In Rural New Mexico, Ranchers Wage Their Battle Through The Courts
Ranchers across the West watched intently as the federal government prosecuted a Nevada ranching family for leading armed militia standoffs over cattle grazing on public land. Last month, the case against Cliven Bundy and his sons collapsed and now they're calling on other cattlemen to defy federal grazing rules and regulations.
The question now is whether – or if – that will resonate among scores of other ranchers who rely on federal public land to graze their cattle.
A visit to the mountains in a remote corner of southern New Mexico may offer a glimpse into the more mainstream heart of the industry.
"It's rugged country, a lot of it is not accessible any other way than horseback," says rancher Gary Stone as he looks across the lush forested plateau of the Sacramento
