Red Desert, Wyoming
BLM confirms start date of Wyoming roundup of wild horses as Oct 7. Rock Springs consists of Great Divide Basin, Adobe Town, Salt Wells Creek, White Mountain and Little Colorado Herd Management Areas (HMAs) in southwestern Wyoming.
The plan: Capture approximately 4,300 horses of which about 3,500 will be removed and 800 will be returned to the range after fertility control.
BLM states in their press release: “The BLM estimates the wild horse population across the five HMAs to be approximately 5,105, which is more than double the combined appropriate management level of 1,550-2,145 horses. The gather is being conducted to address the overpopulation on the HMAs, prevent deterioration of the rangeland due to the overpopulation, remove horses from private lands and areas not designated for their long-term use, and comply with the 2013 Consent Decree between the Rock Springs Grazing Association and the BLM.”
This follows the national plan solidified in the BLM Report of 2020. The public knows this plan as the “Path Forward.”
This will be the largest roundup since the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act passed 50 years ago.
“Looks like Rock Springs Grazing Association flexed some political clout and co-opted the roundup budget for the beginning of fiscal 2022.”
More info on the Rock Springs Grazing Association, the “pipeline deal” can be found HERE.
These herds in these areas are another place in the U.S. that has a large photography following. Onaqui, Sand Wash Basin, and, now, Rock Springs were all targets in 2021.
Public observation from BLM release: Opportunities are available for the public to observe gather operations, provided that doing so does not jeopardize the safety of the animals, staff, contractors and observers, or disrupt gather operations. The BLM will escort the public to gather observation sites located on public lands or authorized private lands. If you are interested in watching the gather, you must contact Brad Purdy at bpurdy@blm.gov.
Our readers have been waiting for this announcement and we just received the confirmation. More soon.
September Roundups
Barren Valley Roundup Reports (ongoing)
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Categories: Wild Horse Education
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