The Forest Service has the authority to gather and remove estray cattle, not shoot them, according to a column posted this morning by Colorado Politics.
The incident occurred last spring in the Gila Wilderness of the Gila National Forest in New Mexico.
The Western Watersheds map puts it adjacent to the Apache National Forest, known for wild horse shootings, near the Arizona state line.
The Heber WHT, also known for such incidents, is to the northwest, and the Bordo Atravesado HMA is to the northeast. Click on image to open in new tab.
The killing of escaped livestock in New Mexico opens up a new possibility in the Arizona shootings: The feds did it, or they were involved in it, which explains why the cases will never be solved.
The 2018 Spruce-Pequop roundup in Nevada started with the shooting of eight wild horses and the BLM knows who did it, making them complicit in the incident.
Western Horse Watchers Association 