NV Cattle Rustling: An Eyewitness Report
By The Nevada Livestock Association
Published Sept. 23, 2002 at 17:42 Sierra Times
Cresent Valley, NV - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) attacked the Dann Sisters from Crescent Valley, Nevada early Sunday morning September 22, 2002 in the Pine Valley area of Eureka County. They impounded an unknown amount of cattle (BLM estimates of 200 head), with the help of Greg Cook of Vernal, Utah, and his hired rustlers as well as from 50 to 100 BLM and federal personnel. Helicopters and surveillance airplanes roamed the skies. The BLM deployed and established a lock down of a great portion of Eureka county with armed quasi-militarized BLM enforcement officers as well as other federal agents. All access by roads, including the road from Carlin, Nevada and county access roads were blocked by BLM with assistance, on state highways, from the Nevada Highway Patrol.
BLM set up the evening before the attack in Pine Valley. A large base camp with helipad, command post trailers, up to 100 personnel, the majority of which were armed. Various types of weaponry, camouflage, military paraphernalia, night vision scopes, flack vests, as well a some special operations type personnel. Manned four-wheel drive pickups and special camo-green ATV’s were deployed through out the area.
Members of the Western Shoshone Nation and their supporters had been forewarned by an anonymous caller of the attack and were in the mountains to peacefully protect the cattle and document developments, none were armed. In the early morning darkness they were surrounded by BLM rangers with sidearms. They were instructed to immediately vacate the area. When they questioned why, “We were told the BLM was conducting an unidentified operation and that we needed to leave, immediately. We told them we were here to document the actions of the BLM and that we were not blocking the road and not threatening them in any way. We were not armed,” said Christopher Sowall of the Western Shoshone Defense Project. They told us we will give you one more warning then we will arrest you. They had night vision scopes. They escorted us out with rangers in front and back who prevented us from stopping, telling us to keep moving until we reached the perimeter they had established,” said Sowall. Others in area met a similar fate.
The Nevada Live Stock Association (NVLSA) Chairman David Holmgren, his family and other members supporting the Dann Sisters of Crescent Valley, helped remove some cattle to safety. “All of the cattle were in excellent condition with big calves and lots of milk,” said Holmgren. The BLM statement that ‘it’s just weeds and dirt out there’ as reported in the Reno Gazette, is totally false. I want all real ranchers to know that. We friendly cowboys used a leased helicopter ourselves this morning (Sept. 23, 2002) to site more cattle and we are bringing them in before the BLM rustlers get them. We also monitored the BLM,” said Holmgren.
Other ranchers in the area were also upset with the gather as their cattle were gathered with the Danns.
“The Nevada Brand Department was in full force, as were Boss Abbey (Nevada BLM State Director) who led the operation and his BLM press correspondent JoLynn Worley, both sporting big cowboy hats,” said David Holmgren. Holmgren noted that the Nevada Live Stock Association is the only cattlemen’s association who is supporting ranchers in Nevada who are having their cattle impounded and sold without a court order or due process of law, as well as a phony brand inspection certificate where ownership can be transferred without the real owner’s signature.
Eureka County Sheriff Ken Jones was informed of the situation by Holmgren and that Holmgren and others were being confronted by armed rangers and that the Danns’ and county roads were closed. A Eureka County sergeant was dispatched to the area. A party including Holmgren, were then allowed to proceed. BLM insisted on an armed escort in pickups and ATV’s to the impoundment area. They would be arrested if they left the county road or stepped foot off of it. The last of the cattle were being loaded on Cook leased or owned semi trucks when they arrived at the corrals. Other ranchers who rode up to the corral were stopped and not allowed to get in the corral, “they were kept at a distance,” They told us to move on but Carrie (Dann) refused, then Boss Abbey (BLM) said that they had control of the public lands and we weren’t to step off of the road,” said Holmgren.
“Remember this is just the beginning, eventually anyone could have their cattle impounded and sold for breaking a BLM rule or regulation,” said Holmgren.
The cattle were to be taken to the BLM Palomino Valley Wild Horse and Burro facility as live stock auctions will not accept them.
Holmgren and his family as well as others from the Nevada Live Stock Association and the Shoshone are still out gathering cattle today. More NVLSA dispatches from the battle front will be forth coming.
“BLM set up the evening before the attack in Pine Valley. A large base camp with helipad, command post trailers, up to 100 personnel, the majority of which were armed. Various types of weaponry, camouflage, military paraphernalia, night vision scopes, flack vests, as well a some special operations type personnel. Manned four-wheel drive pickups and special camo-green ATV’s were deployed through out the area.”
Last weekend the BLM finally got an Op wherein all that gear might actually come in handy...and they back down!
How odd.