BLM to Release Wild Horses to Sands Basin Herd Management Area
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BOISE, Idaho – The Bureau of Land Management Owyhee Field Office will release 26 wild horses to the Sands Basin Herd Management Area (HMA) southwest of Homedale on June 13, 2018. Nearly all of the Sands Basin HMA was burned by the 279,144-acre Soda Fire in 2015.
The BLM gathered 279 wild horses from the three HMAs in the Owyhees directly following the fire and has been caring for those that will return to the range at both the Boise Wild Horse Corrals and Bruneau Off-Range Corrals since that time. Over 80 of the horses gathered have been adopted.
“We are very pleased to see the wild horses released to Sands Basin,” said Lara Douglas, BLM Boise District Manager. “Maintaining viable wild horse herds on healthy public rangelands is important to the BLM.”
Three trailer loads of horses will be released, and the process happens fairly quickly. If members of the public are interested in watching the release, BLM staff will meet at the I-O-N Truck Plaza, 5644 Browns Lane, in Marsing at 10:30 a.m. on June 13 to caravan to the observation area. Visitors will need to provide their own transportation – preferably a vehicle with high clearance, four-wheel drive and a spare tire – and be prepared to walk a short distance over uneven terrain to the viewing area. Please expect the road to the viewing area to be rough and dusty.
For more information about the release, please contact Heather Tiel-Nelson, 208-736-2352.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.