grazing land. in idaho, in the past three months, the number of cattle missing under suspicious circumstances has exceeded the 250 cases reported for all of last year. similar spikes were seen in colorado, montana, nevada, wyoming. experts say cattle thefts often go unreported. in open range states, often the only way to identify cattle is by the brand ilprinted on the animal's hyde -- hide, western agriculture inspectors are required to verify ownership of livestock when sold but there are just a few hundred brand inspectors overseeing millions of cows ranging on rugel and remote terrain and the brand inspector tells reuters there are ways to beat the them. wrestlers use trucks and trailers so haul cattle to auction barns where they might draw less suspicion and live stock owners usually don't notice their losses until late fall when they gather the herds for sale or slaughter, by then the thieves are long gone, and with thefts in the thousands, losses to