The incident began on October 1. Results through October 7:
- Scope: Black Rock Range, Calico Mountains, Granite Range, Warm Springs 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: 288, up from 212 on Day 5
- Average daily take: 41.1
- Capture goal: 761
- Removal goal: 380
- Returned: 31, no change from Day 5
- Deaths: 8, up from 6 on Day 5
- Shipped: 145, up from 115 on Day 5
The figures above are based on the daily reports, not the totals posted by the BLM.
The location of the trap site on Days 6 and 7 was not given.
Body condition scores ranged from 3 to 4 on Day 6 and 4 to 5 on Day 7.
The contractor executed a mare on Day 6 because of an ulcerated cancer of the withers, followed by a stallion on Day 7 due to a previous leg fracture.
The death rate is 2.8%.
The capture total includes 112 stallions, 152 mares and 24 foals.
Youngsters represented 8.3% of the animals gathered, consistent with a growth rate of three percent per year.
Of the adults, 42.4% were male and 57.6% were female.
The HMAs and surrounding lands are subject to permitted grazing.
*According to advocates.
Day 7 ended with 104 unaccounted-for animals.
Mares returned to the Complex will be treated with GonaCon Equine, a fertility control pesticide.
Other statistics:
- Forage liberated to date: 3,084 AUMs per year
- Water liberated to date: 2,570 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.
RELATED: Calico Roundup, Day 5.
Western Horse Watchers Association 