BLM said today that approximately 50 wild horses will be removed from the Antelope Valley HMA, beginning this weekend, due to insufficient water and forage.
The western portion of the HMA belongs to the Triple B Complex, which was gathered about a year ago.
The operation will be carried out with bait traps, according to the news release, and will not be open to public observation.
The HMA covers 463,540 acres in eastern Nevada and has an AML of 259. The aimed-at stocking rate is 0.6 wild horses per thousand acres.
The fractional stocking rate may correspond to a large percentage of forage diverted to privately owned livestock.
The current population is thought to be 1,144, with 885 excess horses. The herd is 4.4 times over AML but how close is it to the carrying capacity of the HMA?
Captured animals will be taken to the off-range corrals in Bruneau, ID.
Gather stats and daily reports will be posted to this page.
RELATED: Triple B Emergency Wild Horse Roundup Begins This Week.