The incident began on July 9. Results through July 15:
- 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: 249, up from 202 on Day 5
- Average daily take: 35.6
- Capture goal: 2,000
- Removal goal: 2,000
- Returned: None
- Deaths: 4, up from 3 on Day 5
- Shipped: 193, up from 122 on Day 5
The figures above are based on the daily reports, not the totals posted by the BLM.
A mare was put down on Day 6 due to blindness in one eye, a non-life-threatening condition.
The death rate is 1.6%.
The capture total includes 85 stallions, 122 mares and 42 foals.
Youngsters represented 16.9% 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 on Days 6 and 7 ranged from 3 to 4.
The location of the trap site was not disclosed.
The HMAs and surrounding lands are subject to permitted grazing.
*According to advocates.
Day 7 ended with 52 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: 2,988 AUMs per year
- Water liberated to date: 2,490 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 5.
Western Horse Watchers Association 