2021 Emergency Sand Wash Basin Wild Horse Gather
The Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area Emergency Gather has concluded.
The Bureau of Land Management's Northwest District, Little Snake Field Office (LSFO) will begin an emergency wild horse gather on/about September 1 on the Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area (HMA) located about 45 miles west of Craig in Moffat County.
Purpose of Gather:
This emergency gather prevents impacts to wild horses and the environment due to exceptional drought and lack of forage. The gather will also allow the BLM to proactively implement population contraception to slow population growth, maintain population size within the appropriate management level (AML), or the number of horses the range can sustainably support in conjunction with other animals and resource uses, and to reduce the number of wild horses that need to be removed from this HMA in the long term in order to sustain a healthy population and a thriving natural ecological balance with multiple-use relationships on public lands consistent with the provisions of Section 1333(b) of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses/burros and Burros Act.
Details of Gather:
The BLM will conduct gather operations by using drive trapping which has been proven effective and humane. The BLM and the contractor will do everything they can to ensure wild horses are treated humanely. All operations will comply with the BLM’s Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program.
Public Observation:
SEE OBSERVATION PROTOCOL
When possible, the media and public will be allowed to observe the gather when safety requirements have been fulfilled and without negatively impacting the agency’s ability to gather wild horses on a first come, first serve basis. Public viewing locations will be selected by the BLM and will be based on the safety for employees, public, wild horses and operations. All interested parties that want to view the gather operations will be accompanied by BLM Public Affairs Officer and Law Enforcement Officer. The BLM has established a Sand Wash Basin HMA Information Line for viewing opportunities at 970-673-7768. You must call ahead by 8 p.m. Mountain Time the previous day to let us know of your planned attendance.
Notice on the days where no viewing opportunities exists will likely be given on short notice -- perhaps the day before or the morning of the gather. It is recommended that you plan on being present for consecutive days to maximize viewing opportunities. You may attend multiple, consecutive observation days as long as you are within the first come, first served maximum (if one is set).
Drive trapping overview:
- One or more temporary corrals will be established to create a holding area.
- Temporary wings are then established funneling wild horses into the temporary corral(s). These locations are generally selected to coincide with already established roads or trails that wild horses are likely to follow naturally.
- Drive trapping guides wild horses utilizing a pressure and release method to herd wild horses toward the trap area; wild horses are grouped together and slowly moved toward the trap at a pace of the slowest wild horse.
- Once wild horses reach the wings, a domestic horse, also known as a Prada, Judas, or guide horse is released to encourage the wild horses to follow it into the trap. The helicopter will also drop in elevation and get only close enough to encourage the wild horses to continue to move toward the corral. (The wild horses often begin running at this point, which is also the point they typically come into view of any observers, which can lead to the impression the wild horses were “on the run” the whole time.)
- Once the wild horses are in the corral, the gate is shut to capture the wild horses in the small corral.
- Once enough wild horses are gathered at the trap, wild horses will be transported to a temporary holding corral either by trucks, stock trailers, or on semi-trucks depending on the number of wild horses being gathered.
- Once at holding, wild horses would be separated by age and sex into the appropriate pens within holding. These pens may consist of wet mares/foals, dry mares, studs, young mares, young studs, and animals that may be released after gather operations have been completed.
The BLM plans to gather approximately 783 excess wild horses, removing approximately 733 wild horses for future adoption or sale, and returning approximately 50 wild horses back onto the HMA. Approximately 25 mares will receive fertility control before being returned to the HMA. The gather is expected to last approximately 14-25 days.
Adoption Information:
The wild horses from this gather will be made available for adoption though the Canon City facility once we have removed our target number or have enough wild horses available for adoptions. Horses may also be available through other adoptions or training programs. We will post adoption events on our local BLM and national program web pages and alert local media.
The Adoption Incentive Program provides up to $1,000 to adopt an untrained wild horse or burro from the BLM. The goal of the program is to reduce BLM’s recurring costs to care for unadopted and untrained wild horses and burros while helping to enable the BLM to confront a growing over-population of wild horses and burros on fragile public rangelands. For more information on the Adoption Incentive Program, visit https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro/adoptions-and-sales/adoption-incentive-program.
A new Online Corral website provides opportunities to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro on the Internet and have them delivered to a pick-up location near you.
Background:
The Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area (HMA) located about 45 miles west of Craig in Moffat County. The Sand Wash Basin HMA is about 158,000 acres – about 155,000 acres of public land, 2,000 acres of private land, and 840 acres of state land. There are an estimated 896 wild horses in and around the Sand Wash Basin HMA – approximately 746 wild horses within the HMA and 150 excess wild horses outside the HMA. The Appropriate Management Level (AML) for the HMA is between 163 and 362 wild horses.
Additional gather operations may take place in areas outside the HMA on public, state, and/or private lands where wild horses have moved in search of food and water. This management action is intended to prevent starvation and dehydration of wild horses due to exceptional drought that has further limited forage production and water resources.
Gather Numbers by Day:
Sunday, September 12
Summary: Today's gather operations began at 7 a.m. and went through 3 p.m. The weather in the Sand Wash Basin was sunny, with a high near 81. There were 17 wild horses gathered.
Animals Gathered: 17 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- PZP: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- IUD: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
- Overview: Gather operations concluded today.
Sunday, September 12
Saturday, September 11
Summary: Today's gather operations began at 7 a.m. and went through 3 p.m. The weather in the Sand Wash Basin was sunny, with a high near 91. There were 18 wild horses gathered.
Animals Gathered: 18 (5 Stallions, 9 Mares, and 4 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 33 (19 Stallions, 8 Mares, and 6 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- PZP: 25 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- PZP-22: (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- IUD: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
Animals Released: 52 (24 Stallions, 28 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals) *see overview
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
- Overview: Today, 49 horses were released back into the Sand Wash Herd Management Area (24 Stallions and 25 Mares), 3 Mares were transported and released in the Spring Creek Herd Management Area in Southwest Colorado.
Saturday, September 11
Friday, September 10
Summary: Today's gather operations began at 7 a.m. and went through 1 p.m. The weather in the Sand Wash Basin was sunny, with a high near 91. There were 18 wild horses gathered.
Animals Gathered: 18 (4 Stallions, 8 Mares, and 6 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 38 (12 Stallions, 14 Mares, and 12 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- PZP: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- IUD: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
- Overview:
Friday, September 10
Thursday, September 9
Summary: Today's gather operations began at 7 a.m. and went through 3 p.m. The weather in the Sand Wash Basin was sunny, with a high near 89. There were 23 wild horses gathered.
Animals Gathered: 23 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 114 (36 Stallions, 60 Mares, and 18 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- PZP: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- IUD: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
- Overview:
Thursday, September 9
Wednesday, September 8
Summary: Today's gather operations began at 9 a.m. and went through 2 p.m. The weather in the Sand Wash Basin was sunny, with a high near 92. There were 107 wild horses gathered.
Animals Gathered: 107 (49 Stallions, 47 Mares, and 11 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 36 (12 Stallions, 24 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- PZP: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- IUD: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 1
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 1 (see overview)
- Overview: A colt near the trap site showing difficulties in movement and coordination. Assessment of the animal was made, determined that it had a pre-existing condition -- non gather related. It met with requirements in Program Instruction Memorandum 2021-007, Euthanasia of Wild Horses and Burros Related to Acts of Mercy, Health or Safety.
Wednesday, September 8
Tuesday, September 7
Summary: Today's gather operations began at 9 a.m. and went through 2 p.m. The weather in the Sand Wash Basin was sunny, with a high near 90. There were 79 wild horses gathered.
Animals Gathered: 79 (22 Stallions, 46 Mares, and 11 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 111 (36 Stallions, 61 Mares, and 14 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- PZP: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- IUD: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
- Overview:
Tuesday, September 7
Monday, September 6
Summary: Today's gather operations began at 8 a.m. and went through 2 p.m. The weather in the Sand Wash Basin was sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. There were 93 wild horses gathered.
Animals Gathered: 93 (26 Stallions, 55 Mares, and 12 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 115 (35 Stallions, 61 Mares, and 19 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- PZP: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- IUD: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
- Overview:
Monday, September 6
Sunday, September 5
Summary: Sundays gather operations began at 7:30 a.m. and went through 12:30 p.m. The weather in the Sand Wash Basin was sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. There were 122 wild horses gathered.
Animals Gathered: 122 (45 Stallions, 58 Mares, and 19 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 80 (36 Stallions, 28 Mares, and 16 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- PZP: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- IUD: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
- Overview:
Sunday, September 5
Saturday, September 4
Summary: Today's gather operations began at 7:30 a.m. and went through 12:30 p.m. The weather in the Sand Wash Basin was dry and breezy. The high was 85 degrees and the low was 40 degrees. There were 126 wild horses gathered -- 55 stallions, 60 mares and 11 foals.
Animals Gathered: 126 (55 Stallions, 60 Mares, and 11 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- PZP: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- IUD: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 1
- Sudden / Acute:
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 1 (see overview)
- Overview: Received a public report of a wild horse with a leg injury on the range. Assessment of the animal was made, determined that it had a pre-existing leg injury -- non gather related. It met with requirements in Program Instruction Memorandum 2021-007, Euthanasia of Wild Horses and Burros Related to Acts of Mercy, Health or Safety.
Saturday, September 4
Friday, September 3
Summary: Today's gather operations began at 9 a.m. and went through 1:30 p.m. The weather in the Sand Wash Basin was dry and breezy. The high was 81 degrees and the low was 41 degrees. There were 16 wild horses gathered -- 10 stallions, 4 mares and 2 foals.
Animals Gathered: 16 (10 Stallions, 4 Mares, and 2 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- PZP: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- IUD: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Deaths:
- Sudden / Acute:
- Pre-existing / Chronic:
- Overview:
Friday, September 3
Thursday, September 2
Summary: No gather operations were conducted September 2.
Animals Gathered: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 64 (21 Stallions, 32 Mares, and 11 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- PZP: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- IUD: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Deaths:
- Sudden / Acute:
- Pre-existing / Chronic:
- Overview:
Thursday, September 2
Wednesday, September 1
Summary: Today's gather operations began at 12 p.m. and went through 5:30 p.m. The weather in the Sand Wash Basin was overcast, cool, rain showers. The high was 54 degrees and the low was 45 degrees. There were 65 wild horses gathered -- 22 stallions, 32 mares and 11 foals.
Animals Gathered: 65 (22 Stallions, 32 Mares, and 11 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- PZP: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- IUD: 0 (0 Mares, 0 Jennies)
- Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
- Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, 0 Jacks, 0 Jennies)
Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 0 (0 Jacks, 0 Jennies and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute:
- Pre-existing / Chronic:
- Overview: One wild horse jumped out of the corral without incident. This resulted in 64 horses on hand/65 gathered.
Wednesday, September 1
