The helicopter roundup at Warm Springs HMA ended on 10/23/18 but the BLM has not formally announced it. Refer to the gather stats and daily reports for this blurb:
There’s your news release. Are they ashamed of the things they’re doing to the horses, for the ranchers? Why are they trying to hide the truth?
Here are the results: 846 animals gathered (including 41 burros and 2 mules), one horse returned to the range (by accident), 32 deaths (3.8%). The stated goal, when the gather was announced, was 652 animals.
News reports, such as this one posted yesterday by the rancher-friendly Capital Press, ignore the fatalities and inhumane treatment by the BLM and its contractor(s).
The pre-gather population was estimated to exceed 800 animals. The stud that escaped must be very lonely. The story by CP said only twenty to thirty remained. The next step, of course, is to cut the ovaries out of 100 mares and return them to the HMA along with 100 intact mares and some stallions, under the guise of ‘research.’
On 10/03/18, a two month old filly died from a head injury after being captured and a three month old filly died of ‘gather myopathy’ after she was moved to a holding pen.
On 10/04/18 a three year old mare died of a broken neck after running into a panel while being sorted.
On 10/05/18 eleven horses were ‘humanely euthanized’ for various deformities.
On 10/15/18 a six month old filly died of ‘gather myopathy’ after she was moved to a holding pen.
On 10/16/18 a yearling captured the previous day died at the holding corrals due to pneumonia.
On 10/19/18 a yearling died after capture, also due to pneumonia.
Other deaths were the result of ‘humane euthanization.’ The reports did not indicate if it was carried out by lethal injection or multiple rounds to the abdomen.
Survivors will be available for adoption in January 2019.
Western Horse Watchers Association 