The incident began on September 10. Gather stats through September 16:
- Target: Horses
- Type: Planned
- Method: Helicopter
- Category: Cruel and costly
- Captured: 351, up from 258 on Day 5
- Average daily take: 50.1
- Capture goal: 1,076
- Removal goal: 1,036
- Returned: None
- Deaths: 8, up from 7 on Day 5
- Shipped: 251, no change from Day 5
The figures above are based on the daily reports, not the totals posted by the BLM.
Helicopters did not fly on Day 6 as the trap was moved to another area.
One stallion was euthanized on Day 7 due to severe tooth loss.
The death rate decreased slightly to 2.3%.
The capture total includes 140 stallions, 156 mares and 55 foals.
Youngsters represented 15.7% of the animals gathered.
Of the adults, 47.3% were male and 52.7% were female.
The herd can’t be growing at a rate of 20% per year with a birth rate of 16% per year.
A better estimate would be 11% 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 HMAs and surrounding lands are subject to permitted grazing.
Day 7 ended with 92 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): 952
- Forage assigned to horses: 11,424 AUMs per year
- Pre-gather population: 1,593
- Forage liberated to date: 4,212 AUMs per year
- Water liberated to date: 3,510 gallons per day
- Forage assigned to livestock: Unknown
- Horses displaced from Complex by permitted grazing: Unknown
- True AML: Unknown
- Stocking rate at new AML: Unknown
- Horses displaced from Complex by drilling and mining: Ask the advocates
RELATED: Calico Roundup, Day 5.
Western Horse Watchers Association 