BLM's Vale, Oregon District Plans Wild Horse Gather

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Vale District has announced a plan to conduct a wild horse gather in the Three Fingers herd management area (HMA). This initiative aims to manage the wild horse population and protect the local environment.

The BLM stated its objective is to capture 100 wild horses from the Three Fingers HMA and return 50 horses (25 stallions and 25 mares) to the range to re-establish the appropriate management level (AML) following the gather. The current herd population is estimated at 202 animals, while the AML for the area is 75 to 150 wild horses.

The gather is expected to last two to four days, starting around July 26. The Three Fingers HMA is located approximately 25 miles south of Vale, Oregon, bordered by the Owyhee Reservoir, Leslie Gulch Road, and the Owyhee Dam.

Extended drought conditions and a horse population exceeding the AML have led to horses grazing outside the HMA in search of water and forage. This grazing extends into areas affected by the 2015 Soda wildfire, which burned nearly 280,000 acres in Oregon and Idaho. The BLM emphasizes the importance of protecting these fire rehabilitation areas to prevent the spread of exotic annual weed species, which could convert a burned area into a weed-dominated community.

Horses removed from the range will be transported to Oregon’s Wild Horse Corral Facility in Hines. The public can visit and view the horses during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., local time. The gathered horses will be available for adoption later this year.

The Vale District BLM will host public viewing days near the capture site as horses are gathered and sorted. Viewing opportunities may be scheduled on short notice and can accommodate up to fifteen people each day. Interested individuals should contact Larry Moore at l2moore@blm.gov or 541/473-6218 for more information. Updates and gather reports will be shared at BLM's website.

Originally posted by The Horse.