I suppose that other states have different issues that concern their legislators and senators that are specifically relevant to that state. Idaho is no different. But sometimes it slips back into what I call “little state politics”. How about this bill, in the Idaho Senate this session, from the State’s website
SENATE BILL NO. 1313
BY LANGHORST, STENNETT, ANDREASON, BILYEU
1 AN ACT
2 RELATING TO DOMESTIC CERVIDAE; AMENDING SECTION 25-3701, IDAHO CODE, TO PRO-
3 VIDE THAT PERSONS, ASSOCIATIONS OR CORPORATIONS REGISTERED WITH THE DIVI-
4 SION OF ANIMAL INDUSTRIES PRIOR TO A SPECIFIED DATE MAY HOLD DOMESTIC
5 CERVIDAE IN CAPTIVITY FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES AND TO PROVIDE THAT IMPORTING
6 OF DOMESTIC CERVIDAE SHALL CONSTITUTE A FELONY; REPEALING SECTION 25-3701,
7 IDAHO CODE, RELATING TO DOMESTIC CERVIDAE FARMING DEEMED AGRICULTURAL PUR-
8 SUIT; AMENDING CHAPTER 37, TITLE 25, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW
9 SECTION 25-3701, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN DOMESTIC CERVIDAE
10 FARMING, TO PROVIDE THAT IMPORTING OF DOMESTIC CERVIDAE SHALL CONSTITUTE A
11 FELONY AND TO PROVIDE THAT SHOOTING OR SPEARING OF DOMESTIC CERVIDAE HELD
12 IN AN ENCLOSED AREA FOR FEE OR OTHER REMUNERATION SHALL CONSTITUTE A FEL-
13 ONY; AMENDING SECTION 25-3706, IDAHO CODE, TO CLARIFY THE APPLICABILITY OF
14 CERTAIN PENALTY PROVISIONS; PROVIDING SEVERABILITY; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY
15 AND PROVIDING EFFECTIVE DATES.
An emergency, you say? Sounds pretty serious. But really, they want to make it a FELONY to have an elk farm and do private hunts? I appreciate that the state has an interest in regulating domestic animals, especially when there are wild elk herds in the state that need managing and protecting. Regardless what you think about big game farms and farm hunts, does it really rise to the level of a FELONY? Three Democrats and a Republican put this together. Smells kinda funny to me.
They tried to pass a bill like this last year, and thankfully it went nowhere. For most folks in Idaho, this is a little too much nanny state control of private citizen’s lives. If a farmer or rancher decides he can make better use of his ranch by running a private bull elk hunt on his own private (fenced in) herd, then more power to him. What difference is there between this and a bison farm? Or a private pheasant hunting property? Or a privately stocked fishing lake? Can anyone explain this whole anti-elk farm thing to me? And if some guy who can’t go up into the mountains for two weeks to get an elk in an open hunt wants to spend his money shooting one on a farm, please tell me what the State’s compelling interest is here, and why it should be a FELONY?
Now, when you dig a little bit more into the Idaho elk farming situation you find there is nothing simple about it. Power, politics, personalities, and of course money, are all involved here. Who is in whose pocket and who is trying to take down someone else… bah! I’m not sure I want to be the guy who writes the big investigative report on Idaho’s private elk farm controversy. I know that in “little state politics” it’s more about screwing the other guy than it is about common sense. But for crying out loud, going all the way to the State Senate and trying to make it a FELONY? Shame on all of you! Get a life…
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