The South Steens HMA in Oregon spans more than 130,000 acres and BLM says that 159-304 are all that can be sustained.
BLM plans to capture about 760 horses. If they reach that target, 70 of those horses would be selected for return to the range, up to 35 of which would be mares treated with PZP (non hormonal, efficacy around 10-18 minths) or PZP-22 (non hormonal, lasting about 22 months) contraceptive. BLM said they are targeting post-roundup population numbers of about 255 horses.
For those of you that follow paper trails, this is the final year of a “ten-year gather plan.” BLM started calling gather plans things like “population management plans” and apparently confused the public into thinking they were actual “management plans.” A Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP) is a distinct document that does not limit proposed actions or public participation to “Population Growth Suppression” (fertility control or removal). The HMAP addressing things like monitoring plans, genetics, water, critical grazing habitat, etc. (We won an important court victory earlier this year and are working hard to expand on this critical precedent)
BLM did do what they call a Determination of NEPA Adequacy (DNA) to solidify existing authority to do a roundup under an older Gather-EA. Although we take issue with several aspects of the DNA, one was actually done. Districts in the West have been plowing through old gather plans without ever disclosing to the public data that analyzes to determine if old NEPA (paperwork) is adequate to comply with law. The DNA process includes a public comment period and that process is being denied in many districts in the West.
We have active litigation addressing this deficit in other cases where BLM has failed to provide any DNA.
Cumulative Totals
(note: Even though every other state can update totals on the weekend, Oregon claims they cannot. So totals will be listed as “tentative” until BLM updates.)
Captured: 869 (BLM provides no breakdown)
Shipped to Burns OR facility: 860 (BLM OR gives no breakdown)
Deaths: 9 – 11-year old bay stallion with sudden, unexpected cervical fracture, BLM said a Cremello was blind and they put it down, BLM said another horse was missing an eye and they put it down. An older horse they said “had no teeth” (they said people call him “Two Socks” was put down. 8-year old sorrel stallion BLM said “pre-existing eye abnormality – blind in one eye.” 6-year old sorrel mare BLM said “pre-existing eye abnormality – blind in one eye.” 13-year old sorrel mare BLM said “acute condition – poor body condition, unable to maintain or improve. 10+ year old cremello stallion BLM said “pre-existing condition/eye abnormality – broken teeth blindness.” 20+ year old buckskin stallion BLM said was in poor body condition.
082124: 45 (20 stallions, 17 mares, 8 foals) captured and 20 year old stallion put down, BLM said poor body condition).
Roundup is over. We are awaiting word on release numbers and dates.
082024:
BLM receive approval to go over target numbers. They only had 50 left to capture to hit target goal yesterday and captured 117 (43 stallions, 52 mares, 22 foals) captured.
It appears they will be back out in the morning to capture the rest of the herd. BLM appears to be intent on capturing the entire herd and releasing back horses to create low AML after fertility control. At this time it appears that they will apply PZP. But we do not yet know if that will change.
No release date is set.
081924
133 (48 stallions, 54 mares, 31 foals) were captured at a new trap. Many of the horses seen by volunteers on the range were caught today.
Many people ask if foals are reunited. Mares and foals are shipped to facilities separately. Once at the facility, wet mares (milk in bag) and foals are put in the same pen. Most foals do pair back up with family.
The wild ones captured at Steens have a drive of about an hour and a half to get to the facility. Burros going from Blue Wing in NV to Axtell in Utah had about a 9 hour drive the day after capture.
One of the issues we have with BLMs “standards” is that they have no time limit on driving to facilities, even in blistering hot weather. The only limit they have is that they cannot leave horses or burros on a semi truck for more than 4 hours at a standstill. This is absurd, particularly when temperatures soar.
Please make the call to Congress to gain funding for open Rulemaking that would provide a transparent process for the creation of an enforceable welfare policy at the bottom of this page.
As it is World Photography Week, we want to take a moment to say a big “thanks to volunteers” that made the journey and, even though not professional photographers, went out and documented this roundup, WHE volunteer Linda Greaves who makes time to go out and cover at least one roundup each year since 2021 took Scott Beckstead along and loaned him her camera. Team spirit.
081824
BLM continued to “move ’em in and move ’em out” capturing 129 (48 stallions, 56 mares, 25 foals) at the same trap they have used for the entire operation to date. BLM has captured 2/3 of the entire target goal in 4 days moving in large groups as they race to finish an operation shechuled to last until August 30.
081742
BLM Oregon is the only state that has not updated numbers over the weekend and we can only report tentative totals. 445 captured, 4 deaths.
About 128 were captured today and we are trying to get a breakdown and additional info on deaths, etc.
Only 2 members of the public were present, our team member and an independent observer.
Above: Before wranglers could repair jute from the previous run, the helicopter brought in horses that also challenged the jute, one crashing to the ground. It appears there was little communication with the ground crew. At times it was rather chaotic with escapes and horses running in multiple directions.
This operation will continue for a 4th day at this same trap tomorrow. More than half the targeted number have been captured in 3 days.
081624
About 163 wild horses were captured (BLM has not published an official count).
Above: At timecode 1:32 you can see a little one get crammed up against the gate in the crowded pen as Oregon pushes this operation fast. Over 300 horses were captured in two days. BLM has 2 weeks to finish this operation.
We were told 3 died yesterday: BLM said a cremello was blind and they put it down, BLM said another horse was missing an eye and they put it down. An older horse they said “had no teeth” (they said people call him “Two Socks” was put down.
081524
On the first day of the South Steens roundup 154 (60 stallions; 61 mares; 33 foals) wild horses were captured.
Wildfire is is bad in Oregon this year. However, the area of the roundup today had a “moderate” air quality rating (sensitive groups). This rating was 3-4 times lower than at the recent Blue Wing roundup in NV. We will continue to monitor air quality during this operation.
This stallion did not want to go into the trap. He was getting mixed signals from the helicopter about which way to go and we had to speed up a few clips in the video below so you could see his capture. This was not a “zero out” and BLM intended to return to this trap the following day. He could have been let go and, if absolutely necessary, captured the next day. We hope he gets tagged for return.
On an earlier run, an 11-year old stallion tried to escape trap and broke his neck.
36 (35 stallions; 1 mare) were shipped from the temporary holding corrals (off-limits to view) to the BLM Burns facility (public).
Out team member remains onsite.
As WHE battles out issues in a courtroom, you can help.
The phone number for Congress is: (202) 224-3121. You should put it in your speed dial.
Call the number, tell the operator who your representative is (or where you live if you do not know) and you will be connected to an aide in the office. Ask to register your concerns and request.
Ask that an amendment to the funding bill for the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program be crafted to simply create a line item for funding for “Rulemaking to create an enforceable welfare policy.”
The phrase “rulemaking” is vitally important as it is the name of the process that opens a welfare policy to public comment and finalizes with enforceability.
Forward… together we can create real and lasting change.
We won an amazing victory earlier this year where the courts recognize removal is NOT management. We have three additional cases in the system now. We need your help to keep our teams in the field and expand our litigation to push desperately needed legal precedents to protect our wild ones.
You can see reports from summer 2024 roundups:
Facility Reports 2024
Categories: Wild Horse Education
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