Callaghan Roundup, Day 9

The incident started on July 10.  Results through July 18:

  • Scope: Callaghan, South Shoshone, Bald Mountain, Hickison HMAs
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 552
  • Pre-gather population: Over 4,500
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Costly and inhumane (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Beat the numbers down with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 2,000
  • Removal goal: 2,000
  • Captured: 1,441, up from 1,240 on Day 7
  • Shipped: 1,297, up from 1,050 on Day 7
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 6, up from 5 on Day 7
  • Average daily take: 160.1
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 138
  • 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 filly was dispatched on Day 8 for a respiratory infection.

The death rate is 0.4%.

The capture total includes 603 stallions, 581 mares and 257 foals.

Youngsters represented 17.8% of the animals gathered, too low to support a herd growth rate of 20% per year.

Of the adults, 50.9% were male and 49.1% were female.

Body condition scores on Days 8 and 9 ranged from 2 to 5.

The location of the trap site is not known.

The name of the contractor was not specified.

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

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

  • Forage: 17,292 AUMs per year
  • Water: 14,410 gallons per day

The project area covers 1,145,515 acres.

PREVIOUS: Callaghan Roundup, Day 7.

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

Lahontan Roundup to Snag Virginia Range Mustangs?

Two bands have migrated into the Lahontan area according to the writer of a guest column in Carson Now and they might be captured and processed as BLM horses.

How would she know this?

She’s the Director of Conservation with the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses, instigator of the mass sterilization program in their home range.

Her volunteers will chase the mares to the ends of the earth for an opportunity to hit them with pesticide-laced darts.

The column is a sales pitch for nonmotorized removal, a service that CAAWH provides.

Starting tomorrow, wild horses “will lose their freedom forever.  Not because science says they must go but because our federal management system has failed to keep pace with modern conservation,” codewords for long-term use of PZP, with the inevitable result of permanent infertility and herd collapse.

Describing current management practices as a broken system, the writer notes that, after a roundup, populations are allowed to grow beyond levels deemed appropriate, which is how nature provides for genetic diversity and long-term viability.

What she proposes is a dead-end for wild horses, the greater of two evils.

RELATED: Roundup Season: Boon to Pesticide Salesmen.

Barren on the Virginia Range.  No foals, no families, no future.

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

Rally Announced as Salt River Debate Drags On

You could argue that they’re rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic but you’d be wrong.

The ship is already at the bottom of the ocean, thanks to the advocates.

Concerns about herd size, genetic diversity and planned removals, outlined in a story by AZ Free News, are too late, too far downstream.

The damage has already been done and a “Follow the Science” rally, set for July 22, won’t fix it, no matter how large the crowd and how many experts are invited.

The organizers—names unknown—should have called it the “Truth Harder to Find than Foals” rally.

The only way to save the herd from collapse is to bring in mares from other areas that haven’t been ruined by PZP.

The effort should be accompanied by an investigation of all parties involved since 2018.

RELATED: Salt River Horses Need Protection from Advocates.

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

Moriah Roundup Announced

The incident will begin on or about July 20 according to the news release.

The capture and removal goals are 250 each.

The current population is thought to be around 275.

The AML is zero.

A helicopter will push the horses into the trap.

Public lands within a five-mile radius of active trapping locations and temporary holding facilities will be closed to public entry with the exception of observers escorted by BLM staff.

Animals identified for removal will be taken to the off-range corrals in Paradise Valley.

The HA is managed principally for livestock.

PREVIOUS: Mystery Project Bans Public from Moriah Roundup.

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

Callaghan Roundup, Day 7

The incident started on July 10.  Results through July 16:

  • Scope: Callaghan, South Shoshone, Bald Mountain, Hickison HMAs
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 552
  • Pre-gather population: Over 4,500
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Costly and inhumane (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Inhibit the mares with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 2,000
  • Removal goal: 2,000
  • Captured: 1,240, up from 1,046 on Day 5
  • Shipped: 1,050, up from 723 on Day 5
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 5, up from 3 on Day 5
  • Average daily take: 177.1
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 185
  • 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.

Helicopters did not fly on Day 6.

Results for Days 1 and 4 were revised.

Two mares were put down on Day 7 due to missing eyes.

The death rate is 0.4%.

The capture total includes 516 stallions, 501 mares and 223 foals.

Youngsters represented 18.0% of the animals gathered, consistent with a herd growth rate of twelve to thirteen percent per year.

Of the adults, 50.7% were male and 49.3% were female.

Body condition scores on Day 7 ranged from 2 to 4.

The location of the trap site is not known.

The name of the contractor was not specified.

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

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

  • Forage: 14,880 AUMs per year
  • Water: 12,400 gallons per day

The project area covers 1,145,515 acres.

PREVIOUS: Callaghan Roundup, Day 5.

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

Foal-Free Friday, Greater of Two Evils Edition

The wild horse world is corrupt from top to bottom, especially in the space occupied by the advocates.

With roundup season in full swing, they’re going all out to sell nonmotorized removal.

Except they don’t call it that.  They call it conservation.

They may even post images of wild horses grazing peacefully near a water hole.

Except there are no foals.

If you’re a hunter or rancher, you should recognize the limitations of motorized removal and the advantages of their approach:

  • Helicopters can’t sterilize mares
  • They can’t reduce the breeding populations to unsustainable levels
  • They can’t destroy genetic diversity and long-term viability
  • They can’t increase the average age along with the death rate
  • They can’t make the herds disappear forever

But fertility control can.

So think twice before criticizing the advocates.  They offer the greater of two evils.

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

Double Devil Corrals Closed to Public Access?

An alert by the Modoc National Forest says that entering or being in the Wild Horse Holding Facility Closure Area is prohibited from July 9 to August 3.

The map shows a development in S35 T43N R11E but does not identify it.

The ArcGIS Viewer puts it on Airport Road which may correspond to County Road 74, the address given in a Google search.

The order did not indicate if the closure was related to the Montgomery Pass roundup.

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

Callaghan Roundup, Day 5

The incident started on July 10.  Results through July 14:

  • Scope: Callaghan, South Shoshone, Bald Mountain, Hickison HMAs
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 552
  • Pre-gather population: Over 4,500
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Costly and inhumane (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Beat the population down with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 2,000
  • Removal goal: 2,000
  • Captured: 1,046, up from 542 on Day 3
  • Shipped: 723, up from 325 on Day 3
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 3, no change from Day 3
  • Average daily take: 209.2
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 320
  • 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 0.3%.

The capture total includes 446 stallions, 422 mares and 178 foals.

Youngsters represented 17.0% of the animals gathered.

Of the adults, 51.4% were male and 48.6% were female.

Body condition scores were not given.

The location of the trap site is not known.

The name of the contractor was not specified.

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

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

  • Forage: 12,552 AUMs per year
  • Water: 10,460 gallons per day

The project area covers 1,145,515 acres.

PREVIOUS: Callaghan Roundup, Day 3.

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

BLM Announces Private Care Blitz

The news release rolled out on the same day that the comment period for the grazing rule update closed.

The new rules would prohibit wild horse preserves on public lands.

You will put them on your own property and you will like it.  Public lands are for cattle and sheep only.

The campaign, which starts on July 23, includes in-person and online adoption events.

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

Chincoteague Foal Population Still Growing

The total climbed to 83 on July 10, up from 73 on June 21.

Last year’s record was 103.

Thunderbolt was the top producer, credited with eight foals.

There was a three-way tie for second place and a four-way tie for third.

Colts led fillies 43 to 39 with one undetermined.

Refer to this spreadsheet for a ranking of sires.

The herd has been engineered for maximum production and revenues, despite a limit of 150 horses in the refuge.

The pony swim will occur on July 29 according to the guide, followed by the auction on July 30.

PREVIOUS: Chincoteague’s Top Producer on Father’s Day.

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

Callaghan Roundup, Day 3

The incident started on July 10.  Results through July 12:

  • Scope: Callaghan, South Shoshone, Bald Mountain, Hickison HMAs
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 552
  • Pre-gather population: Over 4,500
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Costly and inhumane (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Snuff out new life with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 2,000
  • Removal goal: 2,000
  • Captured: 542, up from 329 on Day 1
  • Shipped: 325, up from zero on Day 1
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 3, up from 1 on Day 1
  • Average daily take: 180.7
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 214
  • 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.

Helicopters did not fly on Day 2.

Two horses died unintentionally the same day.

The death rate is 0.6%.

The capture total includes 228 stallions, 229 mares and 85 foals.

Youngsters represented 15.7% of the animals gathered.

Of the adults, 49.9% were male and 50.1% were female.

Body condition scores were not given on Day 3.

The location of the trap site is not known.

The name of the contractor was not specified.

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

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

  • Forage: 6,504 AUMs per year
  • Water: 5,420 gallons per day

The project area covers 1,145,515 acres.

PREVIOUS: Callaghan Roundup in Progress.

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

Last Day to Comment on Changes to Grazing Rules

Ranchers, with the cooperation of your faithful public servants, want to control how grazing allotments are used.

Permits would be limited to animals they like, such as cattle and sheep.

Grazing would no longer be authorized for undesirable species such as bison and horses, precluding the use of public lands for wild animal preserves.

It’s anti-competitive, a barrier to those who would lawfully acquire base properties and petition the government for changes in livestock types and seasons of use.

It’s also the middle finger to those who bear the costs of off-range holding.

You can comment against the proposal at the Federal Register.

PREVIOUS: Allotment Conversion Not Illegal.

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

► Search for other posts about grazing rule changes.

Montgomery Pass Q&A

Q. Did the helicopters sterilize any mares?

A. No, fertility control programs do that.

Q. Was genetic diversity compromised?

A. No, fertility control programs do that.

Q. Did the incident reduce the breeding population to an unsustainable level?

A. No, fertility control programs do that.

Q. Did the roundup attract women?

A. No, fertility control programs do that.

Q. Will the herd collapse?

A. No, fertility control programs do that.

Q. Are you surprised that the advocates push for the greater of two evils?

A. No, they want the ranchers to win.

PREVIOUS: Montgomery Pass Roundup Almost Over.

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

Roundup Season: Boon to Pesticide Salesmen

In the following video one of the founding members of the Pesticide Caucus complains about motorized removal at the Callaghan Complex, which she describes as costly and inhumane, and the benefits of immunocontraceptives.

The capture and removal goals are 2,000 according to the gather page, not 5,000, and there are no plans to treat any of the mares with such pesticides and return them to the range, much to her chagrin.

Remember, “humane management,” “protecting them from removal” and “a better way” are codewords for long-term use of PZP, with the inevitable result of permanent infertility and herd collapse.

Refer to the AdvocateSpeak decoder for more examples.

RELATED: Callaghan Roundup Not a Rescue?

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

Callaghan Roundup Not a Rescue?

Of course it is!  It’s the government throwing a lifeline to high-net-worth individuals whose livelihood is threatened by pests that are robbing forage from the most noble and deserving nonnative species on Nevada’s public lands.

The Day 1 results at the gather page give body condition scores of 3 to 5, discrediting the starvation hypothesis, at least for now.

Animals removed from their lawful homes will be placed in off-range holding at a cost of $6 per head per day, while the government collects about five cents per head per day for livestock grazing in their stead.

Makes perfect sense.

Pay no attention to the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses and its army of nitwits, they are public enemy #1 of America’s wild horses.

PREVIOUS: Callaghan Roundup in Progress.

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