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ATTENTION UNIT 23 LOVERS! Many of you know what a great resource Unit 23 is for hunting game such as Elk, Muleys, and Coues. Some of you might even enjoy the fisheries in the unit. In 2007 a local ranch was purchased by a new entity who now seeks to expand the cattle operation by 4 times what was allowed since 1979. Including into an area that the Forest Service had completely closed to grazing back in 1979. Despite what you might have heard about cattle water tanks, any benefit they might provide is outweighed by their direct competition with with deer and elk for the limited forage and browse. Regretfully, this was clearly demonstrated in the Forest Service’s own studies done on this precise Allotment back in the 70s and 80s when their studies showed that the cattle (in smaller numbers than are now proposed for by the current ranch owner) denuded the forest so badly that Elk had left the Naegelin Rim entirely. The deer and elk know where the springs and seeps are. If you want to help preserve Unit 23 from being overgrazed then you can visit our website at Rimneighbors.org. Check out our website and send your comments into the Forest Service. These comments are due by July 23. We do not ask for donations, nor do we get paid to do this in any way. The only payment we get is the possibility of a healthy and diverse ecosystem under the Rim so we can continue to enjoy all the hunting seasons to the fullest. I really hope that you will take the time to look at our website. Not all land is created equal. Cattle ranching is proper in some areas and improper in others. We are not against ranching. We are against overgrazing to the detriment of wildlife resources. The science is on our side. This is not a proper area for the numbers now being sought. Don’t believe us? Read about the Forest Service findings in the 70s and 80s. Their studies are on the “Documents” page of our website. All of the claims made in our synopses and summaries found on our website are cites directly from those studies. This is a serious threat to many game species and all riparian areas in this allotment. I guarantee what you read will shock you. I am a hunter, and I care about wildlife and the health and diversity of this ecosystem. We need all of the voices we can get. Sorry there isn’t much time left to comment but getting all this together has taken time and this is not how any of us involved make our living. Again, our website is Rimneighbors.org