BLM resumes emergency gather of wild horses near Boone Spring

Organization:

Bureau of Land Management

BLM Office:

Wells Field Office

Media Contact:

ELKO, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Elko District, Wells Field Office is resuming the emergency wild horse gather that started on May 8 due to a lack of water for the horses on private land near Bonne Springs, approximately 40 miles southwest of Wendover.

The BLM has been monitoring the area since suspending the gather on May 12 to determine if additional horses would appear in the area, which they did. Today, the BLM resumed the gather operation of wild horses currently affected by the water issue in the area. The wild horses had been accustomed to getting water from a private well source on private land, however that water source no longer exists.  There are no known natural water sources in the area.

The Appropriate Management Level (AML) for the Antelope Valley Herd Management Area where the Boone Spring area resides is 155-259 adult wild horses. As of March 1, 2017, the BLM estimated the population at 1,320 wild horses (not including foals born this year).  During the May 8-12 operation, 71 horses were gathered and 70 horses were shipped to the Indian Lakes Facility in Fallon, Nevada. On May 12, a 13-year-old mare died at the gather location. Water is being used as a method to gather the horses.

Information on the gather is posted on BLM’s website at https://on.doi.gov/2pHdhix 


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.