Roundup Report: Fish Creek Herd Management Area
The Fish Creek Herd Management Area (HMA) roundup, conducted by Cattoor Livestock Roundup Company began on January 6, 2025. This removal is not only cruel and unnecessary, but is a direct threat to a herd with a rare and unique genetic legacy. Among the horses in this HMA are curly-coated wild horses—a trait that sets this herd apart from others across the West. Despite this, $127,195.00 in taxpayer funds is being spent on this operation to remove them from their home.
Spanning 230,675 acres south of U.S. Highway 50, the Fish Creek HMA is home to an estimated 245 wild horses following the Spring 2024 foaling season. The BLM’s unscientific Appropriate Management Level (AML) is just 101-170 horses—far too few to maintain a genetically healthy herd.
The BLM plans to capture and permanently remove 144 of these unique horses, stripping them from the range and sending them to the Winnemucca Off-Range Corral in Nevada. Families will be separated, and the survival of this special genetic trait may be at risk.
The Fish Creek HMA has long been the center of controversy, dating back to the 2015 roundup when a group of ranchers blocked the release of mares who had been treated with fertility control back to the range.
In early 2020, AWHC submitted a formal proposal to the BLM to launch a PZP fertility control program in the Fish Creek HMA. The detailed proposal was reviewed at multiple levels of BLM and an MOU was drafted. And then the BLM sat on it, never granting final approval. There was no reason ever given. The result is that the BLM is literally rounding up wild horses that AWHC could have prevented from being born, had the proposal been approved. Both the horses and the taxpayers are paying for the agency's fiscally irresponsible decisions in this HMA.
American Wild Horse Conservation is on the ground, documenting this roundup. Read on for our daily reports
January 8, 2025:
Weather: Sunny and Clear, 9 - 36 degrees, no wind.
Summary:
Observers had a good view of the trap and approach. One young foal lagged behind during the roundup, but was later pushed toward the trap by a wrangler on horseback, assisted by a Judas horse. A single adult horse was roped during the operation. Steam could be seen rising from the horses once they were in the trap.
Daily Total: 71
Animals Gathered: (32 Stallions, 39 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 39 (21 Stallions, 17 Mares and 1 Foal)
Deaths: 0
January 7, 2025: Weather: 20°F
Summary:
Visibility was somewhat obstructed, with observers positioned approximately 0.7 miles behind the trap. There was no view of the horses as they approached the trap, and only a limited view as they were pushed in. Operations were already underway when observers arrived, with two helicopters being used to push horses toward the trap.
Daily Total
Animals Gathered: 19 (12 Stallions, 7 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 39 (14 Stallions, 24 Mares and 1 Foal)
Deaths: 0
January 6, 2025: 55 wild horses were captured in five runs. AWHC’s on the ground observer documented two runs, as the contractors had already made three runs before the arrival of observers.
Our observer was placed .7 miles behind the trap, with a limited view of the horses as they were brought into the trap.
It was snowing at temporary holding, and there were no injuries. The horses appeared in good body condition averaging 4.5
