Cows in the Sierras?
- calvin23
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Cows in the Sierras?
I was doing a dayhike in redwood canyon in Sequoia this weekend at about 6,000 feet. Through the trees and brush I partially saw a large animal walking around. Thought it was a deer at first. It poked it's head thru a spot in the bushes and it now looked like a bear's face. But on second thought, I think it was a COW! Anyone ever see a rogue cow up that high in the sierras??
By the way, it was snowing heavily at 6,500 feet late saturday
MIKE
By the way, it was snowing heavily at 6,500 feet late saturday
MIKE
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- giantbrookie
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So far as I know, cows aren't supposed to be in Seki or Yosemite, so that would be a rogue cow, I guess, but the altitude is not unusual. Grazing is permitted in other Sierra wilderness areas as well as non-wilderness NF lands and I've seen cows up to the 9k level or so in several different areas. The highest I've seen evidence of is in and around Kaiser Wilderness, where I've seen cow poop somewhere above 9k.
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- SSSdave
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Cattle grazing in high country areas of the Sierra is problematic because most of those areas have no fences thus just letting cows go where they might wander without someone controlling them is a formula that doesn't work. Cattle of course are often very bad for stream areas because they prefer to walk right up streams where they eat vegetation, drop their pies into the streams, and create huge hoof holes in the soft earth. Heck where ever those heavy beasts walk, is damage much worse than even horses. I hate what they do in the Ebbetts Pass area. I've written the forest service at times that always results in officially archived letters that get reviewed. Cattle ought to be allowed to graze in some middle forest elevation meadows, but there needs to be more done keeping them out of the more fragile high country areas. ...David
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One of the most egregious areas for cattle grazing is Horseshoe Meadow, all the way at 10,000 feet. As SSSDave points out, the way their hoofs gouge and their pies festoon the land is a crime. Typically, the Forest Service makes efforts to keep hikers on trails that stay out of the meadow itself. Undboutedly, this is done to keep the meadow pristine for the cattle.
- DoyleWDonehoo
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I agree. Well put. Cows just do not belong above certain altitudes and lifezones.SSSdave wrote:Cattle grazing in high country areas of the Sierra is problematic ... Cattle ought to be allowed to graze in some middle forest elevation meadows, but there needs to be more done keeping them out of the more fragile high country areas. ...David
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