Antelope Roundup North, Day 5

The incident began on July 9.  Results through July 13:

• Scope: Spruce-Pequop, Goshute, Antelope Valley HMAs
• Purpose: Pest control, resource enforcement, rancher protection
• Target: Horses
• Type: Planned
• Method: Helicopter
• Category: Cruel and costly*
• Better way: Poison mares with ovary-killing pesticides*
• Captured: 202, up from 71 on Day 3
• Average daily take: 40.4
• Capture goal: 2,000
• Removal goal: 2,000
• Returned: None
• Deaths: 3, up from zero on Day 3
• Shipped: 122, up from zero on Day 3

The figures above are based on the daily reports, which may differ slightly from the totals posted by the BLM.

A foal died on Day 5 due to colic and a stallion was put down because of a compound break in his left rear leg.  A foal was euthanized due to lameness.

The death rate is 1.5%.

The capture total includes 69 stallions, 99 mares and 34 foals.

Youngsters represented 16.8% of the animals gathered.

Of the adults, 41.1% were male and 58.9% were female.

A 17% birth rate corresponds to a herd growth rate of 12% per year.

Land managers often use growth rates of 20% per year to predict herd sizes and management actions.

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.

*According to advocates.

Day 5 ended with 77 unaccounted-for animals.

There are no plans to treat captured mares with fertility control pesticides and return them to the area.

Other statistics:

• Forage liberated to date: 2,424 AUMs per year
• Water liberated to date: 2,020 gallons per day
• Forage assigned to livestock: Unknown
• Horses displaced from area by permitted grazing: Unknown
• True AML: Unknown
• Stocking rate at new AML: Unknown
• Horses removed because of drilling and mining: Ask the advocates

Overpopulation means more horses than allowed by plan, not necessarily more horses than the land can support.

RELATED: Antelope Roundup North, Day 3.