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Post by vegasjames on May 4, 2017 2:57:47 GMT -5
Was just out North of Las Vegas and came across a few herds of wild horses. It was a great surprise as I thought that the BLM had already illegally rounded up all the horses to take them from the land.  20170502_190624-1 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_190559-1 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_190438 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_190421 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_190404-1 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_185840 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_185351 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_185310 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_185201 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_185121 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_185050-1 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_184946 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_184905 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_184825-1 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_184739-1 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_184608 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_184600-1 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_183621 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_183543-1 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_183508 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_183434-1 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_183349-1 by James Sloane, on Flickr  20170502_183332-1-1-1 by James Sloane, on Flickr |
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Post by 1dave on May 4, 2017 3:05:33 GMT -5
Tame bunch to let you get that close.
Thanks for sharing!
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Post by vegasjames on May 4, 2017 3:08:57 GMT -5
Tame bunch to let you get that close. Thanks for sharing! Yes, the white faced one actually walked up to me and let me pet him. And another from another herd further South did the same thing with a friend of mine. |
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Post by 1dave on May 4, 2017 3:16:19 GMT -5
Tame bunch to let you get that close. Thanks for sharing! Yes, the white faced one actually walked up to me and let me pet him. And another from another herd further South did the same thing with a friend of mine. Not long out of captivity then. Probably recently released by owners no longer able to afford to feed them. |
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Post by vegasjames on May 4, 2017 3:31:40 GMT -5
Yes, the white faced one actually walked up to me and let me pet him. And another from another herd further South did the same thing with a friend of mine. Not long out of captivity then. Probably recently released by owners no longer able to afford to feed them. Actually they have been out there a long time. But they are protected and people often feed them even though they are not supposed to so they are use to people and do not feel threatened by them unless being chased by BLM helicopters. |
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Sabre52
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Me and my gal, Rosie
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Post by Sabre52 on May 4, 2017 6:16:36 GMT -5
Man, If there's anything I love more than rocks, it's horses! Great set of pics! Every time I've seen wild mustangs they were really hard to approach. Some pretty nice horses in that group and cool you were able to get sch good photos. A neighbor by our ranch back in Commiefornia had adopted a mustang and he became a great mountain horse. Jet back with a perfect white star on his forehead. He'd come to visit me when I was out hiking. I loved that horse!....Mel
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on May 4, 2017 8:51:04 GMT -5
Great photos.... We go to see wild horses in North Dakota,several years ago,no way of getting close to them...LOL
Its a rare site either way.....Thanks for sharing..
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Post by rockpickerforever on May 4, 2017 9:18:08 GMT -5
Very nice, vegasjames. Very surprised they allowed you to get so close. Did you not have Jax with you? Always enjoy seeing wild horses roaming free. They are beautiful. Thanks for sharing. |
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geodes4u
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since October 2009
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Post by geodes4u on May 4, 2017 10:42:31 GMT -5
Very Cool! Still WILD in America. Thanks for sharing that with us.
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Post by youp50 on May 4, 2017 10:42:34 GMT -5
Thanks for the pics. I did not knows horses were coprographist.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2017 11:54:48 GMT -5
An invasive species is protected from removal?
ETA
Google is my friend.
This is a bizarre situation in which the BLM is tasked with "protecting and managing" the feral populations of this invasive non-native species.
Lacking predators (wolves in their native range) they could easily overpopulate and destroy valuable habitat. So removing them, actually helps them stay healthy. If one desires the population stay healthy then adding a predator (by helicopter management) to the ecosystem is a good idea.
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Post by vegasjames on May 4, 2017 13:40:23 GMT -5
Man, If there's anything I love more than rocks, it's horses! Great set of pics! Every time I've seen wild mustangs they were really hard to approach. Some pretty nice horses in that group and cool you were able to get sch good photos. A neighbor by our ranch back in Commiefornia had adopted a mustang and he became a great mountain horse. Jet back with a perfect white star on his forehead. He'd come to visit me when I was out hiking. I loved that horse!....Mel I have photographed 3 other herds in the past. I will post those photos as well when I get a chance. |
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Post by vegasjames on May 4, 2017 13:42:22 GMT -5
Very nice, vegasjames . Very surprised they allowed you to get so close. Did you not have Jax with you? Always enjoy seeing wild horses roaming free. They are beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Jax was with me but I left her in the car with my friend's dog, also named Jax, because my Jax was barking at them and wanted to go herd them. |
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Post by vegasjames on May 4, 2017 13:46:29 GMT -5
Thanks for the pics. I did not knows horses were coprographist. He was not feeding on the droppings. He was smelling them, then he put his own droppings on top of those just like dogs peeing or defecating over a spot where another dog has gone. |
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Post by vegasjames on May 4, 2017 13:55:44 GMT -5
An invasive species is protected from removal? ETA Google is my friend. This is a bizarre situation in which the BLM is tasked with "protecting and managing" the feral populations of this invasive non-native species. Lacking predators (wolves in their native range) they could easily overpopulate and destroy valuable habitat. So removing them, actually helps them stay healthy. If one desires the population stay healthy then adding a predator (by helicopter management) to the ecosystem is a good idea. They are not considered invasive since they were here before humans. So we are the invasive species. The reason it is illegal is because they wold horses are Federally protected. You are not allowed to harass or harm the horses in any way. The BLM roundups are harassing and have resulted in the deaths of some of the horses that were injured or driven to exhaustion. And apparently some of the horses ended up in meat markets. The BLM claims there is not enough food or water for the horses, which is "horse shit"! Watering holes have been fenced off to make sure the horses cannot access the water and there is plenty of food out there. How can there be plenty of food for open range cattle grazing but not the horses? And there is the real reasoning for the horse round ups. The BLM is catering to the cattle ranchers who want to see the horses killed or removed so they have more land, food and water for their cattle. And again, these horses were around long before man and the habitat was never destroyed. Nature has its own checks and balances. It is when man comes along and tries to control things that everything gets screwed up. Watch the video on what happened when they reintroduced the wolves as an example. |
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grayfingers
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Post by grayfingers on May 4, 2017 15:34:00 GMT -5
I did not know the horses predated humans in the west. Always heard they were descended from horses lost by the Spanish. Even if they only dated back to the great push westward they are a pert of our heritage. And the Burros from the gold rush too. They deserve their place to live in peace. The numbers of wild horses could be controlled when/if needed by darting young ones for adoption. The fees could help fund the program. As James alluded, the BLM lies about the numbers the range will support without threatening other species. Nothing more beautiful than wild horses running free. Highly recommend this documentary about wild horses in the Pryor Mountains of Montana and Wyoming. www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/cloud-wild-stallion-of-the-rockies-video-full-episode/260/ |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2017 16:37:59 GMT -5
I did some homework on the species in north america. It seems they have spread here from Asia a number of times and each time went extinct. Then with Columbus bringing caballos they have repopulated again.
I'll stipulate they are as close to native as it comes.
It's a stupid law that protects them. They should be hunted as other hoofstock are in North America. Game hunting won't harm the species, will bring money into the state in which they inhabit, and will feed many hungry people, in an environmentally friendly manner.
Hunting saved the Scimitar horned oryx from extinction, protection now has doomed it to disappear.
Better to eat tasty wild horse than feed lot cattle, in my estimation anyways.
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grayfingers
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Post by grayfingers on May 4, 2017 17:13:34 GMT -5
@shotgunner Hunting would be a viable solution. One problem though. I don't know about the southwestern states, but here in Montana (and presumably WY) the idea of hunting horses would be equally unpopular with rural folk and the tree-huggers in the university towns.
Old saying; "Don't mess with a man's horse, gun or wife. In that order."
I have eaten horse a couple times. Reminded me of moose meat. A tad rubbery.
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on May 4, 2017 17:21:49 GMT -5
I presume Jax knows those Mustangs will kick her into California. Two dogs named Jax lol ?
I saw a horse kick a dog once. Looked like a nothing blow. Dog was severely injured.
The dog was to the side of the horse. Side kick is nasty.
Amazing how healthy the foals are.
Beautiful country.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2017 17:28:41 GMT -5
@shotgunner Hunting would be a viable solution. One problem though. I don't know about the southwestern states, but here in Montana (and presumably WY) the idea of hunting horses would be equally unpopular with rural folk and the tree-huggers in the university towns. Old saying; "Don't mess with a man's horse, gun or wife. In that order." I have eaten horse a couple times. Reminded me of moose meat. A tad rubbery. In Japan it was vaguely reminiscent of beef, and a bit chewie. I don't mind the bite. Flavour was good. Wild animals are no "man's horse". |
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