2026 Red Desert Complex Herd Management Area Wild Horse Gather
During the gather, the BLM will temporarily close certain public lands within the HMA to public access. Please see Public Observation below.
Purpose of Gather:
This gather is being conducted to address significant wild horse overpopulation and protect rangeland health within the Antelope Hills, Crooks Mountain, Green Mountain, Lost Creek and Stewart Creek herd management areas.
The BLM plans to gather approximately 1,035 horses from the Stewart Creek and Green Mountain herd management areas during this fall’s operations, as part of approximately 1,800 horses planned to be gathered across the Red Desert Complex to help return herd sizes to sustainable levels.
Recent infrared aerial surveys confirm wild horse numbers far exceed the established appropriate management level of 480 to 720 horses within the Red Desert Complex.
Without active management, wild horse herds can double in size every four to five years. Chronic overpopulation places horses and rangeland resources at risk as forage and water become scarce. Overpopulation can lead to starvation, thirst and injuries as horses search for limited resources, while also contributing to habitat degradation, reduced forage availability for other wildlife and long-term resource damage.
Details of Gather:
The planned gather will begin in fall 2026 within Wyoming's Red Desert Complex, which encompasses nearly 752,694 acres of mostly BLM-managed public land intermingled with private lands.
The BLM will use a combination of incremental gathers and ongoing fertility control treatments to achieve and maintain healthy wild horse populations and rangelands. During gather operations, staff plan to treat a percentage of the gathered mares with fertility control and release them back to the range.
BLM Staff and contractors will conduct gather operations in accordance with the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program, which outlines science-based, humane handling requirements designed to safeguard wild horse health and safety. During gather operations, helicopter pilots and ground crews maintain a controlled approach to keep horses together and moving at a safe pace. Special caution is given to compromised animals, including foals and older animals. Upon arrival at designated holding facilities, the horses will be checked by a veterinarian and readied for the agency’s wild horse Adoption and Sales programs.
Public Observation:
The public is welcome to observe gather operations as conditions allow and when dates are available.
BLM's top priority is the safety of the public, the horses, BLM employees, contractors, and gather crews throughout gather operations.
Public viewing will be offered at locations that provide a safe environment for the horses, the public, BLM employees, contractors, and gather crews. Federal Aviation Administration requirements, weather, and gather operations will determine the location and availability of observation sites.
Observation is available by reservation only and is limited to 10-15 people per viewing day. Reservations will be accepted by email only at BLM_WY_Comms@blm.gov. Requests must be submitted no later than 12 p.m. the day prior to the public viewing day you wish to attend. In your reservation request, please state which calendar day(s) you prefer to attend so we can accommodate as many people as possible. Phone and voicemail reservations will not be accepted.
Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis according to the date and time the email is received. Individuals may request more than one viewing day; however, priority will be given to those who have not yet attended. Once everyone interested has had an opportunity to observe the gather, additional reservations may be accommodated as space allows.
Reservation Cancellations: Due to limited viewing capacity, we ask that participants register only for dates they intend to attend. If you have a confirmed reservation and can no longer attend, please notify the BLM as soon as possible at BLM_WY_Comms@blm.gov so your space may be offered to another interested observer.
Participants must receive confirmation before attending. A BLM representative will contact confirmed participants the day before their scheduled visit with meeting times, locations, and additional instructions.
The BLM will escort the public to gather observation sites located on public lands. Participants must provide their own transportation, water and food. The BLM recommends a four-wheel drive, high clearance vehicle.
Viewing opportunities may change or be canceled on short notice because of weather, changing gather locations, safety concerns, or operational needs.
Temporary Holding
The temporary holding facility for the Red Desert Complex gather is located on private property selected by the gather contractor. The landowners accommodated public observation at temporary holding during the first three days of gather operations. Due to ongoing activities on the private property, public observation at temporary holding is no longer available. To help keep the public informed, BLM public affairs staff continue to document temporary holding operations and share photographs at least three days each week through the BLM WY Flickr: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjD7YKm.
Additional Information
- BLM National Gather Observation Protocol
- Know Before You Go
- Oct. 15 Temporary Public Lands Closure in Effect (until further notice)
- Lander Field Office
- Rawlins Field Office
Adoption Information:
All removed horses will be transported to an off-range holding facility located in Wheatland, Wyoming.* Upon arrival at the facility, they will be checked by a veterinarian and readied for the agency’s wild horse adoption and sale program. Please visit the BLM’s website at https://www.blm.gov/whb to learn more about adopting a wild horse or burro. If you're interested in volunteering, learn more here: Volunteering | Bureau of Land Management.
*updated
Background:
The Red Desert Complex includes the Antelope Hills, Crooks Mountain, Green Mountain, Lost Creek and Stewart Creek herd management areas and encompasses nearly 752,694 acres of mostly BLM-managed public land intermingled with private lands. The complex supports wild horses alongside native wildlife, livestock grazing and other uses.
The BLM manages wild horses under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act while balancing other authorized public land uses, including wildlife habitat, livestock grazing, recreation, and energy development. Maintaining healthy horse populations within established management levels helps sustain healthy rangelands for all species that depend on them.
Additional information about the Red Desert Complex gather plan, including decision records and the environmental assessment, is available through the BLM National NEPA Register.
- Daily Gather Reports
Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026
Summary: Sunny and breezy with temperatures reaching 55 degrees.
Animals Gathered: 21 (11 Stallions, 6 Mares, and 4 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 76 (37 Stallions, 39 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 1
- Sudden / Acute: 1
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
One 3-year-old mare with a Henneke body condition score of 3 died at the temporary holding facility. There was no clear cause of death.
Monday, Oct. 26, 2026
Summary: Sunny and breezy with temperatures reaching 56 degrees.
Animals Gathered: 122 (34 Stallions, 57 Mares, and 31 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 117 (0 Stallions, 37 Mares, and 80 Foals)
Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026
Summary: Partly cloudy, slight breeze with temperatures reaching 45 degrees.
Animals Gathered: 115 (48 Stallions, 44 Mares, and 23 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 79 (40 Stallions, 39 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 1
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 1
- 2-year-old bay filly humanely euthanized due to pre-existing condition - broken right front leg.
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026
Summary: Partly cloudy, slight breeze with temperatures reaching 35 degrees.
Animals Gathered: 109 (42 Stallions, 43 Mares, and 24 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 80 (40 Stallions, 40 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Friday, Oct. 23, 2026
Animals Shipped: 76 (36 Stallions, 40 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 4
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 4
- 3-year-old pinto mare humanely euthanized due to pre-existing condition - limb deformity.
- 20-year-old black stallion humanely euthanized due to pre-existing condition - abnormality, blind.
- 25-year-old black stallion humanely euthanized due to pre-existing condition - abnormality, blind.
- 9-year-old sorrel stallion humanely euthanized due to pre-existing condition - limb deformity.
Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026
Summary: Partly cloudy and breezy with temperatures reaching 60 degrees.
Animals Gathered: 147 (52 Stallions, 62* Mares, and 33 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 102 (40 Stallions, 13 Mares, and 49 Foals)
Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026
Summary: Partly cloudy, slight breeze, with temperatures reaching 70 degrees.
Animals Gathered: 53 (17 Stallions, 25 Mares, and 11 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 80 (40 Stallions, 40 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026
Summary: Partly cloudy, slight breeze, with temperatures reaching 70 degrees.
Animals Gathered: 180 (66 Stallions, 76 Mares, and 38 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 86 (13 Stallions, 48 Mares, and 25 Foals)
Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Monday, Oct. 19, 2026Summary: Partly cloudy, slight breeze, with temperatures reaching 48 degrees.
Animals Gathered: 120 (44 Stallions, 49 Mares, and 27 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 37 (15 Stallions, 15 Mares, and 7 Foals)
Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 4
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 4
- 8-year-old gray stallion humanely euthanized due to pre-existing condition - deformity, right knee break.
- 2-year-old cremello mare humanely euthanized due to pre-existing condition - abnormality, blind.
- Foal cremello filly humanely euthanized due to pre-existing condition - abnormality, blind.
- Foal cremello colt humanely euthanized due to pre-existing condition - abnormality, blind.
Information about the three cremello horses euthanized Oct. 19.
BLM policy establishes procedures for euthanasia only when the agency determines an appropriate end-of-life action is needed for mercy, health or safety. You can read the full policy on our website. The policy lists permanent blindness as a condition that may justify euthanasia, particularly:
- Blindness in both eyes.
- Blindness in one eye when it involves an injury or condition requiring treatment.
- Blindness in one eye when the horse has not adjusted well to it.
The three euthanized cremellos were members of a herd of five cremellos. All three were completely blind, with no reaction to movement toward their face and eyes. The BLM made this decision based on their lack of eyesight, not their pigment. One cremello in the group appeared to have normal vision, and one appeared to have partly impaired vision; these two were transported to our holding facility at Wheatland.
The BLM staff and contractors working this gather have decades of experience with wild and domestic horses and are qualified to identify blindness and other health conditions in accordance with the policy linked above. During gathers, the BLM also has veterinarians on call in case there are any questionable health identifications. Agency decisions are based on the health and safety of wild horses, BLM staff, contractors, and potential future adopters.
- Reference for the WHB Euthanasia Guide
- Euthanasia of Wild Horses and Burros Related to Acts of Mercy, Health or Safety. | Bureau of Land Management
Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026
Summary: Partly cloudy with a breeze, temperatures reaching 60 degrees.
Animals Gathered: 35 (13 Stallions, 15 Mares, and 7 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 40 (40 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026
Summary: Sunny and windy with temperatures reaching 63 degrees.
Animals Gathered: 0
Animals Shipped: 87 (0 Stallions, 58 Mares, and 29 Foals)
Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 2
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 2
- Foal pinto filly humanely euthanized due to pre-existing condition - limb deformity, unable to maintain or improve.
- 4-year-old pinto stallion humanely euthanized due to pre-existing condition - club foot.
Friday, Oct. 16, 2026
Summary: Sunny and breezy with temperatures ranging from upper 20s to low 50s during gather operations.
Animals Gathered: 132 (44 Stallions, 58 Mares, and 30* Foals)
Animals Shipped: 0
Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 1
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 1
- Yearling pinto stallion humanely euthanized due to pre-existing condition - limb deformity, unable to maintain or improve.
*updated
Gather Status
As of Oct. 27, 2026
*Updates will be posted by 10 a.m. MST the day after operations
Animals Gathered: 1,035
1,035 Wild Horses (372 Stallions, 435 Mares, and 228 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 860
860 Wild Horses (301 Stallions, 369 Mares, and 190 Foals)
Animals Released:
0 Wild Horses (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 13
-Sudden / Acute: 1
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 12
Scroll to the bottom of this gather page for detailed “Daily Gather Reports"