The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-03-28

vada Legislature promptly repealed
the law. 1t is estimated that $4,000
animals were killed during the time
that the law was in force. This fig
ure gave the basis for last weeks
story.
The report, however. had good basis
OF fact, for the wild horse question
has grown to be as serious in the last
few years as it was when the Nevada
Legislature was forced to enact the
old law. The United States forest
service has not given orders for the
killing of single horse because it
has no right to do so. The forest Off
GERS of the Nevada national forests
realize had bad conditions are, and
will do anything to assist the stock
men to put down the nuisance.
Any one who finally discovers an
effective method to settle this prob
lem will have done a great service
for the stockmen OF every State west
OF the Missouri river. AS an old and
experienced stockman, now in the en-
ploy of Uncle Sam, said of this wild
horse problem: 'Theoreticaly 1t
seems very simple matter to han
die, but practically it is quite the re-
verse; On the ranges of many of
the national forests the supervisors
have been at their wits ends for sew
eral years trying to devise method
TO meet the difficulty. Apparently an
entirely satisfactory method can not
be found because of the Inadequate
estray laws now enforced in the diff
ferent States. Under the circum-
stances. the following plan has been
recommended to meet the conditions
in the national forests:
"If the presence OF the horses is
seriously damaging the national for
est range and public sentiment favors
such action, the supervisor may, upon
petition OF a majority of the permit
tees of grazing district, allow the
horses to be gathered and disposed of
according to the State or Territorial
laws. In such cases the forest SER
vice will, upon recommendation from
the supervisor, cooperate in the con-
struction of corrals or fences for the
purpose of capturing the horses.
Forest officers may drive upper
mltted horses from the national for
ests at any time, but If the owners of
the horses are known and ownership
acknowledged the owner should be al
lowed to adjust the matter by paying
the grazing fee. If he refuses to ap-
ply for a permit, then a trespass
charge should be brought against him
and the case conducted according to
Instructions.
Unbranded horses may be han
died according to the State estray
laws. but forest officers can not be al
lowed to gather such horses for the
purpose of using or selling them, nor
can they be allowed to collect any
remuneration from any person for cor
railing unclaimed horses. The pol
icy Of the forest service will be, there
fore. to cooperate with the stockmen
Of the State or Territorial authorities
when they take the initiative in dis
posing. of wild horses in the national
forests, but the present laws and reg
ulatlons do not admit of independent
action by the forest service.
The wild horse problem is only one
Of the many which stockmen have to
contend with which the government is
trying in one way or another to solve
on the ranges OF the national forests
Predatory animals. such a wolves,
coyotes, mountain lions and Wildcats,
do thousands of dollars worth Of dam
age to stock each year IN all parts
of the country. On some ranges for
est officers have to contend with rust
lers, who sometimes succeed in steal
ing the great part OF the stock which
the predatory animals do not kill.
Poisonous plants are another nuisance
which give the stockmen considerable
trouble in many parts of the country.
Uncle Sam has always shown q dis
position to cooperate with the stock
men In combating these nulsances;
in fact, he is doing better than mere
ly meeting the stockmen half way In
the work. on many OF the national
forest ranges for the last year rang
ers and guards have been assigned to
the work of hunting and trapping,
with the sole aim Of killing Of the