Helicopter roundups are the fastest and most efficient way of shifting food and water to the public-lands ranchers.
However, results decay with time as the herds respond to the losses.
Not so with the fertility control pesticides.
The BLM darting effort currently affects a small percentage of the herds but the agency has indicated that it will expand the program to slow herd growth.
In FY22, it completed a record 1,622 treatments and in FY23 1,541 animals will be hit, according to the on-range update for the next WHBAB meeting. This would be the highest ratio of treatments to removals ever.
By comparison, volunteers with the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses pelted 1,520 mares on the Virginia Range with 1,530 doses in FY23, according to the animal industry update for the June 9 Board of Agriculture meeting, proving that they are ready to take things to the next level.
They are not slowing herd growth. They are reversing it, with a goal of shrinking the herd by 80% or more.
Progress will be slow but by the time the people realize what they’re doing, the mares will be sterile and the herd will be lost.
Assateague Island is proof of concept, a blueprint for wild horse eradication with ovary-killing pesticides.
RELATED: Foal-Free Friday, Shrinking the Breeding Population Edition.
Western Horse Watchers Association 