.
Climbed G&F ladder
Nesvik is also a longtime Wyoming Army National Guard member, retiring from service in 2021. He was twice deployed, spending time in Iraq and Kuwait.
The University of Wyoming graduate rose through the ranks at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department since he came on as a warden in 1995. He did stints in Casper, Elk Mountain and Pinedale as a district warden before departing in 2010 to take the job supervising the state agency’s Cody Region. Nesvik was also Game and Fish’s longtime lead mounted horse patrol instructor, according to a biography posted by the Wyldlife Fund, where Nesvik is a board member.
From 2011 to 2019, Nesvik was Game and Fish’s chief warden. He was promoted by Gov. Mark Gordon, who selected him to direct Game and Fish until his retirement in September. Angi Bruce succeeded him.
The three-decade-long Wyoming employee encountered controversies over the course of his career. A year ago, he navigated global condemnation of a Sublette County man who publicly tormented a snowmobile-wounded wolf in a bar. The incident rattled the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, which took criticism for how it handled communications and for issuing a more lenient fine than was available.
Wyoming Game and Fish also earned plaudits under Nesvik’s leadership. The state agency built up its non-game wildlife division while he was at the helm. The state’s two-tiered wolf management program, although controversial, has also been cited as a gold standard among states with jurisdiction over the largest canines. Wyoming’s policy for conserving migration corridors has also been heralded as “one of the most robust” in existence.
In a farewell essay around the time of his Game and Fish retirement, Nesvik wrote that he was “filled with hope and optimism for the future of our wildlife.”
“First and foremost, the people of our state care deeply about our wildlife,” he wrote. “Our connection to nature is woven into the fabric of our lives and Wyoming citizens’ quality of life. It’s part of our culture and who we are.”
Parting thoughts
In an outgoing speech, Nesvik said that introducing children to hunting, fishing and the outdoors was among his top achievements, according to reporting in the Powell Tribune.
“I think that one of the most important things we do is provide opportunities for kids to have that experience that we all had at some point that got us hooked,” Nesvik said in September. “I am extremely proud because I really believe that that’s where you have an impact 30 years down the road. We’ve gotta have people that care in 30 years.”
Former colleagues and lobbyists who worked alongside Nesvik were pleased with the Trump administration’s selection.
Longtime biologist Bob Lanka, the past president of The Wildlife Society, was a counterpart of the then-chief warden when he supervised Game and Fish’s biological services division before retiring in 2018. Nesvik, he said, has experience making hard decisions about wildlife amid political pressures.
“Brian, with his experience with [Game and Fish] and the National Guard in Wyoming, has had to make lots of those decisions,” Lanka told WyoFile. “He’s a good choice from that perspective.”
Jess Johnson, the Wyoming Wildlife Federation’s government affairs director, also looked fondly at the selection. Nesvik, she said, “could bring the middle along” and cares an “awful lot” about wildlife in the West.
“I’m excited to see what he can do with the rest of the states,” Johnson said. “He understands the political calculations. [The decisions] are not always easily accepted on the ground, but I do believe that he has the best interest at heart for wildlife.”
He understands the political calculations. [The decisions] are not always easily accepted on the ground, but I do believe that he has the best interest at heart for wildlife.”
jess johnson
If confirmed, Nesvik would continue with a recent tradition of Westerners and Wyoming residents in the top posts at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
His predecessor, Williams, is a Montanan. The Fish and Wildlife Service’s prior deputy director, Siva Sundaresan, formerly lived in Jackson and Lander.
Brian Nesvik oversaw the CODY ROBERTS matter (Daniel, WY) where a young wolf was run down with a snowmobile and taken to a local bar where JEANE IVY ROBERTS and others tortured it and ultimately killed it. Nesvik should not be allowed anywhere near wildlife, as his sole interest is facilitating its exploitation. We will fight to ensure he is never placed in a position of federal power.
An awful lot of the comments show a distinct lack of knowledge of how wildlife laws and our courts work. I mostly agree with Joe Gilbert. I spent time as Nesvik’s neighboring game warden and working under him later in his Wyoming career. Didn’t necessarily agree with his politics but he was a good leader. Many of his wildlife management decisions showed him to really care for our wildlife resources.
I am a Colorado resident & an.avaid outdoorsman & conservationist. I don’t know of Brian, but I think his record speaks for itself. His experience & knowledge & his love for wildlife makes him very suitable for the position. If President Trump chose him then he’s the right man.for.the job. Trump always does his homework before he makes a decision.
Great choice. Trump finally picked a qualified and experienced person for leadership. Good chance that we stay on the right track to protect and preserve our country’s wildlife. We need to keep our wildlife protected and healthy for future generations. Hope he gets confirmed.
So many of President Trump’s picks, are individuals that blatantly support him either thru monetary means, or grovel for his endorsement. So I’m curious just what Nesvik has done that brought him to the Presidents attention. Could it possibly be his work to try to undo portions of the Endangered Species Act, or perhaps the now infamous Cody Roberts fiasco. Whatever it was, I’ll take a wait and see attitude, but I’m not feeling good about this or any of the other picks that President Trump has foisted on us.
So what is different than anyone else does it? Out side of Biden who picked the most inept. However Trump will fire those who can’t do the job. If it turns out that way
I believe this nominee is wrong for the position. He is okay with snowmobiling over wolves and other wildlife, therefore okay with torture of wildlife. He is not fit for the job of Director of U.S. Wildlufe Services.
Having retired from Oregon Fish and Wildlife and being a hunter, I hope that Brian Nesvic is a good choice for leading the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Protecting our endangered wildlife should be a top priority along with balancing game and fish through good management. I have heard some negative things about his management of Wyoming’s endangered species.
I have a different perspective on Brian Nesvik. I provided training and mentoring to him in the early days of his career. He always had a strong work ethic, a willingness to learn and a commitment to do what was right. As fellow Regional Wildlife Supervisors, we spent long hours working on complex wildlife management issues. Brian always insisted that decisions be based on data, science and the opinions of those affected by the decision. When he became Chief Game Warden and my boss I made it clear to him that I would always tell him what I thought, even when I thought he was wrong. He ran the Wildlife Division in a way where employees were encouraged to speak freely. Dissenting opinions were never taken personally. Discussions were thorough and decisions were made in a timely manner. We may not have all agreed, but we stood fully behind his decisions. I think he is an excellent choice to lead the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Since he basis his decision on science this will be a first for the Trump administration and a step forward.
What data suggests is morally acceptable to run down wolves with a snowmobile? Your disregard for Nesvik’s shortsighted policies reflects poorly on you as a ‘mentor’. Reconsider who you support.
Not familiar with Nesvik, seems there could be worse choices (see: SecDef, DNI and HHS absolute loons). Everything the current admin touches turns to manure, Nesvik’s time will come. If he is indeed a decent human being, I feel bad for the guy. For Americans who find the last several weeks as appalling as the rest of the Western world does, take the long-term approach. Dim witted citizens nearly destroyed all of our land and wildlife in the early 1900s, much of it thru wholesale market slaughter and greed. Their ilk are back in power again. We’ll save what we can now, and count on our neighbors to keep species alive, so we can give reintroduction another shot later down the line. Whatever team orange feels they can destroy – okay, we and our children and grandchildren will rebuild it when the time comes. Once ‘murika is a smoldering ash heap, Americans will pick themselves up and go to work.
Finally a good pick by the new Trump administration.
I’m happy to have sensible representation in Washington. Wyoming and others fly over” states often bear
🙂 the brunt of illogical decisions . I’m 64 and have lived with bears and wolves for most of that time.I have no complaints with the animals. I don’t appreciate the attitudes of some of the folks who claim to watch over them. Most don’t allow thoughtful discussion.
Brian Nesvik is not our friend when it comes to our wildlife. He vastly supports the opinions and agendas of special interest groups.. ranchers. outfitters, trappers, trophy hunters. Doing so supports his centered interests as a sportsman vs having a proactive non biased opinion. His support of immediate delisting of our wolves and grizzlies illustrates his denial of factual supporting documentation as to why these actions would be detrimental to both species. Presently in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho our wolves are being egregiously slaughtered including entire families in dens. In the Cody Riberts abusive treatment and ultimate killing of an innocent juvenile wolf, Nesvik said stiffer penalties would not be imposed because the animal was a predator… I’ll remind everyone the young wolf was purposely run down with a snowmobile, purposely gagged, humiliated and tirtyred then taken outback of a bar and shot!! That’s the “okay” mindset of Brian Nesvik!! No animal rights but all rights go to what should alarm sane, ethical people. Nesvik will serve the “killing” community vs implementing education, regulations, protocols and funding for concerned livestock ranchers to coexist who have outlived their control of the reins on the future of our wildlife. When is the “Golden Age” for our wildlife?!?! It’s not with Brian Nesvik. It’s a death sentence.
The time has come for Grizzly numbers to be properly managed in the GYE.
The bears are NOT endangered in the GYE.
Managed hunts NOW!
Why such a bloodlust for grizzlies? I’m sure they have never bothered you nor any livestock you have. While living in Africa I marveled how well lions, and crocs live in harmony with the people. Here predators have no respect.
Is he going to continue to support cruelty to our wildlife?! Terrorizing and maiming any creature is inhumane and antisocial yet he appears soft on that issue.
Is he going to be weak and just cater to guides, hunters and ranchers without regard to the endangered species list and rest of the outdoors community (wildlife watchers, photographers, campers, hikers, fishers, etc.) His reputation leads one to fear him as a so called protector of our wild resources.
Exactly. Wyoming has probably the worst record of all the states in so-called “wildlife management”. It’s just kill, kill, kill in any manner at all, no license or tag necessary when you’re in that 95% predator zone. All humanity is suspended.
I can hope they protect our wildlife expertly the bears it seems people are trying to invade on there land please protect our four legged friends
Brian is the worse candidate he will delist the grizzlies and he is for slaughtering them and the mountain lions and is for continuing the inhumane slaughter of wolves he is not for wildlife he is pure evil. We have to fight and not let him get in and Trumps son’s trophy hunt illegally.
Agree 100% !!
I hope if Nesvik is confirmed, he remains a wildlife advocate at heart and remembers that management is to protect the wildlife not the people. They have no voice in Washington or the state they reside in.
Their home is not a zoo. Population control (aka hunting and fishing) is necessary to prevent disease and overall harm but there are appropriate mechanisms and laws to their methods.
The same goes for conservation and restriction. Too much or little of either can be deadly to all species.
I pray mankind open their eyes and minds to true wildlife management and listen to reason and common sense. This man has both.
Where does he stands on people owning Bald Eagles
I’m sure Nesvik will faithfully obey every one of Dear Leader’s orders without question.
What a sick world we live in. Just when we thought we were rid of him. He and his staff condone the torture of wildlife. He makes me sick.
Brian is a great guy worked with him at the Albany County Sheriff’s Office for a time. He had a great work ethic. He will do well
Wyoming is known for its abuse of wildlife. Continued disgusting acts of wacking wildlife with snowmobiles and was were Cody Roberts tortured , displayed in a bar and then killed a young wolf named “Hope”
Brian Nesvik is the one who let Cody Roberts, notorious wolf torturer and killer off with a $250 fine. This man is about the last person who should be head of the US Fish and Wildlife. He is a wolf hater and if he studied ecology he would learn they are an essential species. I can see why Trump selected him because now Trump will be given a Greenlight to drill and destroy where ever he wants because Nesvik could care less about ESA!
Certainly a good fit for the Trump-Musk administration.
Oh he’ll certainly fit “right” in
He will wipe out our wildlife, first the grizzlies and then the wolves and then the mountain lions please please choose someone else he is not what we want he is bad and evil he will do mass destruction on our wildlife. People do your research and educate yourself on this man they don’t tell you his bad and evil ways.
Please protect and preserve our beautiful parks and all the wonderful wildlife that live there. Please keep wolves and grizzlies on the endangered list and no killing of animals from the air.
Where does he stand on the practice of chasing down and running over game with snowmobile and atvs?
Unfortunately we will probably be disappointed
Shannon – That’s kind of the point. On the predator management working group of the legislature’s TRW committee this summer, he agreed with ranching lobbyists that chasing and running down listed predators was fine and dandy. They just needed to be run over enough times to ensure a quick death – no more hauling wounded wildlife to the bar for a manly show-and-tell. He could have taken the principled position that this violates Wyoming standards of ethical hunting. He didn’t. His role in WGFD in keeping Cody Roberts episode under wraps has never been clarified. On those grounds alone, he has no business running the USFWS.
Then again, for an administration where cruelty is often the point, he will be with his like minds.
Too bad that Nesvik like so many of his Wyo G&F redshirt rubythroated comrades never really learned the distinction between wild animals and game animals.
Yes exactly
If you want the face of US Fish and Wildlife to be a cartoon of Brian Nesvik on a snowmobile chasing down wolves and coyotes to “whack”, he is your guy. The barbaric practice happened under his watch, he navigated it but he did not take responsibility for it. It became an international embarrassment for our state and now he is tapped to represent our country? Please give Americans a person we can respect.
Perfectly said!
Bring on the grizzly bear hunt!!
Glad to see someone with some common sense appointed to that position. Brian is a great selection!!
You don’t have a clue what common sense is.