Equivalent Horses and Stocking Rates for Allotments

Consider the Eighteen Mile Allotment, located within the Little Colorado HMA, which offers 18,994 active AUMs on 228,494 public acres according to the Allotment Master Report.

A simple way to compare the management of the HMA with the management of the allotment is with these relationships:

Equivalent horses = Active AUMs ÷ 12

Equivalent stocking rate = Active AUMs ÷ 12 ÷ (Public acres ÷ 1,000)

The allotment, a subset of the HMA, supports livestock equivalent to 1,583 wild horses.

Equivalent horses = 18,994 ÷ 12 = 1,583

The HMA, consisting of 525,421 public acres according to the 2024 population dataset, can only sustain 100 wild horses.

The allotment carries livestock equivalent to 6.9 wild horses per thousand public acres.

Equivalent stocking rate = 18,994 ÷ 12 ÷ (228,494 ÷ 1,000) = 6.9

The HMA can only sustain 0.2 wild horses per thousand public acres.

Stocking rate = 100 ÷ (525,421 ÷ 1,000) = 0.2

Land that can only support 0.2 wild horses per thousand public acres supports livestock equivalent to 6.9 wild horses per thousand public acres.

You cannot have more than 100 wild horses in the entire HMA but you can have livestock equivalent to 1,583 wild horses in an area corresponding to 43% of it.

How is this possible?

They’re lying.

They tell us that public lands in the western U.S. can only support one wild horse per thousand acres (27,000 animals on 27 million acres).

The advocates bolster the narrative with their HMAPs and darting programs.

They want the ranchers to win.

The allotment accounts for 1,583 wild horses in off-range holding.

The roundups and stockpiling of wild animals in government feedlots are symptoms of resource mismanagement, not inadequate carrying capacity.

The problem is man made.

Reche Canyon Roundup Targets 200 Wild Burros

The method of capture is bait according to a report by the San Bernadino Sun.

Animals deemed unadoptable will sent to sanctuaries in Texas and Arizona.

The author did not indicate if any of the advocacy groups had stepped forward with a plan to manage the herd with their favorite pesticide.

Fish Creek Roundup Announced

The incident will begin on or about January 6 according to the news release.

A helicopter will push the horses into a trap and operations will be open to public observation, conditions permitting.

The capture and removal goals are 196 and 144.

The pre-gather population is thought to be 245.

Up to 26 mares will be treated with PZP and be returned to the HMA with up to 26 stallions.

Animals identified for removal will be taken to the off-range corrals in Winnemucca.

A link to the gather stats and daily reports was not provided.

The roundup supports three tenets of rangeland management.

RELATED: Fish Creek Decision Issued.

Murderer’s Creek Roundup, Day 21

The incident started on November 29. Results through December 19:

Scope: Murderer’s Creek HMA, WHT
Target: Wild horses
AML: 140
Pre-gather population: 650
True AML: TBD
Type: Emergency
Method: Bait
Capture goal: 350 – 400
Removal goal: 350 – 400
Captured: 166, up from 144 on Day 17
Shipped: 129, no change from Day 17
Released: None
Deaths: 4, no change from Day 17
Average daily take: 7.9
Unaccounted-for animals: 33
Snippet from statute: It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death
Snippet from manual: To protect wild horses and burros from unauthorized capture, branding, harassment or death

No report was given for Day 19.

The death rate is 2.4%.

The capture total includes 61 stallions, 69 mares and 36 foals.

Youngsters represented 21.7% of the animals gathered, consistent with a herd growth rate of 16% per year. The Rule of 72 says the herd size will double in 4.5 years.

Of the adults, 46.9% were male and 53.1% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores were not given.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

The name of the contractor was not provided.

There are no plans to treat any of the mares with fertility control pesticides and return them to the range.

No decisions have made regarding the long-term disposition of horses, which means they could be treated or altered in off range holding, including the stallions.

The status of livestock grazing in the burned area is not known.

Fish Creek Decision Issued

The DNA asserts that the 2015 analysis fully covers the Proposed Action, which is to capture and remove wild horses in and around the HMA.

Mares returned to the area would be treated with fertility control.

The document is not searchable in Edge. You can’t select lines of text or copy everything into a text editor (CTRL+A > CTRL+C > CTRL+V).

But you can open it in Word and search from there.

There were no matches for “gona” but several for “zona.”

A roundup appears on the latest schedule with a start date of January 6, not mentioned in today’s news release.

The pesticide of choice has been changed from GonaCon to PZP.

The DNA was copied to the project folder with the DR and cover letter.

RELATED: Fish Creek DNA Out for Review.

Conflict of Interest at Pine Nut Wild Horse Advocates?

The president of the nonprofit, a real estate agent, PZP darter and close supporter of the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses, frequently writes about the Fish Springs herd in Horse Tales.

This month, her column begins on page four, wherein she mentions the “strong birth control program” that has reduced the reproduction rate by over 90% at no cost to the taxpayers. (This means the herd is vanishing, perhaps irreversibly, because most of the mares have been sterilized.)

Her listings appear on the back page.

Cioffi Real Estate Listings 12-20-24

Let’s take a look at her clientele.

APN 1121-00-001-069, owned by BENTLY FAMILY LTD PARTNERSHIP
APN 1121-00-001-067, ditto
APN 1221-00-002-040, ditto
APN 1221-00-002-017, ditto
APN 1121-00-001-028, ditto
APN 1121-00-001-054, ditto
APN 1121-00-001-022, ditto
APN 1121-00-001-011, ditto
APN 1422-00-001-006, ditto
APN 1322-00-001-043, ditto
APN 1322-00-001-042, ditto
APN 1322-00-001-040, ditto
APN 1121-00-001-058, ditto
APN 1222-00-001-059, ditto
APN 1222-00-001-048, ditto
APN 1222-00-001-058, ditto

The owner of these parcels holds most of the active AUMs in the Buckeye Allotment, an area where the horses roam, which means she’s protecting ranching interests, and her own financial interests, not wild horses.

We Want the Ranchers to Win 04-04-24

Almost certainly everybody on the Board knows about this, which means they all should resign in disgrace.

Foal-Free Friday, Mergers and Acquisitions Edition

How much longer before the advocates join forces with the farm bureaus, stockgrower’s associations and cattlemen’s groups?

The Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses could become the Field Services Division of the Coalition for Healthy Nevada Lands, providing mass sterilization where it’s needed most.

Their flagship darting program on the Virginia Range proves they can be as ruthless as the helicopter pilots and wranglers.

Return to Freedom could align in a similar manner with the Public Lands Council.

Other groups have already demonstrated their mettle by demanding new management plans that ratify and reinforce policies and practices already on the books.

And who wouldn’t want an endorsement from Elko County?

A first step in coming out of the closet and signaling your interest in a partnership might be to support the Washoe Lake fencing project, which will hurt the older horses most by driving them into the higher elevations in search of water.

The impact on young horses will be negligible because their numbers are small, thanks to the advocates.

We Want the Ranchers to Win 04-04-24

USDA to Receive $100K for Wild Horse Fertility Control

The State of Colorado will pay $100,000 to USDA Wildlife Services to train four two-person teams to administer fertility-control pesticides alongside volunteers with BLM’s partner organizations in the state’s four HMAs according to today’s news release.

Given that they chose USDA over the Science and Conservation Center, the pesticide of choice is likely GonaCon Equine, not Zonastat-H.

Sand Wash Advocates 01-17-22

BLM Seeks Off-Range Corrals

Facilities should be located in Colorado, Kansas, Nevada or Wyoming and have a capacity of 150 to 3,500 wild horses according to today’s news release.

The solicitation, amendments and attachments can be found at RFP 140L0125R0003.

Proposals are due January 21.

RELATED: BLM Seeks More ORPs?

Picard Road Allotment: Good Things Come in Small Packages

The tiny allotment offers 21 active AUMs on 274 public acres, according to the Allotment Master Report, equivalent to 6.4 wild horses per thousand public acres.

Equivalent stocking rate = 21 ÷ 12 ÷ (274 ÷ 1,000) ≅ 6.4

This is far more helpful than anything peddled by the advocates because it

Defies the carrying capacity narrative
Destroys the rationale for their darting programs
Discloses their role as accessories to the ranching agenda

The target stocking rate across all HMAs is one wild horse per thousand acres (27,000 animals on 27 million acres), far less than what the land can support.

A draft CX for grazing permit reauthorization has been copied to the project folder in ePlanning.

Comments are due by December 27.

The nearest HMA is Pokegama, about five miles to the northwest.

If Louse Canyon Was a Wild Horse Complex

As noted yesterday, if the allotments were a Complex (consisting of two or more HMAs), the AML would be 534 and 2,551 horses would be consigned to off-range holding because of permitted grazing.

The horses allowed by plan would receive 534 ÷ 3,085 × 100% = 17.3% of the authorized forage, with the balance going to livestock. A small amount would be reserved for wildlife, not considered in the analysis.

This is typical in areas managed for wild horses.

The low end of the AML would be 267.

Horse #268 would be excess, the beginning of overpopulation, even though the land can support him and many others.

Some advocates defend this philosophy with their HMAPs, guaranteeing that more and more wild horses will be crammed into government feedlots.

Others say the problem can be avoided by snuffing out new life with pesticide-laced darts.

Even the casual observer realizes they’re not playing for the home team.

We Want the Ranchers to Win 04-04-24

San Bernadino County Removing Reche Canyon Burros

The method of capture was not identified in this report by KTLA News but as of today 68 animals have been taken into custody.

The next step may be a trip to Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue in Texas.

The reporter said they’re federally protected but if that was true management actions would be preceded by a NEPA review and carried out by the BLM or Forest Service.

Murderer’s Creek Roundup, Day 17

The incident started on November 29. Results through December 15:

Scope: Murderer’s Creek HMA, WHT
Target: Wild horses
AML: 140
Pre-gather population: 650
True AML: TBD
Type: Emergency
Method: Bait
Capture goal: 350 – 400
Removal goal: 350 – 400
Captured: 144, up from 116 on Day 13
Shipped: 129, up from 102 on Day 13
Released: None
Deaths: 4, up from 2 on Day 13
Average daily take: 8.5
Unaccounted-for animals: 11
Snippet from statute: It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death
Snippet from manual: To protect wild horses and burros from unauthorized capture, branding, harassment or death

Results for Days 15, 16 and 17 were posted today. No report was given for Day 14.

A stallion was put down on Day 15 for poor body condition, followed by a mare on Day 16 for a fractured leg, lifting the death rate to 2.8%.

The capture total includes 55 stallions, 60 mares and 29 foals.

Youngsters represented 20.1% of the animals gathered, consistent with a herd growth rate of 15% per year. The Rule of 72 says the herd size will double in 4.8 years.

Of the adults, 47.8% were male and 52.2% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores were not given.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

The name of the contractor was not provided.

There are no plans to treat any of the mares with fertility control pesticides and return them to the range.

No decisions have made regarding the long-term disposition of horses, which means they could be treated or altered in off range holding, including the stallions.

The status of livestock grazing in the burned area is not known.

If Wild Horses Had Principal Use of Louse Canyon

The project area covers five allotments in southeastern Oregon and two in northern Nevada, as discussed previously.

The forage assigned to wild horses is zero.

How many wild horses could live there?

The Allotment Master Report provides management status, acreage and active AUMs.

Louse Canyon Allotmment Calcs 12-16-24

The allotments support livestock equivalent to 3,085 wild horses on 534,407 public acres.

Approximately 97% of the land is in the Maintain category.

The stocking rate at the True AML would be 5.8 wild horses per thousand public acres.

Why is this important?

The bureaucrats and ranchers claim that public lands in the western U.S. can only support one wild horse per thousand acres (27,000 animals on 27 million acres).

The advocates bolster the narrative with their darting programs.

If the allotments were a Complex, the AML would be 534 and 2,551 horses would be consigned to off-range holding because of permitted grazing.

BLM allotments in Oregon carry livestock equivalent to 87,934 wild horses on 13,130,302 public acres, or 6.7 wild horses per thousand public acres.

Wild horses can be placed on public lands not identified for their use by acquiring base properties associated with grazing allotments and flipping the preference to horses, as American Prairie did for bison in Montana.

Mustang Monday

On the Salt River with markstorto.

The advocates rely on predators to take out any foals that slip through their darting programs.

Value of Endorsements from Elko County?

In ranching circles, you can’t beat them.

But if you’re trying to pass yourself off as a voice for wild horses, they’re the kiss of death.

That’s the situation at Wild Horse Fire Brigade.

Elko County Commissioners like the guy, which means he shouldn’t be allowed near wild horses.

There are other nonprofits, most of them obsessed with pesticides and doing their best to get rid of wild horses, that deserve endorsements.

The downside is that they might spook your donors, who you’ve been fleecing for years.

That’s a risk you don’t want to take.

Some things are better left unsaid.

Pesticide Patrol 08-16-23

Louse Canyon EIS Tries to Restore Rangeland Health

Another case of wild horse overpopulation?

Nope. This one involves our stewards of the public lands.

A 2018 assessment found five allotments in southeastern Oregon and two in northern Nevada that did not meet standards for rangeland health, according to Sections 1.1 and 1.2 of the Final Scoping Report.

The map on page M-3 of Appendix M shows the arrangement.

The November 27 news release said the EIS considers a range of actions to meet those standards.

Curiously, Alternative D reflects proposals submitted by the permittees—the persons responsible for current conditions.

The Scoping Report said there were no HMAs in the project area.

The EIS was copied to the project folder with other supporting documents.

Comments will be accepted through January 13.

The base property associated with the Campbell Allotment, one of the five in Oregon, was listed for sale earlier this year.

CAAWH Going Dark on Virginia Range Sterilization Program?

A few weeks ago the update for October appeared on the list of monthly reports but now it’s gone.

As of today, there is no report for November.

The 10,000-dose milestone predicted for October was likely reached in November.

Curiously, the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses, a leader in nonmotorized removal and fierce opponent of principal use, has not been endorsed by Elko County.