BLM to begin an emergency wild horse, water and bait trap gather within the Spruce-Pequop Herd Management Area

ELKO, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management, Elko District, Wells Field Office will begin an emergency wild horse water gather on or about August 24, from the Boone Spring area, located in the Spruce-Pequop Herd Management Area (HMA), as there is not enough water and forage to support the number of horses in the area. The gather will be conducted by Michael Uhalde Livestock LLC using the bait and water trap method; no helicopters will be used. The BLM plans to gather and remove approximately 300 excess wild horses.

The Spruce-Pequop HMA is 138,000 acres in size and the area around Boone Spring is located in the South portion of the Spruce-Pequop HMA. The current population estimate for the Spruce-Pequop HMA is 1,523 and the Appropriate Management Level (AML) is 57-82 wild horses. The Spruce-Pequop HMA has very limited naturally occurring water sources. Additionally, there very little forage available to support the excess wild horses.

The Boone Spring area within the Spruce-Pequop HMA is not capable of sustaining the excess wild horses which rely on this water source. Boone Spring currently has minimal to nearly nonexistent water, which cannot sustain the more than 300 wild horses that have been observed on a regular basis waiting for water at this location. The area is remote and the roads are not passable for a water tender.

The BLM plans to gather and remove the excess wild horses utilizing temporary water and bait traps consisting of a series of corral panels stocked with water and hay; no helicopters will be used. Because of the nature of the bait and water trap method, wild horses are reluctant to approach the trap site when there is too much activity; therefore, only essential gather operation personnel will be allowed at the trap site during operations.

The BLM’s priority is to conduct safe, efficient, and successful wild horse gather operations while ensuring humane care and treatment of all animals gathered. The BLM and its contractors will use the best available science and handling practices for wild horses while meeting our overall gather goals and objectives in accordance with current BLM policy, standard operating procedures, and contract requirements.

The horses identified for removal will be transported to the Indian Lakes Off-Range Corral in Fallon, NV, where they will be examined by a veterinarian and readied for the BLM’s wild horse and burro adoption program. For information on how to adopt a wild horse, visit www.blm.gov/whb.