2018 Muddy Creek Wild Horse Gather

Began: September 11, 2018
Ended: September 13, 2018

Purpose of Gather:  Due to declining rangeland health, overpopulation and continued drought conditions, the Bureau of Land Management Price Field Office will conduct a wild horse gather at the Muddy Creek Herd Management Area (HMA) beginning in August. The BLM plans to gather an estimated 149 wild horses. Once gathers have been completed and upon reaching Appropriate Management Level, fertility control would be administered to horses to help reduce the population increase in the HMA. 

Details of Gather: The gather impacts are described and analyzed in the Muddy Creek Wild Horse Gather Plan Environmental Assessment (EA).  The EA and Decision Record are posted on the BLM web-site:https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/93501. 

Opportunities are available for the public to observe daily operations through BLM-escorted tours so long as conditions remain safe for both the animals and participants and that operations are not disrupted.  Observers must provide their own transportation, water, and food.  No public restrooms will be available.  The BLM recommends weather-appropriate footwear and neutral-colored clothing.  Binoculars and four-wheel drive or other high-clearance vehicles are also strongly recommended. Those interested in participating will have two locations to meet for daily tours.  One location is the Gas-n-Go convenience store, 970 West Main Street, Green River, Utah, departing at 6:00 a.m. MDT.  The second location is UT I-70 Exit 131, Temple Mountain Road at the kiosk on the south side of the exit, departing at 6:30 a.m.  Gather and tour information may change daily, and will be posted each evening on the BLM Utah gather hotline, (801) 539-4050. 

Visitors and observers should be aware that low flying helicopters will be used as part of the operation.  Flying of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) near the San Rafael Swell region south of I-70 from the McKay Flat area, west to the Cathedral Valley scenic byway will be prohibited during the gather to ensure safety of the gather operation.  Traffic may also be stopped for short intervals on roads in the area to allow for safe movement of horses during gather operations.

Background: The Muddy Creek HMA is located in Emery County, approximately 20 miles south of Ferron, Utah, in the San Rafael Swell.  It consists of approximately 283,400 acres of public and state lands. Gather updates and information will be posted at: https://go.usa.gov/xUerB.  Anyone interested can receive updates on Twitter by following @BLMUtah or searching #BLMUTWildHorseGather.  To learn more about 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.