Wayne Hage, Sr was a friend of mine, as was his second wife, the late Congresswoman Helen Chenoweth. Both were courageous leaders in the battle to save private property from the tyranny of government takings.
Wayne was one of the first to stand up and fight back against federal efforts to remove independent ranchers from the range lands. That fight is now best known through the desperate efforts of the Bundys. Years before, there was Wayne Hage. In similar fashion to what the Bundys would eventually face, Wayne endured outrageous harassment and intimidation from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). His fences were cut and livestock stolen. His life threatened. His ability to run the ranch made nearly impossible.