Former Idaho Governor Canidate has been charged with poaching

[fowladdict]

From IDFG Facebook site:

Rex Rammell, Idaho Falls, is under investigation in the illegal killing of an elk following a confrontation with an Idaho Fish and Game conservation officer.



The officer was patrolling the Tex Creek Wildlife Management Area east of Idaho Falls late this morning where a late season cow elk hunt is being held. The officer checked Rammell’s elk tag after he saw that Rammell was dragging a dead elk with his snowmobile. The tag was invalid because it was issued for a hunt that closed in October in the Middle Fork elk hunting zone. Elk tags in Idaho are issued for one of 29 elk hunting zones and are not valid elsewhere.



Rammell is alleged to have interfered with the officer’s attempt to seize the elk, made a threatening statement, dragged it back to his vehicle and refused to stop until he reached his residence where he refused to accept a citation. Fish and Game confiscated the elk and will seek formal charges.



I wonder how many people decide they should go hunting in a different unit than what their tag is for...what a joke. This is proof that a lot of politicians are scum!! Moosie in 2012!!

 

[wilecoyote76]

Does Rammell have his elk farm still or did they shut it down after his animals got out into the general population? With the resistance to the citation, it appears he got caught red handed, bloody and all....

 

[fowladdict]

I'm pretty sure it is shut down.

 

[Dinkshooter]

I'm pretty sure it is shut down.

That is a shame.

 

[smarandr]

As someone who's seen a bad apple or two in the Fish and Game Department I wasn't ready to condemn Rex when the story broke, but in this article in the Idaho State Journal Rex does a fantastic job of condemning himself. I think he deserves what ever he has coming to him.

IDAHO FALLS — Rex Rammell, a former gubernatorial candidate with a history of bad blood with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, is being investigated for the alleged illegal killing of an elk.

Rammell acknowledged Tuesday that he refused to give officials the carcass of the elk he’d shot and that two Idaho State Police cars, two Bonneville County Sheriff’s cars and two Fish and Game vehicles followed him to his Idaho Falls home following a confrontation.

A conservation officer patrolling the Tex Creek Wildlife Management Area east of Idaho Falls late Tuesday morning checked Rammell’s tag after seeing him dragging the dead cow elk with his snowmobile, according to Fish and Game officials. The department considers the tag invalid because it was issued for a hunt that closed in October in a different elk hunting zone, called the Middle Fork.

Rammell interprets the rules differently, arguing the regulations request that hunters identify where they plan to hunt but don’t clearly specify that they have to hunt in the zone they designate. Rammell admits his tag was for the Middle Fork zone but said he had no luck there and was within his rights to continue hunting in the Tex Creek area, which closed Tuesday.

“The regulations are unclear,” Rammell said. “They want to know where you are likely to go hunting. I have several spots across Idaho I like to hunt.”

Jon Heggen, chief of enforcement with Fish and Game in Boise, said he’s never heard any other sportsman make the argument Rammell has chosen for his defense.

“Once you pick a zone, you are restricted to the zone which you have. It’s printed right on the tags where they’re good for and when,” Heggen said.

Heggen said officials attempted to cite Rammell upon arriving at his home but Rammell “walked into his house and refused to answer.”

“He has not been cited. We will pursue formal charges with the prosecutor,” Heggen said. “It could be a number of different things.”

Rammell reasons deer tags are good for anywhere in the state, and he sees no reason for elk tags to be any different.

The department also alleged that Rammell made a threatening statement to a conservation officer. Rammell also takes umbrage with that characterization.

“I said I’m not gonna let you take this elk. I worked hard for this elk. He was kind of insistent. Words were getting strong. I said, ‘You’d better take your gun out and shoot me because I’m not going to give up this elk,’” Rammell said. “I didn’t say I was going to shoot him. I made no threats to this guy.”

Rammell told the officer he wouldn’t turn the elk over without a warrant.

“I said, ‘Why do you need my elk?’ He said, ‘For evidence.’ I said, ‘What are you going to do? Take it to court? Take a picture,’” Rammell said.

When Rammell refused to relinquish the elk and drove off, he said a sheriff’s deputy was waiting for him at an intersection in Idaho Falls and followed him to his home, joined by the growing caravan of law enforcement officers. Rammell said the law enforcement officers never activated their lights to stop him before he arrived home.

“Anybody who knows me knows I’ll fight it. I’m not going to take the injustice these guys continue to lay out on the people,” Rammell said.

Rammell blames Fish and Game and former Gov. Jim Risch for ruining a penned elk hunting operation he’d been running in 2006. Risch ordered that escaped elk from Rammell’s operation be shot on sight based on concerns that they might compromise the integrity of the wild herd in the Greater Yellowstone area. His vitriol toward Risch prompted a campaign for Senate in 2008. He ran five months later as a Republican against Rep. Mike Simpson and challenged Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter in the November election.

Known for speaking his mind, Rammell offered a controversial response to a question from an audience member at a rally regarding “Obama tags.” “Obama tags? We’d buy some of those,” Rammell reportedly said.

He’s also referred to the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management as “federal Nazis” and praised global warming as a means of bringing about “a greener, more vibrant world.”

 

[JoseCuervo]

More nonsense from Idaho's republican party standard bearers.... Between him, the Idaho County Sherriff, and Gov. Butch, it is a wonder we have any non-poached wild game left in Idaho.

His theory that his elk tag is portable to any unit across the state, in any month is novel.... I am not sure a judge will agree with it.

 

[fowladdict]

More nonsense from Idaho's republican party standard bearers.... Between him, the Idaho County Sherriff, and Gov. Butch, it is a wonder we have any non-poached wild game left in Idaho.

His theory that his elk tag is portable to any unit across the state, in any month is novel.... I am not sure a judge will agree with it.

You've made it plenty clear now for your dislikes of the following:

Republicans, Christians, Texans, Schmalts and vaginas.

 

[noharleyyet]

....even though he possesses one of the five.

 

[JoseCuervo]

....even though he possesses one of the five.

I may "own" you, but I don't possess you.....

 

[noharleyyet]

....weak....very weak. Don't rush the shot.

 

[highmountian]

I would vote 4 Mossie!

 

[JoseCuervo]

I would vote 4 Mossie!

Maybe we should bring back literacy/spelling tests for potential voters???

 

[noharleyyet]

Maybe we should bring back literacy/spelling tests for potential voters???

....that would insure GOP landslide wins.

 

[fowladdict]

Maybe we should bring back literacy/spelling tests for potential voters???

What is the matter Jose? Such weak comebacks today.

 

[JoseCuervo]

What is the matter Jose? Such weak comebacks today.

Damn Obama and his increased enforcement of illegal immigration has resulted in me having to shovel the 8" of white stuff out in the driveway....