What Idaho officials say and what Rex Rammell says seem to differ greatly. Article in the Times-News
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is past President of the Western Watersheds Project and the creator of The Wildlife News.
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Are they going to make this guy, who has the “game farm” pay for this? Seems he has caused all the trouble, and he is a vet? GEEESEE
He is always called a “veterinarian” in the news articles. He seems to have some considerable political clout in what Idahoans call the Upper [Snake River] Valley.
Governor Risch is from the Boise area and has no reason to give him more slack. Governor Risch is also running for office and it’s pretty clear there isn’t much grassroots love for elk bull shooting farms — few votes.
I had never heard of Rammell before.
Game farms that have wild species held captive and so used to human presence that a hunter paying big bucks to shoot them, might as well be shooting a domestic dog or cat.
From the news reports, it is not known whether the “elk” that escaped are truly elk or not. The game farm owner claims the animals are healthy and not a risk to wild elk.
If that is truly the case – then more power to the escaped elk and may they be free of the chains that some subhuman imposed on them – to live behind fences – never to be free until some moron paid enough money to shoot them.
There is not enough accurate information yet to conclude if these pathetic caged elk are a threat to wild elk.
Idaho should ban “game farms”. The people that are advocating that the escaped elk be gunned down, ought to think a bit about the circumstances that allowed elk to be caged.
Ms. Tyler, do you live here in Idaho??? Are you DIRECTLY affected by these things??? Well I DO live in Idaho and these things affect me DIRECTLY. And you are up here screaming “Ban them!!!” Tell your thoughts to the Make A Wish Foundation kids who get the one chance to hunt or see elk on one of these elk farms. Tell the disabled who wish to see an elk up close that he shouldn’t be able to. Tell the people who take medications made from antlers produced on these farms that they shouldn’t have it available to them anymore. This Rammell is a bad apple and horrible example, and is causing the possible distruction to all elk farms, those who operate appropriately and according to law. Thanks for your help.
I understand but disagree with the thought of elk farms but I don’t understand how an operator of one of these farms can be unsure of the number of elk they have. If the elk are required to be tagged and are indeed tagged wouldn’t there be a record of the number of elk missing? Why hasn’t the state gone in to check on his current herd or looked at his records?
He wouldn’t let the state in, and when he was fined, some local state legislators got the Idaho Legislature to rescind the fines.
I guess that would quality as a worthy example of special interest legislation.
Which supports: If they guy followed law and regulation and/or was forced to pay the price or lose the animals, this never would have happened.