Feral Cows in New Mexico Will Be Shot From Helicopter

[biku324]

The Forest Service feral cow eradication operation in the Gila Wilderness is over for now - they killed 19 head.

The Forest Service has made many unsuccessful attempts to round up this reproducing herd over the past 40 years. Lethal removal has been demonstrated to be necessary because of the area's remoteness and rugged topography and the wildness of the feral cattle. Previous roundups have resulted in a greater than 50% mortality rate of captured feral cattle, and the roundups pose safety risks to the wranglers and horses used during operations.

Years of roundup efforts and subsequent ecological monitoring have confirmed that the feral cows in the Gila Wilderness are unowned, unbranded, unauthorized animals that have been reproducing independently of any ranching operation. There are no ranches or active grazing allotments in proximity to the area occupied by the feral cattle. The Gila National Forest has full legal authority to remove unauthorized livestock from federal lands under its management.

Motion Filed to Defend Forest Service Removal of Feral Cows From Gila National Forest - Center for Biological Diversity

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Do puke bags come as standard on that model?

I agree, cattle, feral or otherwise, are damned hard on riparian environments. The way they chew up the ground next to water is incredible.

Like Bison didn't have sharp cattle hooves back in the day.........
Me-I see opportunity. Cattle hunts. We can get Mule Packer to bring his string on over and set up a base camp. No difference 'tween a wild cow and a big ole' elk regarding what caliber to use.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

The Forest Service feral cow eradication operation in the Gila Wilderness is over for now - they killed 19 head.

The Forest Service has made many unsuccessful attempts to round up this reproducing herd over the past 40 years. Lethal removal has been demonstrated to be necessary because of the area's remoteness and rugged topography and the wildness of the feral cattle. Previous roundups have resulted in a greater than 50% mortality rate of captured feral cattle, and the roundups pose safety risks to the wranglers and horses used during operations.

Years of roundup efforts and subsequent ecological monitoring have confirmed that the feral cows in the Gila Wilderness are unowned, unbranded, unauthorized animals that have been reproducing independently of any ranching operation. There are no ranches or active grazing allotments in proximity to the area occupied by the feral cattle. The Gila National Forest has full legal authority to remove unauthorized livestock from federal lands under its management.

Motion Filed to Defend Forest Service Removal of Feral Cows From Gila National Forest - Center for Biological Diversity

"Unlicensed reproduction" eh....... so now we need to get reproduction (about the politest way I can think of putting it) licenses??????

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Wonder how a feral ribeye tastes

Grass fed beef.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

NM is a Cowboy State, sort of, and we got some remaining Cowboy Law.
My Buddy Frank used to run Cattle, two, on his rural property.
Tax break and Roast Beef. What's not to like?
Not being a Brand Owner, Frank would buy calves at the auction, then his Brand Owner Neighbor would brand them and give him a Bill of Sale.


BRANDING OF CATTLE: All cattle in the state of New Mexico shall be required to be branded with a recorded New Mexico brand, excepting calves with branded mother, registered animals, which are identified by a proper registration mark and whose owner has been issued a certificate of brand exemption for the registered ...

 

[6518John]

Definitely as "free range" as one can get too!

 

[waffles]

They are using ships with powerful SONAR to slaughter dolphins, whales, and who knows what else off the coast of NJ to map the sea bed for an offshore wind farm project. Odd that the eco crowd is worried about some cattle but not about whales. So far they say they don't know what is killing the marine mammals but the killing oddly follows the paths that the survey ships are taking.

Even a quick googling shows that there's plenty of people pissed about the whale issue too. People can be ticked off about more than one environmental issue at once, and many are!

 

[biku324]

Like Bison didn't have sharp cattle hooves back in the day.........
Me-I see opportunity. Cattle hunts. We can get Mule Packer to bring his string on over and set up a base camp. No difference 'tween a wild cow and a big ole' elk regarding what caliber to use.

Bison didn't hang around much in what is now the high mountain Gila Wilderness.

 

[biku324]

"Unlicensed reproduction" eh....... so now we need to get reproduction (about the politest way I can think of putting it) licenses??????

Might cut down on feral children.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Have seen a cattle round up in the National Forest in Southern Colorado.
Cows belonging to multiple owners were rounded in the Fall and returned to their home ranges.
The cows were bunched up and driven into holding pens.
Then in a connecting Alley, then into loading pens.
Large operation, lots of trucks, large and small.
Dogs, kids, onlookers (me) and State LE and Brand Inspectors.
See anything funny? Here comes the Young Wranglers with some more cows. What? And one sheep!
Here's the Colorado Cow Woman and her Cow Dog, in the Alley.
He's hanging back. She enjoying this so much he don't want to spoil it.