Federal Government Announces Agents Will Be Shooting Cattle from Helicopters
The Federal Government has announced a plan to begin shooting feral cattle from helicopters in order to protect the environment.
According to Albuquerque, New Mexico, local outlet KOB 4, the U.S. Forest Service approved a plan to fly a helicopter over the Gila National Forest in New Mexico in order to hunt unbranded wild cattle that, according to environmentalists, are causing damage to rivers and streams with their mouths and hooves.
“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,” forest supervisor Camille Howes said.
Local ranchers, however, have criticized the plan as cruel and have warned about the unintended consequences that could come from this plan.
They say it sets a dangerous precedent, as more and more ranching plots are left vacant across the West and fences become untended. They claim that this could result in privately owned cattle wandering off and getting caught up in the mix.