2024 Twin Peaks Herd Management Area Wild Horse and Burro Gather
Purpose of Gather:
The gather is being conducted to prevent undue or unnecessary degradation of the public lands associated with excess wild horses, 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 Horses Act.
The gather is designed reduce the wild population closer to the appropriate management level, or population, designated in the BLM Eagle Lake Field Office Resource Management Plan, which is 448 to 758 wild horses and 72 to 116 wild burros. Population census flights conducted by helicopter in the spring of 2024 showed there are about 1,800 wild horses and about140 wild burros in the HMA.
Details of Gather:
This helicopter drive trap gather operation will remove excess wild horses from the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area along the California-Nevada border in Lassen County, California and Washoe County Nevada. The gather will focus on the Observation North and Skedaddle home ranges at the north and south ends, respectively, of the HMA. The plan is to gather approximately 940 wild horses and remove 870 excess wild horses from the range. Some mares treated with fertility control and some stallions mares will be released back into the herd management area to maintain herd viability. Captured animals will be transported to BLM off range corrals in Litchfield, CA where they will be checked by veterinarians and prepared for private placement or long-term holding in BLM pastures.
Public Observation:
Members of the public and the news media are welcome to view gather operations daily. A BLM public affairs officer and law enforcement ranger will escort observers to the viewing site each morning. Anyone interested is asked to reserve space by calling the gather information line at 530-252-5332 the evening before their planned attendance date. The information will be updated nightly and include the meeting times and locations. Daily observation groups will be limited to 10 persons due to space considerations for observers and vehicles. Observers must provide their own transportation in a high clearance four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive vehicle. They should bring sufficient food and water for a full day in the field and bring clothing suitable for cold mornings and cool to warm afternoons.
We ask that visitors be familiar with the “Know Before You Go” and “Visitation Protocols and Ground Rules” provided in the links to the right.
Adoption Information:
Information on adopting or purchasing a wild horse or burro is available by visiting the BLM wild horse and burro program.
Background:
Horses in the Twin Peaks HMA descended from ranching or mining work animals that were released or escaped into the area in the late19th century or early 20th century. Some wild horses are descendants of animals that were raised for the U. S. Army’s Cavalry remount program. Twin Peaks horses exhibit a variety of colors, from bays and browns to palominos and paints. They are generally good-sized.
Location: The Twin Peaks HMA, the largest managed by the BLM-California, covers nearly 800,000 acres of public and private land. The HMA boundary stretches about 55 miles from north to south and about 30 miles from east to west. The high desert topography ranges from about 5,000 feet in elevation to about 7,000 feet at the highest points. It is arid, with precipitation averaging six to 10 inches yearly, mostly from snow. Higher elevations support stands of Western juniper, while lower elevations are sagebrush, shrubs, forbs and grasses. Much of the area burned in the 315,000-acre Rush Fire of 2012, and many shrub stands were covered to grasslands.
Wildlife: The area supports large mammals including mule deer and pronghorn. It includes areas managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife as a premier trophy mule deer area. The HMA also contains habitat for greater sage-grouse, a species of special interest. The area also provides habitat for upland birds, primarily chukar partridge, along with raptors, coyotes, mountain lions and small mammals.
Livestock Grazing: There are nine livestock grazing allotments in the HMA. Livestock, primarily cattle, use grazing allotments for designated seasons detailed in grazing permits administered by the Eagle Lake Field Office.
- Daily Gather Reports
-
10/11/2024
Summary: The Twin Peaks Wild Horse gather has been completed. Today's efforts were in the Skedaddle Home Range of the HMA. Weather was pleasant and calm, and animals arrived at the capture site in good health, showing Body Condition Scores of 3 and 4. Gather personnel successfully freed a mare that became stuck in a panel at the capture site. She was not hurt.
Animals Gathered: 102
32 stallions
50 mares
9 foals
10 mules
1 burroAnimals Shipped: 91
32 stallions
50 mares
9 foalsAnimals Treated with Fertility Control: 0
PZP:
PZP-22:
GonaCon:
IUD:
Sterilizations:
Other:Animals Released: 11
10 mules
1 burro
Deaths: 0
-Sudden / Acute: 0
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
10/10/2024
Summary: Gather operations continued along the west shoreline of Honey Lake in the Skedaddle Home Range of the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area in Lassen County. Conditions were clear and calm and horses arrived at the capture site in good health, showing Body Condition Scores of 4 and 5.
Animals Gathered: 127
42 stallions
57 mares
28 foals
Animals Shipped: 127
42 stallions
57 mares
28 foals
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 0
PZP:
PZP-22:
GonaCon:
IUD:
Sterilizations:
Other:Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 0
-Sudden / Acute: 0
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
10/9/2024
Summary: Gather operations were halted early and the capture site was moved to a location on the west shoreline of Honey Lake, south of Susanville.
Animals Gathered: 0
Animals Shipped: 0
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 0
PZP:
PZP-22:
GonaCon:
IUD:
Sterilizations:
Other:Animals Released: 38 stallions into the North Observation home range of the HMA.
Deaths: 0
-Sudden / Acute: 0
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
10/8/2024
Summary: Gather operations continued under warm and mild conditions at the south end of the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area. Horses arrived at the capture site in healthy condition showing Body Condition Scores of 3 and 4. A public observation area has been established about a quarter mile from the capture site. Flat terrain has limited observation site locations.
Animals Gathered: 110
39 stallions
49 mares
22 foals
Animals Shipped: 110
39 stallions
49 mares
22 foals
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 0
PZP:
PZP-22:
GonaCon:
IUD:
Sterilizations:
Other:Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 0
-Sudden / Acute: 0
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
10/7/2024
Summary: Gather operations in the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area continued to focus on horses roaming outside the boundaries of the Skedaddle Home Range at the south end of the HMA. Weather was pleasant with a few light afternoon showers. Horses arrived at the capture site in good condition, showing Body Condition Scores of 3 and 4.
Animals Gathered: 114
45 stallions
43 mares
26 foals
Animals Shipped: 113
45 stallions
42 mares
26 foals
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 0
PZP:
PZP-22:
GonaCon:
IUD:
Sterilizations:
Other:Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 1
-Sudden / Acute: 1
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 0Three year old mare suffered a broken neck when she ran into a panel during sorting.
10/6/2024
Summary: Gather operations were conducted in the Skedaddle Home Range at the south end of the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area, focusing on removing horses that were outside of the HMA boundaries. Weather conditions were warm and calm. Siting of the public observation area was limited by the flat terrain at the capture site. Animals arrived at the capture site showing good health and Body Condition Scroes of 3 and 4.
Animals Gathered: 117
49 stallions
46 mares
22 foals
Animals Shipped: Shipped to BLM Litchfield Corrals (this includes today's horses and horses that had remained in temporary holding from the Observation North capture site): 166
56 stallions
73 mares
37 foals
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 0
PZP:
PZP-22:
GonaCon:
IUD:
Sterilizations:
Other:Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 0
-Sudden / Acute: 0
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
10/5/2024
Summary: Gather operations continued in the Observation North home range of the Twin Peaks Wild Horse and Burro Herd Managment area in warm and breezy conditions. Horses arrived at the capture site in healthy condition and showing good body condition scores.
Animals Gathered: 38
8 stallions
22 mares
8 foals
Animals Shipped: 64 to BLM Litchfield Corrals
31 stallions
33 mares
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 0
PZP:
PZP-22:
GonaCon:
IUD:
Sterilizations:
Other:Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 1
-Sudden / Acute: 0
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 1Mare over 20 years old had an existing bleeding injury. Euthanized. Poor prognosis for recovery.
10/4/2024
Summary: Gather operations proceeded smoothly in the North Observation home range of the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area. Horses arrived at the capture site healthy and showing good body conditions. Flight operations were ended early today due to wind.
Animals Gathered: 92
37 stallions
41 mares
14 foals
Animals Shipped: 140
31 stallions
67 mares
42 foals
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 0
PZP:
PZP-22:
GonaCon:
IUD:
Sterilizations:
Other:Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 0
-Sudden / Acute: 0
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
10/3/2024
Summary: Gather operations continued in the North Observation home range of the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area in favorable weather conditions. Horses arrived at the capture site showing good body condition scores and good health. There was one incident in which a horse trailer door came open as horses were being transported from the capture site to temporary holding, resulting in nine horses falling from the moving trailer. The horses moved away and climbed to the top of a nearby hill. Staff did not note significant injuries, and the helicopter pilot later observed them and concurred. The horses were not recaptured and will be monitored.
Animals Gathered: 177
60 stallions
83 mares
34 foals
Animals Shipped: 31
31 mares
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 0
PZP:
PZP-22:
GonaCon:
IUD:
Sterilizations:
Other:Animals Released: 1
5 year old mare mare, blind in right eye. Euthanized. No prognosis for recovery.
18 year old mare, blind in right eye. Euthanized. No prognosis for recovery.
Deaths: 2
-Sudden / Acute: 0
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 2
10/2/2024
Summary: Gather operations went smoothly today in the Observation North Home Range of the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area in pleasant weather conditions. Horses arrived at the capture site healthy and with good body condition scores. There were no deaths.
Animals Gathered: 37
14 stallions
22 mares
1 foal
Animals Shipped: 29
18 stallions
11 mares
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 0
PZP:
PZP-22:
GonaCon:
IUD:
Sterilizations:
Other:Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 0
-Sudden / Acute: 0
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
10/1/2024
Summary: Gather operations went smoothly on a warm and slightly breezy day. All horses captured were healthy and in good body condition. Operations were in the Observation North home range of the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area. Gather will be in the same home range on Oct. 2.
Animals Gathered: 46
17 stallions
21 mares
8 foals
Animals Shipped: 35
10 stallions
17 mares
8 foals
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 0
PZP:
PZP-22:
GonaCon:
IUD:
Sterilizations:
Other:Animals Released: 0
Deaths: 0
-Sudden / Acute: 0
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 0
Gather Status
Animals Gathered: 960
343 stallions
434 mares
172 foals
10 mules
1 burro
Animals Shipped: 906
307 stallions
426 mares
173 foals
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 0
PZP:
PZP-22:
GonaCon:
IUD:
Sterilizations:
Other:
Animals Released: 50
Deaths: 4
-Sudden / Acute: 1
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 3
Scroll to the bottom of this gather page for detailed “Daily Gather Reports"