In the continuing saga of the hunt for escaped elk in eastern Idaho, information being made public is at times sketchy, conflicting and ever changing. Whether the Idaho fish and game officials are within their rights to hunt down and kill the escaped elk will more than likely be decided in a court of law. In the meantime a war of words is underway and the hunt continues.
The first problem that faces both the owner, Rex Rammell and wildlife officials is nobody seems to know how many elk escaped. Some reports have the number as high as 200 and others as low as 40. The owner says he thinks around 70 escaped.
The second problem is the animals were not tagged according to regulations for elk farming. According the information I have received, each animal is supposed to be tagged with a bright orange tag visible from at least 150 feet away. Rammell’s elk were tagged with silver or aluminum tags perhaps as big as a quarter. One report states that the tags have become so tarnished they actually blend in with the elk fur. It is also unclear whether Rammell even had all his critters tagged.
How the elk were able to escape the enclosure is also unclear as there have been differing opinions. Now Rammell is saying a bear tunneled under his fence, creating a hole where elk could escape. He also reports that he thinks 70 elk escaped and that he has captured half of them.
The fish and game officials say their hunters have now killed 14 elk. Of those 14 animals killed, nine were cows all wearing tags, one bull with a tag, three calves without a tag and one bull without a tag. They also said they believe some elk have been killed by hunters but didn’t give any more information. It is archery season for elk in that area.
Tissue samples taken from 8 elk killed on Monday have been sent away for testing of disease and genetic purity. Officials have heard rumors that Rammell had been crossbreeding his elk with red deer in hopes of creating a hybrid elk with larger antlers. Rammell denies that he has done that stating it is against the law.
Rammell vows to pursue all legal avenues available to him against the state of Idaho. He also claims to be targeted by those opposed to elk farming and are going to use this incident as a tool to outlaw it.
*All posts on the topic:
More Elk Killed In Idaho – Some By Hunters
Idaho Elk Farmer Plans To Sue The State
Scientists Will Test Killed Idaho Elk For Disease And Genetic Make-up
A Helicopter, A Plane And 25 Agents Can’t Find 160 Domestic Elk
Escaped Idaho Elk Being Slaughtered. Wyoming Ordered To Kill Elk Also
Tom Remington
