The incident started on September 4. Results through October 6:
- FY: 2026
- Scope: Sheepshead/Heath Creek HMA
- Target: Horses
- AML: 302
- Pre-gather population: 1,200
- Type: Emergency
- Contractor: Cattoor
- Contract amount: $269,383
- Unit cost: $540
- Method: Helicopter
- Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
- Better way: Sterilize the mares with PZP (according to advocates)
- Capture goal: 499
- Removal goal: 499
- Captured: 370, up from 314 on Day 31
- Shipped: 285, up from 249 on Day 31
- Released: None
- Deaths: 2, no change from Day 31
- Average daily take: 11.9 (includes two-week lull for helicopter repairs)
- 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.
The death rate is 0.5%.
The capture total includes 137 stallions, 155 mares and 78 foals.
Youngsters represented 21.1% of the animals gathered, a sign of genetic diversity and large enough to support a herd growth rate of 15% per year.
Of the adults, 46.9% were male and 53.1% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio (usually found in herds where the advocates are involved).
Body condition scores were not given.
The location of the trap site was not disclosed.
There are no plans to treat any of the mares with fertility control pesticides and return them to the range, which would prolong the genetic bottleneck created by the roundup.
The HMA is subject to permitted grazing.
The area is closed to the public with no allowance for observers or reporters.
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