Cedar Mountain Roundup, Day 3

The incident began on September 17.  Gather stats through September 19:

• Target: Horses
• Type: Planned
• Method: Helicopter
• Category: Cruel and costly (advocates have a bettter way)
• Captured: 223, up from 108 on Day 1
• Average daily take: 74.3
• Capture goal: 700
• Removal goal: 400
• Returned: None
• Deaths: None
• Shipped: 153, up from zero on Day 1

The figures above are based on the daily reports, not the totals posted by the BLM.

The capture total includes 83 stallions, 87 mares and 53 foals.

Youngsters represented 23.8% of the animals gathered.

Of the adults, 48.8% were male and 51.2% were female.

The herd may be growing at a rate of 20% per year, a figure used by land managers to predict herd sizes and justify management actions, given a birth rate of 24% 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 70 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): 390
• Forage assigned to horses: 4,680 AUMs per year
• Pre-gather population: 920
• Forage liberated to date: 2,676 AUMs per year
• Water liberated to date: 2,230 gallons per day
• Forage assigned to livestock: 17,068 AUMs per year (estimated)
• Horses displaced from HMA by permitted grazing: 1,422
• True AML: 1,812
• Stocking rate at new AML: 8.6 horses per thousand acres
• Horses displaced from HMA by drilling and mining: Ask the advocates

RELATED: Cedar Mountain Roundup Begins.