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The version of the story I've heard is that Bundy was paying his grazing fees, per his lease, to the BLM until 1993. In 1993, the BLM reduced his grazing allotment, i.e., the total amount of acreage he could use for grazing, as part of an effort to preserve habitat for this desert tortoise. So Bundy quits paying the BLM altogether because he figures he needs all the acreage he originally had to graze his herd.

Now, I don't think it's unreasonable for Bundy to be miffed because out in southern Nevada, it takes about 320 acres to sustain a single head of cattle. Less acreage for grazing means raising fewer cattle, unless you're feeding them at your own expense. But he still owed grazing fees on the acreage he was able to retain, and he didn't pay those to the BLM. Says he tried to pay the grazing fees to Clark County and the State of Nevada, but since he's leasing federal lands for his cattle, not state or county lands, he was paying his rental to the wrong agencies.

Why Bundy didn't reduce his herd back in 1993 or try to find rangeland that didn't have other wildlife issues is something that Bundy hasn't explained. If he had taken either action, he probably wouldn't have the BLM rounding up his cattle today.

I don't want to see this guy go out of business, but he *is* grazing his cattle on federal lands, after all, and if he is doing that, he's subjecting himself to federal rules. Gotta play by the rules. Like one poster stated above...if you don't pay your grazing fees, the owner of the land is likely to tell you to move your cattle somewhere else.

It seems that THIS admin BELIEVES that grazing cattle creates global
warming!!! Since the FEDS seem to OWN so much OPEN land around
ranchers WE as a nation are going to SEE ALOT MORE of this!!! MY
grocery bill is absolutely OUT OF CONTROL as it is right now!!! The
damage to this country is happening so QUICKLY somethings gotta give!!!
I have to tell you I HATE THIS SOB!!!