The BLM will begin the Pancake Complex wild horse bait and water gather

ELY, Nev. – On or around March 15, 2026, the Bristlecone Field Office (BFO) will begin a wild horse gather on the Pancake Complex (complex) located about 30 miles west of Ely in White Pine County, and Nye County, Nevada. The BFO will conduct gather operations utilizing temporary bait and water traps consisting of a series of corral panels stocked with water/forage; no helicopters will be used. 

The complex has two herd management areas (HMAs) and one herd area (HA).

• The Pancake HMA encompasses 849,613 acres of public and 309 acres of mixed lands which include private land and mixed public lands. It has an Appropriate Management Level (AML) of 240-493 wild horses.
• The Sand Springs West HMA encompasses 152,277 of public land. It has an AML of 29-49 wild horses.
• The Jakes Wash HA encompasses 153,663 acres of public land. It is not managed for wild horses.
  • Monte Cristo Wild Horse Territory is excluded from this gather operation. 

The BLM plans to gather and remove approximately 300 wild horses. 

A survey conducted in February of 2025 documented 1,436 wild horses within and directly outside the management area – over 2.5-times above the high end of the established AML, which does not include the 2026 foal crop. The most recent complex gather was completed in 2022. An emergency gather was completed in the Pancake HMA in 2025.

The purpose of the gather is to prevent undue or unnecessary degradation of the public lands associated with excess wild horses and burros and to restore a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationship on public lands, consistent with the provisions of Section 1333(b) of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. This action is also necessary to reduce overpopulation of wild horses within and outside the area.

By balancing herd size with what the land can support, the BLM aims to protect habitat for other wildlife species such as pronghorn, bald eagles and sage grouse can also be found throughout the area. Removing excess wild horses and burros supports significant progress toward achieving the Standards for Rangeland Health identified by the Mojave-Southern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council.

 

BLM’s priority is to conduct safe, efficient, and successful wild horse and burro gather operations while ensuring humane care and treatment of all animals gathered. The BLM and its contractors are committed to using 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 Program.

All animals identified for removal will be transported to the Sutherland Off-Range Corrals, located in Sutherland, Utah. Upon arrival to the facility, all animals will be checked by a veterinarian and readied for the BLM’s wild horse and burro Adoption and Sales Program. 

Due to the nature of the bait and water trap method, wild horses are reluctant to approach the trap site when there is too much activity; therefore, only essential gather operations personnel will be allowed at the trap site during gather operations. 

The BLM is conducting the gather under the Pancake Complex Wild Horse gather and Herd Management Plan Environmental Assessment. The NEPA documents can be viewed in the BLM National NEPA Register.

Gather reports and additional information will be posted on the 2026 Pancake Complex gather webpage. For technical information, contact Sadie Leyba, Wild Horse and Burro Specialist at (775) 289-1800.

For information on how to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro, visit www.blm.gov/whb.