Those ranchers in this proposed area are being mislead if they believe they will continue to run cattle on those lands.  Wildlife refuges are for wild animals not domestic animals.  Too much regulations on private property is often seen as a taking of property, but conservation easements are an easy diversion.  Conservation easements are designed to shift ownership from private to government ownership.  The arguement is often that conservation easements will only be purchased from will sellers.  Tax policies are creating willing sellers.  They have little to do with conservation and alot to do with control.  Several bills in the Senate right now calling for full funding of the LWCF.  This has already passed the house.  It will fund it at $900 million, much for land acquistion.  It will also be automatically funded every year.  What a coincidence they want this the same time the Estate Taxes are set to revert back to 55%.  Tax breaks galore for easements creating willing sellers.  With 30% of the land in the US already owned by the Federal Government, how much more do they want?