Struggles over Nevada’s Public Range: The War on "Tramp" Sheepherders, the Taylor Grazing Act, and the Emergence of Basque Identity in the First Half of the Twentieth Century

Abstract

In the early 20th century, Nevada's public rangelands were a battleground for resource control, with Basque immigrant sheepherders often at the center of conflicts. The establishment of National Forests in 1905 brought some regulation, but vast public-domain lands remained unregulated, leading to disputes between itinerant sheepherders and local ranchers. Basque immigrants, such as Pete Itcaina, exemplified the journey from hired laborers to prosperous landowners, yet they faced challenges due to overlapping range and water claims. State legislation, like the 1925 law restricting livestock watering rights, aimed to curb itinerant grazing but had limited success. The 1931 Nevada grazing law sought to protect established ranchers by regulating grazing on public lands, but conflicts persisted, as seen in the 1933 case of Itcaina v. Marble. The passage of the Taylor Grazing Act in 1934 marked a significant federal intervention, introducing grazing districts and local administrative control, which disrupted traditional sheep migration patterns. Despite these challenges, Basque sheepherders like Itcaina played a crucial role in Nevada's agricultural development, transitioning from marginalized laborers to respected members of the ranching community.