Feral Cattle

[pupchow]

Gila National Forest - News & Events

Gila National Forest moves forward with lethal removal of feral cattle from Gila Wilderness​

Release Date: Feb 16, 2023

Area Closure begins Feb. 20, 2023

The Gila National Forest has issued a decision to remove feral cattle within the boundaries of the Gila Wilderness using lethal methods. These feral cattle are not domesticated animals and pose a significant threat to public safety and natural resources. A closure order covering the area of operations will go into effect on Monday, Feb. 20, and aerial shooting will commence from Thursday, Feb. 23 through Sunday, Feb. 26. For public safety, Gila National Forest officials are asking people to avoid the closure area while the order is in effect.

“This has been a difficult decision, but the lethal removal of feral cattle from the Gila Wilderness is necessary to protect public safety, threatened and endangered species habitats, water quality, and the natural character of the Gila Wilderness,” said Camille Howes, Gila National Forest Supervisor. “The feral cattle in the Gila Wilderness have been aggressive towards wilderness visitors, graze year-round, and trample stream banks and springs, causing erosion and sedimentation. This action will help restore the wilderness character of the Gila Wilderness enjoyed by visitors from across the country.”

The Gila National Forest is working with USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services to remove feral cattle from within the boundaries of the Gila Wilderness. Due to the terrain, their numbers are challenging to determine but the best estimate is that there are approximately 150 head of cattle. The most efficient and humane way to deal with this issue is with the responsible lethal removal of the feral cattle.

Some cattle growers have expressed concern that branded cattle could have strayed into the Gila Wilderness over the past year, due to fences and water gaps that were damaged during an unusually strong monsoon season. The Forest Service is committed to continued efforts toward collaborative solutions and will continue to coordinate with permittees in their efforts to locate, gather, and remove their branded cattle from areas where they are not authorized.

All dispatched cattle will be left onsite to naturally decompose. Forest Service staff will ensure no carcasses are adjacent to or in any waterbody or spring, designated hiking trail, or known culturally sensitive area. A wilderness minimum requirements decision guide has been completed and approved before using any methods otherwise prohibited under the Wilderness Act.

For additional information, visit the Gila National Forest website or contact Maribeth Pecotte at (575) 388-8211.

 

[Spartan65]

We have a huge food insecurity issue in this country and the forest service is just going to shoot these cattle from a helicopter and let them rot?

Should be criminal.

 

[76Too]

I’m ok with this.

My littlest steer (probably 700lbs and is usually the ‘nice’ one) chased me around like a schoolgirl tonight because he was hungry and I had the feed bag when I went into the pasture. I had my G20 on me, but I don’t want to shoot him because he cost me a thousand bucks and will hopefully be paying for my property taxes this year.

I’m getting bullied by these bastards over here

On the bright side, I’m not getting very attached to these sons of bitches like I thought I would. They’re cute and playful, but each one of them has tried to kill me now.

And I love steak.

 

[Spartan65]

I’m ok with this.

My littlest steer (probably 700lbs and is usually the ‘nice’ one) chased me around like a schoolgirl tonight because he was hungry and I had the feed bag when I went into the pasture. I had my G20 on me, but I don’t want to shoot him because he cost me a thousand bucks and will hopefully be paying for my property taxes this year.

I’m getting bullied by these bastards over here

On the bright side, I’m not getting very attached to these sons of bitches like I thought I would. They’re cute and playful, but each one of them has tried to kill me now.

And I love steak.

Are you going to become the NES freezer beef connect? Because I am IN!
Put me down for a 1/2 share lol.

 

[76Too]

Are you going to become the NES freezer beef connect? Because I am IN!
Put me down for a 1/2 share lol.

I mean…it’s Kentucky bluegrass fed beef! It should be REALLY damn good…my cows live better than most of the poor folks around here.

Me and and Hank (my Weimaraner) can’t eat it all ourselves! I figure if I cook beef every other supper we can probably go through a 1/2 steer in a year though? Maybe? He gets kibble too, but he inevitably always ends up with some of what I’m eating too. He’s 11, so he’s earned his stripes and it’s time to start letting him enjoy the finer things in life.

The old hillbilly up the holler claimed half of the first steer, but the other one won’t be far behind for slaughter (probably spring of 2024). If you’re interested I could probably get 1/2 beef to MA in a large cooler when I come back to visit family.

 

[Spartan65]

please let me know, I’m in if it can be a win-win.

 

[76Too]

please let me know, I’m in if it can be a win-win.

Deal!

 

[Matt_SERE]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQMbXvn2RNI&t=4s

 

[rudiewhitebwoy]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQMbXvn2RNI&t=4s

Cow Tse Tongue

 

[Mark from MA]

We have a huge food insecurity issue in this country and the forest service is just going to shoot these cattle from a helicopter and let them rot?

Should be criminal.

Yup....same with feral hogs. Stupid.

Let hunters come in and use the meat or give it away to people who need it.

I love how if it was hunters the government would charge you with wanton waste....yet they can shoot what they want and leave it and its all OK for them to break the law.

But then again the government nearly caused the American Bison to be extinct, to kill off and starve the Indians, so why would I expect anything different.

 

[timbo]

I’m ok with this.

My littlest steer (probably 700lbs and is usually the ‘nice’ one) chased me around like a schoolgirl tonight because he was hungry and I had the feed bag when I went into the pasture. I had my G20 on me, but I don’t want to shoot him because he cost me a thousand bucks and will hopefully be paying for my property taxes this year.

I’m getting bullied by these bastards over here

On the bright side, I’m not getting very attached to these sons of bitches like I thought I would. They’re cute and playful, but each one of them has tried to kill me now.

And I love steak.

LOL...I learned early on as a kid on a farm, never name the animals you plan to eat. When my dad moved us up to northern NH in 1961, he bought a spring piglet to butcher for meat that fall. He named it Petunia. Well, butchering day came and he had to call a friend to help him as he couldn't pull the trigger. He was fine once it went down but all he could see were those two eyes looking at him when he pointed the .22 pistol between them. The next year he bought three piglets and he had no issues that time around as they had no names...just the white pig, the freckled pig and one that was mostly black.

 

[Garys]

There is a thread on the Smith-Wesson forum on this. Someone familiar with the Gila Wilderness explained why it's not feasible to try and harvest the cattle. The same reason they are using helicopters. Which is that there are no roads through the area and it's pretty much inaccessible.

The meat won't go to waste as other animals will eat it.

We have a huge food insecurity issue in this country and the forest service is just going to shoot these cattle from a helicopter and let them rot?

Should be criminal.

 

[tuna]

We have a huge food insecurity issue in this country and the forest service is just going to shoot these cattle from a helicopter and let them rot?

Should be criminal.

Wild horses too. The USDA used to cull the herds until the animal rights retards went full Disney and made them stop. Now the herds are suffering and there's nothing that can be done that won't cause idiots to scream about the poor horses.

Open a hunting season for crying out loud! I'd much prefer to shoot a cow, steer or horse than a deer. Especially if the animal is wild and you get all the "organically raised" benefits of game meat without the flavor (not a venison fan, sorry).

 

[Mark from MA]

There is a thread on the Smith-Wesson forum on this. Someone familiar with the Gila Wilderness explained why it's not feasible to try and harvest the cattle. The same reason they are using helicopters. Which is that there are no roads through the area and it's pretty much inaccessible.

The meat won't go to waste as other animals will eat it.

Really......lots of people in inaccessable areas out west in Elk/Deer/Bear country......they quarter or debone the animal and pack it in meat bags and hike in and out with the animals in pieces. Or arrange a pack mule outfitter to pack it out. Or they get charged with wanton waste.

For christ sake, let hunters do it. They could take the only the backstaps and tenderloins and back hams and at least some of it would get used.

 

[Mountain]

There is a thread on the Smith-Wesson forum on this. Someone familiar with the Gila Wilderness explained why it's not feasible to try and harvest the cattle. The same reason they are using helicopters. Which is that there are no roads through the area and it's pretty much inaccessible.

The meat won't go to waste as other animals will eat it.

LOL, this. ^

Remote area and no way to haul back the meat. Funny how some ranchers were pushing back "what if some are branded..." Plenty of advance warning- go get your cattle if they are missing and next time maintain your fence. Probably can take some 'free' ones too if you have the balls.

NES: Feral cattle? F no, people are starving.

Also NES: Feral pigs? OMFG blast them with a mini gun!

 

[Matt_SERE]

Taking home an elk in the woods of Oregon. That there is some steep and thick shit. Lots of videos of getting food from the hunt to the table. Hunters out west routinely hike out 5+ miles with their kill. Hell, a good buddy will take the phone call, drop what he is doing, hike in to help you find it, butcher it, hike it out and all for a couple roasts or some backstrap and a beer.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQyMyxVgoaM&list=PLx6jFIadjw9dw0o_ePpJTnHfZ40NqsJOU&index=3

 

[Mark from MA]

Also NES: Feral pigs? OMFG blast them with a mini gun!

Feral pigs meat should be used as much as possible. I do not agree with people just blasting them. Its just people being lazy and honestly probably greedy. There are hunters out there that will kill them and use them for free or a small fee, but they aren't going to pay hundreds of dollars when your shooting them and leaving them to rot.

Shoot an old boar....grind it all into sausage then. Or don't shoot the old boar, kill the smaller pig and use it.

 

[Matt_SERE]

Feral pigs meat should be used as much as possible. I do not agree with people just blasting them. Its just people being lazy and honestly probably greedy. There are hunters out there that will kill them and use them for free or a small fee, but they aren't going to pay hundreds of dollars when your shooting them and leaving them to rot.

Shoot an old boar....grind it all into sausage then. Or don't shoot the old boar, kill the smaller pig and use it.

It depends on what state you're in. If I have farmland in flyover country and I have a feral hog problem I'm blasting away. They aren't just eating your straw like the cows they are ruining the crops and the land by digging up the soil.

 

[Woodstone]

Did someone just say "food insecurity issue"?

 

[Mark from MA]

It depends on what state you're in. If I have farmland in flyover country and I have a feral hog problem I'm blasting away. They aren't just eating your straw like the cows they are ruining the crops and the land by digging up the soil.

While I agree with this, there are lots of farms that bitch about the problem yet don't let people in to hunt. I know letting strangers in to hunt has its own issues......

 

[Dennis in MA]

We have a huge food insecurity issue in this country and the forest service is just going to shoot these cattle from a helicopter and let them rot?

Should be criminal.

This exact issue was on the latest MeatEater this week. They said that they should report GPS coordinates so people could go in and recover the meat.