The incident began on September 18. Results through September 22:
- Scope: High Rock, Fox Hog, Wall Canyon 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: 197, up from 96 on Day 3
- Average daily take: 39.4
- Capture goal: 494
- Removal goal: 404
- Returned: None
- Deaths: 7, up from 6 on Day 3
- Shipped: 96, up from 33 on Day 3
The figures above are based on the daily reports, not the totals posted by the BLM.
Data quality has been good so far.
Trapping occurred outside High Rock on Day 4 and inside on Day 5.
A blind foal was put down on Day 5.
The death rate is 3.6%.
The capture total includes 68 stallions, 105 mares and 24 foals.
Youngsters represented 12.2% of the animals gathered, consistent with a growth rate of 7% per year.
Of the adults, 39.3% were male and 60.7% were female.
The HMAs and surrounding lands are subject to permitted grazing.
*According to advocates.
Day 5 ended with 94 unaccounted-for animals.
Mares returned to the Complex will be treated with GonaCon Equine, a fertility control pesticide.
Other statistics:
- Forage liberated to date: 2,364 AUMs per year
- Water liberated to date: 1,970 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.
That’s why body condition scores are high and the horses are in good health.
There’s plenty of food and water but the bureaucrats have dedicated most of the resources to animal agriculture.
RELATED: Surprise Roundup, Day 3.
Western Horse Watchers Association 