Advocate Leads Readers Astray about HMAPs

A well-defined problem is half solved.  That may be true in some cases, but the other 50% comes from identification of causes, a concept that eludes the wild horse advocates.

For example, a column in today’s edition of The Nevada Independent indicates that tens of thousands of privately owned livestock graze on allotments overlapping the Pancake Complex in Nevada, an area identified for wild horses, yet only 638 such animals are allowed to live there.

This pattern occurs throughout the western U.S. not because the BLM failed to create HMAPs, as suggested by the author, but because it’s specified in the land-use plans.

HMAPs must comply with LUPs.  If the LUP assigns 84% of the authorized forage to privately owned livestock in an area set aside for wild horses, so will the HMAP.

Drilling and mining affect anywhere from a few acres to a few thousand acres, not mentioned by the writer, while public-lands ranching devours entire HMAs and beyond.  There’s no comparison.

As for the advocates, articles like this keep their base fired up and the donations rolling in, while accomplishing nothing useful for America’s wild horses.

RELATED: The Truth About HMAPs.

Shackleford Herd Grew Slightly in 2022

There were 124 wild horses on the island at the end of the year, according to an undated report by the Park Service, up from 121 at the end of 2021.

The growth rate was 2.5%, considerably less than the rate for free-roaming herds in the American west (provided the advocates are not involved).

Thirteen foals were born in 2022, for a birth rate of 10.7%.

Nine horses died.

One of the foals was removed illegally.

The herd was 61% female and 39% male.

The report said that some females are living longer, typical of herds subject to the Montana Solution.

Readers of these pages know that as a euphemism for abnormal sex ratio.

RELATED: Shackleford Herd Grows Slightly in Latest Census.

Pesticide-Laced Darts Are Not the Perfect Symbol for Nevada!

Contrary to what you read in this column by Tracy “You need to manage the numbers to fit what’s available for the horses” Wilson, field marshal for the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses, the people of Nevada should tell their state representatives not to pass SB90 until the following language is removed:

SB90 Text to be Removed 03-20-23

No glorifying, legitimizing or ratifying the darting program and those involved, an affront to Velma’s legacy.

In her March 7 testimony before the Nevada Senate Natural Resources Committee, Wilson described the poisoning of the Virginia Range mares as the world’s largest wild horse conservation program.

With the effort moving into its fifth year, many are now at risk of sterility.

RELATED: We’re Out for Ourselves!

What’s So Important about the Virginia Range?

It defies the overpopulation and carrying capacity narratives.

You can’t be telling the American people that public lands in the western U.S. can only support one wild horse per thousand acres (27,000 animals on 27 million acres) while the Virginia Range is carrying ten (3,000 animals on 300,000 acres).

It must be erased, and the advocates are eager to help.

The population target of 600 animals, mentioned at the March 7 hearing for SB90, means an 80% reduction in herd size, at least, exactly what Velma was trying to stop.

As for the advocates, they are fools.  Don’t give them a penny.

RELATED: Why Oppose SB90?

Working Together for a Horse-Free Future 12-21-22

Assessing Resource Adequacy in the Majuba Allotment

The allotment offers 3,325 AUMs per year on 186,083 public acres, as noted last week.

Is that good or bad?

Forage availability works out to 17.9 AUMs per year per thousand public acres, enough to support 1.5 cow/calf pairs, or 1.5 wild horses, per thousand public acres.

That’s not very much, when you realize the Virginia Range is carrying ten, or at least it did before the advocates got involved.

For comparison, the allotments in Sand Wash Basin HMA offer a weighted average 117.6 AUMs per year per thousand public acres, enough to support an additional 9.8 wild horses per thousand public acres, on top of the 2.4 wild horses allowed by plan.

This is what sinks the overpopulation narrative, repeated constantly by the advocates, not by what they say but by what they do.

The limited amount of forage on Majuba explains why the Antelope Range HA was zeroed out and why the doctrine of multiple use goes out the window in such cases.

HMAs Freed from Grazing 05-23-21

Pine Nut Horses Headed to Freedom Reigns Sanctuary

The advocates are working with BLM staff at Palomino Valley to purchase 18 animals trapped last month in a nuisance roundup, according to a story on page 11 of the March edition of Horse Tales.

The studs will be cut and the mares may be sterile, thanks to the darting program.

The sanctuary is not open to the public.

RELATED: Advocates Upset as BLM Traps More Pine Nut Horses.

We’re Out for Ourselves!

What would you say about an exterminator that urges you to write your elected officials demanding more and more funding for pest control, which he markets as protection?

Moreover, eradication of the pests from their lawful homes leaves more food and water for their enemies.

That’s the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses, evident in this call to action on the propaganda page managed by Lucky Three Ranch.

Totally self-serving!

Nobody trumpets the overpopulation narrative like CAAWH.

File under: Charlatans.

For Your Innocent Ants and Roaches 10-23-22

Foal-Free Friday, Noticing Their Hypocrisy Edition

Advocates with the Salt River Wild Horse Darting Group, an affiliate of the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses, said on March 14 that “It’s never nice to disturb any wild animals, but to come in with gloves and lasso and pursue Salt River wild horses will get you in deep trouble here, because the Salt River wild horses are protected from harassment and interfering by State law.”  Click on image to read the story.

SRWHDG Hypocrisy 03-16-23

There are no foals in the photos, because the advocates have poisoned the mares with a restricted-use pesticide.

Apparently, riding your horse on public lands is harassment, but stalking wild horses with phones, tablets and darting rifles, with the intent of destroying their ovaries, is not.

Students Learn About Darting 10-26-22

If PZP was taken off the market, the advocates would have nothing, no reason to exist.

RELATED: Foal-Free Friday, Developing a Critical Eye Edition.

Strangles Outbreak Closes Litchfield Off-Range Corrals

Adoptions will be suspended for thirty days according to a BLM news release.

The announcement said the infection presents as nasal discharge, fever and swollen lymph nodes around the throat, and runs its course in two to four weeks, but did not indicate that 19 horses died from it last year at Wheatland.

The facility has a capacity of one thousand animals, with 389 wild horses and 334 wild burros present as of February 20.

Nevada Checkerboard Parcel Hits Market for $130K

The property covers 640 acres (one square mile) near Imlay, with spectacular views of Imlay Summit, Rye Patch Reservoir and sometimes wild horses and antelope, according to the listing on Redfin.

The National Data Viewer puts it inside the Antelope Range HA, the lawful home of wild horses, which lies within the Majuba Allotment.

To the west are the Kamma Mountains, Lava Beds and Seven Troughs HMAs, shown with orange borders in the following map.  Click on image to open in new tab.

There were 172 horses in the HA last year, according to the HA/HMA Report.

The Allotment Master Report puts Majuba in the Improve category, with 3,325 active AUMs on 186,083 public acres.  The subject parcel was likely counted among the 90,434 private acres contained in the allotment.

Nevada Cherckerboard Parcel 03-17-23

Draft EA Released for Pryor Mountain RMP Update

The preliminary EA and supporting documents were copied to the project folder today.

Comments will be accepted through April 14, according to the BLM news release.

Alternative 2, the Proposed Action, would try to achieve these goals:

  • Manage wild horses and resources to maintain a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple use relationship
  • Manage for healthy wild horses, maintain a level of genetic diversity that avoids inbreeding and maintain characteristics that are typical of Pryor Mountain horses of mixed ancestry including Colonial Spanish
  • Manage population growth using including gathers, fertility control, natural means, or a combination of these techniques

The AML would increase slightly, from the current 90-120 to 108-121.

The current population is thought to be around 200 wild horses.

The WHR is not subject to permitted grazing but is subject to the Montana Solution according to the February 7 resource enforcement schedule.

RELATED: Additional Comments Sought for Pryor Management Plan Update.

Why Oppose SB90?

Because it recognizes the Virginia Range as one of the largest humane management programs for wild mustangs, not the origin of Velma’s efforts to protect wild horses.

SB90 is the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses trying to draw attention to itself, to legitimize its anti-horse agenda, a disgrace to Velma’s legacy.

The darting program and those involved are to be eschewed, not glorified.

RELATED: Fur Flies at SB90 Hearing.

Cumberland Horses Threatened by Legal Action?

Athens attorney Hal Wright may sue the Secretary of Interior, the regional National Park Service office in Atlanta and the state of Georgia, according to a story by The Brunswick News, claiming the horses are not equipped to live on a barrier island.

They compete with native species for a limited amount of food, including sea oats that help anchor sand dunes, and grasses in saltwater marshes, trampling the wetlands and turning the areas into mud pits.

Sound familiar?

Wright wants the Park Service to provide food, water and medical care for the horses.

He suggests darting the mares with a contraceptive and to round up the healthy younger animals and remove them from the island for adoption.

Let Us Fix Your Wild Horse Problem 02-18-23

“Let the horses die out naturally and be gone,” he told the reporter, an approach favored by most wild horse advocates, including the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses, its affiliates, offshoots and followers.

Last week, a manager with CAAWH described the poisoning of the Virginia Range mares as the world’s largest wild horse conservation program, in testimony before the Nevada Senate Committee on Natural Resources regarding SB90.