The Antelope Complex roundup is being conducted as two distinct operations in 2023, a deviation from historic practice. The operation in the North Complex targets 2000 wild horses. The last operation occurred in this complex in 2021 (team coverage).
The BLM paperwork (Environmental Assessment or “EA”) for this roundup also includes the Triple B Complex (many of you remember last years roundup. The numerous ways BLM segments this vast area for removals illustrates the scope and intensity of the largest EA in the nation; at the completion of the operation nearly 10,000 wild horses will have been captured since approval 7 years ago. For more details on the 2023 Antelope Complex roundup you can read our “before the roundup” piece here.
BLM has chosen to ship horses to an off-limits to the public facility for processing (branding, gelding, vaccination in Fallon.
Just as every horse rescued matters, how every wild horse or burro is treated during capture matters. As we fight to keep them on the range, receive a fair share of resources and equity in the planning process, we continue our work to stop abuse.
WHE is running three team members in the field (on range, off-site and at operation). As each team reports in, edits are completed on video/images and loaded, we will update you.
See Antelope South coverage HERE.
We filed litigation and our team is updating each day on our main page (scroll down to articles). We apologize for any confusion.
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Cumulative Totals (will update daily) as of August 2
Captured: 1,350 Wild Horses
(521 Stallions, 618 Mares, and 211 Foals)
Shipped (wild horses are being shipped to the off-limits to view facility Broken Arrow on Indian Lakes rd in Fallon, NV): 1,253 Wild Horses
(482 Stallions, 575 Mares, and 196 Foals)
Deaths: 17 (see individual daily reports for updated details)
BLM wording of deaths: 1) Black foal (Female); Death (Acute-Sudden); diagnosis is due to Colic . 2) Bay foal (Female); Humanely Euthanized (Chronic-Pre-existing); due to a Lameness causing severe infection with low prognosis of survival. 3) Palomino (Stud); Humanely Euthanized (Acute-Sudden); Fractured Leg due to compound break in the left rear leg. 4) Sorrel, 10-year old Mare (Female); Death (Chronic-Pre-existing); mare blind in right eye. 2 more broken rear legs: a foal and a 4-year old stallion. Mare broke her neck at trap BLM denied public access.
Action item active 7/12/23: A heatwave is heading this way. Join us in asking for a suspension ofoperations due to heat. Click HERE.
We have been doing joint updates on our main page. We will be adding a new update page for the North trap in our regular format soon
0730 report including continued First Amendment issues
0729 report First Amendment issues
0726 (litigation filed)
0724 report (including reports of horses suffering in Palomino Valley near Reno)
40 (8 Stallions, 24 Mares, and 8 Foals) captured in the beginning of week 2.
071623
No fly day.
071523
22 (3 Stallions, 13 Mares, and 6 Foals) wild horses were captured at the north trap of the Antelope Complex roundup and 0 were shipped.
We edited the video below by speeding up the approach to show you the absurdly wide wings that stay wide and do not narrow into a funnel more appropriate for the size of the opening to the catch pen. This spells impending issues: not if, but when.
The issue arose when BLM had a small band split and an old mare break from trap.
After wranglers pursued her, the chopper pursued her, the wranglers finally roped her, the wranglers got ropes on her and made her fall (it appeared they were using the old “tie ’em down, tire them out” style) multiple times, it appeared that she was finally exhausted in the rising heat.
We are still edited video from the day.
We have a crew on range and at the south trap. We are monitoring the Heat Index and will have more for you soon.
The north crew is taking the day off from capture for “helicopter maintenance.”
071423
25 (13 Stallions, 10 Mares, and 2 Foals) were captured. BLM reported that they put down a 10-year old mare for being blind in one eye.
On arrival a small family of a single stallion, his mare and tiny baby could be seen grazing near the same area where intense tragedy (the death of the Palomino) took place just the day before. For a fleeting moment, the power of nature to heal was at work. But this small family had no idea what was coming.
We want you to watch the behavior of the stallion. He is searching for a way to escape and keep his family safe. His mare trusts him and stays close. For a moment we feared he might break his neck as he acted on his hard-wired instinct to protect and escape.
We will be setting up a heat index monitoring page and will link it HERE so all of you can monitor with us. We will include additional action items on that page.
Tomorrow we will be bringing you a week in review and will include video not yet published.
071323
The foal in the video from yesterdays update was found dead in the pen (colic) in the morning. BLM claimed lameness in another foal was a pre-existing condition and put it down.
49 (16 Stallions, 25 Mares, and 8 Foals) were chased into the trap and the heatwave just begins to climb (setting of a climb to a dangerous heat index). Please take the action at the top of page.
We lost a friend today. His life ended with these words on BLMs website: “Palomino (Stud); Humanely Euthanized (Acute-Sudden); Fractured Leg due to compound break in the left rear leg.” You can read our long form report and watch video here (do not click play if you do not have a strong stomach. Even though we edited out the worst of it, it is still hard to watch). Click HERE.
071223
With what you have seen so far, would you say it is still foaling season? BLM does not define a site-specific foaling season based on data, they use a broad observational assumption from the 1970s. As BLM approves plans to use fertility control, they are not analyzing the impacts to foaling season. In typical fashion, actions are being taken that create a change to baseline herd data… and BLM never collected a baseline. Helicopter drive trapping is forbidden during foaling season that BLM says occurs March 1-June 30.
82 (27 Stallions, 44 Mares, and 11 Foals) were captured.
Long form daily report can be found HERE.
071123
During the first run into trap at approximately 7:10 a.m., you can see wild horses will sweat in 60-70 degree temperatures. As the day moves on, it heats up fast in the desert.
49 (20 Stallions, 20 Mares, and 9 Foals) wild horses were captured.
As climate change impacts weather patters worldwide, temperature needs to become a focal point. The weather service reported that temperatures reached 98 degrees. Our team reported 96 degrees. BLM reported a high of 92, saying they must only take temperature readings in the shade.
Please join us and add your name to a letter asking the Nevada State Director to suspend operations this weekend during the heatwave. Click HERE.
Above: During approach to trap and the push to get wild horses into the wings (jute funnel leading into trap panels) a young one is separated, a saddle horse and rider are sent out and the foal is captured.
It is actually foaling season in this area through August (BLM does not collect data on site-specific foaling seasons. Instead, BLM uses an anecdotal observation from the 1970s to determine foaling season, a time they are forbidden to use the helicopter drive trap method.
Above: Sometimes one run may appear “uneventful” but really hits you hard. A very tiny foal is run into trap with a small family band. The stallion is truly fighting not to be loaded onto the trailer. As the trailer passes… we see mom with last years colt and this years baby in the back compartment heading away down the extremely rough road … and will soon be sent into an off-limits to the public facility, separated and at risk of the slaughter pipeline through the Sales and Adoption Incentive Programs (AIP).
During the Triple B roundup (completed using the same assessment as Antelope) we documented numerous wild horses falling during transport over rough roads. On this day it appeared that BLM followed trailers on multiple occasions to alert the driver if a horse went down.
A tour of temporary holding was provided. (Due to time limitations, we will add a breakdown of tours to our week in review, coming soon.
Arriving a the temporary (sorting/holding) corrals
071023
Our observer has just reported in that, after travel out, BLM determined that it was too windy to trap today at the North end. Our observer is headed to holding and will report on wild horses coming in from the south.
070923
Beginning in the Goshute HMA in the northern part of the Antelope Complex, the operation in the had a late start. The distance to the trap from observation (estimated at three-quarters of a mile) and the rising heat can be seen in documentation. Temperatures onsite reached around 92 degrees at the height of the day.
The choppers working the south side worked both north and south. Refueling was at the temporary sorting corrals. Our observer was informed that the blue chopper you see is the same one involved in a helicopter “incident” at Triple B and has been repaired and painted.
The approach to the trap panels (wings) was not visible, but horses were seen entering trap panels.
Above: Small family breaks through jute and is pursued and captured.
The road to trap was extremely bumpy. Above you can see trailers leaving the area to head to temporary holding.
A very young foal was captured and everyone was concerned for the tiny babies welfare.
One roping took place.
At temporary holding two distinct corrals are set up to receive North/South. Trailers had been arriving since 7:20 from the south operation. Six trailer loads had been received before one arrived from the north at 11:50, with one arriving from the south immediately after.
This is the largest temporary holding/sorting operation we have seen in one location.
We will update as edits and reports come in.
We ask that while our teams are in the field and in the courts, that you take time to engage your lawmakers on the funding bill for the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program. You can find a 4-step action plan HERE.
Thank you for keeping us in the fight!
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Categories: Wild Horse Education
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