Piceance Roundup, Day 29

The incident started on August 2. Results through August 30:

Scope: Piceance-East Douglas HMA, West Douglas HA
Target: Horses
AML: 235
Pre-gather population: 1,145
Type: Planned
Method: Helicopter
Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
Better way: Stop genetic mixing with PZP (according to advocates)
Capture goal: 1,025
Removal goal: 1,011
Captured: 883, up from 859 on Day 27
Shipped: 792, no change from Day 27
Released: None
Deaths: 8, up from 7 on Day 27
Average daily take: 30.4
Unaccounted-for animals: 83
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 mare was dispatched for a fractured left scapula on Day 29.

The death rate is 0.9%.

Excess animals have been hard to find. The target completion date was September 1.

The capture total included 351 stallions, 364 mares and 168 foals.

Youngsters represented 19.0% of the animals gathered, enough to support a herd growth rate of 14% per year.

Of the adults, 49.1% were male and 50.9% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

The location of the trap site was not disclosed.

The contractor is CD Warner and the contract amount is $679,249 according to a report at USA Spending.

The area is subject to permitted grazing. Resources liberated to date:

The West Douglas HA is unfit for wild horses, supposedly, and has no AML.

► Get the truth about wild horses and the wild horse advocates at westernhorsewatchers.com.