Darkness at Pryor: Aging Herd with Fewer Foals

The general form of an AML is x to 2x, which is based on a doubling of the population every four to five years.

The Rule of 72 gives a growth rate of 14 to 18 percent per year.

The new management plan set the AML at x to 1.1x, implying a growth rate of 2.3% per year. (The Rule of 72 applies to doubling of populations, not 10% increases.)

The artificially low growth rate will be achieved with sustained fertility control, a dead end for wild horses.

Modeling by your faithful public servants indicates that the herd can maintain sufficient genetic diversity under the new plan, according to a report by the Lovell Chronicle.

Some observers, such as the director of operations at the Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center, worry that the result could be an older herd with fewer foals, a polite way of saying it’s on the way to extinction with no possibility of recovery.

The advocates, obsessed with fertility control and permanent herd reduction, are happy to sit back and watch it happen.

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

BLM Issues Marietta Final Grazing Plan

The final planning documents were copied to the project folder on October 7.

The Decision Record authorizes Alternative One, the Proposed Action, discussed in section 2.1 of the Final EA.

Four allotments would be merged into one named Belleville.

The original allotments would become pastures.

A ten-year permit would be issued to the successful applicant.

The new allotment overlaps the Marietta Burro Range. Refer to the map in Appendix D.

It’s not clear if AUMs have been always available to livestock in Marietta or have been taken from the burros without an RMP amendment.

Requests to shift AUMs from livestock to wild horses or burros are usually met with this response: “Changes to livestock grazing cannot be made through a wild horse gather decision and are only possible if BLM first revises the land-use plans to re-allocate livestock forage to wild horses and to eliminate or reduce livestock grazing.”

PREVIOUS: Marietta Grazing Plan Back on the Table.

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Barren Valley Roundup Ends

The incident concluded on October 9 with 388 horses captured, 386 shipped, none released and two dead.

There were no unaccounted-for animals.

Operations were suspended for over two weeks due to helicopter problems.

The capture total included 146 stallions, 161 mares and 81 foals.

Youngsters represented 20.9% of the animals gathered.

Of the adults, 47.6% were male and 52.4% were female.

The death rate was 0.5%. All deaths were intentional.

There were no plans to inhibit the mares with PZP and return them to the range.

The contractor was Cattoor and the obligated amount was $269,383.

The reduction in forage demand means the ranchers can enjoy more of what their allotments have to offer, even if their potential has been diminished by drought.

PREVIOUS: Barren Valley Emergency Roundup Announced.

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Barren Valley Roundup, Day 35

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

FY: 2026
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: Destroy the breeding population with PZP (according to advocates)
Capture goal: 499
Removal goal: 499
Captured: 387, up from 370 on Day 33
Shipped: 355, up from 285 on Day 33
Released: None
Deaths: 2, no change from Day 33
Average daily take: 11.1 (includes two-week lull for helicopter repairs)
Unaccounted-for animals: 30
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.

Aerial operations have concluded but the incident can’t be marked complete with 30 unaccounted-for animals.

The death rate is 0.5%.

The capture total includes 145 stallions, 161 mares and 81 foals.

Youngsters represented 20.9% of the animals gathered, a sign of genetic diversity and large enough to support a herd growth rate of 15% per year.

Of the adults, 47.4% were male and 52.6% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio (usually found in herds where the advocates are involved).

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, which would prolong the genetic bottleneck created by the roundup.

The HMA is subject to permitted grazing.

The area is closed to the public with no allowance for observers or reporters.

PREVIOUS: Barren Valley Roundup, Day 33.

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Foal-Free Friday, Cruel and Costly Edition

Data from gather pages indicate that accidental deaths during roundups between July 1 and September 30, such as a mare crashing into a pipe panel and breaking her neck, accounted for a little more than a third of the total.

Intentional deaths, such as a stallion being euthanized for blindness or missing teeth, accounted for the remainder.

The advocates, interested in helping the ranchers and expanding their fertility control programs, argue that motorized removal must be stopped to prevent the fatalities.

But which ones?

In catch-treat-release, helicopters would be used to corral the herds, so no improvement there.

In field darting, deaths would be replaced by injuries and infections, and, over the long run, permanent infertility, loss of genetic diversity and herd collapse.

As for the intentional deaths, that effort goes on year around, not just during roundups.

If the advocates were successful, no foals would be born so there would be no deaths due to emaciation, blindness, club feet, etc.

The older horses would die and the ranchers would have all the resources to themselves.

PREVIOUS: Foal-Free Friday, Breaking the Mold Edition.

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

Sulphur Roundup, Day 7

The incident started on October 2. Results through October 8:

FY: 2027
Scope: Sulphur HMA
Target: Horses
AML: 250
Pre-gather population: 560
Type: Planned
Contractor: Cattoor
Contract amount: $287,650
Unit cost: $959
Method: Helicopter
Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
Better way: Beat the numbers down permanently with PZP (according to advocates)
Capture goal: 300
Removal goal: 300
Captured: 167, up from 126 on Day 5
Shipped: 118, up from 81 on Day 5
Released: None
Deaths: 2, no change from Day 5
Average daily take: 23.9
Unaccounted-for animals: 47
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 gather stats say 119 shipped.

The death rate is 1.2%.

The capture total includes 54 stallions, 81 mares and 32 foals.

Youngsters represented 19.2% of the animals gathered, large enough to support a herd growth rate of 13 to 14 percent per year.

Of the adults, 40.0% were male and 60.0% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

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 and return them to the range, which would prolong the genetic bottleneck created by the roundup.

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

Forage: 2,004 AUMs per year
Water: 1,670 gallons per day

Public lands within two miles of active trapping locations and temporary holding facilities are closed to the public, with the exception of observers escorted by BLM staff.

PREVIOUS: Sulphur Roundup, Day 5.

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

Red Desert Contract Goes to Sampson

The obligated amount is $393,488 according to a report at USA Spending.

The incident is on the schedule with a start date of October 15.

The tentative capture and removal goals are 931 and 827, respectively.

Animals identified for removal will be taken to the off-range corrals at Rock Springs.

PREVIOUS: BLM Issues Red Desert Final Planning Documents.

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

Barren Valley Roundup, Day 33

The incident started on September 4. Results through October 6:

FY: 2026
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: 370, up from 314 on Day 31
Shipped: 285, up from 249 on Day 31
Released: None
Deaths: 2, no change from Day 31
Average daily take: 11.2 (includes two-week lull for helicopter repairs)
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.

The death rate is 0.5%.

The capture total includes 137 stallions, 155 mares and 78 foals.

Youngsters represented 21.1% of the animals gathered, a sign of genetic diversity and large enough to support a herd growth rate of 15% per year.

Of the adults, 46.9% were male and 53.1% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio (usually found in herds where the advocates are involved).

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, which would prolong the genetic bottleneck created by the roundup.

The HMA is subject to permitted grazing.

The area is closed to the public with no allowance for observers or reporters.

PREVIOUS: Barren Valley Roundup, Day 31.

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

Stay Barren Event Spells Doom for Wild Horses

If you wanted to raise money for your rescue, and show the public that you care about wild horses, would you partner with the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses?

Barbara Phillips did.

The founder of Saving Gracie Equine Healing Foundation joined forces with Patricia Miller, executive director of CAAWH, for a weekend fundraiser according to a story by The Park Record.

Miller said the wild horse issue in the United States boils down to population control.

Forget about habitat loss, lopsided forage allocations and manipulation by ranching interests.

It’s now evident that Miller is Suzanne Roy’s ideological progeny and that the nonprofit is headed down the same destructive path as it did under Roy’s leadership.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

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

Sulphur Roundup, Day 5

The incident started on October 2. Results through October 6:

FY: 2027
Scope: Sulphur HMA
Target: Horses
AML: 250
Pre-gather population: 560
Type: Planned
Contractor: Cattoor
Contract amount: $287,650
Unit cost: $959
Method: Helicopter
Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
Better way: Stop the transmission of life with PZP (according to advocates)
Capture goal: 300
Removal goal: 300
Captured: 126, up from 73 on Day 3
Shipped: 81, up from 42 on Day 3
Released: None
Deaths: 2, no change from Day 3
Average daily take: 25.2
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 1.6%.

The capture total includes 45 stallions, 60 mares and 21 foals.

Youngsters represented 16.7% of the animals gathered, too low to support a herd growth rate of 15 to 20 percent per year.

Of the adults, 42.9% were male and 57.1% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

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 and return them to the range, which would prolong the genetic bottleneck created by the roundup.

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

Forage: 1,512 AUMs per year
Water: 1,260 gallons per day

Public lands within two miles of active trapping locations and temporary holding facilities are closed to the public, with the exception of observers escorted by BLM staff.

PREVIOUS: Sulphur Roundup, Day 3.

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

Coalition Asks Court to Stop Pryor Roundup

The plaintiffs requested a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction according to a story by the Billings Gazette.

A hearing is set for October 19 in U.S. District Court.

The incident is on the schedule with a start date of October 1 but no activity has been reported.

Recent changes to the management plan have set the herd up for extermination.

The new AML implies heavy use of fertility control, with the inevitable result of permanent infertility, loss of genetic diversity and herd collapse.

AMLs should allow a doubling of the populations every four to five years, with removals as needed.

A minimum population of 50 breeding animals (total of 150 to 200) is required.

The advocates, on a mission to destroy the breeding populations, are the greatest threat to long-term viability of America’s wild horses.

PREVIOUS: Pryor Roundup Announced.

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

Reminder About Salt River Advocates and Supporters

The liars and frauds on socialist media far outnumber the kayakers and paddleboarders on the river.

The only way to save the herd is to bring in mares from other areas, which will invalidate the $325,000 genetic study, now in the planning stages.

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

Barren Valley Roundup, Day 31

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

FY: 2026
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: Beat the numbers down with PZP (according to advocates)
Capture goal: 499
Removal goal: 499
Captured: 314, up from 277 on Day 29
Shipped: 249, no change from Day 29
Released: None
Deaths: 2, no change from Day 29
Average daily take: 10.1 (includes two-week lull for helicopter repairs)
Unaccounted-for animals: 63
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 116 stallions, 130 mares and 68 foals.

Youngsters represented 21.7% of the animals gathered, a sign of genetic diversity and large enough to support a herd growth rate of fifteen to twenty percent per year.

Of the adults, 47.2% were male and 52.8% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio (usually found in herds where the advocates are involved).

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, which would prolong the genetic bottleneck created by the roundup.

The HMA is subject to permitted grazing.

The area is closed to the public with no allowance for observers and reporters.

PREVIOUS: Barren Valley Roundup, Day 29.

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

Mustang Monday

At McCullough Peaks HMA with Linda Ghent.

The description did not indicate if the mom had a faulty immune system or was overlooked by the advocates, who are ruining the mares with PZP.

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

Sulphur Roundup, Day 3

The incident started on October 2. Results through October 4:

FY: 2027
Scope: Sulphur HMA
Target: Horses
AML: 250
Pre-gather population: 560
Type: Planned
Contractor: Cattoor
Contract amount: $287,650
Unit cost: $959
Method: Helicopter
Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
Better way: Destroy the breeding population with PZP (according to advocates)
Capture goal: 300
Removal goal: 300
Captured: 73, up from 23 on Day 1
Shipped: 42, up from zero on Day 1
Released: None
Deaths: 2, up from zero on Day 1
Average daily take: 24.3
Unaccounted-for animals: 29
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.

Two horses died on Day 3, one was accidental and the other was intentional.

The death rate is 2.7%.

The capture total includes 30 stallions, 33 mares and 10 foals.

Youngsters represented 13.7% of the animals gathered, too low to support a herd growth rate of 15 to 20 percent per year.

Of the adults, 47.6% were male and 52.4% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores were not given.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

There are no plans to treat any of the mares with fertility control and return them to the range, which would prolong the genetic bottleneck created by the roundup.

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

Forage: 876 AUMs per year
Water: 730 gallons per day

Public lands within two miles of active trapping locations and temporary holding facilities are closed to the public, with the exception of observers escorted by BLM staff.

PREVIOUS: Sulphur Roundup Begins.

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

Barren Valley Roundup, Day 29

The incident started on September 4. Results through October 2:

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: 277, up from 251 on Day 11
Shipped: 249, up from 240 on Day 11
Released: None
Deaths: 2, no change from Day 11
Average daily take: 9.6
Unaccounted-for animals: 26
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.

Operations were delayed for two weeks due to problems with the helicopter.

The death rate is 0.7%.

The capture total includes 103 stallions, 116 mares and 58 foals.

Youngsters represented 20.9% of the animals gathered.

Of the adults, 47.0% were male and 53.0% 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.

PREVIOUS: Barren Valley Roundup, Day 11, Barren Valley Roundup Resumes.

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

Overpopulation and Protection: Not What You Think They Are

Here are today’s headlines in Bing for wild horses:

The original news release is #4 in the list.

Overpopulation means more horses than allowed by plan, not more horses than the land can support.

Your faithful public servants typically assign 80% of the authorized forage to privately owned livestock, so the population targets for wild horses are low relative to the available resources.

Telling the truth—that they’re getting rid of the horses to help the ranchers, who pay almost nothing for the forage they consume and the services rendered on their behalf by the government—might shift public opinion.

Protection is a codeword for wild horse removal, by long-term use of ovary-killing pesticides (preferred by the advocates) or by motorized equipment (preferred by hunters, ranchers and bureaucrats).

The difference is recovery: Helicopters don’t sterilize mares, destroy breeding populations and eliminate genetic mixing.

Are you surprised that the advocates favor the greater of two evils?

RELATED: Sulphur Roundup Announced.

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

Sulphur Roundup Begins

The incident started on October 2 as scheduled with 23 horses captured, none shipped, none released and no deaths.

This is the first roundup of FY27, which began on October 1.

Funding was provided by a continuing resolution, not a full-year spending bill.

PREVIOUS: Sulphur Roundup Announced.

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

Chincoteague Filly Ends Two-Month Dry Spell

No new foals have been born since the pony swim and auction but the count increased from 88 to 89 at the end of September.

Last year’s record was 103.

You might think that genetic diversity is good but most of the foals are sold after the swim, leaving only a handful to replace the horses that died.

PREVIOUS: Chincoteague Pony Auction Falls Short of Last Year.

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

Sulphur Roundup Announced

The news release was published on the day the incident was set to begin.

The capture and removal goals are 300 each.

The target is horses.

The pre-gather population is thought to be 560.

A helicopter will push the horses into the traps.

The contractor is Cattoor and the contract amount is $287,650.

The unit cost is $959 per animal captured, at the high end of the pay scale.

The area will be closed to the public except for observers escorted by BLM staff.

Captured animals will be taken to the Sutherland off-range corrals.

There are no plans to treat any of the mares with fertility control and return them to the range, which would prolong the genetic bottleneck created by the roundup.

The HMA is subject to permitted grazing.

PREVIOUS: Sulphur Roundup Pending, Hola FY27.