Western Horse Watchers Association
Exposing the Hypocrisy, Lies and Incompetence of the Wild Horse Advocates
A report published today by AP News said that President Trump intends to withdraw his nomination but did not offer an explanation for the decision.
When the nomination was announced in June, Trump said that Pendley had “worked to increase recreational opportunities on and access to our Nation’s public lands, heighten concern for the impact of wild horses and burros on public lands, and increase awareness of the Bureau’s multiple-use mission.”
RELATED: Pendley to Head BLM?
The map at InciWeb shows some expansion on the north side of the fire but the overall boundary hasn’t changed much since August 14. Total area burned is now about 74,800 acres, compared to 73,400 acres yesterday.
Light winds out of the northwest are expected today, according to the 10 AM report.
Containment holding at 7%, southern edge only. Little Bookcliffs horses appear to be in the clear for now.
RELATED: Pine Gulch Fire Stalled at CR 204?
With its recent acquisition of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Occidental Petroleum Corporation became the largest private landowner in Wyoming.
The deal saddled Occidental with a large amount of debt, which it is trying to reduce through various divestitures, including properties in the Wyoming Checkerboard, a patchwork quilt of public and private lands in the I-80 corridor.
The Checkerboard is also home to hundreds of free-roaming horses.
The Rock Springs Grazing Association, whose lawsuit against the BLM became the driver of the Rock Springs RMP Amendments, leased some its land from Anadarko. It also owns some of the private parcels in the Checkerboard.
Occidental is negotiating with a bidder and it’s not the state of Wyoming. Those in the know aren’t talking.
What will be the impact of the sale on RSGA? How might it affect the court order that’s forcing the closure of three HMAs and downsizing of a fourth? Will BLM’s decision in the case be influenced in any way by the negotiations?
Western Horse Watchers was unable to find a statement at their home page.
The group did dispute a claim by the BLM that the horses and burros had enough water, following the removal of temporary water troughs, but the agency did not name them, or anybody else, as the source of the unauthorized water.
RELATED: Sinbad Emergency Roundup Ends.
As of August 13, 78 studs, four mares and 14 foals have walked into the traps, according to the daily reports. All wild horses on the HMA are to be captured, with 50 returned, including mares that have been treated with contraceptives.
The post-gather population will require approximately five percent of the authorized forage in the area, with the remainder assigned to privately owned livestock.
That herd, now consisting of hand-picked animals (including infertile mares, if they can catch them), will no longer be a product of natural processes.
RELATED: Saylor Creek Roundup Pending, Saylor Creek Horses Get Short End of Stick.
The next meeting of the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will be held online September 23 – 24, according to an unpublished announcement set to appear in the Federal Register on Monday.
Public comments will be taken both days.
The meeting will be livestreamed here.
RELATED: WHBAB Meeting This Summer?
Triple B / Maverick-Medicine HMAs
RELATED: Emergency Roundup Scorecard, August 12.
Refer to this report about the Salt River horses by KPNX News to find out what is.
Remember, there’s no such thing as birth control for horses, only safe and effective birth control for horses as stated in the report.
RELATED: What Constitutes Harassment?
The map at InciWeb was not updated today but the 10 AM report says that crews are working along county road 204 on the east side of the fire and that the line has been holding well.
The report also said that crews will be monitoring previously constructed fire lines in anticipation of afternoon winds out of the northwest, which is not good news for the Little Bookcliffs horses.
The fire has consumed approximately 73,400 acres since it began on July 31, up from 68,300 acres yesterday.
RELSATED: Pine Gulch Fire Spreading Fast.
Two applications have been combined into one, according to a BLM staff report posted yesterday. The photo supplied with the announcement suggests that this will appeal to those who can’t get a horse to do anything without shoving multiple bits in his mouth?
A horse does what he has to do to save his life, don’t confuse it with your ability, my dear.
Keep in mind that the number of excess horses and burros on public lands in the western U.S.—animals destined for the WHB outplacement program—is directly related to the number of privately owned cattle and sheep allowed thereon, and that WHB stocking rates are often good indicators of magnitude of the problem.
The operation was not announced but the BLM warned of problems back in June due to unauthorized watering of wild horses and burros.
In the latest action, the agency removed 36 burros at or near the Sinbad HMA in central Utah because they became accustomed to water that was hauled in.
Captured animals were taken to the off-range corrals in Axtell.
RELATED: CAES Refutes BLM Statement on Unauthorized Water Troughs.
The 11 AM report puts the burned area at 68,300 acres, up from 51,500 acres yesterday.
Containment holding at 7%, southern flank only. The map at InciWeb shows county road 204 at the eastern edge. Flames are now propagating southeast along CR 200.
No immediate threat to the Little Bookcliffs horses but if the wind turns out of the north or northwest, that would change.
RELATED: Pine Gulch Fire Growing Rapidly.
Gather stats through August 12:
All of the burros were gathered on August 12. One death occurred on August 12 but no details were given. Body condition scores were not provided.
Foals represented 19.8% of the horses captured.
The HMA is one of five assigned to the Blue Wing Complex.
RELATED: Shawave Roundup, Day 8.
Triple B / Maverick-Medicine HMAs
RELATED: Emergency Roundup Scorecard, August 10.
The fire has expanded eastward, now reaching county road 204, according to the map at InciWeb. Over 51,000 acres have been burned since July 31, compared to 36,500 acres yesterday. Containment holding at 7% along southern flank.
The 10 AM report said today’s conditions will likely result in high rates of spread.
The state will not be purchasing private parcels and mineral rights offered by Occidental Petroleum along the I-80 corridor, according to a syndicated report posted yesterday by The Salt Lake Tribune.
The area includes public lands affected by the Rock Springs RMP amendments.
The story did not indicate who submitted the successful bid or how the lands would be used but did note that they could be leased for grazing or alternate energy projects.
Approximately 600 animals will be removed from the Sulphur HMA beginning August 15, according to a BLM news release issued today.
The operation, to be carried out with helicopters, will be open to public observation.
The HMA covers 265,711 acres in western Utah and has an AML of 250, for an aimed-at stocking rate of 0.9 horses per thousand acres.
The announcement did not refer to the NEPA project that authorized the roundup, but this one, initiated in 2015, may be relevant.
Table 3.2 in the Final Environmental Assessment indicates that the HMA intersects nine grazing allotments. The total estimated forage available to livestock inside the HMA is 10,256 AUMs per year, compared to 3,000 AUMs per year for the horses.
The current population of 1,193 horses would consume 14,316 AUMs per year.
Captured animals will be taken to the off-range corrals in Axtell, UT.
A link to the gather stats and daily reports was generating an error message at the time this report went live.
It’s still moving to the north and east, according to the 11 AM report at InciWeb.
Total area burned increased to roughly 36,500 acres, up from 29,400 acres yesterday.
An article published earlier today by the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel says the Little Bookcliffs horses are not threatened at this time.
RELATED: Pine Gulch Fire Expands.
Helicopters were grounded over the weekend. Gather stats through August 10:
Mares outnumbered studs by 62. Foals represented 20.7% of the total.
The HMA, part of the Blue Wing Complex, covers 13% of the massive Blue Wing-Seven Troughs allotment but the horses receive just four percent of the authorized forage.
The operation started August 3 with the goal of removing 1,600 horses and 200 burros from the HMA and surrounding lands. The AML is 136 horses, burros not allowed.
RELATED: Shawave Roundup, Day 5.
Over 29,000 acres have burned since July 31, according to the 1 PM update at InciWeb, which includes a link to the latest map.
Containment holding at 7%, southern edge only. Southwest winds still driving flames to the northeast. Some residents asked to evacuate.
No immediate threat to Little Bookcliffs horses reported.
RELATED: Pine Gulch Fire Still Growing.
Western Horse Watchers Association 