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“The story below is presented unedited so you will see the word ‘feral’ used often. I do not claim to possess abundant knowledge as to the origins of the horses on Navajo land, but I cringe when I hear that word applied to the wild horses on public lands as they are at the very least, a reintroduced natural species (fodder for an OpEd, later). So tighten up, you are about to enter Feral Land.” ~ R.T.
A controversial hunt was aimed at reducing the numbers of feral horses near Teec Nos Pos, Arizona
This Scenario Averted – for the time being
FARMINGTON — A wild horse hunt aimed at thinning a herd in an Arizona trophy hunt area was abruptly cancelled on Monday as opposition to the hunt grew and a protest was planned.
The tribal government’s natural resource regulators last week issued a proclamation declaring the 2018 feral horse management hunt. It was designed to remove 60 horses from the Carrizo Mountains near Teec Nos Pos in northeast Arizona.
The Navajo Nation Division of Natural Resources this afternoon rescinded the proclamation, according to a notice on the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website.
President Russell Begaye said in an emailed statement that the hunt will be postponed and the proclamation was rescinded to allow for public input and education.
Protest was planned
Tens of thousands of feral horses roam Navajo Nation lands — and the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking ways to reduce that population.
Following the release of the hunt proclamation horse advocates, including members of the Facebook group Indigenous Horse Nation Protector Alliance, organized a rally for Friday morning in Window Rock, Arizona, to protest the hunt.
Gloria Tom, the director of Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the public outcry led to the cancellation.
Hunt should go before tribal leadership
In an email statement, Navajo Nation Speaker LoRenzo Bates said his office was not aware that the executive branch had made a decision to issue permits for hunting feral horses.
“As Navajo people, we are taught to respect all life forms and that includes horses,” Bates said. “Considering the cultural and historical factors and concerns over water shortages and overgrazing — this is certainly an issue that should have been brought before Navajo leadership and medicine people to discuss and consider.”
If the hunt had not been rescinded, hunters accompanied by wildlife conservation officers would have been able to kill non-branded horses that were at least two years old. Hunters would not have been permitted to kill mares that have foals with them.
Begaye said the Carrizo Mountains near Teec Nos Pos in northeast Arizona has been critically impacted by the feral horses. He said the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife’s proclamation specifically targeted the Carrizo Mountains.
The proclamation called for removing up to 60 horses over a six-day span from the Carrizo Mountains.
Tom said the Corrizo Mountains is one of the trophy hunt areas of the reservation. She said the department was concerned about the impacts of the horses on the habitat, especially about the impact on mule deer.
She said the severe drought in the region will increase competition for food and water.
“We’re looking at a very severe outlook for lack of precipitation through July this year,” she said.
Tom said the drought was one reason the department hoped to remove horses to reduce the stress on the landscape and wildlife…(CONTINUE)
Categories: Horse News, Horse Slaughter, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Isn’t that nice let’s not kill the mares and foals right now. Let’s just kill some of the elders and youngsters of the herd! Just disgusting! Forget that horses were here long.before they were. Humans are the most destructive animals on the planet. But I’ll tell you the Spirits and Mother.Earth would have taken serious revenge on them. If they think the drought was bad before they would not have seen anything! I guess they have forgotten their roots and where they came from. Why are humans always so reactive and never proactive? The people had better get ready too because there may come a time in the near future where equines will no longer be leaving the US borders to be slaughtered for human consumption. So I hope the leadership of the Navajo.tribe wakes up along with the BLM to.come up with a better solution which would include the advocates!
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Have read that there is more to this that has to do with the current push to remove riders from the law to allow horses to be moved by the BLM from LTH to a reservation & then “hunted”. Part of Chris Stewart’s goal? Not sure if this is a rumor or something dreamed up at the Utah meeting.
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This might explain why the LTH numbers never match up, in all likelihood many never went there at all but taxpayers pay for their “care” without access or accountability. It would seem a tag then a freeze brand would make tracing a simple matter, but for some reason it isn’t.
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Surely something else can be done.Besides having them killed off like that
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Have to hope there is some back story to that horrific photo. The unfortunate horse seems to be shot (?) in the eye and shoulder (older wounds), and is thin. Not clear if it’s a wild or domestic horse, or even where it died but certainly not on the Navajo Reservation.
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Horrible picture & the happy “hunter” (not) just turns my stomach.
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Agreed, the photo looks entirely staged so impossible to know what really happened to that poor horse.
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Ron Toahani Jackson, founder of Indigenpus Horse Nation Protector Alliance
February 26, 2018
We here at Indigenous Horse Nation Protector Alliance located on the Navajo Nation are working to stop this hunt. The Navajo Nation Council has NOT approved this hunt! We broke this story; Most Navajo are opposed to this hunt, for more info on current news on this hunt and to join. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1322456684475853/
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I have a backyard big enough for several horses. So MANY can do so much to change this life for many animals. A simple plan will work.
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Good! And that awful photo of the hunter – it’s bad enough with traditional trophy animals, but a horse? It’s just ugly.
I swear, I sometimes put myself in the paws and hooves of animals, and if I saw one of these scary-looking, grimacing humans coming after me to kill me, it would scare the crap out of me.
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Reblogged this on huggers.ca and commented:
I’m surprised that the Navajo people thought the hunt was a good idea!
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