Flanigan Herd Management Area (HMA)
Location/Habitat: The Flanigan HMA is located approximately 35 miles north of Reno/Sparks in the Virginia Mountains. This HMA encompasses 17,101 acres of BLM-managed lands. The topography of the HMA ranges from rolling hills at 4,265 feet above sea level to mountainous terrain of over 8,000 feet.
Average temperatures for Reno range from a low of 20 to 45 degrees Farenheit in December and January to a range of 48 degrees to 90 degrees in mid-summer. Slightly cooler temperatures occur as elevation increases. Average annual precipitation for this area is eight to 12 inches annually.
Access to this HMA is limited due to the steep, rugged terrain and lack of functioning access roads. Wild horses can sometimes be seen outside the Flanigan HMA along Astor Pass Road (Highway 445) or on the maintained dirt road between Astor Pass and Doyle, California. The road to Doyle turns to the west approximately 2.5 miles after leaving the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation. Cottonwood Creek Road is at times washed out in places and may even be unpassable even in a four-wheel drive vehicle, though it could be hiked.
Wildlife: Because of the abundance of water and resulting different habitat types, many species of wildlife can be found within this HMA and include: rodents, raptors (including prairie falcons and golden eagles), sage-grouse, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, mule deer and coyote.
Vegetation: Dominant vegetation consists of mountain big sage, snowberry, rabbitbrush, cheatgrass, Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, and bottlebrush squirreltail. Aspen and chokecherry stands are found along Cottonwood Creek and surrounding springs.
Herd Description: Most of the horses within the Flanigan HMA are dark in color. Some are very handsome, featuring large bones and resembling a small draft or war horse such as the Friesian. The larger horses are over 16 hands (162 cc or 64 inches measured from the ground to the top of their withers). The majority of this HMA is steep and rocky, consequently many of these animals are quite adept at negotiating rugged terrain.
