214 Proceedings o^ the 



arisen between the cattlemen and sheepmen, or between 

 large and small owners of stock, which have sometimes 

 resulted in open warfare with an occasional homicide 

 and great loss of property. The degree to which this 

 warfare has been carried has been governed largely 

 by the demand for the use of the range. In the first 

 occupancy of the lands by stockmen, the ranges would 

 usually be divided by mutual agreement in a way which 

 would give each sufficient pasture for all of his stock, 

 either sheep or cattle, and if the seasons continued 

 favorable there would be no occasion for any serious 

 dispute concerning its use. If, however, a certain 

 portion of the range was drought-stricken and there 

 was a consequent scarcity of feed and water, the stock 

 belonging to the occupants of that portion of the 

 range would naturally drift over on to the neighbor- 

 ing ranges where conditions were more favorable. 

 As long as this did not result in overcrowding to the 

 extent that all of the stock became thin in flesh, there 

 might be a little grumbling, but no serious trouble 

 would arise. Whenever it was plainly apparent, how- 

 ever, that such intrusion upon the ranges was causing 

 financial loss, the first step taken was usually to notify 

 the owners of the stock to remove the same and provide 

 feed and water for them elsewhere. In case of refusal 

 on the part of the owner, there being no law for the 

 settlement of such matters, the next step would be an 

 attempt to remove the stock by force. Just what re- 

 sistance would be offered was, of course, always a 

 very hard matter to foretell; sometimes no trouble 

 would arise, and at other times it would result se- 

 riously. 



Owing to the fact that sheep are herded and cattle 

 usually turned loose, the sheepmen have had an advan- 

 tage in the use of the public grazing lands because of 



