Bureau of Land Management to begin the FY2024 McGee Mountain Herd Management Area Burro Gather Operations

On or about March 18, 2024, the Humboldt River Field Office plans to begin a wild burro gather on and around the McGee Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA) located approximately 24 miles southwest of Denio Junction, in Humboldt County, Nevada. The agency 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 McGee Mountain HMA encompasses approximately 41,160 acres of public and private lands and has an Appropriate Management Level (AML) of 25 - 41 burros. Based on the recent aerial survey conducted March 2024, the current estimated population is 47 wild burros. The staff plans to gather and remove approximately 22 excess wild burros. The most recent gather in the McGee Mountain HMA occurred in 2015, where 115 excess wild burros were removed.

The purpose of the gather is to achieve AML within the HMA and prevent undue or unnecessary degradation of the public lands associated with excess wild 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.

“We conduct gathers like this to maintain balance in the high elevation desert ecosystem,” said Humboldt River Field Office Manager, John Mitchell.

By balancing herd size with what the land can support, the BLM aims to protect habitat for other wildlife species such as sage grouse, pronghorn antelope, and mule deer. Removing excess wild burros supports significant progress toward achieving the Standards for Rangeland Health identified by the Sierra Front Northern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council.

The agency’s priority is to conduct safe, efficient, and successful wild burro gather operation 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 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 Palomino Valley Off-Range Corrals, located in Reno, Nevada. 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 burros 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 DOI-BLM-NV-W030-2019-0019-EA Calico Complex Wild Horse and Burro Gather Environmental Assessment. Access to the Decision Record and determination of National Environmental Policy Act adequacy can be found at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning.

Gather reports and additional information will be posted on the BLM website at https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro/herd-management/gathers-and-removals/nevada/2024-mcgee-mountain-herd . For technical information, contact Garrett Swisher, Wild Horse and Burro Specialist at (775) 623-1500.

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