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Rancher Calls for Adoption, Euthanasia, or Slaughter of Entire Heber Wild Horse Herd

6/20/2015

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KNAU And Arizona News5:00 AM
FRI JUNE 5, 2015

Heber Wild Horses: Legendary Or Problematic?Share
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By AARON GRANILLO

Federal officials are in the process of deciding how to manage a population of horses running wild on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests near the White Mountains. Some cattle ranchers in the area say they’re overgrazing range land, and want them removed. Others say they could be descendants of mustangs brought here by Spanish conquistadors, and deserve extra federal protection. Arizona Public Radio's Aaron Granillo reports.
Larry Gibson is a third-generation rancher in Heber. His barn is lined with dozens of haystacks – food for his 900 head of cattle. They also graze in the forest, but in recent years, Gibson says there hasn’t been as much to eat.

"A lot of these areas, you know, we go and measure the grass before the cows ever get there. There may be 80-percent usage before we ever get there," Gibson says. "If the horses have eaten the feed, you can’t bring your cattle up.”

In his own lifetime – 57-years – Gibson’s seen the wild horse population increase exponentially. He pays the Forest Service about $1,600 a month for grazing rights, and feels he’s not getting his money’s worth. Gibson believes there’s one solution to protect livelihood and land.

“So in my opinion, the best thing to with these up here would be remove every one of them. Whether they go to adoption, or, you know, I hate to say it, euthanized or to a slaughter plant," Gibson says. "I mean that sounds kind of harsh, but something has to be done with them.”

Continue reading at:  http://knau.org/post/heber-wild-horses-legendary-or-problematic







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Where did all the missing horses go?

6/20/2015

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Where did all the missing horses go?

A 2007 article in the Pioneer newspaper stated that "Ranchers generally maintain all horses, not in the designated Heber Territory" with the knowledge of the Forest Service.

Apparently prior to 1990 the ranchers were judge and jury, and with the blessings of the Forest Service they removed as many of the wild horses as they could catch and sent them to a fate unknown. There was never any accountability. Is that why even today the ranchers think they should be able to call all the shots when it comes to OUR wild horses? Is this still a policy in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests? According to Forest Service numbers the Heber wild horse herd has significantly dwindled in size over the years.

All parties involved in removing the horses completely disregarded the WILD FREE-ROAMING HORSES AND BURROS ACT OF 1971
(PUBLIC LAW 92-195)

To require the protection, management, and control of wild free- roaming horses and burros on public lands. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress finds and declares that wild free-roaming horses and burros are living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West; that they contribute to the diversity of life forms within the Nation and enrich the lives of the American people; and that these horses and burros are fast disappearing from the American scene. It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death; and to accomplish this they are to be considered in the area where presently found, as an integral part of the natural system of the public lands.








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