BLM to begin the Jakes Fire Emergency wild horse gather
WINNEMUCCA, Nev. – On or about January 26, 2026, the Humboldt River Field Office will begin an emergency wild horse gather in and around the Snowstorm Mountain and Little Humboldt Herd Management Areas (HMA) located approximately 45 miles northeast of Winnemucca in Humboldt and Elko County, Nevada. The BLM plans to gather and remove approximately 182 excess wild horses. The BLM will conduct gather operations using the helicopter drive method.
The Snowstorm Mountain HMA consists of 103,802 acres of BLM land and 13,307 acres of a mix of private and other public lands for a total of 117,109 acres. Appropriate Management Level (AML) for this HMA is 90 - 140 wild horses. The Little Humboldt HMA consists of 15,741 acres of BLM land and 1,411 acres of a mix of private and other public lands for a total of 17,152 acres. AML for this HMA is 48 - 80 wild horses. Both HMAs are within the Owyhee Complex.
The area of work will be around the Jakes Fire burned area. The estimated population of wild horses in the Snowstorm Mountains and Little Humboldt HMAs is 272. The most recent gather was completed in 2021.
The purpose of the gather is to humanely and safely gather impacted and compromised wild horses from the area of the Jakes wildfire burn area. Monitoring of the impacted HMAs revealed limited availability of forage due to the extent of the area burned, and there is not adequate forage to sustain the nutritional needs of the current wild horse population in the HMAs. The declining range conditions coupled with overpopulation have led to decline in body condition scores (BCS) of the wild horse population. The average body condition of the horses in the HMAs are a BCS score of 3-4. The gather is critical to ensuring the future health of the HMA lands as well as the wild horses in the area, both of which are in jeopardy due to herd overpopulation and extremely limited forage that is remaining due to the recent fires.
BLM’s priority is to conduct safe, efficient, and successful wild horse gather operations while ensuring humane care and treatment of all animals gathered. The BLM and its contractors will use the best available science and handling practices for wild horses and burros while meeting overall gather goals and objectives in accordance with the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Policy.
All wild horses identified for removal will be transported to the Winnemucca Off Range Corrals in Paradise Valley, Nevada, where they will be checked by a veterinarian and readied for the BLM’s wild horse and burro Adoption and Sale Program. For information on how to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro, visit www.blm.gov/whb.
The BLM is conducting the gather under the BLM Determination of NEPA Adequacy, found on the National BLM NEPA Register. All gather documents can be viewed there.
Gather reports and additional information for the “2026 Jakes Fire Emergency Wild Horse Gather” will be posted on the 2026 Jakes Emergency Emergency Gather webpage. For more information, contact the Wild Horse and Burro Specialist, Brianna Brodowski, at (775) 623-1500.
The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.