Out on range after the roundup with horses in the target zone in Muskrat Basin

The first day of the North Lander Complex roundup of 2024 was unusually long with 388 (amended by BLM to 383) wild horses captured. We did not have time to set our usual “landing page” for the operation.

We found the time and have set this page.

The North Lander roundup targets 2,715 for permanent removal from four Herd Management Areas (HMAs) in central Wyoming: Conant Creek, Dishpan Butte, Muskrat Basin and Rock Creek Mountain. The total acreage of the complex is 375,292. BLM says that all four HMAs can only support 320-536 wild horses.

BLM stated that if they hit or exceed numbers for removal, they may release mares treated with GonaCon in this first round of a ten-year gather environmental assessment they approved to reach their target number on the range using multiple forms of fertility control including IUDs and gelding.

The captives will be transported to the Wheatland corrals for branding, vaccination and prep for adoption, sale and long-term holding.

Cumulative capture totals for the operation to date:

Captured: 1,003 (333 Stallions, 409 Mares, and 188 Foals)

Shipped to Wheatland: 800 (387 Stallions, 332 Mares, and 154 Foals)

Died 6: A 10-year old grey mare was kicked in the head. A foal was reported as having wobblers and was put down. A 3-year-old stallion broke his neck at temporary holding. A bay foal mare was found deceased at temporary holding, necropsy determined capture myopathy to be the cause. A bay yearling stallion was diagnosed with Wobbler Syndrome (this is the second time BLM said there was “wobblers”). A 2-year-old sorrel mare suffered a broken neck while working through the chute.

Additional notes:

In the first week, 3 youngsters under 1-year died and 2 were orphaned and sent to the “prison program” at Honor Farm. Wyoming Honor Farm.

Grey captured on July 4 with hip wound was not euthanized but sent to Wheatland. We do not know at this time if he will be returned to the range.

Updates into week 2 can be found HERE. 

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Newest at the top, scroll down for earlier reports.

Video below: Week 1, recap

July 7: 180 (73 Stallions, 75 Mares, and 32 Foals) were captured at the Rock Creek Mountain HMA. Temperatures ranged from around 52 degrees to the high 70s. 1 death was reported: A 2-year-old sorrel mare suffered a broken neck while working through the chute.

July 6:

“No fly” day saw two babies captured on July 5, die: A bay foal mare was found deceased at temporary holding. A necropsy determined capture myopathy to be the cause. A bay yearling stallion was diagnosed with Wobbler Syndrome (this is the second time BLM said there was “wobblers”).

What is capture myopathy? Capture myopathy occurs when animals overexert themselves (struggling in a trap for example) so much that physiological imbalances develop and result in severe muscle damage. Hotter temperatures increase the risk of animals suffering from CM.

Deaths from capture myopathy at trap and in holding increase in hotter temperatures. If you have not already taken action to stand up for the Blue Wing herds, where temperatures during the first week will soar over 100 degrees, please take action today. 

July 5

The theme of the day was babies, babies, babies. Temperatures ranged from the mid-60’s to the upper 70s.

225 (88 Stallions, 89 Mares, and 48 Foals) wild horses were captured to complete the Dishpan Butte HMA capture operation.

You can see the full report from the team HERE. 

A poignant image. A lone stallion watches as the entire herd in the area is captured.

July 4

BLM captured nearly the entire herd in this segment of Dishpan Butte. They say the extremely unusual breakdown of sex is accurate: 25 (18 Stallions, 5 Mares, and 2 Foals). A 3-year-old stallion broke his neck at temporary holding during morning loading to go to Wheatland.

You can see the full team report and extensive video HERE. 

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July 3

The stallion named “Elvis” by photographer Jim Brown was one of 111 (46 Stallions, 46 Mares, and 19 Foals) wild horses captured at the last day of the Conant Creek portion of the operation.

You  can see the extensive rundown from this day HERE.

Family with a small foal escaped trap after being run chaotically over the valley floor and made escape attempt after attempt until finally being let go… and captured the following day.

July 2

2 deaths were reported from those captured day 1 (in BLMs words): 1 – A mare was kicked by another horse at the temporary holding corrals, resulting in a head fracture. 2 – While at the temporary holding corrals, the onsite veterinarian diagnosed a foal with Wobbler Syndrome (cervical vertebral malformation (CVM)). This condition worsens with age. The foal was euthanized. (NOTE: Deaths are included in the daily log that is created before 6 pm. or when the days capture operation has completed. A death reported did not happen that day unless specifically noted)

79 (36 Stallions, 31 Mares, and 12 Foals) wild horses were captured. Temperatures reached the mid-80s. The second day at the Conant Creek HMA was relentless. The objective appears to remove as many as possible. BLM said they will do a census flight after the operation completes to return numbers to reach “low AML” after applying what they call “temporary fertility control” in the form of GonaCon. GonaCon is a hormonal treatment BLM applies in two doses that will render a mare infertile for 4-10 years. BLM has a habit of applying this treatment to older (over 14) mares. In the wild a mare can expect to live 18-14 years… in essence, BLM sterilizes these mares.

You can see the full record of the day by clicking HERE.

Daring escape. This stallion and a grey that also escaped this day, remained free on the range after operations in this area concluded two days later.

July 1

Operations in Conant Creek began with one of the largest capture days we have seen in 16 years: 383 wild horses in a single day. Our concern level was very high as BLM has a habit of overcrowding temporary holding corrals and then restricting access to document this violation of the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program (CAWP). BLM did not “disappoint” and access was restricted. BLM made observers wait about 5 hours to see the temporary corrals and then literally “ran them around” because staff wanted to go rest. The corrals were significantly overcrowded.

You can see our full run down, after a very long day, HERE.

We work very hard to bring you daily in-depth coverage of roundups. Days in field can last 14 hours in summer and then we edit (as much material as possible) each night to report back to you, the public. We go to as many days of capture operations (and follow through investigative reporting from facilities) as our resources allow.

Our team is not only the frontline reporting organization the public relies on, we are battling things out in the courts to gain real management planning (not just removal and fertility control) and to gain an enforceable welfare policy.

Together we will not only continue to expose the reality our wild ones live each day, we will fight back.

Thank you for keeping WHE on the frontline in the fight to protect and preserve our treasured wild ones!