BLM seeks input on wild horse management in McCullough Peaks
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CODY, Wyo.—The Bureau of Land Management Cody Field Office requests your input as it begins to analyze future wild horse fertility control and bait trap gathers in the McCullough Peaks Herd Management Area east of Cody. The public scoping period is open Jan. 9–Feb. 7, 2023.
To protect the health of public land and support healthy horses, the BLM works to achieve and maintain a population of wild horses in the McCullough Peaks within its appropriate management level of 70–140 horses. The current population is 179 horses based on direct counts in 2022.
The BLM has administered fertility control in the McCullough Peaks by way of field darting since 2011. The population has increased by an average of 2 percent per year, while wild horse herds can grow by 25 percent per year if not managed.
“With the help of our partners and volunteers, we’ve been able to manage the herd’s population through annual field darting and occasional bait trap gathers for more than ten years,” said Cody Field Manager Cade Powell. “This analysis will guide our management of the McCullough Peaks herd for the next decade.”
You are invited to help identify possible actions for analysis, any new issues and potential mitigation measures during this 30-day scoping period. Input is valuable and will enable the BLM to develop a well-informed environmental assessment. The resulting assessment will also be made available for public review and comment later in 2023.
All input must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 7, 2023, to be considered in the analysis. Written comments will be accepted at our ePlanning website at eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2022012/510. Please refer to project number DOI-BLM-WY-R020-2023-0003-EA.
Written comments may also be mailed to BLM Cody Field Office, Attn: Abel Guevara, 1002 Blackburn Street, Cody, WY, 82414.
All comments, including personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you may ask that your identifying information be withheld from public review, the BLM cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
For more information, contact Abel Guevara at (307) 578-5903.
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.