Bruce M. Beehler is a naturalist and author, whose books include “Birds of Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia,” and, most recently, “Flight of the Godwit.”

Imagine a Western ranch, and it probably will include a long run of fence. Now erase the fence but leave the herd of cattle behind it. Such a scene isn’t as far-fetched as it might seem.

No matter how much wildlife advocates or vegetarians muse that cattle-ranching should be replaced with bison-ranching (or no ranching at all), the American cattle industry is here to stay. Americans love their burgers and steaks. The United States consumes 29 billion pounds of beef annually, and much of that comes from our vast Western rangelands. This approximately 406 million acres is a mix of private ranches and public property manage

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