Daily Reports: Desatoya Wild Horse Roundup December 2019
The Bureau of Land Management, Carson City District, Stillwater Field Office commenced a wild horse roundup on December 5, 2019, at the Desatoya Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA), located approximately 77 miles east of Fallon, Nevada. The BLM planned to round up approximately 450 wild horses and permanently remove 431. Approximately 127 wild horses were to remain in the Desatoya Mountains HMA after the roundup operations concluded.
Desatoya HMA encompasses approximately 161,700 acres of public and private lands and has an Appropriate Management Level of 127-180 wild horses.
December 11, 2019, Day 7: 66 Wild Horses Captured, Operation Concludes - 456 Mustangs Permanently Removed from Public Lands
American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign)'s observer was the only member of the public onsite. Observation was from the same location as the previous two days, and the geography offered a limited view of the trap site from about a mile away. Our field representative still had no view of the handling in the trap pens, horses being loaded, or the temporary holding area; however, he did see a few stallions escape the trap.
One stallion who escaped stopped and looked back at his family in the trap. A few of the horses were scheduled to be released the next day. Mares were to be treated with PZP for fertility control, as well as skewing the sex ratio.
December 10, 2019, Day 6: 118 Wild Horses Captured
American Wild Horse Conservation's field representative was the only member of the public onsite. The geography still offered limited viewing from about a mile away.
Thankfully, he was fortunate to see several bands close up as they got pushed to the trap from another direction. There was still no viewing of handling in the trap pens, loading, or of the temporary holding area. Horses looked great and in good body condition.
December 9, 2019, Day 5: 95 Wild Horses Captured
American Wild Horse Conservation's representative was the only observer on site for the fifth day of the roundup of the Desatoya wild horses. The geography offered limited viewing of the operation from about a mile away. Because of this, our observer only saw one group of horses come in from another direction. He had no opportunity to view any of the horses being handled in the trap pens, being loaded, or at temporary holding. He was told that the holding corrals were on private property and therefore would not be granted access.
Horses are all coming in off the range in excellent body condition.
December 8, 2019, Day 4: 35 Mustangs Captured
American Wild Horse Conservation not onsite.
December 7, 2019, Day 3: 42 Mustangs Captured
American Wild Horse Conservation not onsite.
December 6, 2019, Day 2: 18 Mustangs Captured, Crash Into Barbed Fencing
American Wild Horse Conservation's field representative was one of two members of the public in attendance at today's operation. The viewing location was the same as the day prior.
On Wednesday, our representatives noticed barbed wire fencing in the HMA and asked that the BLM flag it for the horses as previous roundups have taught us horses will run right into it in a panic not seeing it, causing injuries. The BLM contractors flagged only a small portion of the barbed wire fencing.
Today, our field representative watched as terrified horses ran directly into the fencing that was not flagged because they could not see it. The buckskin in the first photo has an injury due to another incident of crashing into fencing that encompassed the area before the horses came into full view of our photographer.
December 5, 2019, Day 1: 81 Wild Horses Lose their Freedom
American Wild Horse Conservation's field representative was one of three members of the public who were onsite for the first day of the roundup and removal of wild horses from the Desatoya HMA in Nevada. We were placed just over a half mile from the trap, which made it difficult to view the operation well.
The operation was supposed to start on Wednesday, but due to weather, it was canceled for the day. While in the HMA, though, our representatives noticed barbed wire fencing and asked that the BLM flag it for the horses as history has taught us horses will run right into it in a panic causing injuries. Today, a portion of the barbed wire fencing was flagged, but the helicopter was still pushing horses alongside of it, and there was still plenty of fencing that was not flagged.
The first group captured had a surprisingly young foal for this time of year. There was no temporary holding today; the horses were being shipped directly to Palomino Valley Center for processing. Instead, we had a view of the trap pens on our way out.