Roundup of wild horses in Iron County 2010
On April second we began to write about Clark County Nevada Trespass Rancher Cliven Bundy on our blog. You can read the original posting here on this “Deranged War”: http://wheblog.wordpress.com/2014/04/02/deranged-war-update/
Area of Bundy’s cattle, LATimes map
Cliven Bundy is a trespass rancher in Nevada’s Clarke County that has been running livestock on federal land for two decades without paying fees. In 1998 issues with the desert tortoise being listed under the endangered species act cause restrictions to Bundy’s cattle permit. Bundy refused the restrictions and continued to run cattle that have now even exceeded the previous boundaries. Bundy lost two federal court actions in a bid to keep his cattle on the range.
Now the BLM has said that if Bundy does not remove his cows they will. So what takes the brunt of Bundy’s wrath? wild horses.
The Iron County Commission threatened to do “whatever it takes,” in support of Cliven Bundy, against what it calls the overpopulation of wild horses. Iron county is 85 miles north of Bundy in Utah.
It appears that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is now working with Iron county to find a “solution.”
Is this a dangerous precedent? A county threatens illegal action against federal wild horses in support of a trespass rancher that wont abide by restrictions based on the desert tortoise and BLM works immediately to find a solution.
Wild horse advocates have been working inside the law begging BLM to fix massive flaws in the wild horse and burro program for decades. Wild horse advocates have even offered to pay for the cost, provide material and labor for shelters in holding facilities and have been turned down flat. Let alone begin to deal with severely flawed issues of what BLM calls “Appropriate Management Levels” of wild horses on the range, inappropriate forage allocations and mitigation for water.
The Bundy situation appears an absurdity to any logical mind yet is an example of the twisted ways of our American “wild west.”
You can read more HERE: Today Bundy Threatens Physical Action as BLM Begins Cattle removal http://www.mynews3.com/mostpopular/story/Rancher-Efforts-to-stop-cattle-removal-will-be/JdKWXDM4e0aNbsP_Z0nJfQ.cspx
Map of Iron County HMA’s
Since our original post BLM has begun to remove cattle. Dave Bundy, Cliven’s son, was arrested over the weekend for not vacating an area after warning from the BLM. Bundy’s “last man standing” campaign is running full swing including on youtube where he uses a Toby Keith song painting himself as a patriot saying he is “prepared to die.”
BLM has been “working” with Iron County in a plan to remove wild horses. The plan includes housing wild horses on a private ranch.
Prior to the removal of any wild horses certain protocols must be met. Several advocates and organizations have written to BLM in an attempt to discuss the issue. Three groups even had an attorney write a letter to BLM Utah.
We are monitoring the situation closely. The ramifications of BLM’s actions may create an untenable situation that is much more far reaching than they may have anticipated. We are watching several areas and will update you as actions dictate.
In winter 2010 there was a roundup of wild horses of the Sulphur HMA. The wild horses from Chokecherry were taken in the Eagle Complex Roundup in winter 2011. These are the faces of wild horses in Iron county.
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Wild Horse Education is committed to gaining protections from abuse, slaughter and extinction for our wild horses and burros.
Categories: Wild Horse Education
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