FY 2025 Fish Creek Wild Horse Gather
Purpose of Gather:
The purpose of the gather is to prevent undue or unnecessary degradation of the public lands associated with excess wild horses, to restore a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationship on public lands, consistent with the provisions of Section 1333(b) of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. Removing excess animals would also enable significant progress toward achieving the Standards for Rangeland Health identified by the Northeastern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council.
The action is also necessary to reduce overpopulation of wild horses within and outside the Fish Creek HMA, where there currently are limited water resources to support the number of horses in the area, and to prevent further degradation of public lands by helping to balance herd size.
Details of Gather:
The BLM will utilize the services of a helicopter contractor to gather up to 196 wild horses and remove approximately 144 excess wild horses from the Fish Creek Herd Management Area. Up to 26 mares will be treated with population growth suppression vaccine PZP and released back to the range with about 26 stallions. During the gather, the BLM will collect information on herd characteristics and determine herd health.
The Gather is being conducted under the DOI-BLM-NV-B010-2025-0001-DNA 2025 Fish Creek Herd Management Area Wild Horse Gather and Population Management DNA and Decision signed Dec. 19, 2024. The Decision Record can be accessed at the national NEPA register at 2025 Fish Creek Herd Management Area Wild Horse Gather and Population Management.
Public Observation:
Members of the public are welcome to view the gather operations, provided that doing so does not jeopardize the safety of the animals, staff and observers, or disrupt gather operations. The BLM anticipates that viewing opportunities will begin on or about January 6, 2025, weather and logistics permitting. Please review the "Know Before You Go" and "Visitation Protocol and Ground Rules" documents, located on the right-hand side of this page, before planning to attend.
All media and/or visitors wanting to attend gather operations as an observer must RSVP to 775-931-3690 by 5:00 p.m. (Pacific). the night before the intended observation date. They will receive a call back no later than 9 p.m. with the observation schedule, meeting time and location. A Public Affairs Officer and/or a Law Enforcement Officer will meet the public each morning at the pre-determined meeting location, to escort the group to and from the gather observation and/or holding sites. Observers must provide their own transportation. The BLM recommends a four-wheel drive, high clearance vehicle with spare tires and extra can of gas.
Adoption Information:
Horses identified for removal will be transported to the Winnemucca Off Range Corral, located in Winnemucca, Nevada. Upon arrival at the facility, all animals will be checked by a Veterinarian and readied for the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Adoption and Sales Program. The facility is closed to the public, but the agency is planning to host a tour for the Winnemucca facility in Spring 2025 on a date to be determined. Once excess wild horses are prepared for adoption/sale animals may be shipped to adoption events or possible be offered on the online corral for adoption/sale. Those that are not placed into a new home will be cared for in off-range pastures, where they live off the rest of their lives on grass pastures.
Background:
The Fish Creek Herd Management Area (HMA) is located in Eureka County, Nevada on public lands administered by the Mount Lewis Field Office. The gather would be conducted within and outside of the HMA boundaries. The portion of the HMA south of U.S. Highway 50 is approximately 230,675 acres with an established Appropriate Management Level (AML) range of 101-170 wild horses. The current estimated population is 245 wild horses.
- Daily Gather Reports
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Saturday, January 11
Summary: Sunny and Clear, 17 - 37 degrees, and calm.
Animals Shipped: 32 (6 Stallions, 25 Mares and 1 Foals)
Friday, January 10
Summary: Sunny and Clear, 4 - 44 degrees, and calm.
Animals Gathered: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 34 (22 Stallions, 12 Mares and 0 Foals)
Animals released: 50 (27 Stallions, 23 Mares)
*** The mares that were released were treated with PZP-ZonaStat-H.
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Thursday, January 9
Summary: Sunny and Clear, 10 - 44 degrees, and wind gusts up to 14 mph.
Animals Gathered: 71 (32 Stallions, 39 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 39 (21 Stallions, 17 Mares and 1 Foal)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Wednesday, January 8
Summary: Sunny and Clear, 9 - 36 degrees, and no wind.
Animals Gathered: 49 (25 Stallions, 22 Mares, and 2 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares and 0 Foal)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Tuesday, January 7
Summary: Sunny, 19 - 28 degrees, with light wind
Animals Gathered: 19 (12 Stallions, 7 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 39 (14 Stallions, 24 Mares and 1 Foal)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Monday, January 6
Summary: Overcast, temps from 32 - 42 degrees with light winds
Animals Gathered: 55 (22 Stallions, 32 Mares, and 1 Foal)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
News
Gather Status
This gather began on Jan. 6, 2025
Animals Gathered: 194
(91 Stallions, 100 Mares, and 3 Foals)
Animals Shipped:144
(63 Stallions, 78 Mares, and 3 Foals)
Animals Released: 50
(27 Studs, 23 Mares)
*** The mares released today were treated with PZP - ZonaStat-H
Deaths - 0
-Sudden / Acute: 0
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Scroll to the bottom of the page for each daily report.