01-29-26

The day began with a new trap in Snowstorm. Neither this trap nor the previous trap were set inside the burn area. With only 3 days notice BLM said they must complete a removal of 182 wild horses due to a lack of feed on the range after the Jakes Fire.

Temperature at the beginning of the day was around 20 degrees. In the video above you can see the steam in the breath and off the bodies of the horses after capture.

In the video above you can see cattle are on the range. Neither the cattle nor wild horses show there has been any deficit in feed through the winter. The livestock allotments in this area are some of the most “grass productive” in the state. After repetitive roundups of thousands of wild horses from 2012-2016, larger and more frequent fires have occurred due to “grass load” including the largest fire in wild horse territory ever, the Martin fire, in 2017. BLM has continued removals in the complex in 2018, 2021 and the one today die to “fire,” “fire rehab” (where they seed the range and do not want horses eating the new feed) and/or claims of “lack of feed.” BLM has used the long-lasting infertility drug GonaCon in this area (the lack of younger horses in our videos has generated emails from readers asking why there are so few young ones).

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Slideshow above and video below: Judas gets “turned around” and there is a bit of chaos before capture.

To date: 154 Wild Horses (76 Stallions, 78 Mares, and 0 Foals)  wild horses have been captured and 7 have been put down all die to what BLM says are “pre-existing conditions including a 4 month old colt with “lax tendons” and other with “arthritic knees.”

The deaths include two from 1/29 that were trailered out “on range” and shot. BLM said “Buckskin stud, age 6, Blind and Black Mare, Physical Defect: Acquired, Right front fetlock.” We believe they are the two in the video below. We see no indication this horse is blind. BLM often fails to photograph horses before putting them down as is required by CAWP.

A reminder: the last valid roundup plan (EA) in this complex expired in 2022. The only way BLM could do a roundup was to tie it to a fire rehab plan and call this “emergency.” Again, we are seeing no signs on the range or the condition of wild horses (or cattle that is on the range) that there is a deficit requiring an emergency removal of 182 horses.

182 wild horses going into a system of holding that is funneling horses and burros out as fast as they can through the Sale Program with many spotted days or weeks after the sale at slaughter auctions.

Above: The day ended with a valiant escape attempt. But the herd was turned back and captured.

BLM has authority to remove 182. They have already taken 154.

They are back at the same trap today with a goal of 28. We will see if they stay within their authorized limits or exceed them.

BLM is shipping directly to the off-limits to the public facility in Winnemucca and has no temporary holding corrals.

Our team member is onsite.

You can find the daily log from this operation HERE.

Every mile we travel to cover roundups or assess a herd, every court case we bring, every win, every action we take is only possible because of your support. 

Thank you for standing with us as we strive for justice, mercy and freedom. We cannot do this without you.