Roundup Report: White Mountain Wild Horse Roundup

August 12, 2024

AWHC Contributor

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) commenced a wild horse roundup in the White Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA) on August 15, 2024. This operation, spanning over 393,000 acres in Wyoming, aims to capture 586 horses using helicopters. The BLM's goal is to reduce the horse population to their unscientific Appropriate Management Level (AML) of 205-300 horses, despite the current estimated population being 791. The White Mountain wild horses have been the subject of American Wild Horse Conservation's (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) litigation for over 10 years. Read AWHC’s full history protecting the Checkerboard wild horses here.

Post Roundup Summary

Aug 15, 2024 - Aug 19, 2024

Following the White Mountain roundup, multiple concerns emerged. Observers reported that the trap site was frequently obscured, limiting visibility. Over several days, many foals struggled to keep up during pursuits, often appearing exhausted. Early in the operation, the south side of the range—encompassing the Checkerboard area and a well-known horse loop—was cleared. The BLM moved on to the north side of the range. Unlike the more accustomed Checkerboard horses, these horses were more flighty and resistant to human interaction. The trap enclosure was chaotic, with horses attempting to escape, lunging, getting injured, fighting, and putting foals at risk. Several horses sustained fresh cuts during trailering.

Contractor: Cattoor Livestock Roundup, Inc. Unreported payment.

Short-term holding (STH)

Final totals^{*According to BLM report}

Captured: 586 (219 Stallions, 258 Mares, and 109 Foals)
Shipped: 575 (218 Stallions, 254 Mares, and 103 Foals)

Herd reduction: 74%^{*According to BLM's estimated population}

11 Deaths.^{*According to BLM report}

AWHC is on the ground. Read our reports below

August 19, 2024

Weather: Mid 50s°- low 80s°F

Summary: Today’s operation concluded White Mountain’s roundup. The runs were discernible from the observation viewpoint, however, only the trap’s wings were visible. Early in the roundup, the helicopter pushed a band with a dam and her foal, only weeks old. The foal fell behind at times, struggling to keep pace with the mom. The pilot continued to pursue the other horses, returning for the struggling pair. As the duo approached the trap wings, the mom ran away from the opening, but her foal could not keep up without being pushed back by the pilot. This went on for ten minutes before the pilot relented. Due to the mom’s persistence, the little band escaped to freedom.

An hour long, the following run was the longest and included a small foal. Not long after, another band was driven to the trap with another foal and his family; the stallion managed to escape, however, the foal and his mother were trapped.

Observers did not visit temporary holding since the contractors were actively shipping horses to Rock Springs corral short-term holding facility. At the corral, an observer was met by ceaseless whinnying.

Daily total^{*According to BLM report}

Captured: 50 (19 Stallions, 21 Mares, and 10 Foals)
Shipped: 94 (19 Stallions, 48 Mares, and 27 Foals)

1 Death.^{*According to BLM report}

A foal buckskin mare was euthanized due to a pre-existing congenital deformity of the rear fetlocks.
Stallion escaping to freedom.
Corrals.
Unending whinnying in corrals.

August 18, 2024

Weather: 50s°-80s°F

Daily total^{*According to BLM report}

Captured: 100 (39 Stallions, 39 Mares, and 22 Foals)
Shipped: 177 (57 Stallions, 80 Mares, and 40 Foals)

2 Deaths.^{*According to BLM reports.}

A foal buckskin stallion was euthanized due to a pre-existing club foot, left front.
A foal sorrel stallion was euthanized due to a pre-existing testicular hernia.

August 17, 2024

Weather: 50s-80s°F during operations.^*^{According to BLM report}

Daily total^{*According to BLM report}

Captured: 232 (86 Stallions, 106 Mares, and 40 Foals)
Shipped: 163 (91 Stallions, 65 Mares, and 7 Foals)

4 Deaths.^{*According to BLM reports}

A 9-year-old grey stallion was euthanized due to a pre-existing ruptured tumor, left side of the neck.
A 10-year-old paint mare was euthanized due to a pre-existing club foot, right front leg.
A roan foal mare was euthanized due to a pre-existing tumor in the rib area.
A bay foal stallion was euthanized due to a pre-existing congenital knee deformity.

During the roundup:

Unlike the second day of operations (July 16), observer viewpoint was placed at a much greater distance. The new trap site was moved to the north side of the Herd Management Area (HMA), close to temporary holding. Observers could only see trap wings and some panels at the catch pen opening—the trap itself completely obscured. The public had good viewing opportunities of the runs.

The first run was around 10 p.m.. A total of 70 horses were in this run. Several large bands were traveling together and some of them peeled off while the pilot focused on a few smaller groups.

One of the bands had traveled closer to us and we could see them pop up over the rim. Once the pilot was finished with his first run he came after the one that came up close to us.

Throughout the day, the pilot continues to bring in a mix of smaller bands and 50+ horses at a time.

I noticed a very small foal lagging behind, tired, it was difficult to keep up. But the pilot turned the family towards the little one and he managed to catch up with the family by the time they entered the wings.

For the most part, most horses have been compliant, but one of the runs (a group that consisted of around 10 horses) were not having it and managed to maneuver around the helicopter, running in the opposite direction of the trap. Thankfully the pilot didn’t pursue them longer than 15-20 minutes before backing off and letting them go.

By 1:30 pm it was clear that storms were forming and when we thought surely they’ll stop now the pilot brought in a few more.

A total of 232 horses were captured by 2:30 pm.

Temp holding:

We waited for about two hours to get the tour. When we got to the main road they were still loading horses in trailers and we saw about 4 trailer loads pass by.

At 5 pm we did a walk around. They had already cleared and loaded horses to the Rock Springs corrals because of the large amount of horses coming in. But most of the mares were still in the pens and then a few stallions as well. Some horses had fresh cuts and scrapes from sorting/trailering.

We will be headed to the same trap site for day 4. There is about 150 horses left to be removed.

August 16, 2024

Weather: 50s-80s°F during operations.^{*According to BLM reports}

Daily total^{*According to BLM reports}

Captured: 60 (23 Stallions, 29 Mares, and 8 Foals)
Shipped: 141 (51 Stallions, 61 Mares, and 29 Foals)

4 Deaths.^{*According to BLM reports}

A 3-year-old sorrel stallion was euthanized due to a pre-existing right hind leg deformity (Lameness).
A 2-year-old sorrel mare was euthanized due to a pre-existing right hind leg deformity (Lameness).
A 7-year-old Chesnut mare was euthanized due to a pre-existing front left knee joint (Lameness).
A foal was euthanized due to a pre-existing congenital leg deformity.

During the roundup:

Today, BLM continues to scrape the south side clean. This area is in the Wyoming Checkerboard. A total of 60 horses were removed. That makes a total of 204 horses removed that were known for roaming near the scenic horse loop HWY 53. Every single band that has been known and documented for years has been permanently removed. Every familiar face is gone.

Operations started at 8 a.m. near Blue Rim and the Green River. They were escorted to our observation (about a half mile away from the trap) when the pilot notified them they were on the path, he was going to take down horses. So, observers were moved much closer to trap with another group that was already placed there. That group was with BLM. This is the closest and clearest view an observer have ever had of the operations, making meaningful observation is possible.

Three runs were made before 9:30 with the largest being the first one where several bands were trapped together. Every band has consistently produced small foals. Staff separated and guided one very tiny baby to the foal pen. The foal was cooperative and the staff was very kind and patient with it. They try to separate foals from the bands as quickly as possible for safety reasons and also because foals are generally being shipped at the back of the trailers behind the mares. At temporary holding, they are reunited.

The last run appeared to be the longest just under an hour. It also had the tiniest baby an observer saw during the operations.

Overall, the operations appeared to go smoothly, some of the horses were lightly sweaty but nothing extreme. Also, a few of the horses risked injury running into the panels. The staff was patient and did not apply too much pressure. These horses were particularly habituated to people and vehicles; an observer noted a difference in their behavior during the roundup. The habituated horses seemed to be more composed. However, as operations move to the north side of the HMA, this behavior might change since those horses are not acclimated to people.

Temp holding:

I noticed several horses with cuts and scrapes from trailering to temporary holding. One of the mares had a gash on her face that recently bled but reviewing the footage of her coming into the catch pen she already had that wound and probably busted it open again during trailering or sorting.

Most of the foals seemed very tired and were napping but I was told they were all doing okay.

Moving on to the stallion pen I noticed most of the stallions huddled together but one. There was one stallion pacing back and forth and screaming at the mares clearly in distress, he also obtained minor cuts and scrapes from being trailered. He is known on the range as Dusty/Rusty or Hunk and is one of the biggest stallions out there. He entered the trap as a band of 3.

August 15, 2024

Weather: Temperatures ranged from low 50s° to 80s°F

Summary: Starting around 7:45 AM, several members of the public observed a helicopter begin rounding up several large bands of horses. Unable to trap them together, the pilot focused on smaller groups. At the trap site, some horses attempted to escape, jumping over panels; the horses ended up running into the panels, nearing injury. Chaos and distress amplified in the trap; with multiple bands trapped together, competing stallions were fighting and trying to keep each other at bay. An observer noticed two tiny foals in the midst of the frenzy. Luckily, no severe injuries were observed.

Prior to the roundup, an observer documented the range’s herd and noticed a mare with a freshly injured knee and a stallion with an impaired, but manageable, knee. The mare was visibly avoiding bearing weight on the knee. During today’s roundup, this same mare was knowingly run by the BLM for several miles despite her injury. The observer notes she likely will be one of the horses euthanized tomorrow.

An observer remarked on the “decimation” of the south side, famous for its highly promoted “wild horse scenic loop;” every single horse she saw roaming here prior to the roundup has now been trapped and removed.

Today’s operation was conducted by Cattoor Livestock Roundup, Inc. The horses will be shipped to Rock Springs Wild Horse Holding Facility for private holding.

Daily total^{*According to BLM report}