Cedar Mountain Roundup, Day 5

The incident began on September 17.  Gather stats through September 21:

• Target: Horses
• Type: Planned
• Method: Helicopter
• Category: Cruel and costly (advocates have a bettter way)
• Captured: 258, up from 223 on Day 3
• Average daily take: 51.6
• Capture goal: 700
• Removal goal: 400
• Returned: None
• Deaths: None
• Shipped: 217, up from 153 on Day 3

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

The capture total includes 100 stallions, 100 mares and 58 foals.

Youngsters represented 22.5% of the animals gathered.

Of the adults, 50% were male and 50% were female.

The herd growth rate may be close to 20% per year, a figure used by land managers to predict herd sizes and justify management actions, given a birth rate of 23% 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 5 ended with 41 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: 3,096 AUMs per year
• Water liberated to date: 2,580 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, Day 3.