Photo of unbranded horses from the Fallon Livestock sale in 2013

EDITED: The cooperative was tabled thanks to our diligence and documentation. Presenting the evidence that BLM needs to engage in full process of disclosure through it’s own analysis was engaged and successful.

Analysis of a proposed project to remove over 1,200 horses from tribal and federal land is currently underway. The project area centers on the McDermitt Pauite-Shoshone reservation and extends outward onto US Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in Nevada and Oregon.

Citing an increase in unauthorized use of federal lands, and increasing tensions with the tribe, the project is being contemplated as a “cooperative.” Documents were sent by USFS to the public for comment on February 19. These documents outline an ongoing effort to remove horses that will begin in August of 2015 and likely consist of “3-4” of these removals that will last approximately 4-5 days each. The documents do not outline a strategy for addressing  the repeat pattern of the trespass.

In 2013 a removal of tribal horses in this same project area sent 470 horses to an auction house in Fallon Nevada. The sale is a known “kill buyer” sale. USFS dropped out of the formal “cooperative” prior to operations beginning under intense litigation. http://wildhorseeducation.org/?s=mcdermitt . Even announcing that the operation was cancelled  http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/8/wild-horse-roundup-is-canceled-amid-outrage/?utm_source%3DRSS_Feed%26utm_medium%3DRSS. The operation continued simply without the official “cooperative.”

In 2014 a new “cooperative” was formed.

Horses on Forest Service administered land in the proposed project area

Wild Horse Education accompanied USFS and BLM on a ground inventory. We found criteria to distinguish domestic horses from federally protected wild horses to be “woefully inadequate.”

We are requesting that BLM withdraw from the “cooperative.” Multiple factors strongly suggest that BLM complete it’s own analysis for a removal and return only branded horses to the tribe. This is most strongly suggested for BLM NV. (click on image or highlighted link to go to draft report)

Draft_McDermittProposed, UneditedWe will update you as the situation progresses.

Horses on BLM administered land outside the Little Owyhee HMA in Nevada.

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Wild Horse Education is devoted to gaining protections for our wild horses and burros from abuse, slaughter and extinction. To support our effort go to: http://WildHorseEducation.org/donate