At Washoe Lake, between the Sierra Nevada and Virginia Range, with itsmissyvonne.
Support Pours in for Pine Gulch Fire Fighters
Human interest story by Robert William.
Wild Horse Overpopulation Not Evident Up Here
Rode through an area a few miles north of Virginia City. No mustangs found but did see a cow/calf pair. Photos taken August 7. Elevation approximately 6,200 feet.
Pine Gulch Meeting Tomorrow
An online meeting will be held at 6 PM (MDT?), according to a notice at InciWeb, but no details were given.
The fire has consumed approximately 81,100 acres since it was ignited by lightning on July 31, up from 74,800 acres yesterday.
An updated map has not been posted to the main page for the incident but an air quality advisory is now available. The Little Bookcliffs horses aren’t threatened by flames but are probably affected by smoke.
RELATED: Growth of Pine Gulch Fire Slows.
On the Brink
Although the glorious ‘Path Forward‘ is designed to take America’s wild horses back to the ‘fast disappearing’ days, one change, just starting to happen when Velma died, is the use of political and legislative processes by ranching interests to undermine the WHB Act and advance their agenda. It’s been going on for over 40 years.
Who do you suppose chased these horses to the edge? Drillers and miners?
Do you think that only American companies want a piece of the action?
Colt Reaches Fifth Rail
He’s a sweet boy and he’s so stinkin’ soft! Photo taken August 1, four months old.
RELATED: Colt Reaches Another Milestone.
Shawave Roundup, Day 12
Gather stats through August 14:
- Horses captured: 985
- Burros captured: 220
- Animal deaths: 9
Mares outnumbered studs by 59. Foals represented 19.9% of the horses captured.
One burro was put down on August 13 due to a pre-existing leg injury.
The HMA is second largest of the five assigned to the Blue Wing Complex.
RELATED: Shawave Roundup, Day 10.
Pendley Won’t Head BLM
A report published today by AP News said that President Trump intends to withdraw his nomination but did not offer an explanation for the decision.
When the nomination was announced in June, Trump said that Pendley had “worked to increase recreational opportunities on and access to our Nation’s public lands, heighten concern for the impact of wild horses and burros on public lands, and increase awareness of the Bureau’s multiple-use mission.”
RELATED: Pendley to Head BLM?
Growth of Pine Gulch Fire Slows
The map at InciWeb shows some expansion on the north side of the fire but the overall boundary hasn’t changed much since August 14. Total area burned is now about 74,800 acres, compared to 73,400 acres yesterday.
Light winds out of the northwest are expected today, according to the 10 AM report.
Containment holding at 7%, southern edge only. Little Bookcliffs horses appear to be in the clear for now.
RELATED: Pine Gulch Fire Stalled at CR 204?
Who’s Buying Occidental’s Checkerboard Properties?
With its recent acquisition of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Occidental Petroleum Corporation became the largest private landowner in Wyoming.
The deal saddled Occidental with a large amount of debt, which it is trying to reduce through various divestitures, including properties in the Wyoming Checkerboard, a patchwork quilt of public and private lands in the I-80 corridor.
The Checkerboard is also home to hundreds of free-roaming horses.
The Rock Springs Grazing Association, whose lawsuit against the BLM became the driver of the Rock Springs RMP Amendments, leased some its land from Anadarko. It also owns some of the private parcels in the Checkerboard.
Occidental is negotiating with a bidder and it’s not the state of Wyoming. Those in the know aren’t talking.
What will be the impact of the sale on RSGA? How might it affect the court order that’s forcing the closure of three HMAs and downsizing of a fourth? Will BLM’s decision in the case be influenced in any way by the negotiations?
No Comment from CAES Following Sinbad Roundup?
Western Horse Watchers was unable to find a statement at their home page.
The group did dispute a claim by the BLM that the horses and burros had enough water, following the removal of temporary water troughs, but the agency did not name them, or anybody else, as the source of the unauthorized water.
RELATED: Sinbad Emergency Roundup Ends.
Saylor Creek Mares Not Taking the Bait?
As of August 13, 78 studs, four mares and 14 foals have walked into the traps, according to the daily reports. All wild horses on the HMA are to be captured, with 50 returned, including mares that have been treated with contraceptives.
The post-gather population will require approximately five percent of the authorized forage in the area, with the remainder assigned to privately owned livestock.
That herd, now consisting of hand-picked animals (including infertile mares, if they can catch them), will no longer be a product of natural processes.
RELATED: Saylor Creek Roundup Pending, Saylor Creek Horses Get Short End of Stick.
WHBAB Meets Next Month
The next meeting of the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will be held online September 23 – 24, according to an unpublished announcement set to appear in the Federal Register on Monday.
Public comments will be taken both days.
The meeting will be livestreamed here.
RELATED: WHBAB Meeting This Summer?
Emergency Roundup Scorecard
- Animals gathered: 5 horses, 43 burros
- Goal: 50 horses, 25 burros
- Animals shipped: 2 horses, 43 burros
- Animal deaths: 0
- Method of capture: Bait trap
- Last update: August 4
- Gather stats
Triple B / Maverick-Medicine HMAs
- Animals gathered: 251 horses
- Goal: 360 horses
- Animals shipped: 184
- Animal deaths: 4
- Method of capture: Bait trap
- Last update: August 12
- Gather stats
RELATED: Emergency Roundup Scorecard, August 12.
Stalking, Darting Not Inhumane
Refer to this report about the Salt River horses by KPNX News to find out what is.
Remember, there’s no such thing as birth control for horses, only safe and effective birth control for horses as stated in the report.
RELATED: What Constitutes Harassment?
Pine Gulch Fire Stalled at CR 204?
The map at InciWeb was not updated today but the 10 AM report says that crews are working along county road 204 on the east side of the fire and that the line has been holding well.
The report also said that crews will be monitoring previously constructed fire lines in anticipation of afternoon winds out of the northwest, which is not good news for the Little Bookcliffs horses.
The fire has consumed approximately 73,400 acres since it began on July 31, up from 68,300 acres yesterday.
RELSATED: Pine Gulch Fire Spreading Fast.
New Form Streamlines WHB Adoptions and Sales
Two applications have been combined into one, according to a BLM staff report posted yesterday. The photo supplied with the announcement suggests that this will appeal to those who can’t get a horse to do anything without shoving multiple bits in his mouth?
A horse does what he has to do to save his life, don’t confuse it with your ability, my dear.
Keep in mind that the number of excess horses and burros on public lands in the western U.S.—animals destined for the WHB outplacement program—is directly related to the number of privately owned cattle and sheep allowed thereon, and that WHB stocking rates are often good indicators of magnitude of the problem.
Sinbad Emergency Roundup Ends
The operation was not announced but the BLM warned of problems back in June due to unauthorized watering of wild horses and burros.
In the latest action, the agency removed 36 burros at or near the Sinbad HMA in central Utah because they became accustomed to water that was hauled in.
Captured animals were taken to the off-range corrals in Axtell.
RELATED: CAES Refutes BLM Statement on Unauthorized Water Troughs.
Pine Gulch Fire Spreading Fast
The 11 AM report puts the burned area at 68,300 acres, up from 51,500 acres yesterday.
Containment holding at 7%, southern flank only. The map at InciWeb shows county road 204 at the eastern edge. Flames are now propagating southeast along CR 200.
No immediate threat to the Little Bookcliffs horses but if the wind turns out of the north or northwest, that would change.
RELATED: Pine Gulch Fire Growing Rapidly.
Shawave Roundup, Day 10
Gather stats through August 12:
- Horses captured: 913
- Burros captured: 79
- Animal deaths: 8
All of the burros were gathered on August 12. One death occurred on August 12 but no details were given. Body condition scores were not provided.
Foals represented 19.8% of the horses captured.
The HMA is one of five assigned to the Blue Wing Complex.
RELATED: Shawave Roundup, Day 8.
