The incident began on September 10. Gather stats through September 12:
- Target: Horses
- Type: Planned
- Method: Helicopter
- Category: Cruel and costly
- Captured: 525, up from 225 on Day 1
- Average daily take: 175.0
- Capture goal: 500
- Removal goal: 450
- Returned: None
- Deaths: 7, up from zero on Day 1
- Shipped: 476 up from 175 on Day 1
The capture goal has been reached.
The figures above are based on the daily reports, not the totals posted by the BLM.
Five horses were put down on Day 2 due to pre-existing conditions, followed by two more on Day 3.
The death rate is 1.3%.
The capture total includes 194 stallions, 231 mares and 100 foals.
Youngsters represented 19.0% of the animals gathered.
Of the adults, 45.6% were male and 54.4% were female.
The herd can’t be growing at a rate of 20% per year with a birth rate of 19% per year.
A better estimate would be 14% per year, assuming a death rate of 5% per year.
Body condition scores were not provided.
The location of the trap site was not disclosed.
The HMA and surrounding lands are subject to permitted grazing.
Day 3 ended with 42 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): 304
- Forage assigned to horses: 3,648 AUMs per year
- Pre-gather population: 1,370
- Forage liberated to date: 6,300 AUMs per year
- Water liberated to date: 5,250 gallons per day
- Forage assigned to livestock: 10,299 AUMs per year (estimated)
- Horses displaced from HMA by permitted grazing: 858
- True AML: 1,162
- Stocking rate at new AML: 8.6 horses per thousand acres
- Horses displaced from HMA by drilling and mining: Ask the advocates
RELATED: South Steens Roundup Begins.
Western Horse Watchers Association 