The incident began on September 10. Gather stats through September 28:
- Target: Horses
- Type: Planned
- Method: Helicopter
- Category: Cruel and costly (advocates have a better way)
- Captured: 802, up from 735 on Day 17
- Average daily take: 42.2
- Capture goal: 1,076
- Removal goal: 1,036
- Returned: None
- Deaths: 25, up from 22 on Day 17
- Shipped: 725, up from 688 on Day 17
The figures above are based on the daily reports, not the totals posted by the BLM.
A stallion and mare were put down on Day 18 as acts of mercy, followed by another stallion on Day 19. Mercy means not getting what you deserve.
The death rate is 3.1%.
The capture total includes 299 stallions, 377 mares and 126 foals.
Youngsters represented 15.7% of the animals gathered.
Of the adults, 44.2% were male and 55.7% were female.
The herd can’t be growing at a rate of 20% per year with a birth rate of 16% per year.
Body condition scores were not provided.
The location of the trap was not disclosed.
The HMAs and surrounding lands are subject to permitted grazing.
Day 19 ended with 52 unaccounted-for animals.
Mares treated with fertility control may be returned to the area at a later date.
The capture and removal goals at the gather page have not changed despite new targets in the latest schedule.
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: 9,624 AUMs per year
- Water liberated to date: 8,020 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
The pre-gather population exceeded the AML but not necessarily the number of horses the land can support.
RELATED: Calico Roundup, Day 17.
Western Horse Watchers Association 