I am a Nevada native. When I have shown pictures of the areas I personally took of destroyed habitat, they said it was Cows doing it. One time, I was in one of the actual areas, depressed because over 1000 horses had destroyed about 10 square miles of land. The area held Antalope and Mule Deer just a few years earlier. A group of horse lovers came out there. They saw the destruction and said it was cows. However, I spent 3 days looking for Antalope and saw a Big Fat Zero of them and a total of about 10 cows. They are so emotionally invested that they do not see the evidence even when they are standing in the middle of it.
Also a native Nevadan here. I spent 5 days hunting antelope north of Ely from cherry creek all the way to the dolly vardens. I saw about 100 horses and only 9-10 antelope. I covered a lot of ground as well. Unreal the destruction these feral horse cause
Remember most of our canine companions are invasive species, if you think about it. What is considered invasive anyways? Where does this end? Most of the domestic animals in America are brought here not native. My husband worked an outside job out at USA Parkway near Reno for over 10 years and over the last couple of years he has noticed Big horn sheep and Antelope among the horse population. Where do you get the idea that they cannot thrive together?
Its kinda confusing to hear ‘horse numbers have gone down the most since (year X)’. That doesnt communicate what the number pf horses is just the change in number. How does the overall number of horses compare to historic numbers?
Yep. I work right next to the blm office in Carson city. There will be a handful of these old crazy horse ladies out there waving signs. It’s ridiculous these ladies are clueless
Manage for human food like cows and put that 108 million to good use. For pity sake, there are bison farms, elk farms, and deer farms that produce human food. People have been eating horses for thousands of years.
Alberta has wild/feral horses located in western central Alberta, they are territorial and have pushed all ungulates out of the area they enhabit. Alberta had an adopting program in the 80's for some of the horses in the southern prairies, they were destroying Alberta native grasses and natural watering holes, but now it seems no one wants to deal with them. Most of these horses came from decendents released from mines. Sounds like the exact same issues and problems.
Does the Fresh Tracks crew know that there are "wild horses" in the Tobacco Roots? Escapees from a local ranch that is ""boarding" these feral animals.
There was a few feral horses in MT when I was a kid growing up on the ranch. They were dealt with quietly and locally and now there is none. If it was dogs hogs, cattle or any other non native species running around peoples neighborhoods there would be an uproar by the community. We as sportsman need to refer to them what they are feral horses, that is a start. The ones that support feral horses need to be the ones who funds them not the general public or taxpayer. Same goes for congress so many have no clue what they are talking about.
RMEF seems useless to me. The amount of influence they had on the wolves in CO didn't get the job done. These hunting political outfits all seem like a drinking party and giveaway party and ineffective. I don't want to go to some club and hang out and talk about hunting - I don't have time for that kind of leisure and don't value it. I'd send $10,000 to get the right back and not have to worry about getting tickets, arrested, and hassled. Guides are a waste of time and money - been there done that. Paying 10-15k for a guide and at the end of the week nothing = refund or rebate time. I don't want or need cooks, beds, showers, and first world amenities hunting. The industry is funneling money in the wrong direction. The government isn't letting people use public lands. The corner hopping thing seems like common sense. Anyone asking me how I got somewhere can kiss my ass with the fifth amendment. The last ditch effort is just use a heli to land on public lands. They can chase the FAA if they want to pick a fight about trespassing. The problem with the horses are the reservations where there is effectively zero game/population management. They breed like crazy on the rez then head off the rez for the cycle to continue. Natives don't want to do any population control on horses. They don't care about grazing lands. They don't care about wildfires. They don't care about managed sustainability. Not trying to spark some controversial war here, it's just fact.
Actually the horses the Spaniards brought to the New World landed both places. I’m willing to bet most of the mustang horses that ended up in Texas, the South West and places beyond during Spanish colonial times mostly originated from the Spanish in Mexico.
Im for managing the horse, but at the same time we are also animals and most of us are imports also. We dont manage humans, horses should be on the same level as us. Also cattle why the hell should they free range on public land, id rather have horses than cattle. Hunters should be allowed to take invasive cattle on public land. Also would there be a market for horse products if we could thin them down to realistic numbers?
What??? What the hell is wrong with you?? Horses should be on the same level as humans? Hmmmm....on the other hand, maybe we SHOULD "manage" some of the human population.
You would rather have the horses all the way till it effects you, but it doesn’t so you can make whatever claim you want without ever having to actually put your money where your mouth is.
I watched wild horses run some does and fawns off of a DNR placed water watering station in the Book Cliffs area in eastern Utah. Protecting their water source. Can't imagine that helps the miserable fawn survival rates in that area
I am from Nevada, the worst state of the total of horses you could add up total from lower 48 and Nevada's 55,000-60,000 horses is more ,by massive amounts, then next closes state total. Let's hope our Mountain Lions developed a addictive liking to there meat and start thinning the Heard.
The Federal Government used to pay for Feral Burrows and Horses just to tigh them off at certain distances to see how far the Nuclear Bomb would kill. There is a reason for the Act, but I do believe action is needed. I’ve seen Antelope population explode after a good round up. Over reaction, but regulation is needed
I am a Nevada native. When I have shown pictures of the areas I personally took of destroyed habitat, they said it was Cows doing it. One time, I was in one of the actual areas, depressed because over 1000 horses had destroyed about 10 square miles of land. The area held Antalope and Mule Deer just a few years earlier. A group of horse lovers came out there. They saw the destruction and said it was cows. However, I spent 3 days looking for Antalope and saw a Big Fat Zero of them and a total of about 10 cows. They are so emotionally invested that they do not see the evidence even when they are standing in the middle of it.
Also a native Nevadan here. I spent 5 days hunting antelope north of Ely from cherry creek all the way to the dolly vardens. I saw about 100 horses and only 9-10 antelope. I covered a lot of ground as well. Unreal the destruction these feral horse cause
Thanks for another good informative podcast, fresh tracks crew!
IKEA has entered the chat and would like to offer some swedish meatballs.
Ha ha ha ha
Horse is eaten everywhere but the usa.
very good talk, cant believe that much money goes into holding these horses..wow
I saw way more horses in NV than Deer last year by Ely.
Congratulations Randy! Well deserved!
Feral horses. They are an introduced species, not a native to North America, so Feral not wild.
Thanx
Remember most of our canine companions are invasive species, if you think about it. What is considered invasive anyways? Where does this end? Most of the domestic animals in America are brought here not native. My husband worked an outside job out at USA Parkway near Reno for over 10 years and over the last couple of years he has noticed Big horn sheep and Antelope among the horse population. Where do you get the idea that they cannot thrive together?
Its kinda confusing to hear ‘horse numbers have gone down the most since (year X)’. That doesnt communicate what the number pf horses is just the change in number. How does the overall number of horses compare to historic numbers?
Yeah, I wish we could manage horses better like the way we manage other wildlife deer, pronghorn, elk, etc. Good topic and very heated. Carry on boys.
That could be a good dog food company!!! Horse n kibble!
The same people who protect ferrel horses pretend to be environmentalist but I think they're ignorant to the fact they're an invasive species
You can blame crazy horse women
Yep. I work right next to the blm office in Carson city. There will be a handful of these old crazy horse ladies out there waving signs. It’s ridiculous these ladies are clueless
Manage for human food like cows and put that 108 million to good use. For pity sake, there are bison farms, elk farms, and deer farms that produce human food. People have been eating horses for thousands of years.
To help on the situation I refuse to call them wild. They are Feral Horses and should be completely removed.
Got some horse salami from geno Italy recently from a friend. It was spectacular... required classes to Identify ferral. Give out tags!
Jerk
It’s a good thing that PETA wasn’t around during the dinosaur years!!
corner crossing should be legal
I’ll help reduce wild horses, I’ll even buy a 220 swift to keep it traditional!
I wish the so called horse lovers would think about the importance of proper habitat for horses as well as the fragmentation of the same.
Why is a wild horse a wild horse but a wild pig is a feral pig? Both were domesticated animals before they went “wild”!
100%
Feral or Invasive would be the proper term!
Alberta has wild/feral horses located in western central Alberta, they are territorial and have pushed all ungulates out of the area they enhabit. Alberta had an adopting program in the 80's for some of the horses in the southern prairies, they were destroying Alberta native grasses and natural watering holes, but now it seems no one wants to deal with them. Most of these horses came from decendents released from mines. Sounds like the exact same issues and problems.
their not wild horses, they are feral!
Randy is right, depopulate. When you see feral horses, take them out of the cycle.
Dog food and jerky.
Wild horse tags?
When you see them use the 180 gr solution of SSS like any good rancher would do.
How can the advocacy groups that file the lawsuits be forced to pay a large chunk of the cost? Amendment to the wild horse bill?
Slow clap for Randy identifying the real problem. Thank you.
I love horses but would much rather have deer, elk and other ungulates on the landscape than horses!
They're called ferrel horses, not wild horses. There is no such thing as a wild horse in North America they are an invasive species.
Australia knows how to manage wild horses
Does the Fresh Tracks crew know that there are "wild horses" in the Tobacco Roots? Escapees from a local ranch that is ""boarding" these feral animals.
I didn't know that. I knew that some were "boarded" nearby, but I didn't know some were in the Tobacco Roots. Thanks for the heads up.
There was a few feral horses in MT when I was a kid growing up on the ranch. They were dealt with quietly and locally and now there is none. If it was dogs hogs, cattle or any other non native species running around peoples neighborhoods there would be an uproar by the community. We as sportsman need to refer to them what they are feral horses, that is a start. The ones that support feral horses need to be the ones who funds them not the general public or taxpayer. Same goes for congress so many have no clue what they are talking about.
RMEF seems useless to me. The amount of influence they had on the wolves in CO didn't get the job done. These hunting political outfits all seem like a drinking party and giveaway party and ineffective. I don't want to go to some club and hang out and talk about hunting - I don't have time for that kind of leisure and don't value it. I'd send $10,000 to get the right back and not have to worry about getting tickets, arrested, and hassled. Guides are a waste of time and money - been there done that. Paying 10-15k for a guide and at the end of the week nothing = refund or rebate time. I don't want or need cooks, beds, showers, and first world amenities hunting. The industry is funneling money in the wrong direction. The government isn't letting people use public lands. The corner hopping thing seems like common sense. Anyone asking me how I got somewhere can kiss my ass with the fifth amendment. The last ditch effort is just use a heli to land on public lands. They can chase the FAA if they want to pick a fight about trespassing.
The problem with the horses are the reservations where there is effectively zero game/population management. They breed like crazy on the rez then head off the rez for the cycle to continue. Natives don't want to do any population control on horses. They don't care about grazing lands. They don't care about wildfires. They don't care about managed sustainability. Not trying to spark some controversial war here, it's just fact.
Hahahaha that is funny 'the horses came to Mexico' actually the horses came to Florida.
Actually the horses the Spaniards brought to the New World landed both places. I’m willing to bet most of the mustang horses that ended up in Texas, the South West and places beyond during Spanish colonial times mostly originated from the Spanish in Mexico.
Im for managing the horse, but at the same time we are also animals and most of us are imports also. We dont manage humans, horses should be on the same level as us. Also cattle why the hell should they free range on public land, id rather have horses than cattle. Hunters should be allowed to take invasive cattle on public land. Also would there be a market for horse products if we could thin them down to realistic numbers?
What??? What the hell is wrong with you?? Horses should be on the same level as humans? Hmmmm....on the other hand, maybe we SHOULD "manage" some of the human population.
You would rather have the horses all the way till it effects you, but it doesn’t so you can make whatever claim you want without ever having to actually put your money where your mouth is.
I watched wild horses run some does and fawns off of a DNR placed water watering station in the Book Cliffs area in eastern Utah. Protecting their water source. Can't imagine that helps the miserable fawn survival rates in that area
Give it a little longer and the non-native horses will be moved on by the non-native wolves
I am from Nevada, the worst state of the total of horses you could add up total from lower 48 and Nevada's 55,000-60,000 horses is more ,by massive amounts, then next closes state total. Let's hope our Mountain Lions developed a addictive liking to there meat and start thinning the Heard.
The Federal Government used to pay for Feral Burrows and Horses just to tigh them off at certain distances to see how far the Nuclear Bomb would kill. There is a reason for the Act, but I do believe action is needed. I’ve seen Antelope population explode after a good round up. Over reaction, but regulation is needed
There should be left alone not hunted.
When you see them use the 180 gr solution of SSS like any good rancher would do.