Post by MARK on Aug 15, 2005 11:48:10 GMT -6
A couple buddies and myself spent a week floating and fishing the Eleven Point this summer. A great week with good fishing.
EXCEPT for one thing;
We had been wanting to go all the way up to Thomasville for some new scenery and smallmouth fishing. It was early June so we expected to have to portage our canoes is spots, the river is not more than a creek in several spots. No problem. But at several spots, cattle roamed free without fences to keep them out of the water. At one point, a cow crossed right in front of us, stopping in midstream and took a CRAP. We could not believe it!!!! I thought it was illegal, but after talking to some locals, they told us that a couple of ranchers own land on both sides of the river and it's legal for them to use the river as a water source for their livestock!! UNBELIEVABLE!!! I am assuming this section of the river is outside the National Scenic Waterways, but the feces eventually ends up downstream. If this isn't illegal, it should be, regardless if the farmer owns land on both sides of the river, they still don't own the water. These farmers should have to put up fences well back from the river and build ponds for a water source for the cattle. It was disgusting, needless to say, we lost our desire to fish this section of the river or visit this strech of river again. This is only about 15 miles above Greer. The locals told us these were big operations with several thousands acres, so it's not like they have no other options. It was a beautiful section of river with several springs and is being polluted by a few selfish farmers.
Does anyone know if anything can be done about this?
The Eleven Point is my favorite place in the world and it made me sick to see what is happening upstream.
EXCEPT for one thing;
We had been wanting to go all the way up to Thomasville for some new scenery and smallmouth fishing. It was early June so we expected to have to portage our canoes is spots, the river is not more than a creek in several spots. No problem. But at several spots, cattle roamed free without fences to keep them out of the water. At one point, a cow crossed right in front of us, stopping in midstream and took a CRAP. We could not believe it!!!! I thought it was illegal, but after talking to some locals, they told us that a couple of ranchers own land on both sides of the river and it's legal for them to use the river as a water source for their livestock!! UNBELIEVABLE!!! I am assuming this section of the river is outside the National Scenic Waterways, but the feces eventually ends up downstream. If this isn't illegal, it should be, regardless if the farmer owns land on both sides of the river, they still don't own the water. These farmers should have to put up fences well back from the river and build ponds for a water source for the cattle. It was disgusting, needless to say, we lost our desire to fish this section of the river or visit this strech of river again. This is only about 15 miles above Greer. The locals told us these were big operations with several thousands acres, so it's not like they have no other options. It was a beautiful section of river with several springs and is being polluted by a few selfish farmers.
Does anyone know if anything can be done about this?
The Eleven Point is my favorite place in the world and it made me sick to see what is happening upstream.