BLM Working to Prevent Wild Horses from Suffering in Winter in Northwest Nevada

WINNEMUCCA, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management will begin a wild horse gather today in and around the Jackson Mountains Herd Management Area, in northwest Nevada, to protect the health of the herd as late season forage declines and winter approaches.

The gather, the first since September 2021 when the population was 848 horses, will help reduce the risks wild horses face when the range can no longer support the current population. The herd may appear healthy at the start of fall, but forage and water availability decline quickly. With far more horses on the landscape than the range can sustain, competition intensifies, creating conditions that can lead to malnutrition, dehydration, and long-distance travel in search of food and water as winter sets in.

The Herd Management Area’s healthy, sustainable herd size is 130-217 wild horses, but March 2026 population estimated nearly 700 animals within and just outside the area: more than three times what the land can support. Removing around 500 excess horses is necessary to relieve pressure on limited food and water, support long-term herd stability, and prevent winter suffering. Winter temperatures in the Jackson Mountains Herd Management Area average from the low 20s to the high 30s in the winter.

With seasonal change already underway, lowering herd numbers now ensures the remaining horses have access to the food and water they need to make it through winter safely. A balanced herd size also helps protect sensitive wildlife species such as sage grouse, pronghorn antelope, mule deer, and elk, and supports progress toward the “Standards for Rangeland Health” identified by the Sierra Front–Northern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council.
 

The BLM’s Black Rock Field Office will manage the gather. BLM staff and contractors will follow the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program, which uses proven, science-based practices to ensure humane care. Crews maintain a slow, controlled approach that keeps horses moving at a steady pace. If any horse shows signs of stress, operations are slowed or paused so the animal can rest. All gathered animals will be transported to the Winnemucca Off-Range Corrals to receive veterinary evaluation and care and then prepared for placement through the BLM’s Adoption and Sales Program.

The public lands within a five-mile radius surrounding drive trap sites and temporary holding facilities will be temporarily closed to all forms of public access and all public lands within the gather area will be closed to camping to ensure that the gather is effective and safe for wild horses, BLM employees and contractors, and members of the public.

However, the BLM will provide public observation opportunities during the gather. Members of the public are welcome to view the gather operations, provided that doing so does not jeopardize the safety of the animals, staff and observers, or disrupt gather operations. The BLM will escort the public to gather observation sites located on public lands. Those wanting to view gather operations must RSVP by calling (775) 623-1567 by 5 p.m. no later than the day before they want to observe gather operations.  Callers will be contacted with specific instructions on each day’s meeting location and time by 9 p.m. the evening before.

The gather documents can be viewed on the BLM National NEPA Register. Gather reports and additional information can be found on the 2026 Jackson Mountains Gather webpage. 

The BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program is grounded in science, law, and humane‑care standards and adheres completely to the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act and other federal laws. The BLM does not send wild horses or burros to slaughter, and no loophole exists that would legally allow people who adopt or buy wild horses to ever sell animals directly or to middlemen for slaughter.   

Information on how to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro can be found on the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program webpage.