You have to trust BLM data to support it, according to a November 25 report by Wyoming Public Media.
Livestock were factored in, just not directly.
When horse numbers get too high, they impact sage grouse.
If that’s true, the flocks should have been wiped out 100 years ago when there were two million wild horses roaming freely on western rangelands, a bit more than the 27,000 currently allowed by plan.
The analyst used GPS to monitor 1,000 sage grouse in central and southern Wyoming.
How exactly did he do that and what was the effect on the birds? Horses tracked by GPS wear collars or tail tags.
When is a herd at 3X AML a threat to rangeland health? When it’s accompanied by livestock equivalent to 4X AML, typical in areas identified for wild horses. Forage supply can’t keep up with demand.
If you remove the livestock, 3X AML is not a problem.
Who commissioned the study?
Who paid for it?
The ranchers and their allies are always looking for ways to bludgeon wild horses and prop up their failed industry.
Western Horse Watchers Association 