Re: feral horses and donkeys, and what about buffalo

[Monica Spencer]

This message is from: Monica Spencer [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Amy said:

 The big issue is the difference between Native Wildlife and Feral
 Species. Feral horses are the same genetically as domesticated horses.
Wild Buffalo
 are certainly NOT the same as cattle. The Buffalo evolved here, the horses
were
 brought here by us and let loose.

Yup, mostly true, but although our mustangs and other wild horses are feral
animals, horses did in fact evolve here (they later became extinct in the
Americas although fortunately they'd spread across the land bridge into Asia
by then).  When horses were brought here by the Europeans, they settled
right back into their old ecological niche.

Monica in Nelson, BC

Re: feral horses and donkeys, and what about buffalo

[FjordAmy]

This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

In a message dated 11/19/2003 5:14:08 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Joel had mentioned someone trying to do that with the Kiger mustang, is 
that right?  
Yes, it is. They actually have one of the better management systems in 
the country out at Burns.
And I know he'd said that cattle grazing was controlled as they were taken 
off when the time was right and taken home.  Now is this public lands they are 
using?   
Public Lands/Government lands, yes - And they do pay fees for the grazing 
leases They don't just decide to run the cattle there. There is very strict 
management of this grazing too. (Such as, the grass has to be maintained at a 
certain length of like 4 - 6, which means, in some dry years you can't even 
get the cattle out there on lease ground you are still paying for - because if 
you don't they'll lease it to someone else.)
 What about the buffalo?  They are on our public lands, right.  And we think 
that is grand, they are after all, OUR buffalo, right.  
I don't believe (??) there are any totally wild herds of Buffalo any more. 
There are a few places like Yellowstone  someplace in the Dakotas where 
buffalo run wild in state/national parks. But, most of the remaining buffalo 
are 
privately owned. 

The feral horses and donkeys are ours to take care of too, right?  

The big issue is the difference between Native Wildlife and Feral 
Species. Feral horses are the same genetically as domesticated horses. Wild 
Buffalo 
are certainly NOT the same as cattle. The Buffalo evolved here, the horses were 
brought here by us and let loose.
 Doesn't the BLM bring them in, geld the young stallions.  
I think they tried something like this once years ago, and aside from the 
vast expense, they also get a lot of harassment from the Peta bunch. (Nuff said 
on that subject)

Amy


Amy Evers
Dun Lookin' Fjords
Redmond, OR
Fjord [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Re: feral horses and donkeys, and what about buffalo

[spiekath]

This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

- Original Message -
From: debby stai [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2003 5:54 am
Subject: feral horses and donkeys, and what about buffalo

 This message is from: debby stai [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 
 What does the BLM do to as far as breed control with the wild 
 horses and
 donkeys, is there anything?  I know Joel had mentioned someone 
 trying to do
 that with the Kiger mustang, is that right?  And I know he'd 
 said that
 cattle grazing was controlled as they were taken off when the time 
 was right
 and taken home.  Now is this public lands they are using?  I mean, 
 why would
 they have the right to use our public lands and then the complaint 
 made that
 there isn't enough for the wild horses.  What about the buffalo?  
 They are on
 our public lands, right.  And we think that is grand, they are 
 afterall, OUR
 buffalo, right.  The feral horses and donkeys are ours to take 
 care of too,
 right?  What is done with the buffalo as far as breed control? 
 Anything?Seems that could be the answer or something that is being 
 looked into, but I'd
 be suprised if some kind of breed control isn't in affect.  
 Doesn't the BLM
 bring them in, geld the young stallions.  So is the person in the 
 articlecomplaining that  they want to bring their private owned 
 cattle out to these
 public pastures that the wild horses and donkeys are eating up.  
 Why would
 they even think they should have priority.  I dont' get it.
 Debby
 sorry we're way off topic here, just dont get it.
 Debby - This is one of those touchy issues in the western states where so 
 much land is public land. and to address it in an on line list like this  
 would probably incite more rancor than it is worth.
There is no easy answer and the politics of most Western States are  predicated 
on public land policy and there is no consensus about what is right.  In a 
short answer, the ranchers pay for the privelege of grazing, but political wars 
have been fought over how much /what kind and how many and what is appropriate 
and what other things should be excluded. With few exceptions, management of 
feral animals is not the way the Kigers were managed.  They are destroyed when 
the capacity is exceeded or they present a helath risk to other animals or 
threaten someones historic livlihood - real or perceived.   Buffalo do not roam 
the public lands except in a few reserved spots, i.e, the Yellowstone and 
contiguous wilderness areas.  Management is by destruction of those animals 
which leave the reserve area. 

Idaho has one of the states in which there is far more public than private 
land. We are constantly embroiled in these issues-they make or break 
politicians-and impact our economy and tax base ( negatively) and the only 
issue more volatile is water.

You are not the only one who doesn't get it 
Kathy in southern Idaho


Kathy in Southern Idaho