I have been photographing the Onaqui herd of wild horses for 7 years now. There is a lot of debate about this herd and others in Utah, Nevada, and elsewhere. The debate centers around the idea the herds are growing too big and eating up all of the feed and water. This rhetoric comes from those that use the same land to graze their sheep and cattle.
Here is a photograph I took last year. This is taken at a small watering hole that is used regularly by the Onaqui herd of approximately 100 horses. Now, ask yourself, are the horses the problem or the sheep/cattle? Pretty powerful photograph. I wish you could see it in full resolution. There are sheep EVERYWHERE! By clicking on the first image you will be looking at a panoramic of pasted images of the scene at the watering hole. The other images are five magnifications of this image, showing you exactly how many sheep were watering at this hole on this day. I am in favor of limiting the number of horses in this herd. I am not in favor of roundups. I have seen the effects of roundups on the social structure of the herd. The BLM is faced with a huge problem. I hope we can find a workable solution for the benefit of the herd and future generations.
This should never be allowed! The ranchers are raping the land, killing our wild horses, and profiting from it.
This should never be allowed. The ranchers are raping our land, killing the wild horses, and profiting from it.
This is disgraceful and totally incompetent thinking. It astound’s me that slaughtering anything and everything is the BLM answer. Who or how do you decide to kill one group of animals to make MORE room for another group of animals and their GREEDY owners. This is what it boils down to, GREED! This abomination needs to be stopped. These horses need a voice and need to be saved.
Get the welfare ranchers off public lands. Release the horses.
The sheep & cattle are of course the problem. Who wouldn’t want free food and water for their livestock. Look at history of our west, this is not a new battle and we better fight for what is best for our land & wildlife. Before it’s used and abused beyond repair.
We respectfully request that you consider our position that PRIVATELY OWNED LIVESTOCK MUST BE REMOVED FROM ALL HMAs!
They are eating and drinking that which belongs to our NATION’s Wild Horses!!
This is disgusting that our taxes support sheep and cattle herds and not our wild mustangs. Why do we need the BLM.