2011 White Mountain and Little Colorado Wild Horse Gather
Purpose of Gather:
To reduce overpopulation of wild horses and achieve appropriate management level.
Details of Gather:
This was a helicopter-assisted gather. The estimated population in the White Mountain/Little Colorado herd management areas (HMAs) is currently 970 wild horses. This figure is based on April 2010 census flights, adjusted for two years’ foal crop, and 14 percent unobserved wild horses. There are approximately 696 excess mustangs above the low appropriate management level in the White Mountain/Little Colorado HMAs.
Roughly 177 wild horses will be returned to the combined HMAs. It is estimated the ungathered wild horse population in these HMAs is approximately 10 percent, or 66 wild horses in White Mountain, and 31 wild horses in Little Colorado, which consist of an assumed sex ratio of 50 percent stallions and 50 percent mares.
Public Observation:
If interested in watching the gather, please contact Serena Baker, sbaker@blm.gov, to be added to the anticipated visitors’ log. Only individuals listed on the visitors’ log will be contacted with daily viewing sites, times, and meeting locations. Email contact is requested as cell phone service is spotty in the HMAs.
The White Mountain/Little Colorado HMAs are in rugged and remote areas. Safety is our first priority and BLM staff will be available each public observation day to escort you into areas where you can safely view gather operations. We are providing the following information for your safety so you can be prepared for your visit.
Adoption Information:
Most of these horses will be available for adoption at the Rock Springs Corrals, the Mantle Wild Horse Facility, the Wyoming Honor Farm, and through the BLM's Internet adoption. The remaining horses will be sent to long term pastures in the Midwest.
Background:
Approximately 40-60 mares will be treated with the fertility-control vaccine Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP) and released back into the HMAs.
Approximately 274 wild horses will remain in the White Mountain/Little Colorado, which is the appropriate management level (AML) for these HMAs. AML is the point at which the herd’s population is consistent with the land’s capacity to support wild horses in balance with other public rangeland uses and resources.
- Daily Gather Reports
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Saturday, August 20
Summary: No horses were gathered today. The contractor set up traps, holding pens, and facilities to prepare for gather operations tomorrow. The holding corral and trap were both located on Private land, and a public viewing area was established on Public Land. Weather conditions were mostly sunny today with a few scattered thundershowers and highs in the 80’s.
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 0
Total Deaths Today: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0Sunday, August 21
Summary: Gather operations commenced this morning. All traps and facilities are in place and ready for the gather. We used one helicopter for gather operations today. There were a total of 73 horses gathered today which included 33 Studs, 29 Mares, and 11 colts. One stud was released back into the HMA as a result of the horse jumping out of the corral. Weather conditions were favorable for today’s operations with highs in the 80’s and only a few isolated thundershowers.
Animals gathered: 73
Animals shipped: 0
Total Deaths Today: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0Monday, August 22
Summary: Gather operations commenced this morning around the Alkali Draw Trap. All traps and facilities are in place and ready for this area. We used one helicopter for gather operations today. There were a total of 120 horses gathered today which included 44 Studs, 54 Mares, and 22 colts. Two semi loads of horses (47 head) that were being held at the temporary holding corrals near Eden were transported to the Rock Springs corrals today. Weather conditions were favorable for today’s operations with temperatures ranging from the low 60’s to the high 80’s, and only a few isolated thundershowers.
Animals gathered: 120
Animals shipped: 47
Total Deaths Today: 1
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 1** One 25 year old stud that was gathered yesterday was in very poor condition with a lame front leg, as a result of an old injury. After the APHIS veterinarian was consulted and the BLM protocol was followed, the horse was euthanized.
Tuesday, August 23
Summary: Gather operations commenced this morning around the Alkali Draw Trap. We used one helicopter for gather operations today. There were a total of 71 horses gathered today which included 33 Studs, 27 Mares, and 11 colts. Two semi loads of horses (85 head) that were being held at the temporary holding corrals near Eden were transported to the Rock Springs corrals today. Weather conditions were favorable for today’s operations with temperatures ranging from the low 60’s to the high 80’s.
Animals gathered: 71
Animals shipped: 85
Total Deaths Today: 2
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 2** One brown and white pinto stud horse that was gathered on 8/22/11had a pre-existing chronic right front leg injury. The horse was euthanized following the BLM protocol. A black and white mare that was gathered on 8/22/11 had two clubbed front feet. The horse was euthanized following the BLM protocol. The APHIS veterinarian was consulted in both cases.
Wednesday, August 24
Summary: Gather operations continued today in the Alkali Draw area. We used two helicopters for gather operations today. There were a total of 91 horses gathered today which included 35 Studs, 38 Mares, and 18 colts. One semi load of horses (32 head) that were being held at the temporary holding corrals near Eden were transported to the Rock Springs corrals today. Weather conditions were favorable for today’s operations with temperatures ranging from the low 60’s to the high 80’s.
Animals gathered: 91
Animals shipped: 32
Total Deaths Today: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0Thursday, August 25
Summary: Gather operations continued today in the Alkali Draw area. We used two helicopters for gather operations today. There were a total of 44 horses gathered today which included 16 Studs, 18 Mares, and 10 colts. One semi load of stud horses (37 head) that were being held at the temporary holding corrals near Eden were transported to Gunnison, Utah and two loads (42 head) were transported to the Rock Springs corrals today. Weather conditions were favorable for today’s operations with temperatures ranging from the low 60’s to the high 80’s.
Animals gathered: 44
Animals shipped: 79
Total Deaths Today: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0Friday, August 26
Summary: Gather operations commenced in the Pilot Butte area today. The Alkali Draw Trap was moved to the Pilot Butte area and Trap #3 is now the South Pilot Butte Trap. We used two helicopters for gather operations today. There were a total of 76 horses gathered today which included 29 Studs, 35 Mares, and 12 colts. Two loads of horses (62 head) that were being held at the temporary holding corrals near Eden were transported to the Rock Springs corrals today. Weather conditions were favorable for today’s operations with temperatures ranging from the low 60’s to the high 80’s.
Animals gathered: 76
Animals shipped: 62
Total Deaths Today: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0Saturday, August 27
Summary: Gather operations commenced in the Northeast area of the Little Colorado HMA today. The Boundary Trap was set up and will be trap #4. We used one helicopter for gather operations today. There were a total of 30 horses gathered today which included 20 Studs, 7 Mares, and 3 colts. Weather conditions were favorable for today’s operations with temperatures ranging from the low 60’s to the high 80’s. Tomorrow an undetermined number of horses will be treated with PZP and will be released back into the White Mountain HMA.
Animals gathered: 30
Animals shipped: 0
Total Deaths Today: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0Sunday, August 28
Summary: Gather operations commenced just outside (northeast) of the Little Colorado HMA. We used one helicopter for gather operations today. There were a total of 36 horses gathered today which included 9 Studs, 17 Mares, and 10 colts. Weather conditions were favorable for today’s operations with temperatures ranging from the low 60’s to the high 80’s. Today there were 52 Mares treated with PZP and released back into the White Mountain HMA. There were also 94 studs released into the White Mountain HMA. With this release we are now estimated to be within the low AML range for this HMA.
Animals gathered: 36
Animals shipped: 1 (mare shipped to RS facility to have vet inspection.)
Total Deaths Today: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0Monday, August 29
Summary: Gather operations commenced this morning in the 12 Mile area of the Little Colorado HMA. We used two helicopters for gather operations today. There were a total of 126 horses gathered today which included 51 Studs, 52 Mares, and 23 colts. Weather conditions were favorable for today’s operations with temperatures ranging from the low 60’s to the high 80’s. Two loads of horses (59 head) that were being held at the temporary holding corrals near Eden were transported to the Rock Springs corrals today. Two studs were released back into the HMA as a result of the horses not being able to load in the semi and gather personnel did not want to put undue stress on the animals.
Animals gathered: 126
Animals shipped: 59
Total Deaths Today: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0Tuesday, August 30
Summary: Gather operations commenced this morning in the 12 Mile area of the Little Colorado HMA. We used two helicopters for gather operations today. There were a total of 32 horses gathered today which included 12 Studs, 14 Mares, and 6 colts. Weather conditions were favorable for today’s operations with temperatures ranging from the low 60’s to the mid 80’s. Two loads of horses (90 head) that were being held at the temporary holding corrals near Eden were transported to the Rock Springs corrals today. There were also 34 studs released into the Little Colorado HMA.
Animals gathered: 32
Animals shipped: 90
Total Deaths Today: 7
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 7** Six wild horses that were captured within the past five days had genetic defects (clubbed feet). One wild horse had a preexisting knee injury twisting the lower half of the leg and leaving the leg severely deformed. As a result these horses had limited ability to forage which made it difficult to maintain a healthy physical condition. These horses were euthanized following the BLM protocol. The APHIS veterinarian was consulted in all seven cases.
Wednesday, August 31
Summary: Gather operations have been completed for the White Mountain/Little Colorado gather. Today we finished up by treating 20 Mares with PZP and releasing them back into the Little Colorado HMA. There were also 2 studs released into the White Mountain HMA. With this release we are now estimated to be within the low AML range for White Mountain / Little Colorado HMA’s. We also transported the remaining horses (23 Head) that were being held at the temporary holding corrals near Eden to the Rock Springs corrals.
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 0
Total Deaths Today: 1
Acute: 1
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0* While the contractor was sorting and aging horses in the chute, one mare was fatally injured.
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A death labeled as "acute" is when an animal dies or is euthanized due to acute injuries or medical conditions brought about by the gather and removal process including those that occur during capture, sorting and holding at the gather site. This term will include animals that die for known or unknown reasons thought to be related to gather activities.
A death labeled as "chronic/pre-existing" is when an animal dies or is euthanized for reasons related to chronic or pre-existing conditions such as body condition, lameness, serious physical defects, etc. This term will include animals that are euthanized for conditions not brought about by the gather activity.
Gather Status
This gather was completed on August 31, 2011
Animals Gathered
699
Animals Returned to Home Range
205
Animal Deaths
11
*Includes non-gather related deaths. See details in "Gather Reports"
Scroll to the bottom of this gather page for detailed “Daily Gather Reports"