BLM Announces Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range Gather
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BILLINGS, Mont. — The Bureau of Land Management plans to gather and remove about 40 wild horses from the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range in fall 2026 using low-stress bait trap methods. This action supports the long-term health and viability of the herd by reducing pressure on limited forage and water resources and keeping population levels within the range the landscape can reliably sustain.
As of spring 2026, the range contained an estimated 187 wild horses, not including foals less than one year old. Scientific analysis of forage, water availability, and habitat conditions informed the updated Appropriate Management Level of 107 to 120 horses. Maintaining the herd within this range helps protect wild horses from the risks associated with overpopulation, such as inadequate forage, greater competition for water, and increased potential for injuries or conflict as animals move outside their normal range in search of resources.
“The gather will help ensure the herd remains healthy and genetically diverse while allowing vegetation and soils to recover,” said Nate Arave, Billings Field Manager. “Our goal is to ensure these horses have access to the food, water, and habitat they need so the range can continue supporting them, and the wildlife that depend on it, for generations to come.”
Chronic overpopulation puts horses at risk by straining the limited vegetation and soils that support their forage base. When too many horses rely on the same habitat, forage declines, water sources become overused, and animals can be forced into unsafe areas, including steep terrain or private land, while searching for resources. Sensitive riparian areas have already shown signs of stress, with degraded streambanks and reduced recovery of native plants, conditions that make it harder for horses to rely on these areas during dry periods.
To help stabilize herd growth, the BLM will also treat up to 43 mares with fertility control and release them back to the range. Fertility control reduces reproduction, allowing the herd to stay within a sustainable population range and helping to reduce the need for large gathers in the future. The Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range has been closed to livestock grazing since 2015.
All gather activities will follow Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program practices to minimize stress and ensure the safety of both horses and staff. Bait traps use feed or water to draw horses into a corral at selected locations where conditions and herd behavior support a slow, low‑stress gather process.
This planned gather is consistent with the 2015 Billings Approved Resource Management Plan, as amended, and is authorized under the Wild Free‑Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 and the Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976.
For more information, contact the Billings Field Office at 406-896-5013 or visit the Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range webpage.
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.