2016 Stone Cabin Wild Horse Gather
Gather Complete
9/4/16 - 10/4/16
Purpose of Gather:
The BLM's goal is to manage for healthy populations of wild horses within the Stone Cabin Herd Management Area (HMA) and ensure healthy rangelands. To accomplish these goals, the Tonopah Field Office (TFO) is proposing to conduct a wild horse gather to remove excess wild horse from the above mentioned HMA and apply fertility control (PZP-22) to a predetermined number of mares before returning them to the range. The BLM hopes to slow population and move closer towards Appropriate management level (AML) by removing excess horses, applying fertility control, and then returning at the appropriate time to readminister PZP treatments in the future.
Details of Gather:
Under the gather plan, about 325 wild horses will be gathered from within the Stone Cabin HMA. The proposed gather will be completed using a bait and water trap method. The BLM intends to return to these HMAs in 1-3 years to retreat mares to continue with population control activities as well as to remove excess wild horses. Approximately 115 excess wild horses, mostly weaned foals and yearlings, will be removed from the range. Approximately 210 of the captured wild horses will be released; of theses, about 100-110 will be mares treated with fertility control vaccine. The post gather population of the Stone Cabin HMA will be roughly 458 with an AML of 364.
Public Observation:
For the Stone Cabin Wild Horse Gather BLM is offering special field tours every Saturday while the gather is ongoing. On the tour a BLM staff member will be available to answer questions, show you around the holding corrals, and point out interesting facts that make this area and the horses who live here unique!
All Saturday Tours will begin at 10:00AM and are expected to last roughly one hour.
If you are interested in participating in a field tour you must first call 775-635-4054 and sign up by indicating which Saturday you will be available (if there is no answer please simply leave a voicemail with your contact information and what day you would like to take the tour). You must call to schedule a tour no later than the Wednesday prior to the Saturday you would like to come.
Adoption Information:
Excess wild horse removed from the range will be offered for adoption to qualified people through the BLM's Adopt-a-Horse Program. Approximately 20 weanlings and yearlings will be offered for a special on-site wild horse adoption to be held in conjunction with the gather at the Tonopah Fair Grounds on September 24th. Qualified adopters will have an opportunity to adopt a recently gathered wild horse that have been Coggins tested, dewormed, and vaccinated. All BLM adoption requirements apply. The adoption fee will be $125.00 and the adoption will be held via lottery drawing. BLM is excited to announce that a $100.00 gelding voucher will be available to those who adopt a colt! To receive the voucher you must complete and submit a voucher form, which will be available at the adoption event, along with a signed copy of a veterinarian's bill. The horses will be available for preview Friday September 23 from noon to 5:30 PM and September 24 from 8 AM to 10 AM. This unique adoption event will start at 10 AM on September 24th! For more information contact Shawna Richarson at 775-635-9642 or by email at s1richar@blm.gov
The remaining wild horses removed during the Stone Cabin Gather will be transported to BLM's wild horse facility in Ridgecrest CA where they will be prepared for adoption for qualified applicants. If you are interested in adopting directly from one of the BLM's holding facilities, please visit the agency's facilities page. For more information about the BLM's National Wild Horse and Burro program, please visithttp://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/whbprogram.html, or you may call 1-866-468-7826 with any questions about the BLM's Wild Horse and Burro Program.
Gather Reports
Sunday, September 4
Summary: Today was the first full day of the Stone Cabin Bait and Water Trap Gather. The Tonopah Field Office has been approved to gather a total of 325 horses during this operation, keep just back with us for daily updates!
Animals gathered: 15
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Monday, September 5
Summary: The gather started on September 3, 2016 and is progressing well. Weather conditions have been dry and windy with temperatures in the mid 70's.
Animals gathered: 6
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Tuesday, September 6
Summary: Keep checking this site for updates and new pictures and if you have not already told three friends about the adoption event on September 24th get on it!
Animals gathered: 57
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Wednesday, September 7
Summary: The gather is moving forward smoothly with the team getting close to the gather goal on the northern half of the Stone Cabin HMA. After the predetermined number of horses is gathered for the north side the contractor will administer fertility control and shift focus to the southern portion of Stone Cabin HMA.
Animals gathered: 24
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 2
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 2*
* 2 animals were gathered that had chronic/pre-existing heath issues. The first of these animals was gathered and identified as having septic arthritis (as determined by a veterinarian). The second had a genetic defect (severe club foot) that was badly affecting two feet. Both animals were euthanized.
Thursday, September 8
Summary: Gather operations are still progressing well with the total horses gathered coming in at 136.
Animals gathered: 34
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Friday, September 9
Summary: With 44 gathered the contractor is nearly ready to begin fertility control treatments (see the main gather webpage for details).
Animals gathered: 44
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Saturday, September 10
Summary: The water trapping continues and the gather team continues to select weanlings and yearlings for adoption.
Animals gathered: 12
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 2
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 2*
* One horse was gathered with a severe case of club foot (genetic defect) and was unable to walk. The second was gathered with a case of colic, was treated and started to show improvement before a swift decline in her condition. Both animals have been euthanized.
Sunday, September 11
Summary: Some days are just plain slow! Remember to check out the Adoption Event for the upcoming Stone Cabin Adoption event!
Animals gathered: 1
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Monday, September 12
Summary: Some days are just plain slow! Remember to check out the Adoption Event for the upcoming Stone Cabin Adoption event!
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 34
Total deaths today: 2
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 2*
* One animal was gathered with a pre-existing injury to the fetlock joint resulting in severe malformation of the hoof and joint. The second animal was a 10 year old stud observed on the range with severe lameness caused by a pre-existing injury to the right front knee. The decision was made to gather the animal so that it could be humanely euthanized.
Tuesday, September 13
Summary: BLM staff has enjoyed spending more time with the yearlings and weanlings that will be offered for adoption. The adoption horses will be examined by a veterinarian and be freezemarked by BLM staff on Thursday, September 15. BLM has uploaded new pictures to all three photo albums for both the adoption and gather operations.
Animals gathered: 5
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Wednesday, September 14
Summary: As the first portion of the Stone Cabin HMA wild horse gather is nearly complete the contractor has tentatively scheduled fertility control applications for Friday, September 16. Remember to check out the new photos of horses available for adoption!
Animals gathered: 6
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Thursday, September 15
Summary: The gather crew freezemarked all adoption horses!
Animals gathered: 4
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Friday, September 16
Summary: Gather operations for this portion of the Stone Cabin HMA have been completed. The team will move to the next area over the weekend. All adult mares selected to be released were first treated with fertility control. Genetic samples were taken from each adult horse released today and will be sent to a lab for testing.
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 24
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Saturday, September 17
Summary: The second portion of this gather is underway. We are currently at 208 out of the desired 325 gathered.
Animals gathered: 5
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Sunday, September 18
Summary: The gather team spent some of the day traveling the HMA to check on the horses that had been released 9/16. We have developed an adoption catalogue featuring all 20 horses that will be available for adoption that can be viewed here.
Animals gathered: 2
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Monday, September 19
Summary: The trapping continues in the Stone Cabin HMA. The team is now up to 223 horses gathered.
Animals gathered: 8
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Tuesday, September 20
Summary: The adoption horses were moved to the Tonopah Fairgrounds on 9/19. Cooler weather has trapping slowed down a bit but the gather team is still working hard to achieve the goal of 325 gathered.
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Wednesday, September 21
Summary: Gather operations are still moving slower due to cooler temperatures and competing water sources created by heavy rainfall. If you are interested in pictures of the gather, adoption horses, or just the horses on the range visit our photos page!
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Thursday, September 22
Summary: The shift in weather continues to slow gather operations. We do hope to see you at the Stone Cabin Adoption Event this Saturday, Sept 24!
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Friday, September 23
Summary: The gather operations continue while the BLM team is getting ready for the adoption event
Animals gathered: 10
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Saturday, September 24
Summary: The gather is still progress slow due to heavy rainfall. Expected to pick back up during the week of September 26.
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Sunday, September 25
Summary: Another successful day out on the range with 20 animals gathered today bringing the cumulative total to 243.
Animals gathered: 20
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Monday, September 26
Summary: Although the gather has slowed down due to weather the team still has a ton of work to do in preparing for fertility control applications and the shipping of animals.
Animals gathered:
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Tuesday, September 27
Summary: The pace of the gather has picked some with the weather shifting back to more dry conditions.
Animals gathered: 8
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Wednesday, September 28
Summary: Additional water sources outside the trapping areas continue to slow the number of animals gathered per day. Operations are still ongoing with the goal of 325 total gathered.
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Thursday, September 29
Summary: The contractor had an incredible successful day gathering 21 animals and bringing us that much closer to completing the project.
Animals gathered: 21
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Friday, September 30
Summary: As we head into the weekend the contractor is hoping that the weather will heat up and trapping will be more successful.
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Saturday, October 1
Summary: We have no updates on gather operations at this time.
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Sunday, October 2
Summary: Gather contractor is preparing gathered horses for shipping to the Ridgecrest facility.
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Monday, October 3
Summary: The Stone Cabin Wild Horse Gather is coming to a close. The gather contractor expects to be finishing fertility control applications and shipping of animals to the Ridgecrest facility over the next two days.
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
Tuesday, October 4
Summary: Operations for the Stone Cabin Wild Horse Gather have concluded. The gather contractor administered the final round of fertility control and shipped the animals designated for removal to the holding facility in Ridgecrest CA. If you have questions about this gather please contact Shawna Richardson at 775-635-4181.
Animals gathered:
Animals shipped: 0
Total deaths today: 0
Acute:
Chronic/Pre-existing:
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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.
Veterinary Reports
There are no veterinarian reports to display at this time.