No New Details on Heber Wild Horse Shootings

The Forest Service continues its investigation, according to a report that appeared today in the White Mountain Independent, but no new information has been provided since the news release of 02/11/19.

Personnel from the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office, which operates the 1-800-78-CRIME hotline, have also refrained from commenting.

At one time a $2,500 reward was posted by NCSO for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible but that has not been mentioned in recent reports.

Children’s Book About Velma Johnston Debuts Today

Wild Horse Annie: Friend of the Mustangs shows how one woman, working tirelessly over a 20 year period, persuaded Congress to protect America’s wild horses and burros.

“When she saw mustangs being rounded up and killed to make room for ranchers’ livestock, she knew she had to speak up.”

Refer to this listing at Barnes & Noble for details.

What you will find in the book is a woman who truly understood wild horse advocacy, not like the wild-eyed feminists you have today pushing contraceptives and zero population growth onto unsuspecting herds everywhere.

RELATED: Remembering Velma.

Pine Nut Gather Resumed

Helicopters were back in the air yesterday, with seven more horses pushed off their home range, bring the total to 323.

The goal of the roundup is 575, which will free up 6,900 AUMs annually. As many as 1,150 additional cow/calf pairs could be placed on the HMA, assuming they graze six months per year.

The BLM is likely paying around $400 per animal removed, based on the cost of the Colville roundup, for a total of $230,000.

For this they can expect to receive up to $9,700 per year in additional grazing fees, for a simple payout of at least 23 years. If you add the cost of long-term holding, roughly $420,000 per year for 575 horses, there is no payout at all.

Where is the logic in this?

There isn’t any. It can only be described as redistribution of wealth, from American wage earners to the public-lands ranchers.

Is there any wonder that the ranchers, the contractors, the stock growers associations and cheerleader groups like Protect the Harvest want this gravy train going on forever?

All at the expense of America’s wild horses and burros.

2019 Wildfire Season – February Progress Report

Last two months have been very wet and the hills are now velvety green. The dry season will begin in May with a bumper crop of fuel.

These photos were taken 02/17/19 in the same places as the previous report. Note the lowest rail in the pipe panels is now pretty much submerged.

The electric company installed these instruments last fall, presumably to monitor wind and humidity, and help them decide if power should be shut off because the risk of fire is too high.

Mustang Monday

On the Salt River with Laurel Strohmeyer.

Pine Nut Roundup Delayed by Weather

Helicopters were grounded Wednesday through Saturday last week, according to the BLM gather page, with 316 wild horses driven from their HMA. That means 3,800 AUMs per year can now be allocated to ‘other rangeland resources.’

Almost certainly the roundup was demanded by oil and mining companies, but you’d never know it because the government has done a great job of hiding the derricks and frac tanks.

Pay no attention to the cattle gates, stock tanks and T-post fences. They are decoys, to make you think the government is actually covering for the public-lands ranchers.

AML_Roundup_Criteria_Rev-1

Winter Grass for the Mustangs

Strong to the finish ’cause they eats their spinach! Colt on the left, mom in the middle, filly on the right. Family unit, not locked in stalls. Adopted 2015.