THE PRODIGAL SONWHEN YOU'RE CHAIRMAN OF GAME AND FISH AND YOUR FAMILY IS IN THE TIMBER BUSINESS THAT'S HOW YOU FEEL

Comments (0) By Michael Kiefer Wednesday, Nov 11 1992

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The resentment still burns brightly "out on the ground" between Kaibab and Game and Fish employees. Ever the diplomat, Gordon apologizes for his father by saying, "You spend 40 years of your life building something and someone threatens it, it goes right to the quick. I don't blame him, and I respect him for it."

But in the end, he had to stand behind the professionals in his department.
@rule:
@body:Gordon's pickup roared along the graded dirt road that runs the ridge line out of the canyon, headed back toward town. Turkey vultures circled slowly over the range, as if contemplating the carcass of his public career. He lost the sheriff's race by 1,200-some votes, a worse showing than he'd hoped for. His term as Game and Fish commissioner ends this winter, and he has no intention of being reappointed. These are hard times for ranching. When asked if he could go back to Kaibab Industries, he says, "There's no back to go back to. Never worked for em.

"I guess I've got to sit down and think about what I'm going to do with my life." And so he wanders off on the path of prodigal son, collecting opinions to bring back to the family's Thanksgiving dinner.