Foal-Free Friday, Ending the Lull Edition

The moratorium on helicopter roundups concluded on July 1.

The idea is that foals born in the spring are now strong enough to endure forcible removal from their lawful homes (in favor of privately owned livestock).

The largest roundup of FY26 will occur at the Callaghan Complex starting on July 10.

At least 25% of the captured animals will need to be foals to support claims that the herd is growing at a rate of 20% per year.

The incident has not been announced and a gather page has not been created.

The advocates want to replace motorized removal with long-term use of fertility control, resulting in permanent infertility and herd collapse.

PREVIOUS: Foal-Free Friday, Reading the Tea Leaves Edition.

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

Saylor Creek Roundup Pending

The incident will begin on or about July 15.

The capture goal is 100 and the removal goal is 68.

The AML is 50 and the current population is thought to be 118.

A helicopter will push the horses into the traps.

Animals identified for removal will be taken to the Boise Off-Range Corrals.

Up to 16 mares will be treated with GonaCon-Equine and returned to the range with up to 16 stallions.

The HMA is subject to permitted grazing.

The news release said the roundup is open to public observation despite an order that closes all public lands within two miles of the trap sites.

PREVIOUS: BLM Issues Saylor Creek Final DNA and Closure Notice.

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

BLM Assessing NEPA Adequacy Ahead of Challis Roundup?

A new project has been created in ePlanning but no documents have been uploaded.

It’s not clear if public input will be invited or considered.

Announcements of such opportunities are becoming fewer and farther in between in the current administration.

The incident is on the schedule with a start date of September 10.

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

BLM Bans Public from Piceance and West Douglas Roundups

A new project in ePlanning authorizes the closure of public lands within a two-mile radius of active trapping locations and temporary holding facilities at the Piceance–East Douglas Herd Management Area, North Piceance Herd Area and West Douglas Herd Area to all public entry for the duration of the incidents.

Closures have also been announced at Saylor Creek and Moriah.

The Piceance roundups are set to begin on August 1 according to the schedule.

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

BLM Posts Video of Grazing Rule Online Meeting

The news release said the changes would give ranchers more flexibility, improve the health of rangelands and support rural communities across the West.

What they’re really trying to do is limit the use of allotments to animals approved by the ranching industry, not the preference holders, thwarting the creation of wild horse and burro refuges on public lands.

A special interest will control the way allotments are used, not the owners or lessors of the base properties attached to them.

You can comment against the proposal at the Federal Register.

PREVIOUS: Driver of Grazing Rule Changes.

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

Loss of Water Spells End for Virginia Range Mustangs?

An in-depth report by Carson Now identifies two problems complicating the situation: Most of the land is private, subject to purchase and development, and NDA considers the horses to be estray livestock, even though they’re unclaimed and unbranded.

Western Horse Watchers disputes claims that development at the higher elevations, which is minor compared to growth in south Reno, is driving them out of the mountains and into foothills.

Why didn’t the writer question the mass sterilization program authorized by NDA and carried out by the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses?

The article suggested that watering is unlawful.  The practice is discouraged in urban areas but it is not illegal.

Feeding is illegal.

Although the fat lady has yet to sing, you can be sure there are many players working to eradicate the herd, including those who claim to be its defenders.

RELATED: BLM Issues Decision on Virginia Range Fencing Project.

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

Driver of Grazing Rule Changes

Your faithful public servants are trying to insert “production-oriented livestock” everywhere they can in the Part 4100 regulations to pacify the crybabies in Montana who didn’t like the type of livestock American Prairie ran on its grazing allotments, and their overlords across the west who saw the practice as a threat to their hegemony.

They stated in the notice that they were “seeking to head off suggestions that grazing permits may be appropriate for other purposes, including preservation or conservation,” precluding the use of grazing allotments for wild horse refuges.

You have until July 13 to comment against the proposal.

PREVIOUS: Grazing Rule Changes Explained.

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

Advocates, Not Drones, Greatest Threat to Currituck Herd

Unmanned aerial vehicles are one of the most invasive, disruptive things the horses must deal with according to a report by WAVY News.

Far worse than pesticide-laced darts, fired by the advocates, that can sterilize mares and destroy entire herds if applied for more than five years.

It’s still not clear if the Currituck darting program was stopped soon enough to save the herd from total collapse.

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

BLM Assessing NEPA Adequacy at Cedar Mountain?

A new project has been created in ePlanning but no documents have been uploaded.

There is no description.

The title suggests that a roundup is in the works but the HMA is not on the schedule.

The agency had been paying the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses to beat the horse population down with PZP and that component is still there.

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

Grazing Rule Changes Explained

What would you say if the city cancelled your building permit, duly obtained, because your neighbors didn’t like the style of your roof, and the planning department imposes new rules later in the year to justify it?

That’s what the BLM is doing to American Prairie and anyone else who would lawfully obtain a base property and convert the preference to animals disliked by ranchers.

It’s wrong, there’s no statutory warrant for it and it must be stopped.

You can put an end to it by commenting on the proposed changes by July 13.

PREVIOUS: Should You Oppose the Grazing Rule Changes?

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

Should You Oppose the Grazing Rule Changes?

There is no statutory basis precluding the use of grazing allotments for conservation herds.

If there was, Mustang Monument never would have gotten off the ground, American Prairie’s bison restoration project would have been dead on arrival and Wild Horse Refuge would have been told to keep their animals on their own property.

The avowed enemies of wild horses, consisting of hunters, ranchers, trappers and their supporters, not drillers and miners, know this so they’ve strongarmed their allies at the BLM into rule changes that would, in effect, amend FLPMA by prohibiting certain uses of public lands, without the approval of Congress.

Did you know that a rancher in New Mexico has a permit to graze burros?

It’s a devious plan that will funnel wild horses into private care on deeded acreage only, exactly what the ranchers want.

Now is the time for the advocates to put their darting rifles aside and comment against the changes.

If a proposed sanctuary does not include public lands and does not displace livestock therefrom, it’s not worthy of your support.

PREVIOUS: Grazing Rule Changes Reflect DOI Hypocrisy.

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

Advocate Misleads Readers about Genetic Diversity

Age and herd size do not determine genetic diversity.

A herd of 150 to 200 breeding aged animals will vanish if the advocates ruin the mares with PZP.

Think of the Salt River and Virginia Range.

Section 4.4.6.3 in H-4700-1 sets the record straight.

RELATED: Breeding Population More Important Than Herd Size.

Tell them you want your money back.

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

Grazing Rule Changes Reflect DOI Hypocrisy

The June 1 news release seeking public comments said the proposal would give ranchers more flexibility, improve the health of rangelands and support rural communities across the West.

But the goal is to limit the uses of public lands, contradicting a statement at the end of the announcement.

The concept of production-oriented livestock appears 28 times in the notice.

The idea of restricting permits to such animals, an attempt to thwart those would weigh the advantages of using grazing allotments for conservation purposes, such as wild horse and bison refuges, permeates the discussion.

It’s got the cattlemen’s fingerprints all over it.

The current administration is now guilty of using the same tactics as the previous administration, which it condemned, to, in effect, modify FLPMA while doing an end run around Congress.

The news release states in the final paragraph that DOI rescinded the BLM’s public lands rule, reaffirming the Department’s commitment to multiple use.

The rule elevated conservation, or what was described as “no use,” to the same level as other uses outlined in FLPMA.

But in the latest move, they’re trying to expand the use of America’s public lands, including increases to active AUMs regardless of management status, just not for wild horses and bison.

PREVIOUS: Grazing Regulation Overhaul to Codify American Prairie Decision.

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

Arizona Legislature Adjourns without Passing SB1199

Its sponsor said next year he’ll introduce a bill in his name and it’ll have enhanced protections for the Salt River herd according to a story by the Arizona Capitol Times.

The measure was filed earlier this year as a strike-everything amendment to another bill.

The Senate’s failure to act means that 25 wild horses will be removed from their habitat this summer, not by the Forest Service but by the advocates.

PREVIOUS: Arizona House Approves SB1199.

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

Grazing Regulation Overhaul to Codify American Prairie Decision

The BLM will add production-oriented livestock, including a definition thereof, to Part 4100 of Title 43 according to a notice in the Federal Register dated May 12.

Permits issued under section 4130.2 would only be valid for the production of meat, milk or fiber and would include any animals used in support of such operations, such as horses for moving cattle.

Describing the proposed change as a limitation, the agency “is seeking to head off suggestions that grazing permits may be appropriate for other purposes, including preservation or conservation.”

The revamp, promulgated by an unelected bureaucracy, would mean no more Mustang Monuments or Wild Horse Refuges if approved.

Western Horse Watchers opposes the restriction.

Comments are due by July 13.

RELATED: 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.

Foal-Free Friday, Reading the Tea Leaves Edition

You know an idea is bad for wild horses if the advocates support it.

Likewise for the farm bureaus, stock grower’s associations and public lands councils.

You don’t have to understand all the issues, you just need to know who’s behind it.

Consider this example in the Arizona Daily Independent.

Arizona Congressmen Juan Ciscomani and David Schweikert, members of the Pesticide Caucus, wrote a letter asking the USDA to work with them so management decisions for the Salt River and Heber herds are humane, transparent and on solid legal footing.

They went on to say that the animals deserve to be protected and treated humanely.

The Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses praised them for their advocacy.

What you may not realize is that protection and humane management are codewords for long-term use of PZP, with the inevitable result of permanent infertility and herd collapse.

Like other advocates, CAAWH and its partner organizations work with their political allies to suppress wild horse populations in favor of livestock, under the guise of reform.

They’re pesticide salesmen, not conservationists.

They want the ranchers to win.

PREVIOUS: Foal-Free Friday, Moving the Goalposts Edition.

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