Category: Range

On the range

Chincoteague Pony Auction Falls Short of Last Year

Thunderbolt was the top producer going into today’s event, credited with ten foals, but Ace was the top earner, generating $70,600 for the fire company.  A disputed foal may also be his, which would add another $50,000.

Colts outnumbered fillies 46 to 42 in this year’s foal crop, but fillies attracted $361,100 in bids compared to $274,500 for colts.

The total paid was $635,600, compared to over $1 million in 2025.

Of the 88 foals born in the refuge, 80 were offered for sale.

The seven buybacks averaged $33,886 per head, compared to $5,458 per head for the others.

The highest bid went to Tuney, one of the buybacks, for $60,000.

Six of the buybacks were female, setting the stage for more production and greater income in 2027.

Auction results provided by Superior Livestock Auction.

Refer to this spreadsheet for a ranking of sires.

List of foals by DSC Photography.

Comments on 2025 auction.

PREVIOUS: Chincoteague Pony Auction in Progress.

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

BLM Closing Public Lands for Bible Springs Roundup

A new project has been created in ePlanning and two documents have been uploaded.

The Decision Record states that public lands within a two-mile radius of active trapping locations and temporary holding facilities will be closed to all public entry for the duration of the incident except for essential gather operation personnel and any public observers escorted by BLM staff.

The map on page 4 of the DR shows the affected area.

The roundup has not been announced but it’s on the schedule with a start date of August 1.

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

Second Flat Fire Approaching Oregon ORC?

The BLM issued a vague news release on July 27 asking the public to avoid the Hines off-range corrals so firefighting crews could work safely and effectively.

But it did not identify the threat.

The map at Inciweb shows the Second Flat fire a few miles to the north.

The July 28 update said that firefighters were trying to improve containment lines on the eastern and southern edges of the fire impacting communities in Hines and Burns.

The fire covered 86,504 acres as of yesterday with 5% containment.

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

Moriah Roundup Ends Early

The incident continued through the weekend with a total of 257 horses captured, 250 shipped, one released and five dead.

There was one unaccounted-for animal.

257 – 250 – 1 – 5 = 1

The capture goal was 500.

The news release said there was not enough water to support the number of animals in the region.

The death rate was 1.9%.

The capture total included 86 stallions, 112 mares and 59 foals.

The average daily take was approximately 37.

The percentage of foals was large enough to support a herd growth rate of 18% per year.

There was no indication of an abnormal sex ratio in the adults.

Fertility control was not in the project scope.

The operation lasted seven days and liberated an estimated 3,000 AUMs per year.

RELATED: Moriah Roundup Announced.

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

Lahontan Roundup Ends?

The incident continued through the weekend with a total of 703 horses captured, 698 shipped, one released and four dead.

The capture goal was 700.

A news release has not been published but the sum of the animals shipped, released and killed matches the number captured so it’s probably over.

The death rate was 0.6%.

One of the deaths was intentional.

The capture total included 291 stallions, 333 mares and 79 foals.

The average daily take was approximately 100.

There were no unaccounted-for animals.

The percentage of foals was not large enough to support a herd growth rate of 20% per year.

There was no indication of an abnormal sex ratio in the adults.

Fertility control was not in the project scope.

The operation lasted for 7 days and liberated an estimated 8,400 AUMs per year.

RELATED: Lahontan Roundup Announced.

UPDATE: It’s official—the news release says it’s over.

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

Callaghan Roundup Ends?

The incident continued through the weekend with a total of 2,005 horses captured, 1,992 shipped, none released and 11 deaths.

The capture goal was 2,000.

A news release has not been issued but the sum of the animals shipped and killed is close to the number captured so it’s probably over.

The daily reports yielded 2,001 captured, 1,992 shipped and 11 deaths.

There are discrepancies in the data because

Shipped + Released + Deaths ≠ Captured

The death rate was 0.5%.

Three of the deaths were intentional.

The capture total included 786 stallions, 827 mares and 392 foals.

The daily reports gave 796, 833 and 372.

No burros were caught.

The average daily take was approximately 118.

The percentage of foals was not large enough to support a herd growth rate of 20% per year.

There was no indication of an abnormal sex ratio in the adults.

Fertility control was not in the project scope.

The operation persisted for 17 days and liberated an estimated 24,000 AUMs per year.

RELATED: Callaghan Roundup Announced.

UPDATE: It’s official—the news release says it’s over.

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

BLM Seeks Vet Services for Elm Creek

The RFP appeared yesterday at SAM.

The base period is one year with options for four more years.

Refer to the statement of work for a description of services to be provided.

Bidders must be familiar with CAWP.

Proposals are due by August 14.

The capacity of the maintenance facility is 475 animals according to the May 28 report.

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

West Douglas Vet Services No Longer Needed?

The RFP was marked INACTIVE yesterday with no contract awarded.

The Piceance roundup announcement, which included West Douglas, did not say where horses identified for removal would be taken but the RFP said the place of performance was Rio Blanco.

PREVIOUS: BLM Seeks Vet Services for West Douglas Roundup.

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

Moriah Roundup, Day 5

The incident started on July 20.  Results through July 24:

  • Scope: Moriah HA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: Zero
  • Pre-gather population: 608
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Eliminate the breeding population with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 500
  • Removal goal: 500
  • Captured: 183, up from 94 on Day 3
  • Shipped: 96, up from zero on Day 3
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 4, up from 3 on Day 3
  • Average daily take: 36.6
  • 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 stallion died of a broken neck on Day 4.

The death rate is 2.2%.

The capture total includes 62 stallions, 79 mares and 42 foals.

Youngsters represented 23% of the animals gathered, consistent with a herd growth rate of 18% per year.

Of the adults, 44% were male and 56% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio.

Body condition scores on Days 4 and 5 ranged from 2 to 4.

The location of the trap site is not known.

The name of the contractor was not provided.

There are no plans to treat any of the mares with fertility control pesticides and return them to the range.

The HA is managed principally for livestock.  Resources liberated to date:

  • Forage: 2,196 AUMs per year
  • Water: 1,830 gallons per day

The project area extends beyond the HA.

PREVIOUS: Moriah Roundup, Day 3.

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

Lahontan Roundup, Day 5

The incident started on July 20.  Results through July 24:

  • Scope: Lahontan HMA
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 10
  • Pre-gather population: 809
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Cruel and costly (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Beat the population down with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 700
  • Removal goal: 700
  • Captured: 576, up from 467 on Day 3
  • Shipped: 540, up from 389 on Day 3
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 1, no change from Day 3
  • Average daily take: 115.2
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 35
  • 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 0.2%.

The capture total includes 242 stallions, 270 mares and 64 foals.

Youngsters represented 11.1% of the animals gathered, too low to support a herd growth rate of 20% per year.

Of the adults, 47.3% were male and 52.7% were female.

Body condition scores on Days 4 and 5 ranged from 2 to 4.

The location of the trap site is not known.

The name of the contractor was not specified.

There are no plans to treat any of the mares with fertility control pesticides and return them to the range, a huge disappointment to the advocates.

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

  • Forage: 6,912 AUMs per year
  • Water: 5,760 gallons per day

The project area extends well beyond the HMA and includes lands managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, Nevada State Parks and Department of Defense.

PREVIOUS: Lahontan Roundup, Day 3.

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

Callaghan Roundup, Day 15

The incident started on July 10.  Results through July 24:

  • Scope: Callaghan, South Shoshone, Bald Mountain, Hickison HMAs
  • Target: Horses
  • AML: 552
  • Pre-gather population: Over 4,500
  • Type: Planned
  • Method: Helicopter
  • Category: Costly and inhumane (according to advocates)
  • Better way: Mass sterilization with PZP (according to advocates)
  • Capture goal: 2,000
  • Removal goal: 2,000
  • Captured: 1,951, up from 1,866 on Day 13
  • Shipped: 1,899, up from 1,673 on Day 13
  • Released: None
  • Deaths: 10, no change from Day 13
  • Average daily take: 130.1
  • Unaccounted-for animals: 42
  • 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

These figures are based on the daily reports.  The sidebar says 1,957 horses captured.

The death rate is 0.5%.

The capture total includes 787 stallions, 808 mares and 356 foals.  The sidebar says 780, 802 and 375.

Youngsters represented 18.2% of the animals gathered, consistent with a herd growth rate of twelve to thirteen percent per year.

Of the adults, 49.3% were male and 50.7% were female, no indication of an abnormal sex ratio (common wherever the advocates are involved).

Body condition scores on Days 14 and 15 ranged from 3 to 5.

The location of the trap site is not known.

The name of the contractor was not provided.

There are no plans to treat any of the mares with fertility control pesticides and return them to the range, a huge disappointment to the advocates.

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

  • Forage: 23,412 AUMs per year
  • Water: 19,510 gallons per day

The project area covers 1,145,515 acres.

PREVIOUS: Callaghan Roundup, Day 13.

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

Piceance Roundup Announced

The incident will begin on or about August 1 according to the news release.

The capture goal is 1,025 and the removal goal is 1,011.

A helicopter will push the horses into the traps.

Animals identified for removal will be taken to an undisclosed location.

Of the 14 horses selected for return to the range, 10 will be treated with a fertility control pesticide, probably GonaCon Equine.

Public lands around the traps and holding pens will be closed to public entry except for observers escorted by BLM personnel.

The project area is subject to permitted grazing.

PREVIOUS: BLM Bans Public from Piceance and West Douglas Roundups.

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

Saylor Creek Aftermath

The incident hasn’t been marked complete.

Unknown:

  • Number of horses shipped
  • Number of mares treated with GonaCon
  • Number of doses per mare
  • Number of animals returned to range

No activity has been reported since July 15.

The EPA reduced the interval between GonaCon treatments from 90 days to seven days in January 2025.

PREVIOUS: Saylor Creek Roundup Ends?

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