2026 Black Mountain HMA Wild Burro Gather
The gather will begin on or about April 2, 2026, utilizing temporary bait and water traps consisting of corral panels stocked with water and forage. No helicopters will be used.
The operation will continue until the target number of animals is achieved.
Purpose of Gather:
The purpose of the gather is to address an overpopulation of wild burros within the Black Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA) to achieve a thriving natural ecological balance, alleviate deterioration of the rangeland as well as to address public safety and private property concerns. The gather will also address human health and safety concerns within the local area related to vehicle collisions with burros on the roadways and damaging private property. For these reasons, local communities in Mohave County have requested that the BLM address the wild burro overpopulation in the Black Mountains.
The estimated population is approximately 3,896 wild burros as of March 2026, substantially exceeding the appropriate management level (AML) of 478 burros.
Details of Gather:
The BLM plans to gather and remove up to 500 excess wild burros from the Black Mountain Herd Management Area.
The gather will begin on or about April 2, 2026, utilizing temporary bait and water traps consisting of corral panels stocked with water and forage. No helicopters will be used.
All gather operations will be overseen by the BLM Colorado River District, Kingman Field Office, and Arizona State Office.
Burros gathered during operations will be transported to the Axtell Off‑Range Corral in Axtell, Utah, where they will be checked by a veterinarian and prepared for the BLM’s Adoption and Sales Program.
Public Observation:
The BLM will conduct this operation using temporary water and bait traps consisting of a series of corral panels stocked with water and hay. Because of the nature of the bait and water trap method, wild burros are reluctant to approach the trap site when there is too much activity; therefore, only essential gather operation personnel will be allowed at the trap site during operations.
Adoption Information:
Burros gathered during operations will be transported to the Axtell Off‑Range Corral in Axtell, Utah, where they will be checked by a veterinarian and prepared for the BLM’s Adoption and Sales Program.
Background:
The Black Mountain Herd Management Area spans roughly 1.1 million acres, with gather operations focused on approximately 500,000 acres where burros are most concentrated. The HMA parallels the eastern shoreline of the Colorado River from Hoover Dam south to Interstate 40. The current estimated population is approximately 3,896 wild burros as of March 2026, substantially exceeding the appropriate management level (AML) of 478 burros.
- Daily Gather Reports
[Weekday, Month Day]
Summary: (Gather status, temp and weather conditions)
Animals Gathered: 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Released: 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Gather Status
As of March 25, 2026.
This gather will begin on April 2, 2026.
This gather is not complete.
Animals Gathered: 0 Wild Burros (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies, and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 0 Wild Burros (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies, and 0 Foals)
Animals Released: 0 Wild Burros (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies, and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0 Wild Burros (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies, and 0 Foals)
-Sudden / Acute: 0
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Scroll to the bottom of this gather page for detailed “Daily Gather Reports"