Safari Club International Does Not Support Idaho Elk Industry Destruction

Last week I reported that the Idaho Elk Breeders Association was requesting from Safari Club International clarification as to whether they supported the efforts of Mark Bell, a representative of the Idaho Sportsmen’s Caucus Advisory Council, to destroy the state’s domestic elk industry.

Bell and others have been on a bent for several years now to put an end to the Idaho domestic elk industry, so far with little success. Kristy Sternes, president of the Idaho Elk Breeders Association, sent a letter to representatives of Safari Club International asking them to verify if they supported Mark Bell and his efforts. Sternes asserted that when Bell made public appearances aimed at garnering support to abolish the elk industry, he used their name claiming their support. Read more

Rammell Gearing Up For Governor’s Race. Needs Your Help

I am pleased to inform you the campaign is off and running with exactly one year until the Primary. Thank you for the many kinds words of encouragement and support. New people are joining the cause on a daily basis wondering how they can help. Idaho is truly ready for a real conservative to govern her through the difficult times that lie ahead.

It is humbling to contemplate having this great honor to serve the people of Idaho. However, I can assure you that I have been tested and prepared to assume this responsibility. Over the last decade, I have personally experienced the heavy hand of government in my life. It has given me a perspective on the proper role of government that few have.

I have been part of the law making process since 1997. Several key laws and rules have been directly influenced by my actions. In addition to having intense dealings with two of Idaho’s Departments, I have also gained valuable experience in the judicial system. My most recent experience was a Supreme Court case involving the ability to challenge the reasonableness of administrative rules. This case alone could make a very big difference in our lives.

In addition to my experience with the three branches, I have been driven by an unquenchable thirst to learn the correct principles of government. I have spent countless hours studying and learning from conservative authors the application of these principles

I am pleased to announce that my book “A Nation Divided: The War for America’s Soul” has been completed. It has several key constitutional sections that I am sure will help people understand our situation and how to fix it. I am excited to release it.

So for those of you anxious to help, here is my first request. Help me raise enough money to get 250 copies of the book published ($1500), print 20,000 pledge cards to spread across Idaho ($1,200) and do a direct mail piece to 30,000 + members of the Republican party ($10,000) requesting more help.

I am very aware that your finances may look like mine; not very good. I spent $75,000 of my own money in the U.S. Senate race and have very little left to give. However, we can not let that stop us. I will give this campaign everything I have and all I ask is for you to give a little of your time and a little of your money to help me. I need your help, if I am going to win this election. A contribution of any size will be put to good use as we work together to put Idaho and America back on the right track.

Please go to www.voteRammell.com for instructions on how to contribute.

Together, for all of us;

Rex Rammell

Rammell Awaits Ruling Of Idaho Supreme Court

AP Story on Rammell’s Supreme Court Case Inaccurate; Nothing to do with the Elk Escape, not prompted by fence violations

May 13, 2009, a road I have been on for a decade came to an end with my appearance in the Supreme Court of Idaho, while another road, my quest to become Idaho’s 33rd Governor, began.

When I decided to become an elk rancher in 1994, I had no idea of the political ramifications of my decision. However, it quickly became apparent that “freedom to pursue your dreams” came with the contingency “as long as it is politically correct.”

Private elk ranching opened my eyes to the tyranny in government. Administrative agencies rule with an iron hand. They make the rules, they enforce rules, and they judge the rules. They are judge, jury, and executioner. And if you disagree, they will crush you.

I once testified before the legislature about what I felt was unreasonable rules. I said, “If you don’t want us in business, please pass a law that makes it illegal. However, if elk ranching is legal, then please, do not put us out of business with unreasonable regulations.” My plea fell on deaf ears. I had no choice, but to protest.

In 2003, during a Dept. of Ag inspection to verify my inventory, a $3,000 bull elk had one of his antlers torn off. One antler bulls aren’t worth much, so he was destroyed. I sought redress and was denied. The next year when they came out to inventory the herd [only done on elk ranches], I denied them access. They obtained a search warrant, worked the herd, hurt several, then searched my home and confiscated my records. After the search and seizure they wrote up the charges. I was charged with nine counts of violations. $5,000 for each of the following: not gathering and restraining my elk for the inspection, not filling out an intrastate movement form, failure to tag my calves by the end of the year, failure to account for missing tag numbers [the head count was correct], failure to pay annual $5 per head registration fee [only required on elk ranches], and $1,000 each for the following: a post without staples, a pole knock off on one end, two posts wider than 24 feet, and a narrow gap in a gate a calf might squeeze through.

They held a kangaroo court hearing where I was only allowed to talk about the fence violations. They fined me $29,000 and added another $29,000 for attorney fees. I appealed. We won’t know for several months the ruling of the Supreme Court. However, regardless of the decision whether or not to retry the case and let me present evidence as to why the rules were unreasonable, I am proud of the stand I made.

Rex Rammell

208…

367 Talon Dr.

Rexburg, Idaho 83440

Idaho Elk Industry Wants Clarification Of Support From Safari Club International

Since 2006 I have spent countless hours researching and writing, seeking the truth behind efforts in Idaho to destroy a perfectly good domestic elk industry. The effort is ongoing and very unfortunate.

There have been two issues used by those determined to end raising elk for livestock – high-fence hunting and disease. One thing is for sure. There is never a resolve when a discussion comes up about fair chase and hunting ethics. There are those who have determined that hunting inside a fenced-in area, regardless of its size, is wrong and violates their standards of fair chase hunting ethics. On the other side, there are those who take no issue with it, whether they do it themselves or not. Is this reason to destroy an industry? Some think so.

Disease is the second issue. In Idaho’s case, it’s really a non issue because in the 20 years the domestic elk industry has been in existence, there has never been a diseased animal. Guidelines are stringent as well as testing and the practices employed seem to have an incredible track record. Read more

Rammell Makes Official His Intention To Run For Idaho Governor

It’s official. Dr. Rex Rammell in a prepared announcement on May 13, 2009 declared himself a candidate for the seat of governor of the state of Idaho. Following his announcement, Rammell conducted interviews at KBOI radio in Boise and Channel 6 TV in Pocatello.

Rammell appears to be taking to the campaign trail in a serious way at an early stage of a campaign that will culminate in November of 2010 on election day. Saturday the 16th Dr. Rammell rode a horse in a parade in Nampa, wearing red, white and blue chaps that read, “Elect Rammell Governor”. Read more

Rammell Idahos 33rd Governor

My single goal for running for office is to gain a position that will do the greatest amount of good for the people of Idaho. Recent events in Idaho politics have persuaded me to run for the office of Governor.

My platform will continue to support the time tested Republican principles of lower taxes, less spending, and more freedom from government regulations. The government of the State of Idaho will no longer be overlords of the people if I am your governor, but will fulfill their proper role as true servants. We will sweep clean the tyrants and the power mongers and have a new day of accountability.

Specifically, in the first days of my administration, we will organize a task force to remove all illegal aliens from our state borders. In cooperation with the county Sheriffs and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, we will remove the social welfare burden illegals have placed on our state and its people. In addition to removing the illegals, we will make English the official language of Idaho.

We will cancel our agreement with the federal government to continue the ineffective federal education mandate “No Child Left Behind”. Education of our citizens is the responsibility of the parents and the state.

To stimulate our economy and increase revenue for Idaho and her people I will advocate to the legislature that we lower the tax rates across the board. Free market capitalism works best when it is free and unfettered from the bondage of high taxes. Low taxes will bring new businesses to Idaho, which will provide more jobs. Idaho’s taxes have been too high for too long. It is time we get this right.

As Governor, I will use every legal means to remove the wolves. It is not in the best interest of our native wildlife, the true gems of Idaho, to maintain any number of the most effective killing machine God ever created. They must be sacrificed to make Idaho’s big game herds the envy of the world. Under my leadership the mountains of Idaho will be full of native wildlife.

And last but not least, we will give the federal government a Tenth Amendment states’ rights stand, the likes of which they have never encountered. It is time the United States Constitution is enforced to limit the power from Washington D.C. Idaho will lead the way to force the federal government to comply with the United States Constitution. Their usurpation of our states’ rights will be stopped, so help me God.

It is a critical time in Idaho’s history. Our challenges have never been greater. It is time for a true conservative to be the Governor of Idaho.

Rex Rammell 208-716-2053

Marshall Sage: Government Control by “Eliminating The Sovereignty Of The States”

The following is a guest article. I asked Marshall Sage for permission to publish his response to a discussion on state sovereignty and the decimation of the United States Constitution by progressives.

Marshall Sage is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who has enjoyed the freedom to hunt and fish throughout much of the free world. Most recently radio host for “Outdoor Life” a hunting and fishing program in Southwestern Idaho. A life member of SCI and the NRA. Contact at msage22@gmail.com.

Our founding fathers gave our nation a blueprint on how to avoid a centralized, authoritarian government from taking away our individual freedoms (endowed by our Creator) and rights (Bill of Rights). This blueprint was our Constitution. It’s no accident that in less than 200 years of following this blueprint the United States of America became the most prosperous and industrious nation on earth. Read more

Rex Rammell Will Announce His Plans To Run For Idaho’s Governor

On May 13, 2009 in the Caldwell Public Library at 7:00 p.m., Dr. Rex Rammell will announce his intentions to run for the Governor of the state of Idaho. He had earlier announced he intended to run for the U.S. Congressional seat but his heart now tells him differently.

Rammell says the conditions are right for his run. He believes he can beat any challengers. Read more

When You Disagree With Wildlilfe Management, Call It “Flawed Science”

Words are easy to put together that can make something sound wonderful. Words are incredibly powerful and smart people can use them to alter facts and completely change perceptions and reality. They can just as easily be used to present the truth. It is then left up to the individual to learn and decide for themselves.

Jeremy Hance provides commentary on the “flaws in science” of wolf management on a website called Mongabay.com. I’m not going to spend my time attempting to debunk the commentary but I will say that it contains mostly all the same rhetoric we hear day in and day out about how the top wolf scientists in the world don’t know what they are doing. He presents incomplete information leading readers to believe things that aren’t quite true. But what I find interesting is his interest in convincing readers that science pertaining to wolves should involve non-scientific theories of fantasy about how ignorant man has no understanding of nature and all we ever do is destroy it. Read more

False Claims About My Representation Of Wolf Facts

I get on a regular basis emails from readers accusing me a many things, aside from the insults and name calling. For the hundredth time the other day I got another email that accused me of writing about wolves and elk that weren’t true, that I was fear mongering by telling readers that wolves where destroying elk herds.

What was typical in this particular email is what I’ve learned to come to expect that often times readers may only land on this site, read an article or two but more times than not skim over and select parts and pieces from here and there and then form conclusions. As a result, I make an attempt to write accordingly to cover recaps and provide links. The truth is I can’t do all the readers’ work for them and therefore I must deal with the results. Read more