BLM Considers Reducing Wild Horse Gathers This Fall

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is considering reducing the number of wild horse gathers this fall. This decision comes as the agency faces challenges in finding space for the horses they remove from the range. With adoption rates declining and pastures reaching capacity, the BLM is re-evaluating its approach to managing wild horse populations.

BLM Spokesman Tom Gorey explained that the agency is nearing capacity in both long-term pastures in the Midwest and short-term corrals in the West. "We are almost maxed out in our long-term pastures in the Midwest and the short-term corrals we have in the West, where we put horses that we have removed from the range," Gorey said. "And we try to adopt out as many as we can, but adoptions have been on the decline."

Currently, nearly 50,000 wild horses and burros are being kept in these facilities, and the BLM typically removes thousands more each year. However, without additional space, the agency may need to reduce the number of horses gathered this fall.

Gorey noted that final decisions have not been made regarding the number of horses to be removed, but the lack of space is a significant factor in their planning. "Unless we can find more space to put them, we’ll have to scale back the gather," he said.

Originally Posted By Wyoming Public Media