The Glenwood post., 1923-01-25
Hundreds Of Head Lost
Every Year from Range
Without Explanation
A VARIETY OF OPINION

The Grand Junction News is authori.
ty for the statement that from certain
portions OF the Battlement forest re.
serve range cattle are disappearing each
year II some mysterious manner and
"V an alarming rate, and every effort
made to solve the problem has thus far
oeen unavailing. The matter 10 of
vital interest to stockmen, and The
rost presents the News article to its
readers:
From the reports of several oo++,a.
'en interviewed within the past few
days 1t appears that there is a tremen.
dous and mysterious loss of live stock
very year IN certain parts of the BAT.
ltement forest ranges that is puzzl;ng
the OLDEST inhabitants of the mountain
distriets and causing disastrous inroads
vi the profits of the business. One
s'oehman IN the Mesa district reported
Il loss of more than 30 per cent for
"A-'ii ne could not account during 1929.
ana several have experienced losses of
IRON ~ to 25 per cent during the 12
months.
: "heh the SHOWS prohibited the wan.
"erihg Oh cattle into the higher ranges
the past fall and 600 head wore loo+
on range only about five miles souare
III the Mesa district for a few weeks
the subsequent roundup loss was 100
mead. Had all these animals died with.
In the area encompassed the carcasse.
would have been in evidence behind
every bush and tree, yet only a few
dead animals were discovered by the
riders, and the mystery which has driv.
en- them almost to desperation is where
these animals have gone.
One of the cowboys who rode this
particular range at the time the disap-
pearance occurred, u man recognized 40
beng one of the most efficient on the
range, declared that he saw no indica.
tons of stock being driven out of the
dlstrlct by rustlers, and that with his
long training in past years, he would
have instantly noted the trail if even
n dozen head had been driven awav
lie declares it impossible for a person
to enter the forest and drive out cattle
without detection, and the fact that this
unoccountable disappearance has been
gong on for years has him nonplussed.
At the roundup meetings and fireside
talks the topic inevitably draws into
the complex problem of range loss.
with more people riding the ranges
each year, greater vigilance in watch.
ing herds, more supervision by forest
OFFICERS, and better trails and fences.
the loss should be materially less pro.
portionately than it was in the early
years of the game and yet the percent.
age has gone the reverse. Predatory
animals are almost extinct on the forest
now, whereas they were big factor
to be contended with by the pioneer
cattlcment and still the losses grow.
Opinions on the cause of losses vary
W dely, and many accept the loss as
inevitable, but there are others who
feel that there is more than chance
playing part in the heavy disappear.
ance. Until the thousands of head are
accounted for in some manner the lat
t;r group will appear to have logic on
their side, and several will continue
to search for the key to their losses.
These believe that evil human ingenuity
is back of the riddle, and they will
continue to search for the KEY until it
has been found
Some theories advanced that nesters
in vicinity of the herds have been
II wing upon cattle for their own use
are discounted by most of the cattle
mon. As one points out, if every nest
or in the country were dishonest and ap-
rropriating beef for his own use, il
would account for only small portion
of the loss sustained, and it certainly
cannot be contended that very big
proportion of them would misappropri-
ate animals for their own use.
Even were the settlers SO inclined, it
is stated that only few cases Of theft
would be committed until the watchful
riders would catch them, and 30 SOL