BLM said today that 73 wild horses will be gathered and removed from the HMA and surrounding lands, starting August 9, due to inadequate water.
The animals will be drawn into the traps with water, according to the news release, and the incident will not be open to public observation.
The operation was preceded by a categorical exclusion signed on June 24.
The HMA covers 17,147 acres in western Nevada, including 16,319 public acres.
The AML is 124, for a stocking rate of 7.3 wild horses per thousand acres, considerably higher than the average rate of one wild horse per thousand acres across all HMAs.
The stocking rate on the Virginia Range, before the advocates got involved, was ten wild horses per thousand acres.
The HMA intersects three grazing allotments according to Table 10 in a 2011 EA for resource enforcement actions in the area. Livestock receive an estimated 5,400 AUMs per year inside the HMA, subject to verification in RAS.
The horses allowed by plan receive 1,488 AUMs per year.
Captured animals will be taken to the off-range corrals at Palomino Valley.
Gather stats and daily reports will be posted to this page.
Western Horse Watchers Association 