Colleagues or Competitors at the Salt River?

Video from yesterday’s rally at the state capitol, organized by Friends of the Salt River Wild Horses.

Who’s sterilizing the mares?  The Salt River Wild Horse Darting Group, a forward base of the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses.

Who’s gearing up for motorized removal?  SRWHDG.

Who’s been lying about their intentions and loyalties?  SRWHDG.

Does FSRWH have anything better to offer?

You have Friends of the Mustangs in Colorado and Friends of a Legacy in Wyoming and they are enemies of the horses.

RELATED: Advocates Protest Salt River Wild Horse Removal.

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

Advocates Protest Salt River Wild Horse Removal

Around 30 gathered at the state capitol according to a report by The Arizona Republic.

Apparently, they’re not concerned about the mass sterilization program and inevitable disappearance of the herd.

The article said a bill is working its way through the state legislature that might afford additional protections for the herd.

RELATED: Salt River Motorized Removal to Begin This Summer?

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

Shackleford Herd Declined Sharply in 2025

Your faithful public servants released the report through one of their media cronies, hoping for favorable treatment, instead of posting it to their website.

As of this morning, the 2024 update tops the list.

At the end of 2025 there were 102 horses on Shackleford Banks, down from 119 at the end of 2024, according to the 2025 update.

The herd consisted of 61% females and 39% males.

The expected range of variation for either sex, assuming they’re equally likely to occur, is 35.1% to 64.9% according to the following relationship, where n = 102 and p-bar = .5.

Although there is some evidence of an abnormal sex ratio, it doesn’t provide a basis for action.

Seven foals were born in 2025.  One died and two were removed, leaving four to offset the 20 adults that died.

The net change is -16, which would put the year-end population at 103.

The size of the breeding population and the number of sterilized mares were not given.

The pesticide of choice is PZP although this is not stated in the report.

RELATED: Shackleford Herd Grew Slightly in 2024.

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

Finance Committee Passes HB26-1306

The bill was referred to the Appropriations Committee without amendments.

Proponents said it will raise funds to help the state buy pesticides (to beat the horse populations down in favor of livestock).

The measure was considered first at today’s hearing.

RELATED: Finance Committee to Consider HB26-1306.

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

New Neighbors for Spring Creek Basin Horses?

The Vacant Allotment Finder shows three parcels near Disappointment Valley.

The ArcGIS Viewer identifies them as Old Young, Horse Park and Desert Claim.

They’re on the north side of the HMA.

The allotment master report shows no active AUMs.

The 2026 population dataset puts the Spring Creek herd at 78, slightly below the AML of 80.

You might argue that it’s too small to maintain genetic diversity, which would be a fair statement, but it’s worse than that.

The advocates have been pummeling the mares with pesticide-laced darts for years, so the breeding population may be in the single digits.

Bad news for the horses but good news for the neighbors.

RELATED: BLM Launches Vacant Allotment Finder.

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

Potential Wild Horse Preserves Near Reno?

The Vacant Allotment Finder shows seven parcels to the south and southeast.

The pop-up boxes indicate field offices and allotment numbers but do not give names.

The ArcGIS Viewer gives names.

Should you start shopping for base properties?  Get more information from the BLM?

No, the viewer shows the allotments overlap areas already identified for wild horses.

The next step would be to go back to the Finder and search another area.

RELATED: BLM Launches Vacant Allotment Finder.

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

Scoping Begins for Red Desert HMAP and Enforcement Plan

A scoping notice has been copied to the documents folder with comments due by May 4.

The news release said the AML for the five HMAs in the complex is 480 to 724 and the projected population by the fall of 2026 is 2,300 wild horses.

Contrary to remarks in the announcement, overpopulation will not lead to starvation and thirst.  The food is there but it’s been given to ranchers.

The issue is resource allocation not scarcity.

RELATED: Scoping to Begin for Red Desert HMAP?

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

BLM, Forest Service Join Forces to Boost Rancher Prosperity

The news releases are almost identical:

The memorandum of understanding, signed by both agencies, will strengthen coordination, cut bureaucratic red tape and deliver immediate, tangible support for America’s farmers and ranchers who rely on public lands.

The vacant allotment finder may be one of the first achievements of the partnership.

“By working closely with American ranchers, we are enhancing communication, investing in innovation, and modernizing our approach to land management practices,” according to Secretary Burgum, “to deliver real results for the people who feed and sustain this country.”

Yep, if it wasn’t for them we’d all be vegans.

The aim of the grazing program is to ensure that high-net-worth individuals receive generous government benefits, often at the expense of America’s wild horses and burros, with no means testing and no expiration dates.

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

BLM Seeks Off-Range Corrals in Eastern U.S.

The facilities will serve as waypoints for animals traveling to adoption and sale events and provide a pick-up location for participants in the Online Corral program.

They must be located east of the Mississippi River and must be capable of holding up to 400 animals.

They will be open to the public.

Instructions for accessing the solicitation are given in the news release.

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

Chincoteague Foaling Season Underway

The list maintained by DSC Photography shows four new lives, all female.

Only 99 more needed to tie last year’s record.

The herd, known for its abnormal sex ratio and unprecedented birth rate, has been manipulated by the Saltwater Cowboys into a moneymaker for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company while FWS looks the other way.

RELATED: Trends in Chincoteague Pony Auction Results.

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

BLM Launches Vacant Allotment Finder

The web-based app helps ranchers locate allotments that might be suitable for grazing and provides easy instructions to obtain a permit according to the news release.

The disclaimer, which must be acknowledged to access the site, says it displays potential opportunities for grazing on Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service lands.

Acreage and AUMs are estimates and NEPA reviews may be required.

The announcement did not mention base properties and did not indicate if said parcels could be repurposed by interested parties as wild horse preserves.

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