Desatoya Wild Horse Herd Management Area
Location/Habitat:
Located in the Desatoya Mountain Range of Churchill and Lander Counties approximately 60 miles east of Fallon Nevada, this Herd Management Area (HMA) encompasses approximately 161,000 acres. The Desatoya Mountains Wilderness Study Area is located in part of the HMA.
The topography of the HMA ranges from flat valley bottoms (approximately 5,500 feet) to the top of Desatoya Peak 9,974 feet). Temperatures can exceed 104 degrees Fahrenheit at lower elevations during July and August and can drop to as low as 10 degrees during December and January. Average annual precipitation is strongly influenced by elevation and varies from 6 to 20 inches.
Vegetation:
Dominant vegetation consists of pinyon-pine, greasewood, shadscale, sagebrush, cheat grass, Indian ricegrass, pine bluegrass, Nevada bluegrass, Sandberg bluegrass, Thurber needlegrass, Idaho fescue and bottlebrush squirreltail.
Herd Description:
The appropriate management level for this HMA is between 127 to 180 horses. Most coat colors can be found among the Desatoya horses. The horses generally stand 14 to 15 hands high (56 to 60 inches measured from the ground to the top of their withers). Many of these animals are quite adept at negotiating rugged terrain because most of the terrain is steep and rocky. It is generally accepted that these horses originated from escaped ranch stock
Because of the diverse topography and various habitat types, many species of wildlife exist within the HMA, including lizards, rodents, raptors (including prairie falcons and golden eagles), bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope and mule deer.
Viewing Wild Horses:
Sometimes wild horses that have wandered outside of the HMA can be seen from U.S. 50 other times horses may be seen along the foothills on the east side of the Desatoya Mountains. Access is limited to a few four wheel drive roads and horses maybe encountered along most of the dirt roads within the HMA.
