The incident began on September 6. Results through September 8:
- Scope: Black Mountain, Hardtrigger, Sands Basin 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: 177, up 24 on Day 1
- Average daily take: 59.0
- Capture goal: 220
- Removal goal: 142
- Returned: None
- Deaths: 1, no change from Day 1
- Shipped: 176, up from 23 on Day 1
The figures above are based on the daily reports, not the totals posted by the BLM.
Trapping occurred at Black Mountain on Day 2 and Hardtrigger on Day 3.
The death rate is 0.6%.
The capture total includes 56 stallions, 74 mares and 47 foals.
Youngsters represented 26.6% of the animals gathered.
Of the adults, 43.1% were male and 56.9% were female.
Body condition scores were not given.
The HMAs and surrounding lands are subject to permitted grazing.
*According to advocates.
Day 3 ended with no unaccounted-for animals.
Up to 38 mares will be treated with GonaCon Equine, a fertility control pesticide, and be returned to the area with up to 40 stallions.
Other statistics:
- Forage liberated to date: 2,124 AUMs per year
- Water liberated to date: 1,770 gallons per day
- Forage assigned to livestock: Undetermined
- Horses displaced from area by permitted grazing: Undetermined
- True AML: Undetermined
- Stocking rate at new AML: Undetermined
- 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.
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Western Horse Watchers Association 