Wild horse on Sands Basin HMA

2024 Sands Basin and Four Mile Herd Management Areas Emergency Wild Horse Gather

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Owyhee and Four Rivers field offices' staff will conduct an emergency gather of wild horses from both the Sands Basin and Four Mile Herd Management Areas (HMA) in late August 2024.

Purpose of Gather:

Both HMAs were nearly completely burned by the lightning-caused Jump (25,720 acres) and Paddock fires (187,185 acres) and there is simply not enough vegetation on the range to sustain the horses into the coming winter months. There has been no known loss of wild horses due to either fire.

The BLM has begun feeding the wild horses on the range until the gather can be completed. 

Details of Gather:

The 11,724-acre Sands Basin HMA is near Marsing, and there are approximately 40 wild horses that will be gathered. The Appropriate Management Level (AML) for this HMA is 33-64 wild horses. The Four Mile HMA north of Emmett is 18,800 acres, and there are roughly 52 wild horses that will be gathered. The AML for this HMA is 37-60 wild horses.

Public Observation:

While the gather itself will not be open for public viewing, the public will have an opportunity to visit the wild horses at the Boise Wild Horse Off-Range Corral later this fall.

Adoption Information:

The wild horses will be temporarily housed at the BLM Boise Wild Horse Off-Range Corral, then cared for at the Bruneau Wild Horse Off-Range Corral. The wild horses will be returned to the public rangelands in both the Sands Basin and Four Mile HMAs once the rangelands have recovered.

Background:

The BLM Boise District will implement emergency stabilization and rehabilitation activities on the fire-impacted public lands in the coming months and years. 

Decision Records

Daily Gather Reports

August 29, 2024

Summary: (36 horses were gathered at the Sands Basin Herd Management Area, conditions were Sunny, 70-90 degrees)

Animals Gathered: 36 (17 Stallions, 14 Mares, and 5 Foals) 

Animals Shipped: 36 (17 Stallions, 14 Mares, and 5 Foals)

Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares)
- PZP: 0 (0 Mares)
- PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares)
- GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares)
- IUD: 0 (0 Mares)
- Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares)
- Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares)

Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 

Deaths: 0

- Sudden / Acute: 0

- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0

 

August 27, 2024

Summary: (38 horses were gathered at the Four Mile Herd Management Area, conditions were Sunny, 70-90 degrees)

Animals Gathered: 38 (20 Stallions, 15 Mares, and 3 Foals) 

Animals Shipped: 38 (20 Stallions, 15 Mares, and 3 Foals)

Animals Treated with Fertility Control: (0 Stallions, 0 Mares)
- PZP: 0 (0 Mares)
- PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares)
- GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares)
- IUD: 0 (0 Mares)
- Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares)
- Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares)

Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 

Deaths: 0

- Sudden / Acute: 0

- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0

 

Gather Status

Cumulative numbers as of Aug. 29, 2024

Animals Gathered: 74 
74 Wild Horses (37 Stallions, 29 Mares, and 8 Foals) 

Animals Shipped: 74 
74 Wild Horses (37 Stallions, 29 Mares, and 8 Foals) 

Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 0
0 Wild Horses (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 
  PZP: 0 (0 Mares)
  PZP-22: 0 (0 Mares)
  GonaCon: 0 (0 Mares)
  IUD: 0 (0 Mares)
  Sterilizations: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares)
  Other: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares)

Animals Released:
0 Wild Horses (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals) 

Deaths: 0 
-Sudden / Acute:
-Pre-existing / Chronic:

Scroll to the bottom of this gather page for detailed “Daily Gather Reports"