Federal authorities are still investigating the deaths of two free-roaming horses found shot last month near Heber-Overgaard in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. Although the horses could not be confirmed as belonging to the federally protected Heber herd, investigators are treating them as such. One of the horses appeared to have multiple gunshot wounds. U.S. law prohibits killing a wild or free-roaming horse on federal lands. All unbranded and unclaimed horses on public lands fall under the protection. Authorities have not yet uncovered a motive for the shootings. The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved. In recent years, authorities have investigated several shootings involving free-roaming horses in Arizona. In 2016, Governor Doug Ducey signed a bill protecting Salt River horses, which mostly live in the Tonto National Forest but are not federally protected. The horses are considered feral, domestic horses that were abandoned or have escaped from their owners. Some ranchers and residents see the horses as pests, claiming their unchecked populations compete with livestock.
