Bald Mountain HMA

It is suspected that a great deal of movement occurs among the horses from this HMA and the South Shoshone and Callaghan HMAs. Most horses in this area are relatively large horses exhibiting various color characteristics. In addition to typical wild horse coloring, paint (pinto) horses exist in this HMA. 

Location: The Bald Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA) is located approximately 40 miles southeast of Battle Mountain, Nevada, in Lander County. 

Size: The area consists of 139,693 acres of BLM land and 182 acres of private land for a total of 139,875 acres.

Topography/Vegetation: The terrain across most of the former Shoshone-Eureka planning area managed by the Battle Mountain Field Office is typical of the Great Basin region with steep north and south trending mountain ranges separated by large sweeping valley bottoms. The HMA spans approximately 14 miles wide by 20 miles long. Encompassing the northern end of the Toiyabe Range, elevations vary from 8,500 feet at the top of Bald Mountain down to 5,500 feet in the valleys that surround the mountain range. Numerous canyons and creeks dissect the mountains. Temperatures range in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer to 20 degrees below zero in the winter. Precipitation is in short supply with an annual total of only 5 to 16 inches. Nevada is the driest state in the nation with the least amount of annual rainfall and the lowest amount of surface water. Vegetation types are distributed according to topography, elevation and associated precipitation. Within the highest elevations, and subsequently the greatest precipitation, the vegetation consists primarily of pinyon-pine and juniper trees, mountain-mahogany and low sagebrush. The lower and drier elevations consist of saltbush, greasewood, sagebrush and a variety of annual and perennial grasses and wildflowers. In some areas it can take 25 acres to support one horse for one month. The foothills and mountain areas are dominated by big sagebrush-grass and low sagebrush-grass types. Primary shrubs are big sagebrush, low sagebrush, and rabbitbrush. Major grass species include bluebunch wheatgrass, Indian ricegrass, Sandberg‘s bluegrass, needlegrass, and bottlebrush squirreltail. Forbs include milkvetch, arrowleaf balsamroot, lupine, phlox, and aster. 

Wildlife: The Bald Mountain HMA is just a few miles east of the South Shoshone HMA and shares its southern boundary with the Callaghan HMA. In addition to wild horses, the HMA is often utilized by domestic cattle and domestic sheep. Wildlife species occurring in the area include mule deer, sage grouse, chukar, coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, pronghorn antelope and numerous other small mammals, birds, and reptiles.

AML:  129-215