Calico Roundup, Day 9

The incident began on October 1. Results through October 9:

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: Pummel mares with pesticide-laced darts*
Captured: 337, up from 288 on Day 7
Average daily take: 37.4
Capture goal: 761
Removal goal: 380
Returned: 31, no change from Day 7
Deaths: 12, up from 8 on Day 7
Shipped: 175, up from 145 on Day 7

The figures above are based on the daily reports, not the totals posted by the BLM.

The location of the trap site on Days 8 and 9 was not given.

Body condition scores ranged from 4 to 5 on both days.

The contractor euthanized a mare on Day 8 because of a snake bite, followed by two stallions and a mare on Day 9 due to blindness.

The death rate is 3.6%.

The capture total includes 135 stallions, 172 mares and 30 foals.

Youngsters represented 8.9% of the animals gathered, consistent with a growth rate of four percent per year.

Of the adults, 44.0% were male and 56.0% were female.

The HMAs and surrounding lands are subject to permitted grazing.

*According to advocates.

Day 9 ended with 119 unaccounted-for animals. Given that 86% of captured mares have been shipped, but only 2% of the stallions, this group is probably dominated by males and will be used to tilt the post-gather sex ratio in favor thereof.

Mares returned to the Complex will be treated with GonaCon Equine, a fertility control pesticide.

Other statistics: