Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-29

ranges assumed greater and greater
Proportions, stockmen found that the
professional hunters were, in many
cases, abusing their rights and killing
branded and shod horses. This put an
end to the business, for on complaint
of the stockmen the Nevada Legislature
III omptly repealed the law. 1t is esti-
II ated that $4,000 animals were killed
during the time that the law was in
force. This figure gave the basis for
last weeks story.
Report Had Foundation
The report, however, had good basis
CT fact, for the wild horse question has
grown to be as serious in the last few
years as il was when the Nevada leg
islature was forced to enact the old
law, The United States forest service
has not given orders for the killing of
a single horse, because 1T has no right
TO do so. The forest officers OF the
Nevada national forests realize no"
lad conditions are and Will do any
thing to assist the stockmen to put
down the nuisance.
ANY one who finally finds an effective
method to settle this problem 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:
"Thereoretically it seems a very simple
ma ter to hal.dle, but practically 1t is
quite the reverse"
On the ranges of many of the nation
al forests the supervisors have been at
their wits ends for several years try
ing to devise q methc to meet the
difficulty. Apparently an entirley sat
icfa found
cause of the inadequate estray laws
now enforced in the different states.
Under the circumstances 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 forest
range and The public sentiment favors
such action, the supervisor may, upon
petition of a majority of the permit
tees of a grazing district, allow the
horses to be gathered and disposed OF
according to the state or territorial
laws. In such cases the forest service
will, upon recommendation from the
supervisor. cooperate in the construc-
ton of corrals or fences for the pur-
pose of capturing the horses
Can Pay Grazing Fee
Forest officers may drive unper-
mitted horses from the national for
ests at any time. but if TIL, 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 trespass charge
should be brought against him and the
case conducted according to instruc-
tions.
Unbranded horses may be handled
according to the state estray law, but
forest officers cannot be allowed to
gather uch --orses for the purpose of
using or selling them, nor can they be
allowed to collect any remuneration
from any person for corraling un-
claimed horses. The policy of the for
est ervice will be, however, to cooper
ate with the 5tockmen of the state or
territorial authorities when they take
the initiative in disposing of wild
T. rses in the national forests. but the
present laws and regulations do not
admit of independent action by the
forest service
The wild horse problem is only one
of the many which stockinen have to
contend with which the government Is
trying in one way or another to solve
on the ranges of the national forests