The incident started on January 6. Results through January 10:
- Scope: Fish Creek HMA
- Target: Wild horses
- AML: 180
- Pre-gather population: 245
- True AML: 440
- Type: Planned
- Method: Helicopter
- Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
- Better way: Sterilize mares with PZP (according to advocates)
- Capture goal: 196
- Removal goal: 144
- Captured: 194, up from 123 on Day 3
- Shipped: 112, up from 39 on Day 3
- Released: 50, up from zero on Day 3
- Deaths: None
- Average daily take: 38.8
- Unaccounted-for animals: 32
- 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
The figures above are based on the daily reports.
The capture total includes 91 stallions, 100 mares and 3 foals.
Youngsters represented 1.5% of the animals gathered, much lower than expected and too small to support herd growth.
Of the adults, 47.6% were male and 52.4% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio in the population at large.
Body condition scores were not given.
The location of the trap site was not disclosed.
On Day 5, 23 mares treated with PZP were returned to the range with 27 stallions.
The roundup supports three tenets of rangeland management.
Resources liberated to date:
- Forage: 1,728 AUMs per year
- Water: 1,440 gallons per day
RELATED: Fish Creek Roundup, Day 3.
Western Horse Watchers Association 