Start of Gather

The BLM Battle Mountain District, Tonopah Field Office and Ely District, Egan Field Office are scheduled to initiate the Pancake Complex Wild Horse Gather on January 12, 2012.

Goal of Gather

The goal of the Pancake Complex Wild Horse Gather is to gather and remove approximately 800-1,000 excess wild horses from in and around the Pancake Complex located in south-central Nevada approximately 30 miles west of Ely and 80 miles northeast of Tonopah, Nev., beginning in January.  The BLM is also proposing to treat up to 260 mares with porcine zona pellucida (PZP) before releasing them and up to 390 stallions back into the Pancake Complex.
The BLM is implementing a newly proposed method of managing large herd management area (HMA) complexes that utilizes a phased-in approach to reach Appropriate Management Level (AML) over a six to ten year period by gradually removing excess animals while increasing the use of population controls to slow the wild horse population growth rate.  Attainment of this pilot management alternative would also result in placing fewer excess wild horses in short or long-term holding or in the adoption or sale pipelines over the next 10-year period.

The Pancake Complex consists of the Sand Springs West and Pancake Herd Management Areas (HMAs), Jakes Wash Herd Area (HA) and Monte Cristo Wild Horse Territory (WHT).

At the time of the gather, it is estimated that the population will be more than 1,653 wild horses in the Pancake HMA where the AML is 240-493 wild horses; 153 wild horses in the Sand Springs West HMA where the AML is 49 wild horses; 132 wild horses in the Jakes Wash Herd Area (HA) where the BLM manages for 0 wild horses; and 270 wild horses in the Monte Cristo Wild Horse Territory (WHT) where the AML is 72-96 wild horses.  The estimate includes the 2011 foal crop.  Wild horse numbers fluctuate between the HMAs, HA and WHT, based on seasonal movement.

Details of the Gather

More information will be posted as it becomes available. Click here to view the gather report.
Adoption

Wild horses removed from the HMAs and WHT will be made available for adoption. Animals for which there is no adoption demand will be placed in long-term pastures where they will be humanely cared for and retain their “wild” status and protection under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. The BLM does not sell or send any horses to slaughter.

Background

The BLM Battle Mountain District, Tonopah Field Office administers the Sand Springs West HMA.  The BLM Ely District Office administers the Pancake HMA and Jakes Wash HA.  The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Ely Ranger District administers the Monte Cristo WHT.

For more information on the Wild Horse and Burro Program, call 866-468-7826 or email wildhorse@blm.gov.