BLM Sending Wild Horses and Burros to Slaughter?

That’s the allegation in an August 20 news release by Skydog Sanctuary, which appeared on the same day as a report by The New York Times.

Drudge had a link to the unlocked article but you still had to sign in to read it.

Sale of “excess animals” was not allowed in the original Act but was authorized in the Burns Amendment.

The agency states at its sales page that it does not sell or send any wild horses or burros to slaughter.

The FAQs indicate that the Bill of Sale includes language requiring purchasers to certify they will not knowingly, recklessly, or negligently sell or transfer a horse or burro purchased from the BLM to any individual or organization that intends to process the animal, or its remains, into commercial products, or to facilitate such processing.

Titles are not issued.

The agency does not track the animals after they are sold.

They are private property and no longer eligible for federal oversight or protection.

If an animal is found in a kill pen or otherwise demonstrated to have been sold to slaughter, the agency will assess whether the purchaser violated federal law and refer the matter to Law Enforcement.

At least in theory.

Sadly, nobody’s looking upstream in the management process and asking why the animals were removed from their lawful homes.

Nobody’s asking if there are other options for keeping them on the public lands.

Fertility control, a darling of the advocates, is a dead end, eventually leading to permanent infertility, loss of genetic diversity and herd collapse.

One thing is clear: Nothing will improve until the bureaucracies have been purged of ranchers and ranching sympathizers, top to bottom.

RELATED: More Wild Horses Land in Kill Pens as Sales Rise Sharply.

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.

Bible Springs Roundup Ends Early

The incident concluded on August 21 with 747 horses captured, 740 shipped, none released and seven dead.

The capture goal was 800.

There were no unaccounted-for animals.

The death rate was 0.9%.

The capture total included 268 stallions, 322 mares and 157 foals.

Youngsters represented 21.0% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 16% per year.

Of the adults, 45.4% were male and 54.6% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores were not given.

The contractor was Sampson Livestock and the contract amount was $497,130 according to a report at USA Spending.

There were no plans to treat any of the mares with fertility control pesticides and return them to the range.

The roundup supported three tenets of rangeland management.

ELATED: Bible Springs Roundup Starts Tomorrow?

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.

Piceance Roundup, Day 21

The incident started on August 2.  Results through August 22:

  • Scope: Piceance-East Douglas HMA, West Douglas HA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 235
  • Pre-gather population: 1,145
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Poison the mares with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 1,025
  • Removal goal: 1,011
  • Captured: 808, up from 769 on Day 19
  • Shipped: 712, up from 711 on Day 19
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 5, no change from Day 19
  • Average daily take: 38.5
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 91
  • Snippet from statute: It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death
  • Snippet from manual: To protect wild horses and burros from unauthorized capture, branding, harassment or death

The figures above are based on the daily reports.

The death rate is 0.6%.

The capture total includes 316 stallions, 335 mares and 157 foals.

Youngsters represented 19.4% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 14% per year.

Of the adults, 48.5% were male and 51.5% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores on Days 20 and 21 ranged from 3 to 4.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

The contractor is CD Warner and the contract amount is $679,249 according to a report at USA Spending.

The area is subject to permitted grazing.  Resources liberated to date:

  • Forage: 9,696 AUMs per year
  • Water: 8,080 gallons per day

The West Douglas HA is unfit for wild horses, supposedly, and has no AML.

The average daily take during the first 11 days of the roundup was 53.5.

The average take for the last 10 days was 21.9.

How much longer is the contractor willing to tolerate declining productivity and lackluster results?

PREVIOUS: Piceance Roundup, Day 19.

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.

BLM Issues Stone Cabin Final Planning Documents

They were copied to the project folder on July 21 but the news release was not published until yesterday, leaving no time to appeal the decision.

The Decision Record authorizes Alternative A, the Proposed Action, discussed in section 2.1.1 of the EA.

  • Adopt and implement an HMAP
  • Immediate removal of excess animals to reach low AML
  • Apply fertility control to horses returned to range
  • Achieve and maintain a sex ratio of 60% male and 40% female
  • Manage up to 25% of population at low AML as permanently non-reproducing

No word on how the new plan was received by the crybabies at Colvin & Son LLC and Stone Cabin Ranch LLC.

You can have your wild horse and burro program as long as it doesn’t interfere with the grazing program.

PREVIOUS: Stone Cabin Planning Documents Out for Review.

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.

Science Not Always Benevolent

Would you say that the Wuhan virus, sometimes referred to as Covid-19, was good for mankind?

It was developed by science.

How about the atomic bomb?

The advocates want you to think that fertility control is good for wild horses because it’s based on science.

It’s no better for horses than DES was for pregnant women.

Pay no attention to the advocates.  They are enemies of America’s wild horses.

RELATED: Governor Suspends Salt River Wild Horse Removals.

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.

Bordo Atravesado Trapping Ends

The incident concluded on July 27 with 37 horses captured, 24 shipped, 13 released and one dead.

The numbers don’t balance.

37 – 24 – 13 – 1 = –1

The death rate was 2.7%.

The capture total included 14 stallions, 20 mares and 3 foals.

Data quality was poor.

For example, 20 mares were captured, 11 were shipped and 8 were released.

What happened to #20?

Three foals were taken, three were shipped and one was released.

How is that possible?

The pre-gather population, around 61 according to the 2026 estimates, was too small to maintain genetic diversity.

If the advocates were involved the problem would be worse.

In your dreams.

PREVIOUS: BLM Announces Bordo Atravesado Bait Trap Roundup.

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.

Foal-Free Friday, Worse Than Helicopters Edition

The Callaghan herd, although diminished by a roundup in July, will not continue to shrink.

The contractor didn’t sterilize any mares or destroy the breeding population.

He didn’t stop genetic mixing.

The advocates can do that and more in as little as five years by pummeling the mares with pesticide-laced darts.

They’ve already demonstrated the concept at the Salt River and Virginia Range.

Would you be surprised if hunters and ranchers were the fastest growing segment in their donor base?

PREVIOUS: Foal-Free Friday, Tar and Pitchforks Edition.

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.

Bible Springs Roundup, Day 19

The incident started on August 2.  Results through August 20:

  • Scope: Bible Springs, Four Mile, Tilly Creek HMAs, Blawn Wash HA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 170
  • Pre-gather population: 961
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Destroy the breeding population with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 800
  • Removal goal: 800
  • Captured: 747, up from 650 on Day 17
  • Shipped: 720, up from 493 on Day 17
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 7, up from 4 on Day 17
  • Average daily take: 39.3
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 20
  • Snippet from statute: It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death
  • Snippet from manual: To protect wild horses and burros from unauthorized capture, branding, harassment or death

The figures above are based on the daily reports.

Three horses were euthanized on Day 18 for preexisting conditions.

The death rate is 0.9%.

The capture total includes 268 stallions, 322 mares and 157 foals.

Youngsters represented 21.0% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 16% per year.

Of the adults, 45.4% were male and 54.6% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores were not given.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

The contractor is Sampson Livestock and the contract amount is $497,130 according to a report at USA Spending.

There are no plans to treat any of the mares with fertility control pesticides and return them to the range, a huge disappointment to the advocates.

The HMAs are subject to permitted grazing.  Resources liberated to date:

  • Forage: 8,964 AUMs per year
  • Water: 7,470 gallons per day

The Blawn Wash HA is unfit for wild horses, supposedly, and has no AML.

PREVIOUS: Bible Springs Roundup, Day 17.

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.

Piceance Roundup, Day 19

The incident started on August 2.  Results through August 20:

  • Scope: Piceance-East Douglas HMA, West Douglas HA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 235
  • Pre-gather population: 1,145
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Get rid of them with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 1,025
  • Removal goal: 1,011
  • Captured: 769, up from 727 on Day 17
  • Shipped: 711, up from 671 on Day 17
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 5, no change from Day 17
  • Average daily take: 40.5
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 53
  • Snippet from statute: It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death
  • Snippet from manual: To protect wild horses and burros from unauthorized capture, branding, harassment or death

The figures above are based on the daily reports.

The death rate is 0.7%.

The capture total includes 302 stallions, 318 mares and 149 foals.

Youngsters represented 19.4% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 14% per year.

Of the adults, 48.7% were male and 51.3% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores on Days 18 and 19 ranged from 3 to 4.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

The contractor is CD Warner and the contract amount is $679,249 according to a report at USA Spending.

The area is subject to permitted grazing.  Resources liberated to date:

  • Forage: 9,228 AUMs per year
  • Water: 7,690 gallons per day

The West Douglas HA is unfit for wild horses, supposedly, and has no AML.

PREVIOUS: Piceance Roundup, Day 17.

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.

Bible Springs Roundup, Day 17

The incident started on August 2.  Results through August 18:

  • Scope: Bible Springs, Four Mile, Tilly Creek HMAs, Blawn Wash HA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 170
  • Pre-gather population: 961
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Sterilize the mares with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 800
  • Removal goal: 800
  • Captured: 650, up from 515 on Day 15
  • Shipped: 493, up from 405 on Day 15
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 4, no change from Day 15
  • Average daily take: 38.2
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 153
  • Snippet from statute: It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death
  • Snippet from manual: To protect wild horses and burros from unauthorized capture, branding, harassment or death

The figures above are based on the daily reports.

The death rate is 0.6%.

The capture total includes 241 stallions, 277 mares and 132 foals.

Youngsters represented 20.3% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 15% per year.

Of the adults, 46.5% were male and 53.5% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores were not given.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

The contractor is Sampson Livestock and the contract amount is $497,130 according to a report at USA Spending.

There are no plans to treat any of the mares with fertility control pesticides and return them to the range, a huge disappointment to the advocates.

The HMAs are subject to permitted grazing.  Resources liberated to date:

  • Forage: 7,800 AUMs per year
  • Water: 6,500 gallons per day

The Blawn Wash HA is unfit for wild horses, supposedly, and has no AML.

PREVIOUS: Bible Springs Roundup, Day 15.

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.

Piceance Roundup, Day 17

The incident started on August 2.  Results through August 18:

  • Scope: Piceance-East Douglas HMA, West Douglas HA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 235
  • Pre-gather population: 1,145
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Stop genetic mixing with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 1,025
  • Removal goal: 1,011
  • Captured: 727, up from 680 on Day 15
  • Shipped: 671, up from 586 on Day 15
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 5, no change from Day 15
  • Average daily take: 42.8
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 51
  • Snippet from statute: It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death
  • Snippet from manual: To protect wild horses and burros from unauthorized capture, branding, harassment or death

The figures above are based on the daily reports.

The death rate is 0.7%.

The capture total includes 284 stallions, 301 mares and 142 foals.

Youngsters represented 19.5% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 14% per year.

Of the adults, 48.5% were male and 51.5% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores on Days 16 and 17 ranged from 3 to 4.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

The contractor is CD Warner and the contract amount is $679,249 according to a report at USA Spending.

The area is subject to permitted grazing.  Resources liberated to date:

  • Forage: 8,724 AUMs per year
  • Water: 7,270 gallons per day

The West Douglas HA is unfit for wild horses, supposedly, and has no AML.

PREVIOUS: Piceance Roundup, Day 15.

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.

Bible Springs Roundup, Day 15

The incident started on August 2.  Results through August 16:

  • Scope: Bible Springs, Four Mile, Tilly Creek HMAs, Blawn Wash HA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 170
  • Pre-gather population: 961
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Stop the transmission of life with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 800
  • Removal goal: 800
  • Captured: 515, up from 427 on Day 13
  • Shipped: 405, up from 361 on Day 13
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 4, no change from Day 13
  • Average daily take: 34.3
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 106
  • Snippet from statute: It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death
  • Snippet from manual: To protect wild horses and burros from unauthorized capture, branding, harassment or death

The figures above are based on the daily reports.

The death rate is 0.8%.

The capture total includes 191 stallions, 219 mares and 105 foals.

Youngsters represented 20.4% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 15% per year.

Of the adults, 46.6% were male and 53.4% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores were not given.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

The contractor is Sampson Livestock and the contract amount is $497,130 according to a report at USA Spending.

There are no plans to treat any of the mares with fertility control pesticides and return them to the range, a huge disappointment to the advocates.

The HMAs are subject to permitted grazing.  Resources liberated to date:

  • Forage: 6,180 AUMs per year
  • Water: 5,150 gallons per day

The Blawn Wash HA is unfit for wild horses, supposedly, and has no AML.

PREVIOUS: Bible Springs Roundup, Day 13.

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.

Piceance Roundup, Day 15

The incident started on August 2.  Results through August 16:

  • Scope: Piceance-East Douglas HMA, West Douglas HA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 235
  • Pre-gather population: 1,145
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Snuff out new life with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 1,025
  • Removal goal: 1,011
  • Captured: 680, up from 627 on Day 13
  • Shipped: 586, no change from Day 13
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 5, no change from Day 13
  • Average daily take: 45.3
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 89
  • Snippet from statute: It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death
  • Snippet from manual: To protect wild horses and burros from unauthorized capture, branding, harassment or death

The figures above are based on the daily reports.

The death rate is 0.7%.

The capture total includes 270 stallions, 278 mares and 132 foals.

Youngsters represented 19.4% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 14% per year.

Of the adults, 49.3% were male and 50.7% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores on Days 14 and 15 ranged from 3 to 4.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

The contractor is CD Warner and the contract amount is $679,249, based on a report at USA Spending.

The area is subject to permitted grazing.  Resources liberated to date:

  • Forage: 8,160 AUMs per year
  • Water: 6,800 gallons per day

The West Douglas HA is unfit for wild horses, supposedly, and has no AML.

PREVIOUS: Piceance Roundup, Day 13.

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.

How Bad Are Things at Arapahoe Creek?

Managing the HA as an HMA was one of the alternatives considered in the Red Desert Final EA but dropped from detailed analysis.

It’s unfit for wild horses but suitable for livestock, even though there’s considerable dietary overlap among the animals.

The HA lies mostly within the allotment.

The allotment master report puts it in the Improve category, with 47% of the permitted use in the suspended column.

Despite that, the allotment offers 15,077 active AUMs on 239,802 public acres, equivalent to 5.2 wild horses per thousand public acres.

That includes the area that can’t support any wild horses.

If conditions improved and the suspended AUMs moved back into the active column, the allotment would support livestock equivalent to 9.9 wild horses per thousand public acres—almost ten times higher than the target stocking rate across all HMAs of one wild horse per thousand public acres.

This is another example of double standard in resource management on America’s public lands.

Like the advocates, your faithful public servants aren’t playing for the home team.

Who said they don’t have a credibility problem?

Would the allotment make a good wild horse preserve?

It overlaps an area already identified for wild horses, which is a showstopper.

Numerous authorizations are attached, so you’d have to buy multiple base properties to access all of the AUMs.

Probably not a good investment.

The bureaucrats, who never have to face the voters, are trying to change the grazing rules to stop the conversion of allotments into wild animal preserves, not because it’s illegal but because the ranchers, especially the crybabies in Montana, don’t like the idea.

The proposal should not be taken as a barrier to your conservation project.

RELATED: BLM Issues Red Desert Final Planning Documents.

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.