Freudenthal to Idaho: Ban game farms
In the wake of domestic elk escaping from an Idaho game farm, Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal is asking the neighboring state to ban game farms and to help enact a communication system among the two states and Montana.
In a letter dated Thursday, Freudenthal thanked Idaho Gov. Jim Risch for the actions he took calling for a hunt on the escaped elk, and for the state notifying Wyoming.
Freudenthal said Wyoming banned game ranching 30 years ago "because of the obvious risks to wildlife and, further, to avoid situations like the one at Conant Creek from happening."
"We still firmly believe the ramifications of such operations to legitimate hunting recreation, and disease transmission -- including brucellosis -- to wildlife and domestic livestock, is not in the public interest," the Democrat wrote. "I'm hopeful that as a result of this regrettable development, that Idaho will consider implementing similar restrictive measures against game ranching and related high fence shooting operations."
So, the Governor of Wyoming wants Idaho to ban game farms because, among other things, the danger of Brucellosis transmission to domestic critters is too high.
EXCUSE ME GOV. FREUDENTHAL, YOU CONTINUE TO SPREAD BRUCELLOSIS AMONG ELK IN YOUR STATE ON THE FEEDING GROUNDS YOU SUPPORT AND ENDANGER YOUR STATES, AND OTHERS, BRUCELLOSIS FREE STATUS BY DOING SO. HOW DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ANYTHING IDAHO DOES WHEN YOU ARE THE MAIN PROBLEM IN THE REGION WHEN IT COMES TO BRUCELLOSIS.
I always find hypocrisy like this funny, maddening but funny. Here Wyoming is just relaxing Brucellosis restrictions from their Brucellosis wreck and are now blaming other states. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Wyoming needs to get its own house in order before they start running around telling other people what to do with theirs.
As for a personal comment on game farms in Idaho. I have no problem with game farms. Montanans outlawed them by initiative a few years ago but if Idaho wants to have them, fine. The game farm in question where the elk got loose was not being run in accordance with Idaho law so the owner is getting what he deserves and ought to be financially responsible for the mess he is creating. As long as sufficient protections exists for wildlife it's fine. There could always be a problem, but with the proper safeguards they are minimal.
Democracy is hypocrisy without limitation. Iskander Mirza
Passed by lower Sarpy Cr yesterday & thought of you. My son and I were returning from our funnest antelope hunt ever. Covered just a staggering amount of country, north and east of you a ways. Hunted a couple of ranches we have permission on, including a ~150 section one where we are the only antelope hunters. No money changed hands, just some nice letters that include fortuitous references. Also hunted a couple of Block Management places and a pile of BLM and State ground. And yes, I finally saw a Booner, but couldn't close the deal. After passing on several bigger ones, my kid shot an average buck with his single-action Blackhawk .357, not your typical antelope gun.
Yesterday we were coming out of that big place, and had stopped so the kid could alarm some prairie dogs with near misses, at a spot that I would argue is in fact, the Middle of Nowhere. As far as you can see in any direction; no houses, no trees, nothin'. While he was burning pistol ammo I was walking around and discovered two adjacent pits in the ground, about ten feet square and maybe three feet deep. The ranch manager later confirmed those were homesteads <shudder...>.
What led them to pick that spot, on a bald gumbo ridge a 40 mile horseback ride from town... I wonder if a "locator" had any part in it, or if they picked it themselves. Looking at those pits triggered emotions I can't easily articulate, but I'm glad my ancestors wound up on the Hi-Line instead. Out where we were yesterday, it's obvious they needed a couple more zeros on the end of homestead acreages. That, and a degree of toughness I'm not sure humans possess.