In this map from the National Data Viewer, areas of critical environmental concern are shown in gray, herd areas are black, the HMA is orange and the allotments are green.
The presence of livestock in the lawful home of wild horses tells you that the land can support many more animals than the government admits.
Instead of working in support of the horses, the advocates work in favor of the ranchers by destroying the ovaries of the mares with their favorite pesticide.
The reporter’s source was the self-serving Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses, whose representatives used the deaths to justify their ruinous darting programs.
In cases like these, you have to wonder if the reporter contacted CAAWH through the course of her research or if CAAWH approached her as an outlet for its propaganda.
Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to help the bureaucrats eliminate unauthorized native species (excess horses) in favor of authorized non-native species (livestock), under the guise of a thriving natural ecological balance.
They can assemble three million acres of public lands by acquiring and managing 500,000 acres of private lands, creating a fully functioning ecosystem complete with migration corridors and all native wildlife.
This is how you turn 5,000 deeded acres into a 40,000-acre ranch.
McCarthy succeeded on the 15th ballot and House lawmakers took their oaths of office shortly thereafter, according to a story dated January 7 by The Hill.
The advocates can now mobilize their lobbyists to resurrect the stupid ideas from 2022, including the helicopter ban (removal of wild horses by wranglers), the veterans for livestock act (get rid of them with the Montana Solution) and the surgical sterilization is bad act (but not chemical sterilization if achieved with their favorite pesticide).
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte has joined forces with the Montana Department of Agriculture, Montana Department of Livestock, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks in opposition to a change in livestock type on seven allotments requested by American Prairie and granted by the BLM in 2022.
Not mentioned in the article by Western Livestock Journal is that American Prairie obtained preference by acquiring base properties tied to the allotments, a customary, legitimate and necessary step in applying for grazing permits on public lands.
Almost certainly the governor acted in response to butthurt ranchers, their overlords, cheerleaders and political allies who see the decision as threat to their domination and control of government agencies and the lands they manage.
The planning area included lands near the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge in northern Montana.
As in other areas, the goal is to eliminate unauthorized native species (excess horses) in favor of authorized non-native species (lifestock).
In this map from the National Data Viewer, areas of critical environmental concern are marked in gray, HAs are black, HMAs are orange and grazing allotments are green.
The two HMAs are in eastern Oregon near the Idaho state line.
Many more horses will be lost to the Virginia Range darting program, now moving into its fifth year, than harsh winter conditions.
With few if any new foals hitting the ground, the death rate is going up as the average age of the herd increases.
Many of the mares are now at risk of sterility.
Advocates with the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses and bureaucrats with the Nevada Department of Agriculture are responsible for the destruction.
With the Assateague herd ruined by the Montana Solution and the Park Service mum, the advocates need a rising star they can point to as an example of the safety of their darting programs, before the American people realize they’re liars and frauds.
The Virginia Range is one contender. It’s the largest program of its kind and, although the effects are not yet obvious, the long-term goal may be to take a herd of 3,000 wild horses down to 600 or less as suggested by the Nevada Department of Agriculture.
Massive sterilization will be required to hit the target in a reasonable timeframe.
But now, an article written by a PZP darter about another PZP darter offers new hope.
The Spring Creek Basin HMA in Colorado has been roundup free since 2011, thanks to the efforts of a volunteer and her safe, proven and reversible darting program, the same type that ruined the Assateague herd.
The AML increase was underwritten by changes to forage allocations in a management plan update.
Also included were population growth suppression, introduction of horses from other areas and forced age distribution.
As for the dearth of roundups, you can find any number of HMAs that haven’t been gathered in the last ten years by looking at the March 1 HA/HMA Report. The last gather date is given in the second column from the right in the tables for each state.
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern are shown in gray.
Areas identified for wild horses are shown in black.
Areas managed for wild horses are shown in orange. McCullough Peaks is east of Cody, Fifteenmile is southeast.
Areas managed for livestock are shown in green, an indication of what the McCullough advocates are trying to protect with their ruinous darting program.
While ACECs may be an impediment to management of wild horses, they don’t appear to be a major obstacle to permitted grazing.
Although horses are often blamed for poor rangeland health, most of the BLM land in this map, denoted by tan, is horse free.
Those upset by the plan are a day late and a dollar short.
If approved, a reduced herd of fully contracepted horses would be established and allowed to remain in the park to live out their lives.
Fully contracepted means sterile, nonreproducing, let the herd die off.
What’s the least controversial way to achieve the goal? The Montana Solution.
Who’s best equipped to get the job done? The network consisting of the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses, its affiliates, offshoots and supporters.
Three management options have been identified and the Park Service has designated Alternative C as the Proposed Action – Phased Reduction of Herds to No Livestock.
First, the HAs in black, areas identified for wild horses.
Next, in orange, the HMAs, areas managed for wild horses. A subset of the HAs with roughly half of the land now designated for other purposes.
Finally, the grazing allotments in green. The principal use of America’s public lands.
Areas unfit for wild horses are almost always suitable for livestock production, as if there was no dietary overlap.
Under the Rock Springs RMP Amendments, two more HMAs will be closed and a third will be downsized, continuing a trend that puts ranching interests far above those of wild horses.
Western Horse Watchers Association 