BLM and the University of Wyoming to begin Wild Horse Movement Study in the Adobe Town Herd Management Area
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The BLM and the University of Wyoming are beginning a study to learn more about wild horse seasonal use and movements in the Adobe Town Herd Management Area. The study will begin with a bait trap gather and collaring of up to 30 wild mares in February. No wild horses will be removed during this non-helicopter gather.
The University of Wyoming will use the radio collars to learn more about how wild horses interact with their environment by studying migration patterns and herd movements in the HMA. The results of this study will provide the BLM with new information ensuring that healthy wild horse herds continue to thrive on healthy rangelands.
Bait-trapping involves setting up temporary corrals within the HMA to attract wild horses safely into the corral. When a certain number of horses have entered the pen, the gate to the corral is closed. Once gathered, trained personnel will load and transport selected mares to the Rock Springs Wild Horse Holding Facility. Once the horses arrive at the facility, staff from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) will place collars with GPS tracking devices on the horses. Once collared, the horses will be returned to the HMA. The 20-30 mares that BLM will select for GPS collars will be five years old or older. All other wild horses gathered will be immediately released shortly after the selected mares are sorted and held for collaring. All mares will be released at or near the same location that they were gathered. The selected contractors are in the process of identifying trap site locations and will begin the bait-trapping process soon.
Corrals may be set-up in stages over a period of days to allow the horses to grow accustomed to the enclosures. Approximately three or five trap sites are required to distribute radio-collared mares throughout the entire HMA. Bait trapping is an effective method for capturing small numbers of selected wild horses. The number of people in the trap area will be limited to key personnel to ensure a successful and safe gather for the horses.
Media/Public Viewing Opportunities
- Viewing opportunities will be limited given the nature of this gather and to ensure safety for both gather personnel and wild horses
- Public viewing is always allowed at the wild horse holding facility overlook in Rock Springs where the mares will be taken to be collared.
- Public viewing will be allowed at the release sites of the collared mares. The BLM will keep a list of people who would like to attend the releasing of the collared mares and notify them at least one day prior to the releases. Media and interested public could see and photograph the mare(s) being released with the GPS collars.
- To get your name on the list for public viewing, contact Tony Brown at 307-352-0215.
The Rawlins Field Office (RFO) released the Decision Record and FONSI for Adobe Town HMA Wild Horse Movements and Habitat Selection Research Gather Environmental Assessment (EA) on November 9, 2016. The decision was to allow enough wild horses to be gathered by bait trapping, so up to (30) selected mares could be outfitted with GPS collars. The BLM will use two separate contractors to conduct the bait-trapping operations.
Additional information on the gather can be found at http://on.doi.gov/2ka71jt. The Decision Record, Finding of No Significant Impact, and Environmental Assessment along with project maps can be found at http://bit.ly/2dNiwrQ. For more information, please contact BLM’s Public Affairs Officer, Tony Brown, 307-352-0215.
The BLM manages more than 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.