Riddle Mountain Emergency Roundup Announced

The incident, billed as a rescue in the news release, will start on September 9 but most details have been omitted.

The driver is inadequate food and water.

The pre-gather population was not disclosed.

The capture and removal goals were not stated.

The method of capture is probably helicopter.

Operations will be open to public observation on a limited basis.

The name of the off-range holding facility was not given.

The contractor was not identified.

A public lands closure was not discussed.

Conditions in the Burnt Flat Allotment, which contains the HMA, are not known.

The roundup could be an extension of the incident at Sheepshead (Barren Valley), which borders Riddle Mountain on the east side.

RELATED: Barren Valley Emergency Roundup Announced.

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

BLM Closing Public Lands for Fifteenmile Roundup

A map in the Decision Record, which was copied to the project folder in ePlanning, indicates the order applies to the entire HMA and five trap locations to the east.

Only gather operation personnel and any public observers escorted by BLM staff will be allowed in the closure area.

The ArcGIS Viewer puts the five traps in the North Gooseberry Allotment.

The allotment master report has it in the Improve category with 27% of the permitted use in the suspended column, suggesting that your stewards of the public lands are not taking their responsibilities seriously.

The 8,519 active AUMs support livestock equivalent to 710 wild horses on 114,317 public acres, or 6.2 wild horses per thousand public acres.

The stocking rate allowed by plan in Fifteenmile is 2.8 wild horses per thousand public acres, another example of the double standard for resource management on America’s public lands.

PREVIOUS: Fifteenmile Roundup Getting Closer.

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

BLM Closing Public Lands for Barren Valley Roundup

A map in the project folder indicates that the entire HMA will be off limits for the duration of the incident.

Only essential gather operation personnel will be allowed in the closure area unless accompanied by BLM staff according to the Decision Record.

A gather page has been created for Riddle Mountain, adjacent to Sheepshead, but no details are known at this time.

PREVIOUS: Barren Valley Emergency Roundup Announced.

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

Barren Valley Emergency Roundup Announced

The incident, billed as a rescue in the news release, starts tomorrow.

The target is horses in the Sheepshead/Heath Creek HMA.

The capture goal is 499.

A helicopter will push them into the trap.

The destination of captured animals is unknown.

The announcement did not indicate if operations would be open to public observation.

Removal of wild horses ensures that the area can provide habitat for wildlife and support multiple land uses, such as permitted grazing.

PREVIOUS: Barren Valley Emergency Roundup Pending?

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

Confusion Roundup, Day 9

The incident started on August 24.  Results through September 1:

  • Scope: Confusion HMA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 115
  • Pre-gather population: Not given, probably over 400
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Costly and inhumane (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Wipe out the breeding population with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 360
  • Removal goal: 360
  • Captured: 309, up from 260 on Day 7
  • Shipped: 305, up from 221 on Day 7
  • Released: 1, no change from Day 7
  • Deaths: 3, up from 1 on Day 7
  • Average daily take: 34.3
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 0
  • 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 Day 9 report said 84 horses shipped which is not possible if the previous shipping figures are correct.  The limit would be 38.

Two stallions were euthanized for preexisting conditions on Day 9.

The death rate is 1.0%.

The capture total includes 128 stallions, 136 mares and 45 foals.

Youngsters represented 14.6% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 9% per year.

Of the adults, 48.5% were male and 51.5% 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 and the contract amount is $235,536 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.

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

  • Forage: 3,696 AUMs per year
  • Water: 3,080 gallons per day

The project area may be larger than the HMA.

PREVIOUS: Confusion Roundup, Day 7.

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

Piceance Roundup, Day 31

The incident started on August 2.  Results through September 1:

  • 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: Beat the numbers down with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 1,025
  • Removal goal: 1,011
  • Captured: 894, up from 883 on Day 29
  • Shipped: 842, up from 792 on Day 29
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 9, up from 8 on Day 29
  • Average daily take: 28.8
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 43
  • 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.

Trapping concluded on Day 30.

A mare died of a heart condition on Day 30.

The death rate is 1.0%.

Excess animals have been hard to find.  Productivity was high at the beginning of the roundup but has declined steadily.

The capture total included 355 stallions, 368 mares and 171 foals.

Youngsters represented 19.1% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 14% per year.

Of the adults, 49.1% were male and 50.9% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores on Day 30 were 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: 10,728 AUMs per year
  • Water: 8,940 gallons per day

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

No word on mares treated with fertility control and returned to the HMA.

PREVIOUS: Piceance Roundup, Day 29.

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

FY26 Roundup Tour Ends at Jackson Mountains

The incident has not been announced but it’s on the schedule with a start date of September 20.

The contractor is Warner and the capture goal is 500 according to a report at USA Spending.

The contract amount is $303,630, for an average cost of $607 per animal taken.

The new fiscal year begins on October 1.

The wild horse and burro program does not have a budget for FY27, although one has been proposed, but Congress is working on a continuing resolution that may keep things running until December 11.

PREVIOUS: BLM Releases Jackson Mountains Final Planning Documents.

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

Board of Regents Authorizes Salt River Genetic Research

The governor announced today the approval of a $325,000 grant for a comprehensive study by Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona, with assistance from wild horse experts at the US Geological Survey.

The news release did not indicate if the goal was to provide an accurate picture of genetic health today or an honest projection of genetic health ten to fifteen years out, now that the advocates have sterilized the mares, destroyed the breeding population and ended genetic mixing.

RELATED: Governor Suspends Salt River Wild Horse Removals.

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

Piceance Roundup, Day 29

The incident started on August 2.  Results through August 30:

  • 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: 883, up from 859 on Day 27
  • Shipped: 792, no change from Day 27
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 8, up from 7 on Day 27
  • Average daily take: 30.4
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 83
  • 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.

A mare was dispatched for a fractured left scapula on Day 29.

The death rate is 0.9%.

Excess animals have been hard to find.  The target completion date was September 1.

The capture total included 351 stallions, 364 mares and 168 foals.

Youngsters represented 19.0% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 14% per year.

Of the adults, 49.1% were male and 50.9% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores on Day 29 were 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: 10,596 AUMs per year
  • Water: 8,830 gallons per day

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

PREVIOUS: Piceance Roundup, Day 27.

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

Confusion Roundup, Day 7

The incident started on August 24.  Results through August 30:

  • Scope: Confusion HMA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 115
  • Pre-gather population: Not given, probably over 400
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Costly and inhumane (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Sterilize the mares with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 360
  • Removal goal: 360
  • Captured: 260, up from 193 on Day 5
  • Shipped: 221, up from 135 on Day 5
  • Released: 1, up from zero on Day 5
  • Deaths: 1, up from zero on Day 5
  • Average daily take: 37.1
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 37
  • 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.

A stallion was released (escaped from trap?) on Day 7.

A mare died of a fractured neck on Day 7.

The death rate is 0.4%.

The capture total includes 110 stallions, 114 mares and 36 foals.

Youngsters represented 13.8% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 8% per year.

Of the adults, 49.1% were male and 50.9% 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 and the contract amount is $235,536 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.

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

  • Forage: 3,108 AUMs per year
  • Water: 2,590 gallons per day

The project area may be larger than the HMA.

PREVIOUS: Confusion Roundup, Day 5.

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

Barren Valley Emergency Roundup Pending?

The incident has not been announced but Cattoor has been selected to carry it out according to a report at USA Spending.

The capture goal is 499 and the contract amount is $269,383, for an average cost of $540 per animal taken.

The DNA worksheet said the target was horses in the Sheepshead/Heath Creek HMA.

No word on the status of livestock grazing in the project area.

PREVIOUS: BLM Assessing NEPA Adequacy Ahead of Barren Valley Roundup.

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Advocates Launch Naming Contest for Salt River Colt

They’re proposing Khan, Thunder and Hobbs according to a story by ABC15 News.

Western Horse Watchers suggests

  • Defiance – Because he defied the advocates and their mass sterilization program
  • Pesty – Because they tried to prevent his existence with fertility control pesticides
  • Omega – Because the last thing the advocates want to see at the Salt River is a foal

The report did not indicate if his mom had a faulty immune system and if she was in the first group of 25 to be removed.

If the foal was female, a good choice would be Ruthie, for ruthless pursuit of permanent infertility by the advocates.

RELATED: Governor Suspends Salt River Wild Horse Removals.

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

BLM Closing Public Lands for Challis Roundup

All forms of public access and entry will be controlled within two miles of trap locations and public viewing areas according to the Decision Record, which was copied to the project folder in ePlanning with two other documents.

The exception is contractor personnel and observers escorted by BLM staff.

The incident, set to begin on September 9, will be carried out by Cattoor.

The capture and removal goals are 281 and 146 respectively.

The contract amount is $171,690, for an average cost of $611 per animal taken.

Mares returned to the HMA will probably be treated with PZP, complementing the work of Wild Love Preserve.

PREVIOUS: BLM Seeks Vet Services Ahead of Challis Roundup.

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

Confusion Roundup, Day 5

The incident started on August 24.  Results through August 28:

  • Scope: Confusion HMA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 115
  • Pre-gather population: Not given, probably over 400
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Costly and inhumane (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Eliminate genetic mixing with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 360
  • Removal goal: 360
  • Captured: 193, up from 125 on Day 3
  • Shipped: 135, up from 47 on Day 3
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: None
  • Average daily take: 38.6
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 58
  • 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 capture total includes 82 stallions, 84 mares and 27 foals.

Youngsters represented 14.0% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 9% per year.

Of the adults, 49.4% were male and 50.6% 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 and the contract amount is $235,536 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.

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

  • Forage: 2,316 AUMs per year
  • Water: 1,930 gallons per day

The project area may be larger than the HMA.

PREVIOUS: Confusion Roundup, Day 3.

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

Piceance Roundup, Day 27

The incident started on August 2.  Results through August 28:

  • 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: Destroy the breeding population with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 1,025
  • Removal goal: 1,011
  • Captured: 859, up from 844 on Day 25
  • Shipped: 792, up from 791 on Day 25
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 7, no change from Day 25
  • Average daily take: 31.8
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 60
  • 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%.

Productivity hit a new low on Day 27 with no horses captured.

The capture total included 343 stallions, 353 mares and 163 foals.

Youngsters represented 19.0% 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 Day 26 were 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: 10,308 AUMs per year
  • Water: 8,590 gallons per day

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

PREVIOUS: Piceance Roundup, Day 25.

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

Foal-Free Friday, Evil Beyond Imagination Edition

The advocates continue to lie about the reversibility of their favorite pesticide, evident in the public comments for the Stone Cabin EA.  Refer to item 20 in Appendix K of the final planning documents.

The trend chart for the Maryland side of Assateague Island tells a different story.

If PZP was reversible, and the sperm-blocking theory was true, the herd should have quadrupled in the ten years since the darting program was shut off.

The chart shows little if any growth.

The Salt River and Virginia Range herds are following the same trajectory, with the only difference being the darting programs haven’t been shut off.

If the advocates were honest, they’d tell you they’re sterilizing the mares, destroying the breeding populations and ending genetic mixing.

How much more evidence do you need that they’re not playing for the home team?

PREVIOUS: Foal-Free Friday, Worse Than Helicopters Edition.

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

Confusion Roundup, Day 3

The incident started on August 24.  Results through August 26:

  • Scope: Confusion HMA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 115
  • Pre-gather population: Not given, probably over 400
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Costly and inhumane (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Beat the numbers down with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 360
  • Removal goal: 360
  • Captured: 125, up from 35 on Day 1
  • Shipped: 47, up from zero on Day 1
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: None
  • Average daily take: 41.7
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 78
  • 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 capture total includes 54 stallions, 53 mares and 18 foals.

Youngsters represented 14.4% of the animals gathered.

Of the adults, 50.5% were male and 49.5% were female.

Body condition scores were not given.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

The contractor is Sampson and the contract amount is $235,536 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.

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

  • Forage: 1,500 AUMs per year
  • Water: 1,250 gallons per day

The project area may be larger than the HMA.

PREVIOUS: Confusion Roundup in Progress.

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