01. November 2017 · Comments Off on Idaho Wildlife Federation Hosts Sportsman Gubernatorial Candidate Forum (update) · Categories: Current Events

Plan to Attend this event – Make your views on Public Lands in Idaho known!

To accomadate the recently scheduled BSU home game, we have moved the Sportsman Forum to 2:30pm of the same day, Dec. 2nd.  The location is still the Special Events Centerin Boise State University’s Student Union Building.

  • Doors open at 2:30pm. Forum begins at 3:00 and ends at 4:30.
  • Reception has changed to Payette Brewing Co. at 5:00, and everyone who attends both events gets a beer or soda on us!
  • FREE PARKING in the Lincoln Parking Garage.

Click this Facebook Event Page link to let us know you’re “going” and follow news on the event.

 

Idaho Wildlife Federation Hosts Sportsman Gubernatorial Candidate Forum

http://www.idahowildlife.org/idaho-wildlife-federation-hosts-sportsman-gubernatorial-candidate-forum/

Contact: Brian Brooks, Idaho Wildlife Federation Executive Director (208.870.7967)

BOISE- The Idaho Wildlife Federation and 17 affiliated sportsman and wildlife groups across the state are hosting a Sportsman Gubernatorial Candidate Forum December 2nd at the Special Event Center in the Student Union Building at Boise State University. . The venue accommodates several hundred attendees and free on-campus parking is provided.

Candidates will weigh in on natural resource topics important to over 400,000 hunting and fishing license holders in the state ranging from public lands access, public fish and wildlife management and hunter/angler retention.

Brian Brooks, executive director of the Idaho Wildlife Federation, says the Forum is an informative tool for sportsmen heading to the ballot box. “This is an opportunity for the folks vying for Idaho’s top leadership position to communicate to Idaho sportsmen and women their opinions, strategies, and solutions addressing the complex issues facing Idaho’s wildlife, public lands, and massive outdoor recreation industry.”

Gubernatorial candidates received invitations to the Sportsman Forum on September 15th with a range of available dates.

“We appreciate that the candidates for Governor have agreed to come down and talk to sportsmen,” said Michael Gibson, Idaho Field Coordinator for Trout Unlimited. “Idahoans share a passion for the outdoors and the hunting and fishing opportunities it provides. I think they want to be sure their future Governor shares that passion, or at the very least, understand it.”

The forum will be moderated by Eric Barker, outdoor editor for the Lewiston Tribune.

The event is free for the public and a reception is planned in the Hatch Room of the Student Union building just after the forum concludes.

To follow updates for the event and add it to your calendar, click this link to the Facebook event or sign up for our email network for free.

Raul Labrador – Public Lands Position

Idaho Representative Raul Labrador voted to continue using tax dollars to explore ways to transfer public lands straight to private ownership, contradicting own claims.

WASHINGTON D.C. – On September 13, 2017 Idaho Representative Raul Labrador voted on a bill amendment that gave us a glimpse of truth regarding his views on public lands. Considering he has told Idahoans that he does not want to see public lands sold off, it was a move that left those who value public lands and wise use of tax dollars feeling deceived, even among his own supporters. In four short steps we will walk you through the content and context of the vote.

BACKGROUND:

For some time the Representative has boasted that he believes our national public lands should be transferred to state ownership. This worries many people because states are constitutionally obligated to maximize profits from such lands, which results in singular management directives and often their sale (Idaho has sold 41% in just over 100 years). Though the state of Idaho has violated its own constitution over 300 times selling lands illegally, fears of a public lands transfer are further bolstered by several economic studies illustrating that states would need to increase land sales to pay for newly incurred management costs like fire fighting, noxious weeds management, watershed health, and so on. In fact, a nonpartisan study found the state of Idaho would lose money in eight of nine scenarios if public lands were transferred. So, rightfully Idaho sportsmen and other public lands users have relentlessly expressed opposition of the transfer, sale, or privatization of our public lands.

PAST PROCLAMATION:

Regardless, Representative Labrador defends his platform mentioning he doesn’t want our public lands sold to private ownership, though he has offered no solution to prevent such sales if public lands were transferred. Here is a video of the Representative telling our executive director that he has been wrongfully accused of wanting to sell public lands into private ownership. And here is an article where the Representative states, “a group of people are saying we want to sell off our federal lands and there is no truth to that at all.”

CONTRADICTION:

This September, Amendment 371 was introduced on the House floor. The Amendment would have prohibited the use of public funds to pursue ways to transfer federal lands to private owners. Voting for Amendment 371 would be the perfect way for Rep. Labrador to verify his claims that “a group of people are saying we want to sell off our federal lands and there is no truth to that at all.” He voted against it, directly contradicting his own claims. That’s right- Rep. Labrador voted down the amendment, approving the use of public funds to find ways to sell public lands to private owners.

REVELATION:

If you feel misled, or deceived, that is understandable. The threat of losing hunt-able and fish-able acreage does not sit well with Idahoans. What’s worse is being told by a politician that the threat doesn’t exist, while he actively votes to make the threat a reality.

Some people call this – this saying one thing and doing another – lying. Us sportsmen might embellish a fish story or two, but we don’t like outright lying. Honesty is the mark of good character, a good lesson to learn for folks who represent us.

Representative Mike Simpson voted in favor of Amendment 371.

01. November 2017 · Comments Off on In Case of Emergency – ICE · Categories: Around The Campfire, Education

I teach Emergency Preparedness for horse and mule riders at equine events across the country and it’s amazing how many people don’t think about equine identification.Fortunately, Sierra View Ranch has thought about the topic. A lot. Their line of “In Case of Emergency” or I.C.E. products (including the I.C.E. Halter, I.C.E. Clip-on tag. I.C.E. UltraLite, and the ManeStay) has been created with one goal in mind. To help reunite you and your animal in case a ride becomes “eventful”.

The beauty of all I.C.E. products is in the highly visible “I.C.E. INFO INSIDE” tag that opens to reveal info on the animal. These ingenious horse labels are a fabulous way to keep your contact information on your animal in case the two of you become separated.

You can learn more about these products at the Sierra View Ranch General Store http://www.sierraviewranchgeneralstore.com.