Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-03-31
8liseellaneuas Reading.
WILD HORSES.
So Numerous in Nevada That they
are a Nuisance.

Wild horses by the thousands are
overrunning the government national
forests Of Nevada and neighboring
states, and the authorities in Wash
| ington are besieged with petitions
from stockmen and farmers begging
recent dispatch from Reno conveyed
I the intelligence that there are fifteen
thousand of the untamed beasts up
on the Toiyabe, Toquina and Monitor
forest reserves in Landor county
alone, and that orders have been re-
ceived by the forest rangers to begin
a systematic war of determination
upon them. This dispatch, although
twisted as to facts, does not eXagger-
ate the number of horses now sup
posed to be roaming at large iE the
districts mentioned. AS a matter of
probable truth there are a good
many more than fifteen thousand
wild horses in Nevada and the neigh
boring states, and every herd is @
pest to the owners of vegetation and
domestic stock.
The part Of the Reno telegram
which Is not true is that relating to
the orders sent from Washington.
Neither the forest rangers nor any
other employees of the government
have been told to destroy the horses,
and unless they do receive such or
i hot iac
to fencing crops from the trespassing
animals or rounding them up when
they appear and threaten damage to
the range. Indeed, If half the stories
the rangers in Uuncle Sans service
would have little chance of Destroy
ing the big herds that are roaming
over the Western states.
Within the last few years they
have increased to such an extent that
in many localities they are classed as
"varmints" with wolves. wildcats
and grizzlies, and every mans rifle is
turned against them. No fence Is
strong enough to stop these horses,
and when they appear In force they
have even been known to knock
down and kill cows and calves After
each visitation from herd the
ranchman is likely to mourn the loss
of his domestic horses, and it re-
quires only a few days association
with their new companions for the
best broken animals to become as
wild as their nomadlc comrades.
A study of the wild horse problem
brings to light many interesting facts
about the animals. The legislature
of Nevada, it seems, passed law
many years ago specifically allowing
hunters to shoot wild horses and to
sell their hides for what they could
get in the open market. The law
opened the way to a new and unusu-
al industry, and many men. found the
killing of wild horses very profitable.
Besides the work was exciting and
gave the business the added Zest of
sport.
AS time went on and the business
of killing these OUTLAWS" Gas the
wild horses were often termed) on
the ranges assumed greater and
greater proportions, stockmen found
that the professional hunters were.
in many cases. abusing their rights
and were killing branded and shod
horses. This put an end to the bust
ness, for on complaint Of the stock
men the Nevada legislature promptly
repealed the law. 1t Is estimated
that $1,000 animals were killed dur
ing the time that the law was in
force. This figure gave the basis for
last weeks story,
The report, however, had good
basis of fact, for the wild horse ques-
ton has grown to be as serious IN the
last few years as it was when the
Nevada legislature was forced to en-
act the old law. The United States
forest service has not given orders
for the killing Of a single horse be-
cause 1t has no right to do so. The
forest officers of the Nevada national
forests realize how bad conditions
are, and will do anything to assist
the stockmen to put down the nui-
sance.
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
employ of Uncle Sam, said of this
wild horse problem: Theoretically.
it seems a very simple matter to
handle, but practically it is quite 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 a 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 fav
ors such action, the supervisor may,
upon petition of a majority of the
permittees of a grazing district, allow
the horses to be gathered and dispos-
ed of according to the state and te'-
ritorial laws. In such cases the for
est service will. upon recommended
ton from the supervisor, cooperate
in the construction of cOrrals or
fences for the purpose of capturing
the horses.
Forest officers may drive unper-
mitted 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
allowed to adjust the matter by pay
ing the grazing fee. If he refuses to
apply for a permit, then a trespass
charge should be brought against
him and the cocp conducted nrrCr1-