BLM to Attack Antelope Valley Wild Horse Herd, AGAIN!

Straight from the Horse's Heart

Posted: September 24, 2012 by R.T. Fitch

BLM Press Release (less headline and intro)

Called off Stampede early in Jan 11 due to lack of horses found, whats this!?!?

Infamous Antelope Valley Stampede of Jan/Feb 2011 ~ photo by Terry Fitch of Wild Horse Freedom Federation

Ely, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Elko District, Wells Field Office and Ely District, Schell Field Office are scheduled to begin on or about Monday, Oct. 1, the gather and removal of 200 excess wild horses from the Antelope and Antelope Valley Herd Management Areas (HMAs), located about 60 miles south of Wells and 50 miles north of Ely, Nevada. The helicopter gather is necessary to prevent a further decline in animal condition caused by minimal forage growth and reduced water availability due to severe drought conditions.

Appropriate Management Level (AML) for the Antelope HMA is 150-324 wild horses. The current population is 468 wild horses. AML for the Antelope Valley HMA is 115-259 wild horses. The current population is 641 wild horses.

BLM has been monitoring the condition of the wild horses due to the on-going drought conditions. Wild horses in the Antelope and Antelope Valley HMAs are in moderately thin to very thin body condition with further declines beyond the point of recovery anticipated if actions are not taken.

The affected parts of the HMAs are within the Boone Springs, Valley Mtn., Antelope Valley, West White Horse, White Horse, Sugarloaf, Ferber Flat, Utah Nevada South, Badlands, Goshute Mtn., Deep Creek and Chin Creek Allotments.

Wild horses removed from the range will be shipped either to Palomino Valley near Reno, Nevada, or the Gunnison Correctional Facility in Gunnison, Utah, to be prepared for the BLM wild horse adoption program or for long-term pastures.

The potential impacts of the actions that will be taken during the gather operations have been analyzed in the Antelope Complex Capture Plan and Environmental Assessment signed in December 2010.

The public is welcome to attend the gather and is encouraged to check the gather hotline nightly (775-289-1880) for departure times and other pertinent information. For additional gather information, including what you need to know before attending the gather and visitation protocols and ground rules, go to http://on.doi.gov/TeQ5Gj.

For more information, contact Chris Hanefeld, BLM Ely District public affairs specialist, at (775) 289-1842 orchanefel@blm.gov