BLM said today that 431 excess wild horses will be removed from the Desatoya HMA, starting on December 4. The operation will be carried out with helicopters and will be open to public observation.
The roundup will restore a thriving ecological balance and multiple-use relationship on public lands, according to the news release.
The HMA covers 161,678 acres in central Nevada an has an AML of 180, for an aimed-at population density of 1.1 horses per thousand acres.
Captured animals will be taken to the off-range corrals at Palomino Valley, about 20 miles north of Sparks, NV.
Section 3.7 in the Environmental Assessment suggests that permitted livestock grazing occurs in and around the HMA, but there is not enough information for a comparison of horse AUMs to cattle AUMs within the HMA.
Gather stats and daily reports will be posted to this page.
UPDATE: Map 2 in Appendix G shows that the HMA intersects four grazing allotments: Clan Alpine, Edwards Creek, Porter Canyon and South Smith Creek. As usual, the AUMs offered to the poor ranchers far exceed the crumbs allocated to the horses.
Western Horse Watchers Association 