Sheriff’s 7 tips for eclipse travelers: ‘Our wildlife will kill you, it will hurt the whole time you are dying’

Composite image | St. George News

ST. GEORGE — For those planning to travel to Idaho to experience the much-anticipated solar eclipse Monday, one sheriff has taken to social media to offer some one-of-a-kind, straightforward, useful tips regarding guns, ranchers, the weather, wildlife and more.

Within two days of its posting, Lincoln County Sheriff Rene Rodriguez’s Facebook message had garnered thousands of likes and more than 3,000 shares.

“With the Solar Eclipse almost upon us, I have seen many helpful posts and public service announcements, but I feel they fall short in several areas,” Rodriguez said in the post. “I will try to cover some of those.”

Read more: Total Solar Eclipse: Are you ready for this once in a lifetime opportunity?

The sheriff spelled out the following things to keep in mind for visitors to his county:

  1. Idaho has a huge amount of public land open to exploring and enjoying, but it isn’t a garbage dump. Take out what you take in. We live here 365 days a year. The public land is our back yard. We hunt, fish, trap, and camp there and will take it as a personal insult if you screw it up.

2. With that being said, not all land is public. There is a lot of private land including ranches and farms that have been in the family for over a hundred years. If there is a No Trespassing sign at a gate or road that means you. Stay out or some gentleman wearing a cowboy hat, wearing irrigating boots, and riding a four-wheeler will let you hear it.

3. We drive trucks, tractors, combines, and swathers on the highway going about our business. They go pretty slow and won’t move faster if you sit behind us and honk. In fact, they actually go a bit slower. We live here. You don’t. Be patient and enjoy the scenery.

4. There is a very good chance you will see someone carrying a firearm. Yes, it is loaded and no I don’t have a damn permit for it. Everybody, and I mean everybody, owns a gun in Idaho and a lot of us carry one quite regularly. Don’t panic. Don’t call the police. And above all, behave and treat us and our state with respect and there won’t be a problem.

5. Our dogs. Our dogs ride in the back of our trucks and they like it. Sure a few slow learners take a tumble every once in a while, but for the most part they do just fine. Don’t pet them while they are in the truck. They will bite you. Numerous times if possible. The truck is their’s not your’s and they take their security duties seriously. Again, don’t panic and don’t call the police because they don’t give a damn and they are probably going to be busy saving some tourist who received incorrect map directions from their Tom-Tom.

6. Our wildlife will kill you and it will hurt the whole time you are dying. Elk, moose, bison, and grizzly bears take great pleasure in playing hacky sack with tourists that get too close. They are wild animals and are not trained circus acts. If you must harass our wildlife, may I suggest you go catch a badger. They are really good cuddlers.

7. Our weather will kill you and yes it will hurt the whole time. It snows here every month of the year. Our back roads become death traps when it rains or snows. Your Prius isn’t an offroad vehicle, so stay on the pavement. Don’t make our brave and skilled First Responders have to go looking for you when you go exploring.

Welcome to Idaho….enjoy the Eclipse and have a safe journey home.

Sheriff Rene Rodriguez

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

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35 Comments

  • hiker75 August 18, 2017 at 7:08 pm

    I love it. Well written.

  • comments August 19, 2017 at 12:19 am

    I lived in Idaho a short time. One of the most back-asswards places to exist. There’s a city just outside Boise called Nampa and the whole city is occupied by illegal mexicans that work the potato fields. The nastiest tasting potatoes also come from Idaho. People are really stupid and a lot of them real inbred looking/acting. Everyone drives a pickup and everyone does own guns–that, and how stupid they are is not a good combination. Frickin Idaho. Like a nightmare. Some of it is scenic, but doesn’t compare to UT. I’ll take UT any day. What this guy wrote isn’t satire or humor. It’s how they think, and if you drive a prius they might slash your tires or worse.

    • DRT August 19, 2017 at 9:03 am

      So is there any place you do like? 😉

      • desertgirl August 19, 2017 at 3:44 pm

        Guess he prefers places like NY, Detroit, LA, San Fran, Chicago, SLC to name a few; now talk about wild animals and ignorant people.

    • high5 August 19, 2017 at 9:36 am

      Your messed up and so are your comments COMMENT?????????

      • comments August 19, 2017 at 11:41 am

        so basically i’m dead-on. If I’d lived in boise it probly woulda been better but i lived in some crap town outside it, a “suburb”.

        Oh and at night the whole valley fills with nasty, oily fried potato smell from the massive oreida french fry factories. It’s disgusting. It includes boise and surrounding area. The nicer parts of ID are in the mountains the rest is just nasty. It isn’t the worst place but it’s just full of r-wing loons and kooks. UT is pretty nice in comparison.

    • Rebecca August 20, 2017 at 9:03 pm

      Seriously? You obviously DO NOT know everyone in Idaho. By the way, its okay if you left, we do not need your negativity anyways!! ???

    • Erin August 21, 2017 at 12:25 pm

      Your a real smarties pants. Numero uno Nampa is not full of illegal immigrants. There are some but most have been her a few generations. Number 2 THERE ARE NO ? FARMS IN WESTER IDAHO. Onions yes. We Hillbilly Idahoans farm then potatoes in Easter Idaho cuz the soil is better. Number 3 I’m a first generation American and have live in Boise most my life so are many other Idahoans we take in tons of refugees from all over the world. Plus our illegal issues you spoke about but we have inbreeding that’s ????!! I know many Idahoans that have never owned or operated a gun.
      This article is bs also!! My family on both sides are or have been farmers and riding around with dogs in pickup trucks with guns in racks isn’t really true. People are nice and this isn’t the Wild West.It does not snow all year. In some mountain areas yes but in general no. Sun Valley is a world famous ski resort where people come to ski from all over the world.currently my husband s side of the family is there in their cabin enjoying mountain biking the ski runs and riding the ski lift to go hiking and there is no snow. Not ever this time of year. Yes it can have a flurry you should be prepared as if you were in any back county location. But Boise according to my Egyptian neighbors is hotter then Egypt in the summer lol.
      Wildlife is real just like if your hiking outside LA you can run into a cougars. I’ve hiked all over and haven’t run into any bears or cougars yet. Rattle snakes yes.
      Idaho is probably the best place to live and raise a family. I’m bummed how big Boise is getting it’s just like any other city in America.I just wish people would not like it so much that we have a housing shortage right now with so many people moving here.

    • John August 21, 2017 at 4:23 pm

      You are full of … You never lived in Idaho.

      Eds. Ellipsis

    • CommentPartDeux August 22, 2017 at 10:42 pm

      The best part of comments initial post? The first sentence.

  • Happy Day August 19, 2017 at 8:16 am

    We are all coming to your house to view the eclipse then.

  • high5 August 19, 2017 at 9:35 am

    I am from Idaho- grew up there- We have a Home in St George-
    I am in Idaho for the Oath.
    This is the Truth about Home?
    Don’t tread on Idahoans✌?

    • comments August 19, 2017 at 11:34 am

      the oath? what

      • ladybugavenger August 19, 2017 at 3:11 pm

        The potato oath lol I’m sure you’ve googled the oath by now. I have and I still don’t know what he’s talking about. Sounds a bit cultish tho

      • desertgirl August 19, 2017 at 3:42 pm

        None your biz. LOL

  • Evangeline August 19, 2017 at 6:23 pm

    Great article. Sorry (to writer and readers) abt the uncouth comments.

  • Jelena August 20, 2017 at 1:57 am

    I am 22 years here in Idaho, born in Europe, well if you do not like us go home do not stop or come or visit Idaho.This planet is huge have nice trip I love Idaho, it is my home.

    • comments August 20, 2017 at 11:14 am

      I’m guessing it was somewhere in east europe, where “anything is better than this”– romania maybe, lol? Secondly, I don’t live in ID any longer so it’s not a problem. Thirdly, no one cares. LOL 😉

    • William August 20, 2017 at 11:59 pm

      Born and raised American. I served my country honorably as a Marine Corps infantryman- guess what? My home is wherever I dang well choose and I’ll go where I please when I please as long as I please. That sheriff needs to look at his uniform – what flag is it? Oh that’s right – US Flag. That flag doesn’t stand for just combine drivin pickup owning dog in the back gun toting Yahoo!’s who live in Idaho. It’s a free country and those federal highways paid by US taxpayers (no just people who live in Idaho) gives anyone the right to drive on them. We ALL live here. You want privacy and live in your perfect little world where no one can bother you? That’s called your house. The rest is free to walk, drive, honk, whatever you want- it’s a free country.

  • Bryan August 20, 2017 at 9:06 am

    This guy may think he sounds cute but he sounds like … moron that he is..
    Ed. ellipsis.

  • William August 20, 2017 at 9:44 am

    Last I checked it’s a free country and we all live here and wherever you go this it’s your home. Wow. Not very welcoming. I’ll just stay out of Idaho- how about that? And the Idahoans can just stay there-don’t come to my state- I live here you don’t. Build a wall around Idaho.

    • comments August 20, 2017 at 11:16 am

      I agree. That actually is how they are, at least in some parts of ID. Lots of unwelcoming r-wing loons with guns. No joke.

  • comments August 20, 2017 at 11:19 am

    Yep, If you think the guy who wrote it was trying to be satirical or cute or funny, he’s not. Too many folks in ID have that sort of attitude about “outsiders”.

    • William August 20, 2017 at 11:36 pm

      Yeah I picked up the “Don’t mess with our perfect dystopian little enclave and keep movin”. Reminds me of that sheriff in Rambo.

  • Valeri August 20, 2017 at 11:27 am

    Well written and humorous, but with a good point. I live in Utah and visit Idaho once every couple years. I love the people who are very friendly and courteous and that might be because they are all armed. You don’t want to be discourteous to somebody that might be carrying a gun. The scenery is beautiful around Pocatello and no potato smells. I love Idaho and I will heed this expert’s warning.

  • comments August 20, 2017 at 1:18 pm

    One last fun fact about ID: if someone calls you a “librul” its as bad as if you were a black person and they called you the n-word. I remember when I’d tell folks that I’d lived in seattle, wa, they immediately ask, “you aint one a them libruls, are ya?”. Besides a racial slur it’s probably the worst thing a “native Idahoan” can call you. You won’t ever be redeemed to them if they decide you’re a librul. There is still a lot of racism in ID as well. coeur d’alene used to be home to a very large neo-nazi group–one of the largest in the country.

  • Jerrod August 20, 2017 at 3:30 pm

    obviously that sherrif doesnt get out of his county much..to know that there are far more deadly people in other states then simple idahons

  • Carol August 20, 2017 at 6:05 pm

    I love Idaho and have never had a problem when visiting there. People were happy and friendly and lots of them moved there from California. I thought the sheriff did a good post.

  • Erin August 21, 2017 at 12:34 pm

    Ahhhhh you guys act like Idaho the Wild West. I’m so annoyed by this on so many levels. Just if you think ” Idahoans” are such backwoods hillbillies then don’t come here. We have enough of an issue with people moving here and taking in refugee s that we don’t need your uneducated ideas being spread. If you lived in Idaho and are capable of observation you’d know how crazy this article is.

    • Jason August 21, 2017 at 1:33 pm

      If you don’t want to be seen as the old west type hillbillies, take it up with your officials. This piss ant sheriff is the one making it sound that way.

  • Jason August 21, 2017 at 1:31 pm

    Sheriff sounds like a real lazy ****. You get the “I don’t wanna work” vibe from all the crying in his bullet point list.

    People shoulda come to Oregon, where the law is less ***** and the food is better. Oh well, hope y’all enjoyed the eclipse anyway.

    * Ed. ellipsis added.

  • Illuminated August 21, 2017 at 7:00 pm

    Oh, the poster, “comments”, is totally right ON! And you ALL know it!

    I’ve been in Chicago, Detroit, Baltimore, South Central LA, parts of the properly progressive Bay Area, and a few other “righteous” places where everyone is actually politically informed. Unlike Idaho. Or Utah. Or Wyoming. Or South Dakota. And the like. We all know how they vote. And a whole slew the folks in THOSE cited urban areas are ALSO armed. Illegally of course, and with INFINITELY higher statistical firearms homicides and bloody injuries than those dumb gun toting Idahoans (who apparently carry but don’t know how to shoot), but who’s worrying about details here anyway? Facts are so culturally backwards and “alt right”. We all know now that Ignorance is actually Strength and War is actually Peace, as we recall the venerable Eric Blairs. And those of us who DO know, realize we’re all much better educated than Idahoans, so therefore everyone that lives in Chicago, for example, is MUCH safer around all those firearms than the ignorant Idahoans. You know, with Idaho’s ‘stupid’ sheriffs that either issue every law abiding citizen a carry permit or don’t care at ALL if the same has a permit or NOT to patrol their family farm from invaders. When WE finally get the power, we socialists are going to take EVERYTHING from the rich (in Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, in fact EVERYWHERE) and distributed it fairly among the poor. Beginning with me and “comments”, of course, because he needs to get out of his parents basement, and SOMEONE has to pay for the tenth year of MY “Joy of Multiculturalism’s Sexual Exploitation” major. It’s a work in progress. And I HAVE to make time for demonstration. You know, masked, armed, and pissed at everyone who’s got more than me.

    After all, the owners of family farms in Idaho are all middle class and of questionable European racial ancestry, and therefore by natural default, shellfish bigots who ought to open their ranches and all their possession to everyone in a virtuous spat of generous egalitarianism. Well, to make up for the fact that they’ve worked from dawn to dark since they were five years old, instead of depending the generic national state to either care for them or propagandize and indoctrinate them — uh, sorry,“educate” them — with the proceeds of those rich Idahoans. TALK about ignorant fools, those Idahoans!

    And as for guns, those Idahoans must be completely batty from listening too much to Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan singing that dumb folk legend, Townes Van Zandt’s, “Poncho and Lefty”. You know, “Poncho was a bandit boy his HORSE was fast as polished steel, He wore his GUN outside his pants for all the honest world to feel”. The scoundrels.

    And for the country smell of frying Potatos, well, I’d prefer the sweet natural scent of human urine and feces on the sidewalks a a progressive city ANY day.

    And as for being inbred, five generations of unknown fathers, high school dropout welfare mothers whose occupation is the now honorable government business of subsidized bastardy, marvelous mongrel kids with cool looking pants down to their knees on one side of town, and/or skin tight pants and giant half-inch holed hollow nose rings and pink hair on the other, sex either undetermined or the flavor of the moment. How COOL is THAT? And/or Antifa or BLM “heroes” who we all know have learned enough about political history and REAL oppression throughout the ages and about who REALLY runs the world from the “High Towers” by paying them off with either highly prized “nomenklatura kudos” or actual cash. Well, anyone can see that THOSE folks are clearly NOT inbred or confused at all. They’re just the wave of the multicultural progressive future. So when that “folk” finally gets into the well guarded gates of McLean, Potomac, Chappaqua, Palo Alto, Beverly Hills, or The Hamptons, much LESS Idaho or Utah, they’ll be as welcomed as folks like “comments” himself because THOSE towns are actually progressive and egalitarian. Unlike ugly Idaho And Utah, and Wyoming, and South Dakota. And the like.

    And we all know that’s true.

    So TALK about everyone being politically and socially ignorant!

    Me and you, “comments”, not withstanding of course.

  • Hydrofilic August 21, 2017 at 10:20 pm

    Geez, you people, get a sense of humor already. This Prius driving, So Cal latte lover absolutely loves this article. Sheriff Rodriguez speaks the truth.

  • Bradly August 23, 2017 at 8:52 am

    Yes go to Utah nothing in Idaho but nasty potatoes and sugar beet you won’t like it here.

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