Ranchers are being advised about disturbing threats posted on a new Facebook page, Public Lands Hunt Club. The page is promoting shooting cows on “public” land and targeting specific ranchers.
Despite many complaints, Facebook has refused to remove the page, littered with anti-rancher memos, anti-Mormon rhetoric, and promoting felony criminal actions. The “Facebook Team” wrote:
We reviewed your report of Public Lands Hunt Club. Go to your Support Inbox to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to report something that you feel may violate our Community Standards. Reports like yours are an important part of making Facebook a safe and welcoming environment. We reviewed the Page you reported for harassment and found it doesn’t violate our Community Standards.
Thanks,
The Facebook Team
The “friends” of the page seem to have little in common other than a loyalty to presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, and an aversion to ranchers and their livestock.
The latest post on the page gives instruction to those encouraged to kill grazing cattle the group deems to be the targets.
Public Lands Hunt Club Rules:
Cattle that are legally grazing on our public lands are to be left alone. PLHC members are to only target cattle owned by ranchers who have publicly renounced their grazing contracts designed to provide a minimum of environmental protections. Many of these ranchers are publicly known due to their actions and associations with the Bundy Family of Nevada. Furthermore, all cattle found in areas near or surrounding militia occupied lands are fair game. Ranchers abiding by their contracts and showing good land stewardship practices are off limits to PLHC member activities.
Shoot straight. Be safe. Have fun. ©2016 PLHC
According to one “friend” of the page, Eric Gonzales, who identified himself to the WDI as “the social media intern for the broader culling program,” cattle are an “invasive species and are the most often implicated species in over grazing as well as terrain destruction…. The biggest cause of deforestation is not logging or mining. It’s the clearing of land for cattle.” Gonzales ignored questions as to the specific organization behind the page.
When asked about the group’s specific kills, Gonzales replied, “If you check out the website on the TOR network you can see a gallery posted of members with their firearms, and a few trophies, though things are going slower given that this is the winter season and while tracking in the snow is more noticable, the members can’t cover the same amount of ground as in summer months.”
While the page has issued its general threat, it also specifically targeted New Mexico rancher Adrian Sewell, who terminated his contract with the U.S. Forest Service and has been willing to speak to the media about the abuses of the government agencies.
The vitriol is especially harsh for those of the Mormon faith. One example was left on the page by the administrator on Wednesday February 3, 2016. It reads:
Public Lands Hunt Club
Barbara could you please try again in English? We don’t speak inbred Mormon retard here.
They claim open season on livestock on public lands and claim to have already killed 23 as of yesterday (February 1), according to authorities.
The page lists a link to www.shootblmblmcows.com, however that link is directed to an empty domain .
Authorities are advising ranchers to:
• If you are a Facebook user, please report the page, noting that is promoting the criminal acts of shooting people and animals, as well as animal cruelty
• Alert your local law enforcement of the threat to you, your family, your animals and your livelihood
• Alert your neighbors and friends of the threat and the need to remain on alert
• Contact your local media and ask if they will help spread the word about the danger in your community
• If you believe you have lost cattle to this campaign, immediately contact local law enforcement, your New Mexico Livestock Board inspector, your local game warden and the federal or state land management agency(s) you deal with.
• Document any dead cattle and / or any other signs of damage or destruction on your ranch. Remember that in the past fences have been cut, water tanks drained, bolts removed from windmill or water towers and more. There is actually a whole book on Monkey Wrenching livestock production instructing on how to best harm ranchers.
And the thing you shouldn’t do:
• Don’t confront anyone engaging in cow killing or suspicious activity on your property, leases or allotments.
One “friend” by the name of Kira Barbosa, purportedly with the Mycogen Seeds company claimed late Wednesday night, “31, I just got a mother AND her calf!!!!!! Maybe the .50 cal was a little too much.”