For New Year’s Day the is only one thing to say: If there is nothing to hide, why go through so much trouble to hide everything? 

On New Year’s day, BLM did not provide access to clearly view any aspect of the operation at all and went out of their way to obstruct.

You can follow the East Pershing roundup on the daily update page HERE.

Trap was extremely far away and obscured.

So to try to get a clear shot to be able to assess at least some of what the horses look like after capture, one of the things you can do is sit near or in your car parked by the road being used for transport.

Our observer did exactly that and was reprimanded. She was told she could not even carry her camera to her car and that photography is ONLY allowed for one location where BLM makes you stand. They make a claim that “it has always been that way.” No, it has not. In fact, we have taken photos sitting in our cars at the parking location when it is cold or when the trap is far and moving presents no safety issue. Our observer was told it presented a “safety issue” (a BLM employees dog was in a kennel on the ground in that location and we are sure she would not leave her dog in an unsafe location). However, our observer could go there and view… as long as she did not take a camera.

Thank you BLM for confirming that you view cameras as a “danger.” They are not a danger to horses.

Observers were held at trap until after the last trailer would leave for the day claiming if they left 10-20 minutes before the trailer, they would “dust out” the fast moving trailers (you can see how fast in the video above and see the simple footage of trailers going by our observer was reprimanded for taking).

The day before observers said they did not want to go to temporary holding and were hustled out before the last trailer. News media was there and left hours before the end of the roundup.

On this day, observers were held until it would be near dark before arrival at holding and BLM could claim it was too dark. They held observers at a location where you could not see holding until “all sorting and feeding” was done. Then BLM said it was “too dark.” It is NOT too dark for our cameras. Then BLM said personnel, wanted to leave and there would be no viewing.

Our observer asked just to get a picture from the public road to see stocking capacity. BLM told her she had to drive all the way back to the highway (escorted by BLM) and then could return alone… by then it would be too dark.

Please note: 207 wild horses spent the night at the temporary corrals and the corrals were probably overstocked according to BLMs CAWP policy that is not a policy.

When issues arise (and we do things like report on the hotshots) access can erode fast and “mind twisting” with stating absurdities to observers is becoming commonplace. Our team has been frontline reporting from roundups for 15 years, providing in-depth daily reports and many of you rely on us.

BLM is (once again) ignoring the fact that courts have recognized us as media and we need to be treated just as they would treat any news organization. We have a right of access to observe and report. The only restrictions recognized are if human and animal safety are at issue.

Our observer is back out today.

Thank you for keep us on the frontline in the fight to protect and preserve our wild ones.