Bureau of Land Management issues decision for wild horse gather at Saylor Creek Herd Management Area
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Twin Falls, Idaho— The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Jarbidge Field Office signed a Decision Record for an upcoming wild horse bait/water trap gather at Saylor Creek Herd Management Area (HMA).
This decision authorizes the removal of excess wild horses from the HMA and, upon reaching Appropriate Management Level (AML), the application of fertility control to mares to help reduce the population increase in the HMA. The objective of the gather is to protect the range and wild horses by slowing the herd population growth.
The Saylor Creek HMA is located in Owyhee and Elmore Counties, approximately 15 miles south of Glenns Ferry. It consists of approximately 101,876 acres of federal, state and private land, with a current population of approximately 137 wild horses. The BLM estimates the herd population will reach 168 wild horses by the end of the 2020 foaling season. The AML has been established at 50 wild horses.
The BLM sets the AML through land use planning efforts that involve public participation, vegetation inventories and allocation of forage in terms of animal unit months. The BLM determines the appropriate number of wild horses and burros that each HMA can support in balance with other uses and resources on public land. Planning efforts include an inventory and the monitoring of all uses of the public rangelands.
The gather impacts are described and analyzed in the Saylor Creek HMA wild horse gather Environmental Assessment (EA). The EA and Decision Record are posted on the BLM website at: Saylor Creek HMA Bait/Water Trap Gather
Horses removed from the range will be prepared for the BLM adoption and sale program. For more information on how to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro, visit the BLM National Wild Horse and Burro website at www.blm.gov/whb or call (866) 468-7826.
Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.
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.