When Idaho Department of Fish and Game entered Rulon Jones’ Blackfoot Mountain Ranch last month to seek and destroy a few remaining wild deer, moose and elk, they were unsuccessful in finding any of the animals. Governor Butch Otter ordered IDFG to stop with this tactic until other possibilities were explored. An announcement has come from the Governor’s office giving Jones two weeks to capture and remove or chase out of his enclosures any remaining wild animals.
Jones had offered in the past to handle getting the animals out of his enclosures and would pay the cost but as has been typical for IDFG, their intent is to distort facts and inflame the story in order to influence public opinion. It wasn’t coincidental that IDFG chose to go after and kill those remaining wild animals immediately after the Idaho Legislature refused to pass a bill that would further regulate the elk industry. IDFG continues to provide lies and misinformation to the press while avoiding the truth.
IDFG tells the media that any and all domestic elk behind fences are a health risk to the public and other wild cervidae. This simply is not true. The Idaho elk breeders constantly test their animals for disease and there has never been found any incidents of chronic wasting disease, brucellosis and tuberculosis. The same cannot be said for the wild cervidae because IDFG does not test these animals. If any of these diseases are found in any of the domestic animals, more than likely it will have come from the wild animals yet, elk ranchers will be blamed.
The odds are stacked in favor of CWD finding its way into Idaho through the wild deer, moose and elk. It is present in surrounding states. The hypocrisy of IDFG comes from the fact that they concentrate their efforts into trying to ban a clean industry that is disease free while paying little attention to the testing and prevention of the spread of these diseases through the wild population. It becomes clear that their agenda is geared toward putting an end to the elk industry.
If Jones is unsuccessful in getting all the wild animals out after two weeks, permits will be issued to have the animals killed.
Tom Remington
