Moose Droppings

One Man’s Terrorist is another Man’s Patriot; One Man’s Elk Hunt is Another’s Butchering

May 07, 2007 @ 11:05 pm by Moose

Tom over the Black Bear Blog has an interesting story today about elk ranching and the steps some folks maybe willing to go to end this industry in Idaho. I certainly have some mixed feelings on the topic and I bet many of you do as well. I will not debate the merits of either idea but I’ll remind you there is a variety of these types of topics that are just waiting to tear the hunting community apart;

• Hunting deer with dogs
• Hunting bears with dogs
• Hunting mountain lions with dogs
• Baiting deer
• Baiting bears
• Trapping bears
• Trapping in general
• Crossbows
• Scopes on muzzleloaders
• Radios & Cell Phone Use while hunting

And the list could go on and on.

Go to any hunting camp in the country and pick the right topic off that list and just step back and watch the fireworks fly. If nothing else we all feel passionate about our sport and often to the determent of the big picture will fight each other tooth & nail.

Now if you haven’t read Tom’s post please do and then come back and see what my thoughts are on this.

Well welcome back. Elk farming or ranching has been a hot topic for a while in the west. Many sportsmen groups including the Rocky Mountain Elk foundation are opposed to it so it should not be surprising that a group of sportsmen were speaking disparagingly of the practice. Even if what is being reported is exactly right as how it was said that day I don’t see a call for “domestic terrorism” as some of my fellow bloggers are suggesting.

Kent Marlor & Don Clower from my reading have been actively involved for a number of years in the politics of wildlife management in the state of Idaho. The battle between who should have a say in wildlife management, how should it be funded, along with rules around protecting wildlife vs. domestic animals from diseases has put many ranchers and hunting organizations at odds.

According to John, he heard Kent Marlor say that it would be hard to pass an initiative without positive tests for chronic wasting disease. John said he was unable to hear the resulting conversations and could only clearly state hearing, “one year” and “Montana” and “Wyoming”.

From my reading on the subject it would appear that many of the day to day hunters have tired on the topic but the few vocal ones in the Sportsmen Organizations like Mr. Marlor and Mr. Clower want to keep this alive. Sportsmen Organizations need to fire up their base if they want to defeat the elk breeders and there is no doubt that a positive test for CWD would certainly pour gasoline on this smoldering topic.

I talked to Kent Marlor, president of the Idaho Wildlife Federation today, and he said, “We’re disappointed that the legislature is not taking any effective action concerning canned hunts, but we are not surprised. We expected this to be the case. Sportsman are alarmed over the current situation with game farms, and they will move ahead to correct it.”
Marlor said that he wasn’t ready to give out details, but that correction will involve a ballot initiative for the November 2008 general election, probably patterned after Montana’s successful campaign. “I get calls every day wanting to help. The challenge is to get organized.”
He said sportsman will organize on a county-by-county basis to gather 46,000 signatures. “This effort will be broad-based and involve a lot of groups.”

New West

I don’t see in what is being reported enough to suggest that there is an attempt to create some type of incident that would rise to a domestic terrorism incident. I do find it troubling that it sounds like they are considering partnering with groups that are opposed to everything we hold deer. I believe that type of partnership will do nothing to push forward a pro hunting agenda.