2026 Antelope Complex Wild Horse Gather
Purpose of Gather:
The purpose of the gather is to prevent undue or unnecessary degradation of the public lands associated with excess wild horses and to restore a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use 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 Northeastern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council.
Details of Gather:
The Antelope Complex consists of the Antelope, Antelope Valley, Goshute, and Spruce-Pequop Herd Management Areas (HMAs). The four HMAs are located about 50 miles southeast of Elko, Nevada, and consist of 1,183,340 acres of public and mixed private lands.
The Antelope Complex’s healthy, sustainable herd size is 437 to 789 wild horses, but the 2026 population is estimated to be nearly 4,362 wild horses within and just outside the complex; more than five times what the land can support. The BLM will gather and remove up to 1,400 excess wild horses from the Antelope Complex utilizing the helicopter drive trap method.
Public Observation:
Members of the public are welcome to view the gather operations on scheduled observation days, 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. Those wanting to view gather operations must RSVP to 775-753-0299 by 5 p.m. the day before the day they want to observe. They will then receive specific instructions on the next day’s meeting location and time by 9 p.m. Other than those public observation opportunities, the gather area will be temporarily closed to members of the public in accordance with 43 C.F.R. § 8364.1.
Adoption Information:
For information on how to adopt a wild horse, visit www.blm.gov/whb.
Background:
The Antelope HMA is managed by the Bristlecone Field Office; the Antelope Valley, Goshute and Spruce-Pequop HMAs are managed within the Elko District Office by the Wells Field Office. The Wood Hills Area, located outside the Spruce-Pequop HMA, is also part of the larger Antelope Complex.
The HMAs are typical of the Great Basin region, characterized by north-south trending mountain ranges. Elevations range from approximately 5,000 feet on the valley floors to 10,000-plus feet atop the mountain peaks. The climate is semi-arid with approximately 16-18 inches of precipitation per year at higher elevations, and approximately 5-7 inches at lower elevations. Most of this precipitation comes in the form of snow occurring primarily in the winter and spring, with the summers being quite dry. Temperatures range from greater than 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer months to minus 15 degrees or colder in the mountains in the winter. Due to the variance of topography, wild horses can be seen at different elevations throughout the year, but normally follow a pattern based on climatic and seasonal conditions.
- Daily Gather Reports
Saturday, November 14, 2026 (not yet started)
Summary:
Animals Gathered: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Gather Status
Gather operations slated to begin Saturday, November 14, 2026
Animals Gathered: 0 Wild Horses
(0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 0 Wild Horses
(0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Released: 0 Wild Horses
(0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 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"