Daily Report: Fish Creek Roundup 2019

The Fish Creek Herd Management Area (HMA) is located just a few miles south of Eureka, Nevada, in the Antelope and Little Smokey Valleys and in the Antelope and Fish Creek Mountains. The area consists of 250,244 acres of BLM land and 2,527 acres of a mix of private and other public lands, totaling 252,771 acres. The area is 25 miles wide and 28 miles long. The majority of the HMA comprises north-south trending mountain ranges that include all or portions of the Fish Creek Range, the Mahogany Hills, and the Antelope Range. Elevations range from 6,030 feet in the wide valley bottoms, reaching 10,100 feet at Nine Mile Peak.

The BLM is planning to round up and remove approximately 600 wild horses from this HMA.

Day 10, September 15, 2019

AWHC was not onsite at the operation today. According to BLM reports, no horses were captured today, but there was one death:

• A 4-5 month old, Bay, filly was euthanized at the holding corral due to an "acute injury (broken leg/compound fracture) and poor chance of recovery."

The roundup concluded with 558 wild horses captured and 5 deaths reported. The BLM will release 13 studs and 7 fertility control-treated mares back to the range.

Day 9, September 14, 2019

AWHC was not onsite at the operation today. According to BLM reports, 31 wild horses were captured and there were 2 deaths:

• A 5-year-old, Sorrel, stud was euthanized due to a "serious physical defect with a poor prognosis for recovery (club foot)."
• A 7-year-old, Bay, stud was euthanized due to "pre-existing conditions with a poor prognosis for recovery (Fibrous Dysplasia)."

Day 8, September 13, 2019

AWHC was not onsite at the operation today. According to BLM reports, 29 wild horses were captured and there was 1 death; a sorrel yearling was euthanized because of an acute compound fractured leg.

Day 7, September 12, 2019

There were three people in attendance at the Fish Creek roundup in Nevada today. Due to the geography, members of the public only had a distant view of the operation. They started by bringing in a herd of horses that split in all directions as they neared the trap. 77 mustangs were captured and there were no deaths. 497 (190 Studs, 214 Mares, and 93 Foals) have been captured so far in the operation.

Once they capture 600, and remove 550, a select group of 50 will be released back to the range after the mares have been given PZP and PZP 22.

Day 6, September 11, 2019

23 wild horses from the Fish Creek HMA were rounded up and removed today. There were three members of the public onsite today in the same view location as the days prior. The operation seems to go smoothly with no serious injuries or deaths and all horses appeared to be in great body condition.

Day 5, September 10, 2019

Today, four members of the public were onsite to observe and document the roundup. This was the fourth day in the observation area which offers a decent view of the operation.

It was a slower day with only one helicopter as the other pilot headed to the Onaqui HMA roundup. All horses appeared to be in good body condition.

43 wild horses were rounded up and removed.

Day 4, September 9, 2019

Today, three members of the public were onsite to document the roundup and removal of the Fish Creek wild horses. This was the third day at the same trapsite, which offers good visibility of the operation. The day seemed to go smoothly with the exception of a foal that had to be roped and brought into the trapsite. The horses all appeared to be in excellent body condition.

122 wild horses lost their freedom and there were no injuries or deaths reported by the BLM.

Day 3, September 8, 2019

Today, four members of the public were present to document the roundup and removal. The weather was cool and we had a good view for observation. The operation appeared to go smoothly and the horses looked to be in great body condition.

Foals are continuing to be given supplemental care like electrolytes after capture.

73 horses were captured.

Day 2, September 7, 2019

Today, 7 members of the public were present to observe and document the roundup. Today offered a better view for observation, nice weather and operations went smoothly and the horses appeared to be in good body condition and foals are being given electrolytes, something that we have requested with the BLM Nevada offices.

Even on a good day, it’s hard to see them removed from their home. They have lost their freedom and families and life will never be the same.

114 wild horses were rounded up and removed.

Day 1, September 6, 2019

Six people showed up today for observation of the roundup of wild horses from the Fish Creek HMA in Nevada. The area where the public was placed only offered a distant view, which was about a mile away from the trapsite.

The horses coming in off of the range appeared to be in good body condition. We did observe a young foal resting with its mare behind the fencing and were told it had been given electrolytes.

The BLM captured 46 wild horses and there was 1 death; a sorrel yearling was euthanized according to BLM, "due to pre-existing conditions with a poor prognosis for recovery (severe joint infection)."