BLM to begin wild horse gather in Wyoming’s White Mountain area
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ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — The Bureau of Land Management will begin a wild horse gather on or after Aug. 15, 2024, in southwest Wyoming’s White Mountain Herd Management Area. The gather is being conducted to prevent further deterioration of land health due to wild horse overpopulation in the area.
The White Mountain HMA’s appropriate management level (AML) is 205-300 wild horses. BLM completed a population survey for the HMA in 2022 and found 549 wild horses present on the HMA at that time. Considering an estimated annual growth rate of 20%, the estimated number of wild horses within this HMA in 2024 is 791 animals. The BLM aims to gather approximately 586 wild horses to bring the HMA down to low AML.
Chronic wild horse overpopulation in fragile ecosystems endangers overall land health, with the possibility of permanent, irrecoverable damage to important resources and impacts to other wildlife populations. The gather is also necessary to remove animals from private lands and areas not designated for their long-term use. This decision record comes after receiving public input in February 2024.
All removed horses will be transported to the Wheatland Off-Range Corral or Rock Springs Wild Horse Holding Facility. Upon arrival to either facility, they will be checked by a veterinarian and readied for the agency’s wild horse Adoption and Sales programs. BLM staff and contractors will use the best available science and handling practices for wild horses while meeting overall gather goals and objectives in accordance with the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program.
Once the gather is underway, the BLM will post daily gather reports and additional information on its 2024 White Mountain Complex Gather webpage.
Opportunities are available for the public to observe 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. Participants must provide their own transportation, water and food. The BLM recommends a four-wheel drive, high clearance vehicle. Those interested in observing the gather must notify the BLM Wyoming State Office Public Affairs at BLM_WY_912@blm.gov.
To learn more about the BLM's Wild Horse and Burro Program and adopting a Wyoming wild horse, please visit blm.gov/whb or contact the national information center at 866-486-7826 or wildhorse@blm.gov.
For technical information, please contact BLM Wild Horse and Burro Specialist Jay D'Ewart at (307) 352-0331. For all other questions, please contact BLM Wyoming State Office Public Affairs at BLM_WY_912@blm.gov.
-BLM-
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.