2018 Owyhee Complex Emergency Wild Horse Gather
This gather is complete.
The Bureau of Land Management’s Winnemucca and Elko District Offices will begin an emergency wild horse gather on or about September 17 within the Owyhee Complex located in the Humboldt and Elko Counties, Nevada, due to the Martin Fire that occurred in July which burned approximately 438,000 acres in northeastern Nevada. The gather will be conducted by using helicopters. The BLM plans to gather approximately 1,175 wild horses, remove approximately 873 excess wild horses, treat and release up to 150 mares with fertility control and release up to 152 studs.
Details of Gather
The Bureau of Land Management’s Winnemucca and Elko District Offices will begin an emergency wild horse gather on or about September 17 within the Owyhee Complex located in the Humboldt and Elko Counties, Nevada, due to the Martin Fire that occurred in July which burned approximately 438,000 acres in northeastern Nevada. The gather will be conducted by Cattoor Livestock using helicopters. The BLM plans to gather approximately 1,175 wild horses, remove approximately 873 excess wild horses, treat and release up to 150 mares with fertility control and release up to 152 studs.
The Owyhee Complex is located within both the Elko and Winnemucca Districts and encompasses the Snowstorm Mountains, Little Owyhee, Rock Creek, Owyhee, and Little Humboldt Herd Management Areas (HMAs). The Complex is comprised of approximately 1,120,763 acres of both private and public lands and contains the majority of the Sagebrush Focal Areas for Greater Sage Grouse habitat of northern Nevada.
The BLM expects the helicopter gather to take approximately 55 days. The gather operation will focus on the Little Owyhee, Snowstorm Mountains, Owyhee and Rock Creek HMAs and the current population estimate for those four HMAs is approximately 1,407 wild horses, which includes the 2018 foal crop. The post gather population will be approximately 534 wild horses. Appropriate Management Level within those HMAs is 573-919 wild horses.
Public Observation
Members of the public are welcome to view the gather operations, provided that doing so does not jeopardize the safety of the animals, staff and observers, or disrupt gather operations. The BLM will escort the public to gather observation sites located on public lands. The BLM anticipates that viewing opportunities will be limited due to logistics in regards to private land issues, terrain and weather. Those wanting to view gather operations must notify Public Affairs Specialist, Jenny Lesieutre at jlesieut@blm.gov prior to the desired viewing date to be added to the attendee list and in order to receive specific instructions on meeting locations and times.
Adoption Information
Wild horses identified for removal will be transported to the Palomino Valley Center located in Reno, Nevada, where they will be checked by a veterinarian and readied for the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Program. For information on how to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro, visit www.blm.gov/whb.
Background
The Owyhee Complex was originally scheduled to be gathered in FY2019 during the fall / winter gather schedule to remove excess wild horses in order to achieve low AML, manage within a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple use as well as to prevent further deterioration of Greater Sage Grouse habitat. Due to the Martin Fire and loss of forage resources, the situation is too extreme to be addressed through the normal gather cycle (BLM Handbook 4.7.2). The BLM’s goal is to help as many wild horses as possible while protecting the habitat for other wildlife, including water sources and vegetation. The condition of the wild horses in the Owyhee Complex is expected to deteriorate, potentially resulting in the death of some of the wild horses, if actions are not taken soon.
The purpose of the operation is to prevent undue or unnecessary degradation of the public lands associated with the Martin Fire and excess wild horses, in order to restore a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-uses relationship on public lands, consistent with the provisions of Section 1333(b) of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. Removing excess animals would also enable significant progress toward achieving the Standards for Rangeland Health identified by the Northeast Great Basin Advisory Council. The Owyhee Complex is over-populated and animal conditions are declining due to range degradation, lack of sustainable water resources and the damage done during the Martin Fire.
The Martin Fire burned approximately 46% of the Little Owyhee HMA within the southern section and another 26% of the Owyhee HMA; through prime grazing habitat for wild horses. Due to the lack of forage resources in the Little Owyhee HMA, BLM determined to gather and remove additional wild horses below AML within that HMA to sustain a healthy wild horse population while the Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation (ES&R) efforts get established. Based on the ES&R plan, excess wild horses need to be removed in order to relieve pressure on the burned area and allow for regrowth of the treatment areas. Based on monitoring, it has been determined the wild horses in this area do not have adequate forage or water resources to sustain the existing population until the winter scheduled gather in FY2019. Although the northern portion of the HMA was not burned and has forage, these is still not enough forage resources to sustain the current population especially since the prime grazing habitat and concentration of wild horses are in the southern section of the HMA. Wild horses in the southern section not only rely on natural springs and rivers, but also human-created water sources on private land. Because livestock operators have taken their animals off the burned area, the privately owned human-created water sources are not available for wild horses and BLM does not hold water rights to these sources.
- Gather Reports
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October 4, 2018
Summary: No gather operations today. No horses were shipped today.
Animals gathered: 0
Mares treated with fertility control: 0
Animals shipped: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
October 3, 2018
Summary: No gather operations today. Today was cloudy with sporadic rain temperatures in the low 70's. Horses were shipped today.
Animals gathered: 0
Mares treated with fertility control: 52
Animals shipped: Shipped 41 (Studs 16, Mares 12, Foals 13)
Acute: 1
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
Deaths:
10/3/2018, 20-year old, black mare humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070; due to compound fracture to the left hind leg below the hock, with a poor prognosis for recovery. Mare kicked through a panel while moving through the chute area, after being treated with fertility control.
October 2, 2018
Summary: Gather operations began today under sunny skies with temperatures in the low 70's. No horses were shipped today.
Animals gathered: 56 (Studs 34, Mares 20, Foals 2)
Mares treated with fertility control: 0
Animals shipped: Shipped 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 1
Deaths:
10/2/2018, 8 year-old Mare, Black, BCS 4, humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070; due to lateral deviation of the left-front fetlock from old fracture, with a poor prognosis for recovery.
October 1, 2018
Summary: Gather operations began today under sunny skies with temperatures in the low 70's. No horses were shipped today.
Animals gathered: 8 (Studs 4, Mares 3, Foals 1)
Mares treated with fertility control: 0
Animals shipped: Shipped 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
September 30, 2018
Summary: Gather operations began today under sunny skies with temperatures in the low 70's. Horses were shipped today.
Animals gathered: 95 (Studs 39, Mares 44, Foals 12)
Mares treated with fertility control: 0
Animals shipped: Shipped 23 (Studs 11, Mares 9, Foals 3)
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 1
Deaths:
9/30/2018, 2-month old foal (filly) humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070; due to congenital ligament deformity down in both front fetlocks, with a poor prognosis for recovery.
September 29, 2018
Summary: Gather operations began today under sunny skies with temperatures in the high 80's. Horses were shipped today.
Animals gathered: 24 (Studs 11, Mares 10, Foals 3)
Mares treated with fertility control: 50
9/29: Treated only 50 mares and released only 52
Animals shipped: Shipped 38 (Studs 14, Mares 14, Foals 10)
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 1
Deaths:
9/29/2018, 8-year-old, Mare, l, BCS-3, humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to severe skin disease with open wounds and scarring greater than 30% of the body, BCS 2.5 with a poor prognosis for recovery.
September 28, 2018
Summary: Gather operations began today under sunny skies with temperatures in the high 80's. Horses were shipped today.
Animals gathered: 57 (Studs 22, Mares 25, Foals 10)
Mares treated with fertility control: 0
Animals shipped: Shipped 73 (Studs 24, Mares 41, Foals 8)
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
September 27, 2018
Summary: Gather operations began today under sunny skies with temperatures in the high 80's. Horses were shipped today.
Animals gathered: 84 (Studs 39, Mares 38, Foals 7)
Mares treated with fertility control: 0
Animals shipped: Shipped 38 (Studs 12, Mares 18, Foals 8)
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
September 26, 2018
Summary: Gather operations began today under sunny skies with temperatures in the mid 70's. Horses were shipped today.
Animals gathered: 53 (Studs 22, Mares 22, Foals 9)
Mares treated with fertility control: 25
Animals shipped: Shipped 165 (Studs 61, Mares 65, Foals 39)
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 3
Deaths:
9/26/2018, 5-year-old, Mare, Sorel, BCS-3, humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, rear leg injury
9/26/2018, 20-year-old, Mare, Albino, BCS-3, humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, blind, inherently dangerous
9/26/2018, 6-year-old, Mare, Albino, BCS-2, humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, blind, inherently dangerous
September 25, 2018
Summary: Gather operations began today under sunny skies with temperatures in the mid 70's. Horses were shipped today.
Animals gathered: 215 (Studs 79, Mares 94, Foals 42)
9/25: two animals euthanized at trap were not listed at gathered (1 Stud and 1 Foal)
Mares treated with fertility control: 0
Animals shipped: Shipped 82 (Studs 37, Mares 23, Foals 22)
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 8
Deaths:
9/25/2018: 6-year old Stud, Bay, BCS 3.5, humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, hernia
9/25/2018: 6-year old Stud, Albino, BCS 3, humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, blind, inherently dangerous
9/25/2018: 4-year old Stud, Albino, BCS 3, humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, blind, inherently dangerous
9/25/2018: 7-year old Stud, Albino, BCS 3, humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, blind, inherently dangerous
9/25/2018: 5-year old Stud, Albino, BCS 3, humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, blind, inherently dangerous
9/25/2018: 7-year old Mare, Albino, BCS 3, humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, blind, inherently dangerous
9/25/2018: Foal (Filly), Red Roan, BCS 2.5, humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, right front leg injury.
9/25/2018: 3-year-old, Bay stud, BCS 2 humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, right, rear leg injury.
September 24, 2018
Summary: Gather operations began today under sunny skies with temperatures in the low 70's. Horses were shipped today.
Animals gathered: 153 (Studs 70, Mares 63, Foals 20)
Mares treated with fertility control: 0
Animals shipped: 110 (Studs 84, Mares 26, Foals 0)
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 5
Deaths:
8-year-old, Bay, stud, BCS 3-4, was humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, fetlocks.
6-year-old, Sorel, stud, BCS 3-4, was humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, hernia.
6-year-old, Bay, mare, BCS 3-4, was humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, hernia.
12-year-old, Black, stud, BCS 3-4, was humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, fetlocks.
17-year-old, Buckskin, stud, BCS 3-4, was humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, inherently dangerous.
September 23, 2018
Summary: Gather operations began today under partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the mid70's. Horses were shipped today.
Animals gathered: 32 (Studs 20, Mares 9, Foals 3)
Mares treated with fertility control: 0
Animals shipped: 129 (Studs 36, Mares 54, Foals 39)
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 2
Deaths:
8-year-old, Sorel, mare, BCS 3.5, was humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, blindness.
10-year-old, Bay, stud, BCS 3.5, was humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, blindness.
September 22, 2018
Summary: Gather operations began today under sunny skies with temperatures in the mid 80's, the wind did pick up in the afternoon. Horses were shipped today.
Animals gathered: 178 (Studs 67, Mares 73, Foals 38)
Mares treated with fertility control: 0
Animals shipped: 174 (Studs 25, Mares 104, Foals 45)
CORRECTION for shipping on 9/22 – we shipped 104 mares, not 102
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 3
Deaths:
7-year-old, bay, stud, BCS 3, was humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, serious physical defect.
1- Foal, bay, BCS 3, was humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, serious physical defect.
1- Foal, bay, BCS 3, was humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to a hopeless prognosis for recovery due to pre-existing condition, serious physical defect.
September 21, 2018
Summary: Gather operations began today under sunny skies with temperatures in the low 80's and a slight breeze of 7 mph from the SW. No horses were shipped today.
Animals gathered: 223 (Studs 75, Mares 104, Foals 44)
Mares treated with fertility control: 0
Animals shipped: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
- Veterinary Reports
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