Are We Paying for Eradication of Virginia Range Mustangs?

An undated announcement by the City of Reno indicates that the FY 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act authorized $500,000 “in federal support for the protection and humane management of the historic Virginia Range horses in the greater Reno area.”

Humane management usually means getting rid of them with PZP.

The funds were directed to the Nevada Department of Agriculture for “collaborative, science-based management” of the herd.

The announcement said the horses are managed under two cooperative agreements, one between the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses and NDA for fertility control and the other between NDA and Wild Horse Connection for range management, including rescue and relocation, diversionary feeding and fence construction and repair.

CAAWH and WHC Logos 05-15-22

The article last August by Courthouse News said NDA had contracted with WHC to implement the fertility control program but that was not mentioned by the City.

Virginia Range Brochure Explains Fence-Out Rule

Nevada is a fence-out state, according to a flier posted by the City of Reno, meaning livestock are free to roam and feed over any property that is not fenced.

The state describes the Virginia Range mustangs as feral/estray livestock.

Wyoming is also a fence-out state but taxpayers, not RSGA, will be responsible for keeping wild horses off the property owned or leased by the association.

Most of the Virginia Range is in Storey County, but a portion on the west side lies in Washoe County, where most of the development has taken place.

Much of the area in Storey County is sparsely populated and privately held, meaning you can buy land and live among free-roaming horses, minus the youngsters of course.

Meeting #2 Regarding Virginia Range Mustangs Set for Monday

The City of Reno will host another informational session on May 16 starting at 5:30 PM Pacific time, according to an undated announcement on the city’s web site.

Cañon City Deaths Unchanged at 143

No deaths were reported in the May 14 update, leaving the total at 143.

All fatalities have occurred in pens occupied by the West Douglas horses.

No new details were provided in the May 14 sitrep.

Black Mountain Roundup Day 11

The incident began on May 2. Gather stats through May 12:

Target: Burros
Type: Planned
Method: Helicopter
Captured: 524, up from 421 on Day 9
Average daily take: 47.6
Capture goal: 1,080
Removal goal: 1,080
Returned: None
Deaths: None
Shipped: 454, up from 351 on Day 9

The cumulative total breaks down to 203 jacks, 247 jennies and 74 foals, according to figures in the daily reports. The figures at the gather page are 204 jacks, 245 jennies and 75 foals, which do not sum to 531 as indicated in the sidebar.

Youngsters represented 14.1% of the animals captured. Of the adults, 45.1% were male and 54.9% were female.

The herd can’t be growing at a rate of 20% per year with a birth rate of 14% per year.

Four PZP jennies have been caught to date, part of the Humane Society darting project.

The location of the trap site within the HMA was not disclosed.

Day 11 ended with 70 unaccounted-for animals.

Other statistics:

AML: 478
Forage assigned to burros: 2,868 AUMs per year
Pre-gather population: 3,000
Forage liberated to date: 3,144 AUMs per year
Water liberated to date: 2,620 gallons per day
Forage assigned to livestock: 7,333 AUMs per year (estimated)
Burros displaced from HMA by permitted grazing: 1,222
True AML: 1,700
Stocking rate at new AML: 1.7 burros per thousand acres
Burros displaced from HMA by drilling and mining: Ask the advocates

RELATED: Black Mountain Roundup Day 9.

Rock Springs RMP Complaints Grow Slightly

Two more protests were submitted online this week, bringing the total to nine.

Only those who participated in the planning process are eligible and new issues cannot be introduced.

The protest period, which is not a public comment period, ends on June 6.

Two HMAs would be closed and third would be downsized under the Proposed Action.

Salt River Stallion Put Down After Eating Plastic Bag

He was euthanized by order of the Salt River Wild Horse Darting Group, a surrogate of the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses.

“He was literally starving and dehydrating,” their ringleader told KPNX News of Mesa, AZ in a story published yesterday. “He was trying to drink and eat and it was the saddest thing we’ve ever seen.”

Watching her destroy the herd with the Montana Solution—and get away with it—is one of the saddest things we’ve ever seen.

Do you see any foals in the video posted with the report?

The advocates have ten years to take the herd from its current size of 400 down to 250, according to an unidentified voice in the April 1 episode of Foal-Free Friday.

The incident puts them one step closer to their goal.

Do not be misled by the coverage, the advocates are the greatest threat to these horses, not the kayakers, paddleboarders and plastic bags.

UPDATE: Added video.

Helicopter Roundups Were Bad Before They Were Good

Earlier this year, film of a colt running on a broken leg during the Pancake roundup sparked outrage and condemnation of helicopter roundups.

Now, the advocates are willing to overlook the collateral damage because they see greater opportunities for the Montana Solution.

In the old days, when faced with hopeless situations leading to the removal of wild horses, the advocates would walk away.

Participate Now 05-13-22

Today, they are willing participants.

CAAWH Applauds Fertility Control Solicitation!

A representative told KNPR Radio yesterday that the project would mark a significant shift towards humane on-range management of wild horses and away from cruel, costly helicopter roundups.

Three paragraphs above the writer notes that contractors would “gather the animals,” a reference to helicopter roundups.

A few months ago the advocates were “all in” for the “Save a Horse, Hire a Cowboy” helicopter ban.

Watching them flip-flop so quickly is truly astonishing.

Cañon City Deaths Rise Slightly

One death was reported in the May 13 update, bringing the total to 143.

All fatalities have occurred in pens occupied by the West Douglas horses.

The May 13 sitrep said three horses unrelated to the incident were put down on May 12 but did not indicate where in the facility they were housed.

The bar chart shows the mortality trend through today.

Draft EA for Little Fish Lake JMA Out for Review

The comment period runs from May 11 to June 10, according to Wednesday’s news release.

The Proposed Action, discussed in Section 2.2 of the EA, features roundups, fertility control and sex ratio skewing over a ten-year project life.

The JMA covers 28,744 total acres in the Little Fish Lake HMA and 88,297 total acres in the Little Fish Lake WHT, according to Table 1. The combined AML is 132.

The current population is thought to be around 350.

The JMA is subject to permitted grazing as described in Section 3.7. Table 3 indicates that livestock receive 5,702 AUMs per year inside the JMA, enough to support an additional 475 wild horses.

The True AML is 607, so the number of excess animals is zero. No opportunities for the Montana Solution at this time.

The HMA does not have a Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP), which could only ratify and reinforce the status quo without changes to the RMPs.

Pest control programs, such as the one proposed here, are designed to protect ranching interests, not wild horses.

Comments can be submitted online at the project page. As of this morning, none have been posted.

Foal-Free Friday, Lipstick on a Pig Edition

In and around the Virginia Range with the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses.

The advocates show you how they protect the ranchers with the Montana Solution.

Best viewed while wearing a “Stay Wild” cap.

It’s Happening: RTF Endorses Fertility Control Solicitation!

The signatory to the rancher-friendly “Path Forward” said this evening in a news release that the RFP is “encouraging.”

The group believes that the Montana Solution is a viable alternative to “costly and devastating roundups,” apparently not realizing that the project requires both.

Bold Prediction for Fertility Control Solicitation

The advocates will throw in with the government contractors, and drop their opposition to helicopter roundups, including the injuries, deaths and mistreatment associated therewith, if it means greater use of the Montana Solution in America’s wild herds.

This will show that their criticism of the gathers, removals and stockpiling of horses in off-range corrals was simply a ploy to sell more PZP.

Not only will the herds have to suffer the long-term effects of the Montana Solution, evident at Assateague Island but concealed by the Park Service, they’ll also have to endure the trauma of roundups to receive it.

Doesn’t get any better than that for America’s wild horses.

Cañon City Deaths Steady at 142

No deaths were reported in the May 12 update, leaving the total at 142.

All fatalities have occurred in pens occupied by the West Douglas horses.

No new details were included in the May 12 sitrep.

RELATED: Cañon City Deaths Jump by Two.

Advocates Consider Legal Action at Cañon City?

They are experts at wasting your hard-earned donations.

How would the case help the horses, those that haven’t died?

Situation before lawsuit:

Horses allowed in West Douglas HA – Zero
Horses displaced from HA by permitted grazing – 832

Situation after lawsuit:

Horses allowed in West Douglas HA – Zero
Horses displaced from HA by permitted grazing – 832

Don’t be misled by the bureaucrats, veterinarians, researchers and advocates interviewed for the story, published this morning by The Denver Post.

They have a common goal: Ranching superiority in areas identified for wild horses.

RELATED: Cañon City Deaths Preventable?

Thriving Ecological Balance-3

Black Mountain Roundup Day 9

The incident began on May 2. Gather stats through May 10:

Target: Burros
Type: Planned
Method: Helicopter
Captured: 421, up from 267 on Day 7
Average daily take: 46.8
Capture goal: 1,080
Removal goal: 1,080
Returned: None
Deaths: None
Shipped: 351, up from 173 on Day 7

The cumulative total includes 158 jacks, 199 jennies and 64 foals. The figures at the gather page are 159 jacks, 198 jennies and 65 foals, which sum to 422.

Youngsters represented 15.2% of the animals captured. Of the adults, 44.3% were male and 55.7% were female.

The herd can’t be growing at a rate of 20% per year with a birth rate of 15% per year.

Four PZP jennies have been caught to date, part of the Humane Society darting project.

The location of the trap site within the HMA was not disclosed.

Day 9 ended with 70 unaccounted-for animals.

Other statistics:

AML: 478
Forage assigned to burros: 2,868 AUMs per year
Pre-gather population: 3,000
Forage liberated to date: 2,526 AUMs per year
Water liberated to date: 2,105 gallons per day
Forage assigned to livestock: 7,333 AUMs per year (estimated)
Burros displaced from HMA by permitted grazing: 1,222
True AML: 1,700
Stocking rate at new AML: 1.7 burros per thousand acres
Burros displaced from HMA by drilling and mining: Ask the advocates

RELATED: Black Mountain Roundup Day 7.

Fun with Resource Allocations

What can you conclude about the Warm Springs HMA in Oregon based on these data?

Warm Springs AUM Summary-1

1. The AML is 202. It is small relative to the available resources.

2. Livestock receive eight times more forage than the horses.

3. The HMA is managed principally for livestock.

4. The horses receive 11% of the authorized forage, neglecting wildlife.

5. The number of horses displaced from the HMA by privately owned livestock is 1,616.

6. The True AML is 1,818.

7. If the current population was at 5X AML, the number of excess horses would be zero.

8. The HMA is not overpopulated.

9. There is no justification for a roundup or fertility control program.

10. The number of horses displaced from the HMA by permitted grazing is about 3% of those in off-range holding.

11. All of the animals in off-range holding could be returned to the range by ending public-lands ranching in 35 other such HMAs.

12. The advocates understand all of this and would be happy to explain it to you.

OK, eleven out of twelve is not bad.

Montana Solution Necessitates Helicopter Roundups?

It’s supposed to prevent them according to the advocates.

But Section 3, Part 1, Paragraph c in yesterday’s solicitation for fertility control services says the method of capture will be with the use of [helicopter] drive and/or bait trapping in accordance with the standards of the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program.

The advocates oppose the use of helicopters, but perhaps they can be accommodated in the early stages of the project until the herds are small enough to stalk the remaining animals on the range and shoot them with darts as taught in Billings.

The advocates refer to sterilized mares as “self-boosting.”

The CAWP and other supporting documents can be found at the solicitation page.