Helicopter roundup, Pine Nuts file photo

EDIT 2/1/2019: The federal government shutdown had postponed this operation. It is now scheduled to begin on Feb 6.

The Pine Nut HMA  is 95,391 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land and 8,925 acres of  private and other public lands, for a total of 104,316 acres.

BLM has set the AML for the HMA at 118-179.

The first week of January the BLM will begin a helicopter removal of 575 wild horses. At this time the agency is not planning any “treat and release” with fertility control.

This area was in the news on and off over the last few years. A fertility control program HMA wide was shut down by a lawsuit that made claim of winning against fertility control (the case won because the BLM failed in paperwork and approved an operation larger than the one in underlying documents). This past summer protests outside the BLM Nevada State Office made the news and the removal was delayed.

Mare leaps out of trailer back to her home range after treatment with PZP. The pending operation, at this time, as no treat and release.

We are receiving emails from our readers that are confused because over the last couple of years they thought this operation would be permanently halted as they saw things on social media. Always be careful on social media; you need to click links and read explanations.

Another area of confusion is that many assume the entire Pine Nut HMA is being darted with fertility control. An area referenced as “Fish Springs” in the Pine Nut HMA is darted, the entire HMA is not.

Wild horses are part of public lands management. It is complex and politically dynamic. We will try to keep you as informed as we can moving forward in “roundup season.” We know it can move fast.

The removal that tiers to these documents has been approved to begin the first week of January. https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/planAndProjectSite.do?methodName=renderDefaultPlanOrProjectSite&projectId=62100&dctmId=0b0003e880b80fe7

Deer Run area bait trap in 2013. The Deer Run herd is an isolated pocket of wild horses considered part of the Pine Nut HMA managed by BLM’s Carson City district office. The Fish Spring horses that are being darted are also a “pocket of Pine Nuts.” We know, it can be confusing.

The winter roundup schedule is beginning to be solidified.

At this time we have confirmed removals at Silver King (BLM), McDermitt (Tribal/USFS), and the removal of 575 at Pine Nut (BLM) We will update you as more dates are confirmed.

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Pine Nut wild horse with a facial injury on a trailer. This horse, a bit banged up, went home. This planned operation coming soon will have no treat and release, only removal.