2025 North Hills JMA Wild Horse Emergency Gather
Purpose of Gather:
The BLM and USFS plans to take emergency actions to gather wild horses impacted by drought-stricken areas located within the North Hills Joint Management Area (JMA) on or around Aug. 18. Gather operations will utilize temporary bait and water traps consisting of a series of corral panels enticed with water and/or forage; no helicopter will be used.
The gather will help balance the number of horses to what the rangeland can sustainably support, due to severe drought conditions. The agencies plan to gather approximately 120 wild horses focusing on areas where water is limited, and animals are showing signs of dehydration and stress. The North Hills JMA is located west of Enterprise and is jointly managed by the BLM and U.S. Forest Service.
Details of Gather:
Horses removed from the range will be transported initially to the Cedar City wild horse corrals where they will be inspected and cared for to improve their condition. They will then be transported to the Sutherland Wild Horse Contract Off-Range Corral in Sutherland, Utah, or assigned USFS wild horse corrals where upon arrival they will be checked by a veterinarian and readied for the BLM or USFS’s Wild Horse and Burro Adoption and Sales Programs.
Public Observation:
To protect the safety and well-being of the wild horses and ensure the effectiveness of gather operations, only essential personnel will be allowed at trap sites. Wild horses are naturally hesitant to approach bait and water traps when there is excessive activity in the area, so limiting access helps reduce stress and increase gather success.
The BLM and USFS’s priority are to conduct safe, efficient wild horse gathers with a focus on humane care and treatment. Using the best available science and handling practices, the BLM and USFS personnel conducting this action will meet gather goals in line with their Comprehensive Animal Welfare Policy.
Adoption Information:
All excess wild horses identified for removal will be transported to the Sutherland Wild Horse Contract Off-Range Corral in Sutherland, Utah, or assigned USFS wild horse corrals where upon arrival they will be checked by a veterinarian and readied for the BLM or USFS’s Wild Horse and Burro Adoption and Sales Programs. For information on how to adopt or purchase a wild burro, visit the Wild Horse and Burro Program page.
Background:
The herd’s lineage is based in ranching and mining stock and their size and colors vary. Most are bays, sorrels and brown, but there are pintos, buckskins and roans becoming more common in recent years.
Location
The North Hills HMA is managed in cooperation with the United States Forest Service (USFS) – Dixie National Forest, Pine Valley Ranger District’s North Hills Wild Horse Territory. Together, the combined area is referred to as the North Hills Wild Horse Joint Management Area (JMA). The JMA is located in Iron and Washington Counties, about 2 miles northwest from Enterprise, Utah.
Size and AML
The Appropriate Management Level (AML) for the North Hills JMA is 40-60 wild horses. The JMA contains 50,127 acres of BLM lands, 24,006 Forest Service lands and 10,511 acres of State-, and privately-owned land for a total of 84,600 acres, located two miles northwest of Enterprise, Utah, and is jointly managed by the BLM and U.S. Forest Service.
Topography/Vegetation
The JMA averages 5,500-6,000+ feet in elevation and supports vegetation types of big sagebrush and pinyon and juniper trees. The pinyon and juniper trees dominate the area and is very dense with minimal under story forage. Open areas outside of the pinyon and juniper canopy are dominated by big sagebrush with Indian rice grass and needle-and-thread grass as the primary forage species. There are also warm season grasses which supplement these cool season species.
The JMA has one reliable summer water source (Nephi Spring), which is located on the south boundary of the JMA (on USFS administered land). The water is a spring source with abundant water flow. Nephi Spring is located in a canyon with rocky outcrops along the north side and a vegetation jumble of pinyon/juniper, big sagebrush, and riparian vegetation such as cottonwood and willow. The riparian area is heavily trampled and over grazed with non-riparian vegetation encroaching. Animal distribution to other portions of the JMA is hampered by topography and vegetative cover types. Scattered ponds exist throughout the JMA occasionally providing water to the horses. These ponds rely on large thunderstorms or heavy winter run-off to provide water and are not reliable from month to month. A few wells are located on state and private lands that provide water when livestock are in those areas.
Wildlife
The area is identified as substantial mule deer winter range. Elk have been known to use the JMA but are very few in number. The HMA is also known to be home to kit fox, badger, coyotes, blue grouse and other small game animals.
- Daily Gather Reports
Monday, August 18, 2025
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
This gather will begin on August 18, 2025.
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
Scroll to the bottom of this gather page for detailed “Daily Gather Reports."