Feral Cows in New Mexico Will Be Shot From Helicopter

[twodog max]

Reread the article. The "eco nuts" are supporting the culling operation. Cattle hooves are sharp and damage creek banks and muddy water holes.

I don't understand the ranchers objecting but I strongly suspect they are letting their own cattle wander freely.

You need to read my post. If they support the cow cull where are they with thousands of ORV's tearing up the Ozark National Forest. The destruction of soils and habitat within the ONF has to be seen to believe how really bad it has become.

 

[BSA1]

I didn't say the "eco nuts" are consistent with their outrage. Only this time they are supporting the culling on non-native feral cattle that is causing environmental damage.

 

[biku324]

Do puke bags come as standard on that model?

Not nearly enough for the chop in the mountains!

 

[smoothshooter]

The eco nuts are all worried over 150 cow hooves destroying the NF yet the ORV's unrestricted destruction of the Ozark National Forest goes on unabated.

What is the OSV?

 

[Kenna]

They probably wandered down from the Santa Fe ski basin. As a kid we used to roll cow pies down the slopes! There was a lot of cows up there. Youd be hiking on trails and all of a sudden theyd just walk out in front of you!

 

[Racer X]

they should send SEALs and Rangers in Blackhawks for airborne sniper training. I am completely serious.

The opening of Blackhawk Down was Delta and 6 shooters harvesting pigs for a bbq.

 

[Bugkiller99]

Well, when compared to the price of shooting down a hobbyist's ballon, it's pretty cheap.

 

[LVSteve]

What is the OSV?

ORV equals Off Road Vehicles.

 

[lihpster]

My father did some shooting from a helicopter at animals with tranq guns. Says it ain't as easy as you'd think.

 

[Chuck24]

Wonder how a feral ribeye tastes

 

[quikdraw67]

Wonder how a feral ribeye tastes

Wild.......

 

[Telecaster]

150 cows, no bulls… how long till they just die out and the "problem" solves itself?

 

[Bekeart]

nearly 150 cattle - Did NOT say 150 cows

150 cows, no bulls… how long till they just die out and the "problem" solves itself?

Source indicated nearly 150 cattle - Did NOT say 150 cows

Doubt that there has been a definitive population count.

Bekeart

 

[Chukar60]

Try this with feral (wild) horses and watch what happens.
Only difference is that the wild horses have been around longer and managed to weave themselves into the fabric of Americana.

 

[GaryS]

Clearly you know what you are talking about. Please stop and let the people who can't find the Gila Wilderness on a map tell us what should be done.

I'd suspect this will be done by contractors.

The Gila Wilderness is comprised of relatively high mountains (up to 10,895 feet), with six over 10,000 feet, not at all desert. It is thickly forested, with some truly amazing tiny, clear streams, the Gila River, and some huge mountain meadows. Cows there aren't going anywhere, and they are really hard on the riparian areas whereas deer, elk, a few bigorns, and other game simply are not.

This is some of the best elk hunting anywhere in North America.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

See that slot, South end going North?
That's the road to the Gila Ruins.
If that wasn't there, you wouldn't be able to drive to the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument.
No motorized vehicles allowed in a Wilderness Area.
Federal Law.

 

[bigwheelzip]

That's the road to the Gila Ruins.
If that wasn't there, you wouldn't be able to drive to the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument.

Heck, even with that road it's a bear to get there. About 20 years ago hubby and I rented a Class A RV to treat his parents to a cross country trip for their anniversary.
They asked to visit Gila so we took Route 15 north from Silver City. The RV seemed to barely squeeze through many places along that road. It scared my MIL so much, we abandoned the Gila visit plan at the Route 35 junction.

Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

 

[biku324]

The reason those 'feral' cows are there is that ranchers in the NF around the Wilderness boundaries found it economically non-viable to comb them out of there.

 

[Heinz]

Between fueling the helos and the lead pollution they are going to spew all over with misses, this is probably an adverse environmental impact.
I am always a bit taken aback by the EPA's desire to prevent evolution.

 

[SMSgt]

It must have been 55-60 years ago I read an article in Sports Afield or some other magazine of the era. In it was an article about hunting wild cattle, I believe it was in Texas. The wild longhorns lived in heavy brush, and the author described hunting them as only slightly less dangerous than hunting Cape Buffalo. He said a .30-06 was minimal at best. African calibers were preferable. They had pics of a couple of monster bulls taken.