Wild horse gather to begin this week on the Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range
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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.– This week, the Bureau of Land Management Grand Junction Field Office will begin gathering approximately 60 excess wild horses from the Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range using bait and water trapping.
To prepare for the gather and to accustom the horses to the bait, BLM staff and volunteers from partner group Friends of the Mustangs began hauling water and certified weed-free hay in early August to multiple trap sites on the range.
“Our partnership with Friends of the Mustangs is the key to a safe and successful gather and managing for healthy rangelands. We couldn’t meet our goal of a healthy horse population on healthy lands without the help and support of FOM,” said Grand Junction Field Manager Katie Stevens.
The gather could take several weeks, depending on weather and the BLM may use the helicopter drive-trap method if baiting with food and water does not meet desired objectives.
The BLM manages the Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range for 90 to 150 horses. Current population estimates place the herd at 190 animals.
Horses removed from the range will be transported to a holding facility in Canon City, Colo. before coming back to the Grand Junction area for adoption. Anyone interested in adopting a wild horse or burro can learn more at: https://www.blm.gov/programs/
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.