BLM: Humboldt Herd Area Wild Horse Trapping Suspended

Straight from the Horse's Heart

Information supplied by the Nevada office of the BLM

“the area is managed for zero wild horses”

Wild Horse Trapping Update

The Humboldt wild horse water bait trap operations have been temporarily suspended since trapped numbers have been relatively low over the last three days. Trapping operations will continue on July 7, 2014 with the anticipation that the horses will be more accustomed to the trap facilities. As of June 27, BLM has gathered a total of 37 horses out of 100.

Goal of Trapping:

photo by Terry Fitch of Wild Horse Freedom Federation.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Winnemucca District, Humboldt River Field Office will use water trapping to achieve and maintain a population of zero wild horses within the Humboldt Herd Area (HA). The Humboldt HA is not managed for wild horses due to the checkerboard land pattern and therefore no AML has been set and the area is managed for zero wild horses. The water trap gather is taking place as a result of impacts to private property. This action was analyzed as part of the Humboldt Herd Area Wild Horse Gather Plan Environmental Assesment.

Details of the Trapping:

BLM plans to humanely trap approximately 100 wild horses through the use of water trapping. Details of the gather are available on this website by following the links in the right column.

Adoption:

Wild horses removed from the range will be sent to the Palomino Valley National Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Center (PVC) outside of Reno, Nevada. PVC is open to the public Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on the first Saturday of the month, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. For adoption details and more information about PVC, visit:http://on.doi.gov/1qeweUJ.

Latest News:

For BLM news releases and statements issued, check our Newsroom.

Background:

The Humboldt HA is located approximately 30 miles south of Winnemucca, Nevada and extends along the east side of Interstate 80 to Lovelock, Nevada. The Humboldt HA was not designated for the long term management of the wild horses in the Sonoma-Gerlach Management Framework Plan (SG-MFP) due to the checkerboard land pattern found within the HA and therefore, is not managed for wild horses and burros.

The trap area is comprised of 431,544 acres of both private and public lands. The wild horse population within the Humboldt HA is estimated to be 282 animals. The exact origin of these wild horses has not been determined. However, some animals may have been missed in the initial gather to remove wild horses from the area in 1985. Other wild horses may have migrated into the Humboldt HA from adjacent Herd Management Areas (HMAs). Removing these wild horses will help to prevent further deterioration of the range in an effort to achieve a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationship as required under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, and Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as well as help to achieve and maintain healthy, viable wild horse populations.

For more information on the Wild Horse and Burro Program, call 1-866-468-7826 or email wildhorse@blm.gov.