Cattle in Forestville State Park

I made my first trout fishing trip of the year to the South Branch of the Root, and did very well. I released two slot-size browns, and a bunch of smaller browns, as well as a couple of trophy-sized chubs. That is the good news.

The bad news I worked my way through the upper end of Forestville State Park, and found that a bunch of mostly Black Angus cows and calves are wreaking havoc on the banks and vegetation. Yes, this is well inside the park boundaries, in my personal favorite stretch of trout water. I do not have a digital camera, or I could have gotten some great photos of cattle standing inside the park boundary signs, cattle trails running into the river, banks torn up by large bovine hoofprints, and soil-preserving plants chewed off or trod into the mud. I am going to post this, and then give the Park Office a call, and it will not be a pleasant call. I am not going to bother with the owner of the cattle (I know who it is), as he could not care less, so long as he gets some free grazing at taxpayer expense.

Wow…. I fished there occasionally with a good friend from Austin while we were in grad school a few years ago. That is so sad to hear.

Maybe if the state makes him pay for restorations his fences will improve.

Todd

Did someone say free burger??

j/k.

I bet there would be some cowpokes down there horse camping more than willing to help round them up.

Isn’t there an open season on angus in state parks and wildlife areas ?

I think the state should round em up, sell em at the stock auction, take the proceeds and fix up your stream!

Keep us posted as to the outcome of your conversation with park officials. I hope that they have the guts to take action as the evidence is pretty obvious.

Thanks for your post,
D.A.

I notified the Park Manager of the problem, and he said it would “be dealt with”, as another angler had called to report cattle in the park as well. I may get out to Forestville on Friday, and if I do I hope there are no cattle grazing in there.