The incident began on November 8. Results through November 16:
- Scope: Clan Alpine HMA
- Purpose: Pest control, resource enforcement, rancher protection
- Target: Horses
- Type: Planned
- Method: Helicopter
- Category: Cruel and costly*
- Better way: Sterilize mares with pesticide-laced darts*
- Captured: 832, up from 601 on Day 7
- Average daily take: 92.4
- Capture goal: 1,594
- Removal goal: 1,381
- Returned: 1, up from zero on Day 7
- Deaths: 12, up from 8 on Day 7
- Shipped: 590, up from 467 on Day 7
A stallion was released (escaped?) on Day 6.
A stallion was dispatched on Day 9 for a broken neck. Three mares were also put down because of eye issues.
The death rate is 1.4%.
The capture total includes 347 stallions, 378 mares and 107 foals.
Youngsters represented 12.9% of the animals gathered, suggesting the herd is growing at a rate of 8% per year.
Of the adults, 47.9% were male and 52.1% were female.
Body condition scores were not given.
The HMA and surrounding lands are subject to permitted grazing.
*According to advocates.
Day 9 ended with 229 unaccounted-for animals.
On Day 7, 81 mares were treated with GonaCon Equine, a fertility control pesticide.
They will be returned the range with up to 121 stallions.
Other statistics:
- Forage liberated to date: 9,972 AUMs per year
- Water liberated to date: 8,310 gallons per day
- Horses allowed by plan: 979
- Pre-gather population: 1,661 plus this year’s foals
- Forage assigned to horses: 11,748 AUMs per year
- Forage assigned to livestock: 6,796 AUMs per year
- Horses displaced from HMA by permitted grazing: 566
- True AML: 1,545
- Stocking rate at new AML: 5.2 wild horses per thousand public acres
- Horses displaced by drilling and mining: Ask the advocates
RELATED: Clan Alpine Roundup, Day 7.
Western Horse Watchers Association 