The incident began on February 8. Gather stats through February 15:
- Target: Horses
- Type: Planned
- Method: Helicopter
- Captured: 377, up from 299 on Day 5
- Average daily take: 47.1
- Capture goal: 376
- Removal goal: 326
- Returned: 20, up from zero on Day 5
- Deaths: 11, up from 7 on Day 5
- Shipped: 308, up from 184 on Day 5
The capture goal has been achieved.
A stallion was euthanized on Day 6, followed by two more on Day 8. A stallion died on Day 8 of a broken neck. The death rate increased to 2.9%.
The cumulative total includes 180 stallions, 197 mares and no foals.
The absence of youngsters implies a negative growth rate. The herd is getting smaller, without the aid of helicopters, which is what the advocates are trying to accomplish in other areas with the Montana Solution. A growth rate of 20% per year is often used by land managers to predict herd sizes.
Of the adults, 47.7% were stallions and 52.3% were mares.
Body condition scores were not reported.
The location of the trap site within the HMA was not provided.
Twenty stallions were released on Day 8 to an undisclosed location.
Day 8 ended with 38 unaccounted-for animals.
The number of horses removed to date is 357.
Mares returned to the HMA, which may correspond to the unaccounted-for animals, will be treated with PZP or GonaCon Equine.
Other statistics:
- AML: 250
- Forage assigned to horses: 3,000 AUMs per year
- Pre-gather population: 600
- Forage liberated to date: 4,284 AUMs per year
- Water liberated to date: 3,570 gallons per day
- Forage assigned to livestock: 10,256 AUMs per year (estimated)
- Horses displaced from HMA by permitted grazing: 854
- True AML: 1,104
- Stocking rate at new AML: 4.8 wild horses per thousand public acres
- Horses displaced from HMA by drilling and mining: Ask the advocates
RELATED: Sulphur Roundup Day 5.
Western Horse Watchers Association 