2023 Hog Creek Wild Horse Gather
Purpose of Gather:
Our overall goal is for the range to achieve or maintain a thriving natural ecological balance. Heavy to severe wild horse grazing jeopardizes the health of rangelands, wetlands, wildlife habitats, and ultimately animal health and condition.
Details of Gather:
The Hog Creek Herd Management Area is located near Harper, Ore., in northern Malheur County. The Appropriate Management Level (AML) – the number of horses the range can sustainably support in conjunction with other animals and resource uses – for this area is 30 to 50 horses and the current population is 66.
An estimated 66 horses will be gathered. Of those, 30 will be released back to the HMA in order to maintain a diverse age structure and sex ratio. Additionally, released horses will be selected to preserve herd characteristics. Maximum effort will be undertaken to return released horses to the same general area they were gathered.
Fertility control treatments will be implemented for this gather because of the need to reduce population growth. Mares will be treated with Gonacon before being returned to the range. After the gather, approximately 30 horses will remain on the HMA.
Public Observation:
Any other information or notices, and twice per week gather reports, will be shared on this page.
Adoption Information:
Animals selected for removal from the range are transported to Oregon's Wild Horse Corral Facility in Hines to be prepared for adoption. For viewing, the public may visit the Corral Facility anytime between regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Federal holidays may fall during the regular work week. We recommend calling ahead to ensure the facility will be open during your visit.
Background:
The Hog Creek Herd Management Area is located approximately 8 miles west of Harper, Oregon. It is bordered on the south end by the Malheur River. The western boundary is comprised mostly of Hog Creek Ridge and the cliffs that drop off into the Hog Creek drainage.
The foothill portion of this HMA near the Malheur River Canyon is part of a larger area that was famous for ranchers raising horses for miners, packers, cavalry, and early settler in the 1860s and 1870s. The ranchers wintered their herds in this region. Today's horses in the HMA are offspring from these ranches and homesteads. The dominant horse colors are sorrel, bay, red roan, and black with a few palominos and buckskins. Adult horses weigh an average of 950-1050 pounds and stand between 14.2 and 15.2 hands. Maintaining genetic viability is important in small herds so horses from other herds with similar genetic characteristics have been periodically introduced.
- Daily Gather Reports
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Wednesday, August 23, 2023
Animals Gathered: 38 (18 Stallions, 18 Mares, and 2 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 24 (11 Stallions, 11 Mares, and 2 Foals)
Animals Returned to Home Range: 14
Animal Deaths: 0
Gather Status
This gather concluded Wednesday, August 23, 2023.
CUMULATIVE TOTALS
Animals Gathered: 38
Animals Shipped: 24
Animals Returned to Home Range: 14
Animal Deaths: 0
Scroll to the bottom of this gather page for detailed “Daily Gather Reports."