2021 Stinkingwater Wild Horse Gather

Overview

GATHER CONCLUDED AUGUST 21, 2021

The Wild-Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 gives BLM the direction for protecting and overseeing wild horses and burros on public lands. In managing these animals, the BLM works to maintain a thriving ecological balance that supports healthy horses on healthy rangelands. Heavy to severe wild horse grazing jeopardizes the health of rangelands, wetlands, wildlife habitats, and ultimately animal health and condition.

The Appropriate Management Level – the number of horses the range can sustainably support in conjunction with other animals and resource uses – for the Stinkingwater Herd Management Area is 40 to 80 animals. An aerial survey of Stinkingwater HMA occurred on June 21, 2021. During this survey, a direct count of 449 horses (382 adults, 67 foals) were documented within and adjacent to the HMA.

Details of Gather

Helicopter drive-trapping operations will begin on August 15, 2021, or close thereto, and last 1 to 2 weeks. Exact start and end dates will be determined by the contractor’s availability. Watch for updates on this page.

Approximately 420 animals are planned for capture and transport to Oregon’s Off-Range Wild Horse and Burro Corrals, located in Hines, where they will be prepared for the BLM’s adoption and sales programs or long-term holding facilities located in Midwestern pastures. About 30 of those will be returned to the range, including 18 mares to be treated with GonaCon-Equine contraceptive.

Public Observation

GATHER CONCLUDED AUGUST 21, 2021 --
SEE OBSERVATION PROTOCOL

The public is welcome to view the Stinkingwater HMA gather. You must call ahead, by 5 p.m. PST the previous day, to let us know of your planned attendance: 541-573-4519. Observers must attend a pre-viewing briefing at the BLM Burns District Office, 28910 Hwy 20 West in Hines. This will occur each morning prior to departure to the HMA. Observers arriving at the viewing area without first attending the briefing shall not participate in the observation day.

Observation will likely be held daily, on a first come, first served basis. Every effort will be made to accommodate everyone interested each day, however, participation may be limited and/or some days of the gather may not provide a viewing opportunity due to variable circumstances such as moving the trap location (not gathering), no safe area to view activity or disguise vehicles, rainy or windy conditions (not gathering), poor vehicle access, etc.

Notice on the days where no viewing opportunity exists will likely be given on short notice – perhaps the day before or the morning of the gather operation. You may attend multiple, consecutive observation days as long as you are within the first come, first served maximum (if one is set).

The number of media and public in the gather observation site may be limited in order to allow for social distancing. The CDC has offered guidance to help people visiting public lands prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We will continue to monitor all functions to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19 and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health.

Access to and distance from the capture site location will be determined jointly by the Contractor and the BLM's Contracting Officer's Representative prior to gather operations. Safety of the horses, crew and public, is our top priority.

Adoption

Many horses from the Stinkingwater gather will be available for adoption beginning in early January 2022. Adoption horses have yet to be selected. The method of adoption (online event, in-person event, first come first serve, etc.) is still under consideration as well.

Other

For more information and to find the progress of the gather and/or whether or not a viewing opportunity exists each day, first check our Social Media sites. Go to our Facebook or Twitter pages—you do not need to have an account on these sites to view the content. You may also call Tara Thissell, Burns District BLM Public Affairs Specialist, at 541-573-4519 or email tthissell@blm.gov. 

The supporting National Environmental Policy Act documents for the Stinkingwater HMA gather are available at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/71905/510.

Daily Gather Reports

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Animals gathered: 7 (2 stallions, 3 mares, 2 foals)

Animals shipped: 7 (2 stallions, 3 mares, 2 foals)

Animal deaths: None.

Other: Henneke Body Score of animals gathered today is 4-5; sunny; gather operations ended at 60 degrees Fahrenheit at 10:00 a.m. GATHER CONCLUDED.

Friday, August 20, 2021

Animals gathered: 30 (9 stallions, 15 mares, 6 foals)

Animals shipped: 29 (8 stallions, 15 mares, 6 foals)

Animal deaths: 1 - 12-year-old dun stallion euthanized with pre-existing condition of blindness/eye abnormality (8/20).

Other: Henneke Body Score of animals gathered today is 4-5; sunny; gather operations ended at 84 degrees Fahrenheit at 1:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 19, 2021

Animals gathered: 29 (10 stallions, 11 mares, 8 foals)

Animals shipped: 29 (10 stallions, 11 mares, 8 foals)

Animal deaths: None.

Other: Henneke Body Score of animals gathered today is 4-5; cloudy and windy; gather operations ended at 70 degrees Fahrenheit at 10:00 a.m. due to wind.

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Animals gathered: 41 (20 stallions, 13 mares, 8 foals)

Animals shipped: 41 (20 stallions, 13 mares, 8 foals)

Animal deaths: None.

Other: Henneke Body Score of animals gathered today is 4-5; cloudy and windy; gather operations ended at 69 degrees Fahrenheit at 10:30 a.m. due to wind.

Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Animals gathered: 56 (21 stallions, 24 mares, 11 foals)

Animals shipped: 56 (21 stallions, 24 mares, 11 foals)

Animal deaths: None.

Other: Henneke Body Score of animals gathered today is 4-5; hazy and windy; gather operations ended at 74 degrees Fahrenheit at 10:30 a.m. due to wind.

Monday, August 16, 2021

Animals gathered: 76 (19 stallions, 33 mares, 24 foals)

Animals shipped: 105 (41 stallions, 39 mares, 25 foals)

Animal deaths: 1 - stud yearling euthanized with pre-existing condition/physical defect of severe chronic skin lesions covering over half of the body, indicative of autoimmune disease; poor prognosis for recovery.

Other: Henneke Body Score of animals gathered today is 4-5; sunny, with smoke cover aloft; gather operations ended at 1:30 p.m. and 90 degrees Fahrenheit; two members of the public in attendance to observe.

Sunday, August 15, 2021

Animals gathered: 162 (52 stallions, 66 mares, 44 foals)

Animals shipped: 131 (29 stallions, 59 mares, 43 foals)

Animal deaths: 1 - stud foal euthanized with pre-existing condition of blindness/eye abnormality.

Other: Henneke Body Score of animals gathered today: 4-5; Sunny, with smoke cover aloft, gather operations ended at 83 degrees at 10:30 a.m.; 3 public observers in attendance.