Range War

Range War

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
Is there a grandfather clause with the BLM? We’ve had a range war going on in Nevada that has reaching implications for any rancher in the country. 68 year old Rancher Cliven Bundy along with his 14 children are running their cattle in the 600,000-acre Gold Butte area. Federal officials claim that Bundy is running his cattle illegally because since 1993, he has refused to pay what is currently estimated to be over $1 million in fees for the use of that land. Bundy uses the following logic: He is Mormon and his ancestors have been working the same land long before anybody thought up the idea of BLM fees or even the BLM itself. Wally Butler is a range specialist who has worked for years for the Idaho Farm Bureau. I called him to get his take. “If that logic holds true, we have a lot of long-standing ranches that go back to the same era predating the BLM and they have the same fight so I am pretty skeptical of it.” In retaliation,the BLM seized around 134 of his cows. So we were in the middle of a big standoff with all kinds of Bundy supporters showing up near his ranch and words like Ruby Ridge and Waco were used. Lots of antigovernment support and lots of folks who just thought big brother was beating up on poor Cliven. And then over the weekend, imagine this… The feds kind of caved in pledging to return the cows. In the end I don’t know where it's all going to go but for now, Mr. Bundy as his ranch and cows back.
Previous ReportDisaster Assistance
Next ReportReal Angus