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WESTERN SHOSHONE NATIONAL COUNCIL 

 P.O. BOX 140115 

 DUCKWATCR, NV 89314-0115 

 TELEPHONE/FACSIMILE: (702) 863-0332 



VESTERN SHOSHONE WILDLIFE & PLANT RESOURCE CONSERVATION COMMISSION 



MANAGEMENT OF WILD HORSES 



INTRODUCriCN 



rhe wild -ustar.gs, long a svTniDol of the vanishing west, has provided Nevada, 

 indeed t-^ie Nacicn, wit-'-i many of the conundrums connected with preserving natural 

 rescurces in the face of growing uroanization and multi-use of Western lands. 



In Nevada, the wild horses became a protected group after a long emotional battle 

 led by "Wild Horse Annie" in 19 — . Ftanchers were prohibited frcm trapping or 

 snooting the mustangs they considered a nuisance as they grazed grasslands 

 intended fcr cattle or lano production. 



The long term rasult of this protection has left the wild horses worse off than 

 oefcre. Their freedotn to roam has been protected, but that freedom now means 

 freedom to die frcm starvation or thirst as no successful range management 

 prccram has been instituted to support them. 



The Bureau of Land Managanent has struggled to meet the intent of the law, but 

 nas found that bureaucratic design and methods based upon legislation designed on 

 tne £ast Cost is not compatible with the natural forces at play in the high 

 mountain deserts of Nevada. 



Talk about tad stuff 



tad genetics , cost over runs , etc 



PURPOSE 



It has been stated that the United States Government stewardship in regard to 

 r^tive Americans has gone through five official phases: kill them off, train 

 tnem, adopt than, relocate them, forget them. 



Treatment of wild horses can be equated to the above: shoot them, primary 

 training program, adopt a horse program, relocate through helicopter round- 

 ups, leave them to starve and desicate. 



Given this e.Kperience , the 



institute a ten year Wild Horse Management plan that will 



-proposes to 



