Despite the federal reserve covering more than three million acres, apparently these 150 cows need to be gunned down from above "to protect public safety, threatened and endangered species habitats, water quality, and the natural character of the Gila Wilderness."
The Forest Service says the cattle set to be shot from helicopters are "feral" and "have been aggressive towards wilderness visitors, graze year-round, and trample stream banks and springs, causing erosion and sedimentation."
....According to Sullivan, the "cattle in question are descendants of herds that legally grazed on rancher-owned allotments decades ago," and "estrays may have intermingled with adjacent allotment owners branded and tagged cattle, proving they are domestic livestock," contrary to the Forest Service's claim the cattle are "feral." Sullivan also noted that a fire last year "destroyed over 30 miles of fencing near the aerial gunning operation area."
In Sullivan's view, "not only is the gunning down of the animals inhumane and cruel, but an environmental issue as well." He added that the results of last year's chopper hunt "were in some cases considered grotesque, as some cattle were shot but were not killed," "calves were left motherless, and mature cattle received injuries that prolonged suffering, leading to an inevitable death and leaving carcasses strewn about the land and in waterways."
This time around, Sullivan estimates that the hunt taking place this weekend "will leave 65 tons of beef to decompose."
Beyond the cruelty Sullivan accused the U.S. Forest Service of employing, he said a larger issue "may be the unchecked power by unelected bureaucrats within governmental agencies setting a precedent for how federal officials handle authority" and the fact that area cattle ranchers are "contending that the USFS isn’t abiding by its own regulations."...more
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