2026 Challis Herd Management Area Wild Horse Gather
Purpose of Gather:
The BLM is conducting gather operations to reduce overpopulation in support of healthy wild horses on healthy public rangelands.
Details of Gather:
The BLM plans to gather 281 and remove approximately 146 excess wild horses from the Challis Herd Management Area. The appropriate management level for the Challis herd is 185 - 253 wild horses based on the available forage, water and other authorized uses, such as wildlife habitat and livestock grazing.
Under BLM supervision, contractors will conduct gather operations with assistance of one or more helicopters that will guide animals on the range into temporary gather corrals. The careful use of helicopters allows the BLM to safely and efficiently move wild horses across large, rugged landscapes while reducing stress and minimizing risks associated with prolonged pursuit on horseback or land-based vehicles.
Public Observation:
The BLM will temporarily close certain public lands around gather locations to public access in accordance with 43 CFR 8364.1. The closures are necessary to protect the wild horses, as well as public health and safety.
Opportunities are available for the public to observe gather operations through BLM-escorted tours as long as conditions remain safe for both the horses and participants, and gather operations are not disrupted. The BLM-escorted tours are planned to begin on Wednesday, September 9 from the BLM Challis Field Office, 721 Main Street, Challis, Idaho 83226. Observers will need to sign up and RSVP by emailing [email protected] by September 8; the departure time will be confirmed via email the evening before gather operations commence. RSVPs are required via email for each day of observation.
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.
Adoption Information:
All excess wild horses identified for removal will be transported to the Challis Wild Horse Off-Range Corral, where they will be checked by a veterinarian and readied for the BLM’s wild horse Adoption and Sale Program. Those that are not placed into a new home will be cared for in off-range pastures, where they live off the rest of their lives on grass pastures. For information on how to adopt or purchase a wild horse, visit the Wild Horse and Burro Program page.
Background:
The Challis Herd Management Area is in Custer County and consists of 164,720 total acres. Of those, 154,150 are BLM-managed public lands, 9,454 acres of State of Idaho lands, and 1,116 acres of private lands near the East Fork of the Salmon River. The HMA is bordered on the north by the Salmon River, on the west by the East Fork of the Salmon River, on the south by the ridgeline between Herd Creek and Road Creek and on the east by U.S. Highway 93 and the watershed boundary between the Salmon River drainage and the Lost River drainage. The Appropriate Management Level for this HMA ranges from 185 - 253.
Elevations range from 4,600 feet to nearly 8,000 and reach slopes up to 80 percent. High ridges with patches of Douglas fir and wide sagebrush basins, dissected by drainages with active riparian areas containing willows, birch and aspen. According to the US Drought Monitor, as of June 9, 2026, the Challis HMA is in Abnormally Dry, Moderate, and Severe drought categories. Due to the persistent drought within the HMA, forage and water resources are expected to be limited this summer, fall, and upcoming winter.
- Daily Gather Reports
[Weekday, Month Day]
Summary: (Gather status, temp and weather conditions)
Animals Gathered: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- PZP: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- IUD: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Provide short description of each animal death
Gather Status
This gather will begin on or about September 9, 2026
Animals Gathered: 0
0 Wild Horses (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
0 Wild Burros (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies, and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 0
0 Wild Horses (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
0 Wild Burros (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies, and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 0
0 Wild Horses (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
0 Wild Burros (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies, and 0 Foals)
PZP: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
IUD: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
Animals Released:
0 Wild Horses (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
0 Wild Burros (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies, and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0
-Sudden / Acute: 0
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Scroll to the bottom of this gather page for detailed “Daily Gather Reports"