he was a man of integrity and he had principles and he followed them. >> throughout your relationship was lavoy always very political? >> no. no. no, he wasn't political. he was more of a quiet cowboy. he always stood in the back of the room, you know. >> at what point did he start to question the government's role in people's lives? >> it was probably after we moved here to the ranch. why is he needing a contract agreeing to all their terms and conditions? why do you have to tell me how to ranch? i think i can manage this myself. >> lavoy had been raising cattle on federal land, and like many ranchers, he was frustrated by the regulations passed down by the federal government. regulations intended to protect the land and endangered species from overgrazing. but for lavoy they felt ever changing and arbitrary.