Bureau of Land Management to begin the FY2024 Marietta Herd Management Area Wild Horse and Burro Gather

Carson City, Nev. – On or about August 20, 2024, the Bureau of Land Management plans to begin a wild horse and burro gather on and around the Marietta Herd Management Area located approximately 45 miles south of Hawthorne, Nev. in Mineral County, using the helicopter-assisted method. 

The Marietta Herd Management Area which encompasses 66,045 acres of public and private lands and has an Appropriate Management Level of 78-104 burros and 0 wild horses. Based on the helicopter survey conducted on April 2 & 3, 2024, BLM documented 387 burros and 31 wild horses within and directly outside the management area – nearly five-times above the high end of the established burro management level.  

The BLM plans to gather and remove approximately 31 excess wild horses and 290 excess wild burros. 

The purpose of the gather is to prevent undue or unnecessary degradation of the public lands associated with excess wild horses and burros and to restore a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationship on public lands, consistent with the provisions of Section 1333(b) of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. The action is also necessary to reduce overpopulation of wild horses and burros within and outside the area, where there currently is not enough food to support the number of burros in the region, and to prevent further degradation of public lands by balancing herd size.  

“We conduct gathers like this to maintain the current population of burros within the appropriate management level,” said Kim Dow, Carson City District Manager. “Another purpose of the gather is public safety and safety of the animals as some have been hit by vehicles.”  

By balancing herd size with what the land can support, the BLM aims to protect habitat for other wildlife species such as sage grouse, pronghorn antelope, mule deer and elk. Removing excess wild horses and burros supports significant progress toward achieving the Standards for Rangeland Health identified by the Sierra Front-Northern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council. 

The BLM’s priority is to conduct safe, efficient, and successful wild horse and burro gather operations while ensuring humane care and treatment of all animals gathered. The BLM and its contractors are committed to using the best available science and handling practices for wild horses and burros while meeting overall gather goals and objectives in accordance with the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program. 

All burros identified for removal will be transported to the Axtell Off-Range Corrals, located in Axtell, Utah. All horses identified for removal will be transported to the Palomino Valley Off-Range Corrals, located in Reno, Nevada.  Upon arrival to the facility, all animals will be checked by a veterinarian and readied for the BLM’s wild horse and burro Adoption and Sales Program.   

Members of the public are welcome to view the gather operations, provided that doing so does not jeopardize the safety of the animals, staff and observers, or disrupt gather operations. The BLM will escort the public to gather observation sites located on public lands. Once gather operations have begun, those wanting to view gather operations must call the gather hotline nightly by 5:30 p.m. PST at (775) 885-6101 to receive specific instructions on each days’ meeting location and time. 

The BLM is conducting the gather under the DOI-BLM- NV-C010-2022-0017-EA Herd Management Area Wild Horse Gather Plan Environmental Assessment decision signed on September 16, 2022. Access the Decision Record and determination of National Environmental Policy Act adequacy. 

Gather reports and additional information will be posted on the BLM website. For more information, contact 775-885-6000. 
 
For information on how to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro, visit www.blm.gov/whb.