South Steens Roundup, Day 4

The incident started on August 15.  Results through August 18:

• Scope: South Steens HMA
• Target: Horses
• AML: 304
• Pre-gather population: 946
• True AML: 1,162
• Type: Planned
• Method: Helicopter
• Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
• Better way: Shoot the mares with pesticide-laced darts (according to advocates)
• Goals: Gather 760, remove 722
• Captured: 574, up from 154 on Day 1
• Shipped: 489, up from 36 on Day 1
• Released: None
• Deaths: 8, up from 1 on Day 1
• Average daily take: 143.5
• Unaccounted-for animals: 77

The figures above are based on the daily reports.  Results for Days 2, 3 and 4 were not posted until today.

Three horses were put down for pre-existing conditions on Day 2, followed by one on Day 3 and three more on Day 4, bringing the death rate to 1.4%.

The capture total includes 200 stallions, 248 mares and 126 foals.

Youngsters represented 22% of the animals gathered, consistent with a herd growth rate of 17% per year.

Of the adults, 44.6% were male and 55.4% were female, within the expected range of variation of a random process centered at 50% males / 50% females.

Body condition scores were not given.

The location of the trap site is not known.

The HMA is subject to permitted grazing.  Resources liberated to date:

• Forage: 6,888 AUMs per year
• Water: 5,740 gallons per day

The July 31 schedule indicates that up to 19 mares will be treated with fertility control pesticides and be returned to the range with up to 19 stallions but the gather page says 35 and 35.

The roundup supports three tenets of rangeland management.

RELATED: South Steens Roundup Begins.