Challis Roundup, Day 5

The incident started on September 9.  Results through September 13:

  • Scope: Challis HMA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 253
  • Pre-gather population: 330
  • Type: Planned
  • Contractor: Cattoor
  • Contract amount: $171,690
  • Unit cost: $611
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Create a genetic bottleneck with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 281
  • Removal goal: 146
  • Captured: 172, up from 114 on Day 3
  • Shipped: 129, up from 74 on Day 3
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 1, no change from Day 3
  • Average daily take: 34.4
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 42
  • 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 57 stallions, 5 geldings, 80 mares and 30 foals.

Youngsters represented 17.4% of the animals gathered.

Of the adults, 43.7% were male and 56.3% were female.

Body condition scores were not given.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

Up to 54 mares will be treated with fertility control and returned to the range.

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

  • Forage: 2,064 AUMs per year
  • Water: 1,720 gallons per day

PREVIOUS: Challis Roundup, Day 3.

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

CRS Looks at Proposed Funding of BLM in FY27

The report says there are an estimated 85,466 wild horses and burros on BLM lands, more than triple the level the range can support, a common misconception about AMLs.

A more accurate statement would say triple the number allowed by plan.

Many HMAs would be well above AML if you removed all the wild horses because of privately owned livestock.

That part is usually overlooked or swept under the rug.

RELATED: House Proposes $144 Million for WHB Program in FY27.

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

BLM Seeks ORCs in Oklahoma

The facilities must be within 50 miles of the ORC at Pauls Valley according to the combined solicitation and statement of work.

The notice at SAM says the acquisition has been set aside for Indian-Owned Small Business Economic Enterprises.

The contractor will provide all land, facilities, maintenance, food, water, infrastructure, labor and equipment to care for wild horses and burros.

No other animals will be allowed except the contractor’s saddle horses.

The facilities will support private care placement events and serve as waypoints for horses headed to other ORCs, satellite adoption events and off-range pastures.

Capacity is 200 to 550 animals.

The contract type is fixed fee and the term is five years.

Proposals are due by September 30.

It’s not clear if the award will include more than one facility and if NEPA reviews are required.

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

Barren Valley Roundup, Day 9

The incident started on September 4.  Results through September 12:

  • Scope: Sheepshead/Heath Creek HMA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 302
  • Pre-gather population: 1,200
  • Type: Emergency
  • Contractor: Cattoor
  • Contract amount: $269,383
  • Unit cost: $540
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Stop the transmission of life with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 499
  • Removal goal: 499
  • Captured: 251, up from 183 on Day 7
  • Shipped: 206, up from 166 on Day 7
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 2, no change from Day 7
  • Average daily take: 27.9
  • 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.

The death rate is 0.8%.

The capture total includes 90 stallions, 106 mares and 55 foals.

Youngsters represented 21.9% of the animals gathered.

Of the adults, 45.9% were male and 54.1% were female.

Body condition scores were not given.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

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.  Removal of wild horses may not liberate any food or water for livestock due to wildfire and drought.

PREVIOUS: Barren Valley Roundup, Day 7.

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

Challis Roundup, Day 3

The incident started on September 9.  Results through September 11:

  • Scope: Challis HMA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 253
  • Pre-gather population: 330
  • Type: Planned
  • Contractor: Cattoor
  • Contract amount: $171,690
  • Unit cost: $611
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Destroy the breeding population with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 281
  • Removal goal: 146
  • Captured: 114, up from 51 on Day 1
  • Shipped: 74, up from 32 on Day 1
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 1, no change from Day 1
  • Average daily take: 38.0
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 39
  • 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 0.9%.

The capture total includes 38 stallions, 3 geldings, 50 mares and 23 foals.

Youngsters represented 20.2% of the animals gathered.

Of the adults, 45.1% were male and 54.9% were female.

Body condition scores were not given.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

Up to 54 mares will be treated with fertility control and returned to the range.

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

  • Forage: 1,368 AUMs per year
  • Water: 1,140 gallons per day

PREVIOUS: Challis Roundup Begins.

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

Sand Wash Roundup Delayed?

It’s on the schedule with a start date of September 10 but the gather page says September 17.

The contractor is Cattoor and the contract amount is $222,590 according to a report at USA Spending.

A reason for the change might be contractor availability.

PREVIOUS: BLM Closing Public Lands for Sand Wash Roundup.

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

Barren Valley Roundup, Day 7

The incident started on September 4.  Results through September 10:

  • Scope: Sheepshead/Heath Creek HMA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 302
  • Pre-gather population: 1,200
  • Type: Emergency
  • Contractor: Cattoor
  • Contract amount: $269,383
  • Unit cost: $540
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Sterilize the mares with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 499
  • Removal goal: 499
  • Captured: 183, no change from Day 5
  • Shipped: 166, no change from Day 5
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 2, no change from Day 5
  • Average daily take: 26.1
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 15
  • 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.

No animals were taken on Days 6 and 7 due to helicopter maintenance.

The death rate is 1.1%.

The capture total includes 64 stallions, 79 mares and 40 foals.

Youngsters represented 21.9% of the animals gathered.

Of the adults, 44.8% were male and 55.2% were female.

Body condition scores were not given.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

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.  Removal of wild horses may not liberate any food or water for livestock due to wildfire and drought.

PREVIOUS: Barren Valley Roundup, Day 5.

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

Foal-Free-Friday, Down for the Count Edition

Compensatory reproduction is a natural response to a genetic bottleneck created by a roundup.

The advocates think it’s a defect of nature, evident in their comments on the Stone Cabin management plan.

Their solution is fertility control, a method that slows or prevents recovery of genetic health.

No longer in print.

Other techniques include sex ratio skewing and surgical sterilization.

The advocates want the horse populations beaten down with no possibility of recovery, while claiming the government is managing the herds to extinction.

They are phonies, leaders of the blind, and don’t deserve a penny of your support.

PREVIOUS: Foal-Free Friday, Surviving the Bottleneck Edition.

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

Forest Service Planning for Heber Roundup?

The Black Mesa Ranger District (ASNF) has issued a solicitation for horse panels.

The delivery address is Heber, AZ.

Proposals are due by September 18.

Specifications are in the statement of work.

Quantities are in the request for quotation.

Delivery date is February 1.

A reason for the purchase was not given.

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

Barren Valley Roundup, Day 5

The incident started on September 4.  Results through September 8:

  • Scope: Sheepshead/Heath Creek HMA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 302
  • Pre-gather population: 1,200
  • Type: Emergency
  • Contractor: Cattoor
  • Contract amount: $269,383
  • Unit cost: $540
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Sterilize the mares with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 499
  • Removal goal: 499
  • Captured: 183, up from 170 on Day 4
  • Shipped: 166, up from 97 on Day 4
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 2, up from 1 on Day 4
  • Average daily take: 36.6
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 15
  • 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, which were not published until September 8.

A mare was dispatched on Day 5 for a prolapsed vagina.

The death rate is 1.1%.

The capture total includes 64 stallions, 79 mares and 40 foals.

Youngsters represented 21.9% of the animals gathered.

Of the adults, 44.8% were male and 55.2% were female.

Body condition scores were not given.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

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.  Removal of wild horses may not liberate any food or water for livestock due to wildfire and drought.

PREVIOUS: Barren Valley (Sheepshead) Roundup in Progress.

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

Court Says Challis Roundup Can Proceed

A federal judge has denied a restraining order sought by Wild Horse Education, arguing that the plaintiffs did not meet the standards for an extraordinary remedy.

The ruling is not a final adjudication of the lawsuit, according to a story by Capital Press, and the judge will consider the request later this month.

RELATED: Challis Roundup Announced.

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

Challis Roundup Announced

The incident will begin today according to the news release.

The capture goal is 281 and the removal goal is 146.

The target is horses.

The pre-gather population is thought to be around 330.

A helicopter will push them into the traps.

The contractor is Cattoor and the contract amount is $171,690 according to a report at USA Spending.

The unit cost is $611 per animal captured.

The HMA will be closed to public access with the exception of observers escorted by BLM staff.

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

Up to 54 mares will be treated with fertility control and returned to the range, implying that 81 stallions will be returned also, skewing the sex ratio in favor of males.

These actions will prolong the genetic bottleneck created by the roundup.

Recovery will be also slowed, if not prevented, by the advocates at Wild Love Preserve, who have been poisoning the mares with PZP.

The ranchers couldn’t have asked for a better partner.

PREVIOUS: BLM Closing Public Lands for Challis Roundup.

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

Management Priorities at Riddle Mountain

The HMA boundary excludes some deeded acreage on the west side that falls within the Burnt Flat allotment.

Otherwise, the borders match.

Your faithful public servants allow 56 wild horses on 28,331 public acres according to the 2026 population estimates, or two wild horses per thousand public acres.

In Burnt Flat, they allow livestock equivalent to 310 wild horses on 28,749 public acres according to the allotment master report, or 10.8 wild horses per thousand public acres.

The HMA is managed primarily for livestock.

The True AML is 366.

The arrangement costs taxpayers $679,000 per year for the 310 horses in off-range holding, minus $5,900 from ranchers grazing livestock in their stead.

Who would do a stupid deal like that?

PREVIOUS: Riddle Mountain DNA Fills Some Gaps in Roundup Announcement.

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

Court Puts American Prairie’s Permit Revocation on Hold

A U.S. district judge has temporarily blocked the BLM’s order, allowing AP’s bison to remain on three allotments in Phillips County according to its news release.

At the center of the case is whether the Taylor Grazing Act limits federal grazing permits to production-oriented livestock, an ad hoc excuse—and complete fabrication concocted by ranching interests—to thwart allotment conversions for conservation purposes, such as wild animal preserves.

The ruling casts a long shadow over the agency’s attempt to insert the clause into the Part 4100 grazing regulations, “to head off suggestions that grazing permits may be appropriate for other purposes, including preservation or conservation.”

PREVIOUS: BLM to American Prairie: Get the Bison Off the Public Lands.

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

► Search for other posts on grazing rule changes.