Domestic elk in Idaho

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BOISE — It was supposed to be just an informational session, but sometime after the pointed questions and declarations began, Sen. Tom Gannon, R-Buhl, was passed a note from a colleague.

It read simply, "The hearings have begun."

The issue of domestic elk ranches in Idaho, and more specifically the enclosed hunting outfits offered by some of those ranches, has been a hot-button political issue ever since more than 60 elk were reported escaped from an Eastern Idaho enclosure on Aug. 14, 2006.

If anything, Friday's session at the state capitol in Boise showed the issue will likely become a veritable firestorm by the time official hearings start in early February.

"I really feel this will be the public issue of the Legislature this year," said Rep. Ken Andrus, R-Lava Hot Springs, the vice chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. "You can see there's a lot of opinion and there's a lot of consequence.

"I think people in the state already know what they'd like to see, but they might not have all the facts."

During Friday's meeting, Jim Unsworth, bureau chief of wildlife for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, said the department doesn't believe "canned" hunts offer a fair chase.

"(The commissioners) do not believe the shooting of elk behind high fences matches the definition of hunting," Unsworth said.

In addition, many sportsmen are concerned domestic elk could spread diseases into wild populations in cases where the two groups interact.

But private-property rights defenders made it clear the effort to ban such "shooter bull" operations won't be an easy one.

"It seems to me a bit of a reach that we keep going back to disease when we haven't established the presence of disease," said Rep. JoAn Wood, R-Rigby.

According to Fish and Game numbers, there are currently about 5,600 elk behind fences in Idaho. A total of 221 have reportedly escaped since the Department of Agriculture took over the domestic cervidae program in 1994.

But it wasn't until at least 67 elk escaped through a hole in Rex Rammell's fence at his Fremont County ranch that the issue became politically charged.

After a neighbor reported the loose elk, former Gov. Jim Risch ordered a depredation hunt on Rammell's escaped ungulates and more than 40 were killed. In the time that followed, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer called on the Gem State to do away with such operations.

Officials say about 20 of the elk are still unaccounted for.

On Friday, John Chatburn, a wildlife specialist with the Idaho Department of Agriculture, said Rammell could still face charges in connection with the incident.

"This is not a closed investigation yet," Chatburn said. "I think my legal folks have told me that's about all I can say."

Depending on what comes from the Legislature, sportsmen's groups have also told lawmakers they may take the matter into what their own hands.

"The end result will be they will run the Montana initiative if they're not satisfied with what happens," said Rep. Fred Wood, R-Burley. "That's the hammer."

The Montana initiative, narrowly passed by Treasure State voters in 2000, effectively neutered the domestic cervidae industry by preventing game farm owners from handing over their licenses to other individuals or entities.

In Idaho, Senate minority leader Clint Stennett, D-Ketchum, predicted such a measure would likely succeed.

"I think it would fly," Stennett said. "I'm certainly an advocate for private property, but when it endangers a public resource, it shouldn't trump that."

Wyoming also outlawed game farms in the 1970s and has upheld the law in several court cases.

Committee leaders said any bills related to domestic cervidae or so-called "shooter bull" operations will go through the Senate Agriculture Committee, which is led by Gannon.

By Dan Boyd

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