Even though they're transplants, Sophia got to see her first bighorn. Like most NP wildlife, comletely non-plussed by us.
So, actually the Badlands are very beautiful and full of life. The Sioux and Cheyenne did just fine on them. Here comes a Rage ... many of the states west of the Mississippi have large parcels of public land - national forest, national grasslands, BLM, state school grant etc. etc. Plus, there are private lands that receive public funds to plants CRP grasses to prevent erosion.
I'm a frequent visitor to these lands, whether hunting, hiking, or exploring and more often than not, I'm enraged by how BAD those lands are being treated. Overgrazing is the primary culprit ... on most, you couldn't find a blade of grass if you laid on the ground and stared hard.
When I first encountered this, I was just discouraged because I was looking for hunting habitat. Then I became frustrated because the problem seemed so ubiquitous. After years of the same ol' same ol', I'm fed up.
If you graze public land and pay for that privelege, then there should be simple stocking criteria, rainfall formulas, and maintenance requirements ... like any pasture lease. And infractions should come with financial penalties and removal from future consideration. I know we don't have a bunch of BLM rangers, but these ranchers are stealing from us. In the real world, if it doesn't rain, you either sell stock, move them, or find some way to feed them ... the damage being done to the land may be irreparable.
And when a drought does come along and you're given emergency clearance to graze or bale CRP land, you better be able to prove that every bale of hay you cut was fed to your cattle or you owe the citizenry $100 per. There's not many folks around out here to make sure you play by the rules, but the results of cheating should be substantial ... rules are what you follow when people are watching and ethics are what you follow when they aren't...
It's YOUR land - come out and see for yourself!
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