The incident began on August 29. Gather stats through August 31:
- Target: Horses
- Type: Planned
- Method: Helicopter
- Category: Cruel and costly
- Captured: 34, up from 12 on Day 1
- Average daily take: 11.3
- Capture goal: 97
- Removal goal: 67
- Returned: None
- Deaths: 1, up from zero on Day 1
- Shipped: None
The figures above are based on the daily reports, not the totals posted by the BLM.
A stallion was euthanized on Day 2 because of a club foot.
The death rate is 2.9%.
The capture total includes 19 stallions, 9 mares and 6 foals.
Youngsters represented 17.6% of the animals gathered.
Of the adults, 67.9% were male and 32.1% were female.
The herd can’t be growing at a rate of 20% per year with a birth rate of 18% per year.
A better estimate would be 13% per year, assuming a death rate of 5% per year.
Body condition scores were not provided.
The location of the trap was not disclosed.
The HMA and surrounding lands are subject to permitted grazing.
Day 3 ended with 33 unaccounted-for animals.
Mares treated with fertility control may be returned to the area at a later date.
Other statistics:
- Horses allowed by plan (AML): 60
- Forage assigned to horses: 720 AUMs per year
- Pre-gather population: 137
- Forage liberated to date: 408 AUMs per year
- Water liberated to date: 340 gallons per day
- Forage assigned to livestock: 2,959 AUMs per year (estimated)
- Horses displaced from HMA by permitted grazing: 247
- True AML: 307
- Stocking rate at new AML: 5.1 horses per thousand acres
- Horses displaced from HMA by drilling and mining: Ask the advocates
RELATED: Frisco Roundup in Progress.
Western Horse Watchers Association 