Ongoing operation at the Red Desert, fiscal year 2021

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has published a tentative schedule for the fiscal year (FY) 2021. The federal government runs on a fiscal year that begins in October. The distinction between a calendar year and a fiscal year can confuse the public.

The FY 2021 schedule is beginning to take shape. Many of you are asking for a copy. This is the current proposed schedule (click text). Dates and locations can, and usually do, change. The dates on the sheet start with operations that have already begun, and those set to begin, as of Oct 1. This schedule will fill up as districts compete to get on the schedule and funding of the program changes through allocations once the FY2021 budget is finalized.

(note: The Appropriations bill, the bill that funds the government for the full fiscal year, is in what is called a Continuing Resolution, CR. This temporary bill funds programs through December 11. The proposed schedule is based on a “bare bones” layout of a budget of the CR, the status quo may be the final budget for the year. Once the full budget bill is passed, the schedule will fill up.)

Pokegama stud captured in the ongoing trapping in Oregon

Multiple bait trapping operations are ongoing, now. Bait trapping is happening for burros at Clark Mountain and Chocolate Mules Mountain in CA and Black Mountain in AZ. For wild horses at Beatty Butte and Pokegama in OR. These bait operations will continue through December and remove, collectively, over 700.

Oregon

Helicopter roundups happening now target over 3000. The Red Desert Complex roundup in Wyoming targets 2400; to date 598 have been captured. Paisley in Oregon targets 750; to date 671 have been captured and 11 have died.

Collectively the beginning of the FY 2021 schedule, just the start, targets nearly 4000. But there is more…

Fish Creek, 2019

As the Red Desert roundup of 2400 moves on, other areas will overlap. 

Fish Creek will get hit again after massive backdoor deals (changes without public involvement and transparency) involving water issues, trade offs with county and organizations.

Fish Creek was once a place of hope for transparent and equitable actions. Today, it is a massive cluster mess where livestock, mining, oil and gas (proposed and active) are moving fast as “selective” engagement takes place with anyone representing the wild horses interests. Wild horses are dying. (This is one of the areas we were documenting this year and a mare we know died of thirst after waters were removed for horse and wildlife use. Please take action in her memory, click text)

Confusion carries the newly released EA that includes the spaying of mares. On the schedule it appears spaying is noted as “treating with fertility control.” WHE is filing legal documents against “the spay EA” soon. 

Note: Words matter. Be careful how you talk to your Congressional Reps; speak clearly as “fertility control” covers a broad spectrum. 

Eagle, January 2020

The rest of the tentative helicopter target list (schedule), all in Nevada: Eagle Complex with 1121 targeted, Silver King has 370 targeted, Owyhee targets 1043.

The bait trap of Black Mountain burros in AZ adds another 500 for removal beginning in May 2021.

Owyhee, 2018

The “bare bones” schedule is tentative and will, not might, change. It will change with available funding and priorities. We will update you on any changes.

In total the schedule targets 8,422 for capture, 7,627 for permanent removals, 395 for unspecified “fertility control.” Keep in mind this is a bare bones framework and will change.

We hope this answers your questions. This is what we know about the published tentative schedule. We will do “in-depth” reports on each area prior to, and during, each operation.

We are also getting questions about “after a roundup” and are drafting a piece. We will publish as soon as time allows.

For those of you asking about “wild horse slaughter” this article might help answer questions : https://wildhorseeducation.org/2020/06/24/wild-horse-slaughter-safe-burns-budget/

Many are asking about the difference between “adoption and sale.” This is an older article that is a good place to start: https://wildhorseeducation.org/three-strikes-adoption-and-sale-authority/

For those of you asking about the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Policy (CAWP, amid a flurry of internet rumor, this might help answer questions: https://wildhorseeducation.org/2020/09/20/humane-handling-it-is-the-law-rumor-mill/

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Help us stay in the fight. 

What you can do now to help our wild ones

Please take action to demand Congress defund any roundups where the BLM has failed to create open and transparent management planning.  Click HERE.

Call the Senate switchboard and ask for your rep. Demand that all actions against wild horses and burros halt until William Perry Pendley leaves the BLM. His tenure was ruled illegal and BLM is still moving an agenda forward for Pendley’s former law clients.  Switchboard (202) 224-3121