Trunk Monkey Tuesday, Adult Supervision Edition

This video shows that trained monkeys can be proficient with firearms, a prerequisite to becoming a PZP darter, and may have higher moral standards.

Colorado Senate to Consider HB25-1283 Today

It’s on the schedule for a second reading.

The Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources approved the measure on April 10 according to the bill history.

RELATED: HB25-1283 Hearing Delayed?

Mustang Monday

On Cumberland Island with Mustang Mission.

Assateague Herd Grows Slightly

The Park Service reported in an undated news release that the population in March 2025 was 79, up from 73 a year earlier.

The herd consisted of 47 females and 32 males, a ratio of approximately 1.5 to 1.

Four deaths and ten births were recorded.

The article did not indicate if mares had been brought in from other areas to replace those ruined by the darting program.

The population has remained below target for seven years.

Foal-Free Friday, Attempting the Impossible Edition

The Salt River advocates are trying to cut the herd size in half with PZP, as if they can put it into a nosedive for ten years and have it come in for a soft landing.

The Virginia Range advocates are trying to achieve a reduction of 80% or more with the same pesticide.

The herds will auger in.

The final populations will be zero because most of the mares will be sterile, if they aren’t already.

Those that bear fruit, not enough to overcome the death rate, likely have faulty immune systems, a trait that could be passed on to their offspring.

This is what the advocates bring to the table.

Lahontan Planning Documents Out for Public Review

A preliminary environmental assessment has been copied to the project folder with several appendices.

Comments will be accepted through May 12 according to the news release.

The Proposed Action, discussed in Section 2.3 of the EA, would remove all excess horses from an area that is roughly 25 times larger than the HMA.

Figure 1 shows the arrangement.

The current population is thought to be 518.

The AML is 7 – 10 so 511 animals are on the chopping block.

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

A roundup does not appear on the latest schedule.

Table 1 says the HMA is 100% within the Lahontan Allotment but Figure 2 suggests otherwise.

San Bernardino County Launches New Plan for Wild Burros

Officials have contracted with DonkeyLand to relocate orphaned, sick or injured animals and castrate 100 jacks over the next year according to a report by the Los Angeles Times.

The article did not indicate if the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses, a leader in nonmotorized removal, had offered to pummel the jennies with pesticide-laced darts at no cost to the government.

Sgamma Nomination Withdrawn

Snippet from opening remarks in today’s hearing.

No explanation was given.

UPDATE: A story by AP News suggests she bowed out (or was told to bow out) because of her remarks about the J6 protests.

Legislation to Protect TRNP Wild Horses Introduced in Senate

The bill would maintain a genetically diverse herd of at least 150 animals according to a report by KX News.

The story did not indicate if it was prompted by SCR 4006.

The measure was introduced on April 9, read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

The bill text was not immediately available.

Forage Required by Wild Horses and Burros on BLM Lands

Are the figures in this Google search result correct?

Reagan’s doctrine of “trust but verify” does not apply to the wild horse advocates.

They cannot be trusted.

The final page of the 2025 population dataset gives post-Rock Springs AMLs of 22,637 wild horses and 2,919 wild burros.

Therefore, the total number of animals allowed by plan is correct.

22,637 + 2,919 = 25,556

One AUM will sustain one cow-calf pair, one wild horse, two burros or five sheep for one month.

So the total forage requirement is

22,637 × 12 + 2,919 × 12 ÷ 2 = 289,158 AUMs per year

Like the Campaign Against America’s Wild Horses, Return to Normal (Before WHB Act) is a strong supporter of nonmotorized removal,

The nonprofit works closely with the FREES Network, a ranching advocacy group sponsored by Utah State University Extension, and signed onto the “Path Forward,” a 2019 plan for ranching superiority in the lawful homes of wild horses and burros.

NOTE: Initially CAAWH opposed the Path Forward but now accepts it.

Hearing for BLM Nominee This Week

The Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources will consider the nomination of Kathleen Sgamma on April 10 according to an undated announcement.

The hearing will be livestreamed on the Committee’s website.

Trunk Monkey Tuesday, One Less Problem Edition

This video shows that trained monkeys can be ruthless enough to serve as PZP darters and just as effective at getting rid of undesirable elements on western rangelands.

HB25-1283 Hearing Delayed?

The bill history shows no activity on April 3 but the upcoming schedule indicates a hearing on April 10.

RELATED: HB25-1283 Hearing Next Week.

Mustang Monday

On the Mogollon Rim with Linda Ghent. Proximity to Heber WHT unknown.

Status of Heber Wild Horse Management Plan?

The next milestone is the objection period, estimated to begin in June according to the project overview, which may coincide with the release of an updated management plan and environmental assessment.

UPDATE: Forest Service changed URL of project.

Canyonlands Burros Dying at Axtell Corrals

The February roundup took 85 off the range, with 82 shipped to the privately owned and off-limits-to-the-public corrals.

In March 25 died according to a BLM news release.

Survivors are receiving medical treatment, including antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications, to manage symptoms and reduce fever.

They remain under quarantine away from others at the facility.

WEA Names New President

The move follows the nomination of outgoing president Kathleen Sgamma as director of the BLM according to a news release dated April 2.

Overpopulation and AMLs

AMLs are often expressed as a range, such as 120 – 200.

In this example, horse #121 is excess, the beginning of overpopulation according to current management practices.

The high end of the range usually corresponds to around 20% of the authorized forage.

The management plan allows 200 wild horses and livestock equivalent to 800 horses.

If the current population is less than 5X AML, the HMA is not overpopulated from a resource viewpoint, but the ranchers won’t be able to access all of the AUMs on their permits until corrective actions are taken.

The AML range usually allows for a doubling of herd size between those actions.

A narrow range means little if any growth.

The new AML at Pryor Mountain, 107 – 120, implies heavy use of fertility control pesticides and sterilization of mares, synonymous with conservation in advocacy circles.

Foal-Free Friday, Uproar and Outrage Edition

There is much distress among the advocates at the prospects of losing 3,700 wild horses in three HMAs in Wyoming, yet there is nary a concern about the fate of wild horses at the Salt River and Virginia Range.

There, the advocates are wiping out herds of approximately 300 and 3,400, respectively, by sterilizing the mares.

Why is the former considered eradication while the latter passes for conservation?

Scoping Begins for Lincoln County Public Lands Sale

The project covers the sale of approximately 5,500 acres in 66 parcels according to the BLM news release.

Some are the Caliente Complex.

The scoping report includes eight maps showing their locations.

To find them in the ArcGIS viewer, turn on the PLSS layer and zoom/drag the map to the township-range blocks indicated in the report.

To identify the overlapping herd areas and allotments, turn on those layers.

Map 1 of 8

No parcels in herd areas

Map 2 of 8

In Little Mountain HA
- Rnd 9, Caliente C, Sec 27, 40 acres
- Rnd 10, Caliente B, Sec 27, 40 acres
- Rnd 10, Caliente A, Sec 27, 40 acres
- Rnd 9, Caliente D, Sec 27, 40 acres
In Clover Creek HA
- Rnd 6, Caliente A, Sec 08, 80 acres
- Rnd 6, Caliente B, Sec 17, 160 acres
- Rnd 5, Caliente A, Sec 14, 640 acres

Map 3 of 8

No parcels in herd areas

Map 4 of 8

No parcels in herd areas

Map 5 of 8

In Fortification HA
- Rnd 10, Mount Wilson B, Sec 34, 20 acres
- Rnd 10, Mount Wilson A, Sec 34, 20 acres
- Rnd 5, Mount Wilson A, Sec 34, 40 acres
- Rnd 5, Mount Wilson B, Sec 34, 40 acres

Map 6 of 8

In Little Mountain HA
- Rnd 5, Panaca A, Sec 16, 40 acres
- Rnd 5, Panaca B, Sec 16, 40 acres
- Rnd 5, Panaca C, Sec 20, 40 acres
- Rnd 6 Panaca A, Sec 19, 40 acres

Map 7 of 8