The “welfare ranchers” on public lands whine and blame the wild horses & burros for eating all the forage, but the bigger problem is that the Bureau of Land Management turns a blind eye to the impacts of privately owned livestock grazing on public lands. This article by Grandma Gregg still rings true today.
by Grandma Gregg
How BLM “researches” their Wild Horse and Burro Usage Data
Years ago, BLM Director’s Challenge awarded $300,000 to assist field offices in on-the-ground volunteer field research about our wild horses and burros and our public lands. The research on the public lands was to be done by the public under the direction of BLM. I witnessed a member of the public who just happened to be an environmental scientist/ biologist (obviously the BLM representative didn’t know that) getting a return phone call from BLM Eagle Lake field office employee Derek Wilson, the coordinator for this “volunteer opportunity”.
This BLM representative told the potential volunteer that the assessment was to be on the Twin Peaks HMA and all usage found was to be counted as wild horse and burro usage regardless if the usage was from private livestock or other wildlife. Since this was to be done on an HMA that had 82% of its forage allocated to privately-owned domestic livestock the biologist asked how the study would differentiate between the usage of livestock and wild horses/burros. The BLM told the biologist that ALL usage observed during the study would be attributed to the wild horses and burros … ALL … and none to the livestock or any other possible user – regardless of the fact private domestic livestock was permitted about 5 times more than the permitted wild horses and burro usage. It clearly appeared from what the BLM representative explained, that the BLM were going to use the public volunteers to gather information to paint another negative picture for the horses and burros based on this fraudulent, non-scientific study.
Read the rest of this article HERE.
The PPJ Gazette 
Jul 26, 2019 @ 03:32:27
Twin Peaks Roundup Litchfield Corral 8.13.10.
Video taken by Jessica Johnson of newly captured Twin Peaks wild horses shows visibly lame horses, a downed mare and foals recently separated from their mothers.
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Jul 26, 2019 @ 03:31:03
Series by Lisa LeBlanc – SFTHH Chief Investigative Reporter
2010
THE WILD HORSES OF TWIN PEAKS
PHOTO BLM Contractor’s Helicopter Harassing Twin Peaks Wild Horses – Photo by Hector Amezcua
Most stood calmly, as if assessing their predicament. One Stallion and his Mare – the leaders of the small band the Thesis Author had studied over her year-long research in this area – worked in tandem to keep others in the pen from fighting or panicking by running interference rather than through discipline. An unrelated yearling Palomino took cues from the pair and remained focused and observant. And all remained uninjured.
In another pen, three Mules, offspring, no doubt of illicit moonlit romances, stood shoulder to shoulder in a crowded pen with a collection of Horses, all alert and aware but undefeated.
There were occasional but rare bouts of panic, but all tried to be polite and respectful of one another.
When a truckload of infants arrived, the foals were already frightened and squealing for their mothers. The Mares responded but rather than a chaotic cacophony, each Mare called out, one at a time, in measured cadence, and the foals were quieted.
I’m sure the contractors and the wranglers would take credit for this if they could but the fact is you can’t achieve a good outcome without starting with a superior product. And these Horses are superior – in appearance, in intellect
I had heard of the terrible fights among Stallions captured the day before, a natural response to the unnatural acts forced upon them. I had heard a story related of a Stallion who refused to follow his family into the trap but stood, calling them over and over. When he could not save them, he tried to call others to him, to head them away from the trap.
But this is a roundup and none will be spared. It will be left to humans to decide who will be saved and who will not. I saw these Horses twice – once from a distance and once in a cage – and even in these circumstances, their singular beauty and extraordinary intelligence were evident.
I hope, in some small way, I’ve been able to help you see them as well.
https://rtfitchauthor.com/2010/08/18/diary-of-a-first-time-wild-horse-stampede-observer-part-two/
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Jul 26, 2019 @ 03:30:29
Diary of a First Time Wild Horse Stampede Observer, Part Two (excerpts)
Series by Lisa LeBlanc – SFTHH Chief Investigative Reporter
2010
THE WILD HORSES OF TWIN PEAKS
I’ve been a Horsewoman for 17 years; I have never met a Horse that didn’t have something appealing, something to recommend itself to the world. You deserve to know them, the Twin Peaks bands, to know who you fight for.
Come with me and meet the Wild Horses of Twin Peaks.
By their nature, Wild Horses, when left to a natural progression, develop characteristics unique to their environments. The Twin Peaks bands are the Horses I observed and I owe it to them to try and bring them to life for you.
The dominant colors run the gamut from the Blue Blacks, beautifully tainted with brush strokes of pure white, to truly white Grays and Cremellos. There are variations and dilutions of Blue Roan and Blue Appaloosaand Black & White Paints. There are the occasional forays into rose and gold – Red Roans, Sorrels and Palominos, to break it up a bit. All the ‘standard’ Horse colors are represented to some degree, but a personal favorite and rare oddity is the nose-to-tail and hoof-to-hoof pure Pewter Grays, with no other color to be found on them, not even in their manes or tails.
The true treasure of the Twin Peaks Horses, however, must be viewed close up: Each of them, without exception, possesses a distinctive metallic sheen.
Over and over I saw ‘common’ colors, glowing brilliant in the sunlight, bringing out in Bays, Buckskins, Grullos and Duns an uncommon beauty, all clad in a coat of living metal.
Through self-selective breeding, they have produced well-muscled bodies of excellent conformation. Many, particularly the Stallions, have deep, muscular chests and butts, physical developments that should run counter to this harsh environment but are, instead, a testament to Nature doing more with less.
These adaptations are not limited to their physical development. While observing at the short term sorting pens, they showed remarkable intelligence and a characteristic unique to higher minded beings – compassion.
https://rtfitchauthor.com/2010/08/18/diary-of-a-first-time-wild-horse-stampede-observer-part-two/
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Jul 26, 2019 @ 03:30:01
Twin Peaks roundup
2010
BLM: “Enter Ranchers, Stage Left, ACTION”
BY R.T. FITCH ON AUGUST 26, 2010 • ( 76 COMMENTS )
(PHOTO) A Citizen Observer challenges “Rancher” comments while BLM security observes from behind tree in background – Photo by R.T. Fitch
It happened just like clockwork, the timing was excellent. There had been no local “Ranchers” to speak of at the Twin Peaks roundup the day before, but today was different; there was a reporter from the New York Times on hand with a photographer documenting the carefully orchestrated “gather” and for the grand finale, wild horse advocates were on the menu.
While the reporter and photographer were down in the trap area the handful of citizen observers were far back up a hill standing quietly with cameras in hand, watching, waiting and whispering. The observers had no way of knowing that just over the crest of the hill behind them a storm was brewing and heading their way with a vengeance.
“Those horses are feral, ya know.” One would say.
“Yeah, our cattle have purpose while your horses have no purpose.” Chimed in another.
“You people don’t have a clue about what is goin on out there.” Another “Rancher” added.
https://rtfitchauthor.com/2010/08/26/blm-%e2%80%9center-ranchers-stage-left-action%e2%80%9d/
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Jul 25, 2019 @ 10:58:49
Sounds like BLM FRAUD to me.
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