The incident started on July 15. Results through July 17:
- Scope: Adobe Town HMA
- Target: Horses
- AML: 536 (was 800)
- Pre-gather population: Not given, 2,382 according to 2025 population dataset
- Type: Planned
- Method: Helicopter
- Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
- Better way: Mass sterilization with PZP (according to advocates)
- Capture goal: 1,675
- Removal goal: 1,675
- Captured: 185, up from 38 on Day 1
- Shipped: None
- Released: None
- Deaths: 1, up from zero on Day 1
- Average daily take: 61.7
- Unaccounted-for animals: 184
- 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.
A stallion was dispatched on Day 2 for blindness in one eye, putting the death rate at 0.5%.
The capture total includes 65 stallions, 82 mares and 38 foals.
Youngsters represented 20.5% of the animals gathered.
Of the adults, 44.2% were male and 55.8% were female.
The location of the trap site is not known.
The name of the contractor was not given.
There are no plans to treat any of the mares with fertility control pesticides and return them to the range.
The HMA is subject to permitted grazing. Resources liberated to date:
- Forage: 2,220 AUMs per year
- Water: 1,850 gallons per day
The map shows the Rock Springs HMAs before the RMP amendments, which were halted by an appeals court ruling. Click to enlarge.
RELATED: Adobe Town Roundup Pending.
Western Horse Watchers Association 