The nonprofit obtained grazing privileges on BLM allotments by acquiring private lands, known as base properties, tied to the allotments. Then it petitioned the agency to change the type of livestock and seasons of use on those allotments.
The process was documented in the NEPA project.
How do you acquire a base property? Good question.
Western Horse Watchers surveys Nevada real estate listings from time to time, looking for properties with BLM grazing rights.
None found to date.
The transactions may occur in an inconspicuous manner to make sure the properties don’t fall into the wrong hands. That would be anyone not in the ranching clique.
But the concept has been identified: Purchase a base property and ask to BLM (or Forest Service) to change the permit, citing the American Prairie decision.
The government may argue that bison are indigenous and horses are not.
Horses appear in the North American fossil record while cattle and sheep do not, yet they dominate western rangelands.
The precedent for non-native animals is well established.
What if you don’t have millions of dollars to purchase a base property then wait five years to see if the bureaucrats approve your request?
You can still help wild wild horses by
- Not giving money to the advocates
- Cutting them off
- Leaving them out of your end-of-life plans
Those steps won’t cost you a nickel.
Western Horse Watchers Association 