Its a national forest and BLM land in that area. I have a right to walk, hike, hunt, etc. If he grazes sheep with a permit,,,fine. But if he puts an aggressive dog out there that sees a passing hiker as a threat,,, that dog will wind up shot.
I don’t doubt his reason for guarding his sheep from lions, etc. But if his dog attacks a person, he has to expect it will be shot.
Then he can put another dog out there. Too bad for the dog too. It isn’t the dogs fault, but that doesn’t mean we have to allow it.
So you’re saying your are armed while hiking? Do you have a permit? Is that allowed on BLM land? You’re saying you’ll shoot his dog?
Wrong.
People can be and are just as much a threat to the herd as “wild” predators. Think stock rustling... You cannot expect a dog to discern the difference between a hiker approaching his herd, versus a rustler approaching his herd. I doubt even a person could reliably discern this...
Your right to tramp about in the woods is no greater than a grazing lease holder’s right to protect his stock.
Now, whether or not public lands should have permits for stock grazing is a valid question, but is not the subject of this article...
How long do you suppose that free ranging of herds has been going on? You think it's a recent phenomenon?