Murderer’s Creek Roundup, Day 60

The incident started on November 29. Results through January 27:

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: 322, up from 285 on Day 53
Shipped: 274, no change from Day 53
Released: None
Deaths: 5, no change from Day 53
Average daily take: 5.4
Unaccounted-for animals: 43
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 death rate is 1.6%.

The capture total includes 107 stallions, 134 mares and 81 foals. The gather page says 107/139/76.

Youngsters represented 25.2% of the animals gathered, consistent with a herd growth rate of 20% per year. The Rule of 72 says the herd size would double in 3.6 years.

Of the adults, 44.4% were male and 55.6% 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.

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.