The original Truth about Elk website was created Fall 2006 following "The Great Elk Escape" in Eastern Idaho. Played out like a Hollywood drama within the media, the great escape and associated events had all the perfect components to win an Oscar. Produced by Mr. Mark Bell, President of "Idaho Sportsmen's Caucus Advisory Council" (ISCAC). Mr. Bell not only produced this production but also starred in the leading role. Mr. Bell played the President of a powerful "sportsman's" group in Idaho whose mission statement was to have Idaho's sportsmen and women "gain a voice and serious influence in conservation issues that affect our wildlife." What viewers would soon realize was that this resident group had turned into something it wasn't originally intended to be. On the outside, and in the beginning, this seemed like a savior and a real voice for Idaho's sportsmen... However, over time, this organization was infiltrated by left-leaning environmental activists who were working side by side with Idaho's Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), another example of an organization that is not what it seems and has become something other than what it is intended to be.

Politics at their worst in action...

Throughout this drama, much mis-information was spread around Idaho and surrounding states in regards to the ethics, management, and disease protocols withing Idaho's domestic cervidae industry.  You see, at the time of the great escape, ISCAC was and still is today serving as a mouthpiece for some in the IDFG, as a State Department cannot legally publicly lobby for any of this type of nonsense, thus they've had ISCAC doing it for them. 

Just this past Legislative Session, ISCAC was in support of IDFG's fee increases, claiming to once again represent Idaho's sportsmen. Yet ISCAC was not representing Idaho's true sportsmen, but instead supporting a "bonus" to IDFG, and for what?  Extreme mis-management of wildlife diseases and non-native predators that have been decimating our wild herds. 

Rather than ISCAC and IDFG focus their time and energy on matters that actually affect our wildlife and hunting heritage, they seem to prefer to shift any blame while ignoring proven, existing threats and focusing on an industry that does not pose any proven threat to our wildlife or hunting lifestyle here in Idaho.  This neglect of the real issues and politically motivated harassment of a legitimate agricultural industry, such as with other livestock industries says a lot about the real motivation behind all of this.

Sure, domestic cervids "could" carry disease, yet Idaho's cervid ranchers have monitored, tested, and managed our animals throughout the past 20 years and have had no positive disease testing results.  This cannot be said for Idaho's wild herds.  The facts speak for themselves, as disease exists outside of the fences of Idaho's domestic cervidae facilities, in Idaho's horribly mis-managed wild herds. One must wonder why IDFG and ISCAC are disregarding the proven fact that disease can walk and has walked across Idaho's borders? We have already seen the impact that the Brucellosis-infected wild elk from Yellowstone had on Idaho's Beef industry in 2002. We also know that there was a 3 year old wild moose found approximately 40 miles outside of Idaho just last year that was infected with CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease).

Is the ultimate goal for these organizations to continue to decimate our wild herds with disease, lack of predator control and overall mis-management..... and to demolish the domestic cervidae industry which produces healthy, disease-monitored venison products every year... so that not only will we not have this source of healthy, nutritious and versatile stock, but also not have any wild deer, elk, or moose to hunt each Fall?

For an organization who's mission statement states the following: "...we can present a united front against anti-hunting nonsense, habitat destruction, and against bad-science game management programs that might represent other interests than those of wildlife..." it's ironic that ISCAC teamed up with HSUS, the largest anti-hunting group in the world, in 2007 to spread false rhetoric to destroy the domestic cervidae industry here in Idaho?  Everything about this issue over the past 3 years at least, along with the ignored real wildlife issues seems to be a complete contradiction.

ISCAC and IDFG know that the real disease risk does not exist on our "side of the fence."  Instead they continue to ignore the fact that their own garden has lacked tending to in the last several years. If the actual problems being faced by Idaho's wildlife continue to be denied or ignored, the destruction and ultimate elimination of Idaho's wildlife will be at hand. 

If ISCAC was a true hunting organization and  put even half the effort that they have been spending on the domestic elk industry into tackling actual, proven Idaho wildlife/hunting issues, much would have been accomplished. Instead they continue to launch a political agenda against a responsible livestock industry all the while ignoring the real problems which exist in this state and it's mis-management of wildlife.