The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-03-31

~ cIPSl SISolo NV
been at their wits ends for several
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
terent States. Under the circum-
stances, the following plan has been
recommended to meet the conditions
in the national forests:
eff tho 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 n grazing district, allow
the horses to be gathered and dispos-
ed of according to the State or terri
torial laws. In such cases the forest
service will, upon recommendation
from the supervisor, cooperate in
the construction of ~corrals or fences
for the purpose Of capturing the
horses.
'Forcst officers may drive upper
mlited horses from The national for
csts at any time, but if the owners Of
the horses are known ani ownership
acknowledged the owner should be
allowed to adjust the matter by pay
ing the grazing fee. If he refuses to
apply for Il permit, then Il trcSpass
charge should be brought against him
and tte case conducted according to
instructions.
"Unbrnnded horses may be handled
according to the State cstray laws,
but forest officers can not be allowed
to gather such horses for the purpose
of using or selling them, nor can tlrey
be allowed to collect any rcmunera-
ton from any person for corralling
unclaimed horses. The policy of the
forest service will be. therefore. to
cooperate with the stockmen of the
State or territorial authorities whca
they take the initiative in d~isposing
of wild horses in the national forests,
but the present laws and regulations
d" not admit Of Independent action
by the forest service.
The wild horse problem is only one
of the many which stockmcn have TO
contend with which the government
is trying in II way or another to
solve on the ranges Of The national
forests. Predatory animals. such as
wolves, coyotes, mountain lions and
willratcS. do thouandS of dollars
worth Of damage to stock each year
III ali parts Of the country. On some
RANGES forest officers have to contend
with rustlers. who sometimes succeed
in stealing The great part Of the stock
which the predatory animals do not
kill. Poisonous plants are another
nuisance which give the stockmcn
considerable trouble in many parts Of
the country.
Uncle Sam has always Shown a dis
position /" cooperate with the stock
men in combating these ~nuisances; in
fact. he is dom" better than merely
mcctin" the stockmcn half way in the
work. On many Of the national for
est rang1s Tor The last year rangers
and guards have been assigned to the
work Of hunting and trapping, with
the sole aim Of killing off the animals
that prey upon stock. The work has
met with marked success, and hum
ircls of wolves and coyotes have sue
cumbcd to the bullets and the posion
of the hunters. Each animal killed
means a decided saving to the sheep
industry. for it is estimated that one
wolf averages about 81 900 damage
each year.
Forest officers are cooperating with
the stock associations to stop the
stealing of livestock and run the
rustlers out Of the country. The war
on poisonous plants has been carried
on for more than a year by the for
est service, in cooperation with the
bureau of plant industry, and, while
the Investigations have just been be-
gun, it is already g that their
growth can be checked in many
States.
If it is possible to check the wild
horse nuisance as easily as the other
troubles which have bothered the
stock interests. both the stockmen and
forest officers will find the western
RANGES rid Of annthnr snrinnS lra W