BLM Colorado manages 4 wild horse herd management areas on approximately 400 thousand acres. The combined for all HMAs in the state is aml: 812 animals.
Since 1971, the BLM has removed nearly 4,400 animals from public rangelands in Colorado.
(current roundups as of july 2021 not included)
may 26 2021 PIM 2021-007 – Euthanasia of Wild Horses and Burros Related to Acts of Mercy, Health or Safety. (NATIONAL, COLORADO RIVER DO) – Added ‘captive bolt‘ to the language
I. Authorized Delegations and Required Training: C. excerpt: “Only persons trained by a veterinarian on how to perform euthanasia will be authorized to perform euthanasia. All personnel authorized to perform euthanasia will be trained to use gunshot. Only those specifically trained on the techniques for injection or captive bolt are authorized to use these techniques.”
EXPLANATION of policy change: Sep 9 21 “Guidance for Euthanasia” – Captive Bolts Added – WHE
WHBA notes: As of May 26 2021 this allows them to use captive bolt euthanize for healthy horses (any horses found outside their exact boundary – ‘otherwise roaming freely in an unauthorized area’). It has been shown over the years that wild horses have been routinely pushed into areas (particularily onto Indian land where wild horse laws don’t apply) and then gathered as feral and sold to slaughter in Mexico, and also gathered from private lands on the edges of the WHB protected area.
BLM CLAIM: Animals removed from public rangelands are offered to the public for adoption; un-adopted animals are cared for on open pastures for the rest of their lives. The reality of these claims coming soon.
CO – IMPORTANT – MUST READS
ENERGY CONFLICTS
Gas, Oil, Coal, Gold, Uranium mining is occuring heavily in Colorado, on public BLM lands
2000 BLM archive – Colorado Oil and Gas Site
BLM – Colorado
LIVESTOCK CONFLICT
The majority of info, statistics, and records listed here come directly from BLM and the government. They are a self-regulating industry with absolutely NO oversight or accountability. There is no independent accounting of this program at all. Due to this one-sided version it is believed the numbers listed here of wild horse and burro estimates, and removals are inflated, suspect and inaccurate. We will attempt to prove this with reviewing their claims with attached evidence and links to outside sources that have witnessed discrepancies and inaccuracies over the last 50 years since the passing of the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971
LITTLE BOOK CLIFFS WILD HORSE AREA HMA (#littlebookcliffs)
- CO0766 – Horse / Mesa County / GRAND JUNCTION FIELD OFFICE 970-244-3000
- 36,100 acres = blm 35,178
- AML: 90-150
- EST 2020: # 151 horses # 0 burros # 0 cattle # 0 sheep
- Wildlife: Elk, turkey, mule deer, desert bighorn sheep, chuckar partridge, gamble’s quail, midget faded rattlesnake, snowshoe hare, mountain lion, bobcat, bear
This herd has been darted with fertility drugs since 2002. Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range Fertility Control Darting Team
Download a PDF map of the Little Book Cliffs HMA
Little Book Cliffs – DOCs and EA’s
Livestock Conflict: NO
Grazing allotments: 0 / records as of 2020
shows no grazing allotments inside, but is surrounded by livestock
Energy Conflicts: ?
2018 Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Gather missing horses
PLANNING DOCUMENTS dead link DOI-BLM-CO-S080-2018-0015-EA 2018 fonsi
Animals: 96 gathered / 41 returned / 0 deaths / 10 or 11 fertility / 0 collared
Date of gather: Sep 8 – Oct 18, 2018 Gather Method: HELI
Contractor: SAMPSON, SHAYNE F Contract price: $152,262.50 140L0618F0397
Plan Gathered: 60 Animals Gathered: 96
Animals Shipped: 12 (see notes in gather report)
Facility: CANON PRISON Max capacity: 2000
Dead Animals: 0
Public viewing:
Plan:
Notes:
BLM – GATHER REPORT and Summary (missing horses)
GATHER SUMMARY
Animals gathered : 96
HBC scores 3-6
Animals released : 41
Animals shipped: 12 Canon city
Mares treated cumulative: 10
Deaths: 0
Notes: gather numbers don’t add up = 32 unaccounted for 96 GATHERED, RETURNED 41, = 55 , ONLY SHIPPED 12 what happened to the other 32
Thursday, October 18, 2018
Animals gathered today: 3 / HBC scores 4
Animals removed today: 2
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Summary: Visitors observed the gather today.
Animals gathered today: 1 / HBC scores 4
Animals removed today: 1
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Summary: Visitors observed the gather today.
Animals gathered today: 10 / HBC scores 4-6
Animals released today: 2
Animals removed today: 8
Mares treated with fertility control: 1
Monday, October 15, 2018
Summary: Visitors observed the gather today.
Animals gathered today: 16 / HBC scores 3-4
Animals released today: 9
Mares treated with fertility control: 1
Sunday, October 14, 2018
Summary: Media and visitors observed the gather in Main Canyon today.
Animals gathered today: 19 / HBC scores 3-4
Animals released today: 9
Mares treated with fertility control: 4
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Animals gathered today: 6 / HBC scores 3.25
Animals released today: 3
Saturday, September 22, 2018
Animals gathered today: 2 / HBC scores 3.5
Animals released today: 1
Thursday, September 20, 2018
Animals gathered today: 5 / HBC scores 3.5
Animals released today: 2
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
Animals gathered today: 8 / HBC scores 3.5
Animals released today: 5
Mares treated with fertility control: 2
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Animals gathered today: 5 / HBC scores 3.5
Animals released today: 2
Mares treated with fertility control: 1
Friday, September 14, 2018
Animals gathered today: 5 / HBC scores 3.5
Animals released today: 2
Animals shipped: 12 Canon city
Thursday, September 13, 2018
Animals gathered today: 2 / HBC scores 4
Monday, September 10, 2018
Animals gathered today: 2 / HBC scores 4
Animals released today: 1
Sunday, September 9, 2018
Animals gathered today: 4 horses / HBC scores 4
Friday, September 7, 2018
Summary: There were no visitors at the site gather today.
Animals gathered: 8 horses / HBC scores 5
Animals released: 3
Mares treated with fertility control: 2
LITTLE BOOK CLIFFS REMOVALS
CONTRACTS LOCATED
2018 CO MEEKER RIO BLANCO /SS 140L0618F0397 -1 / (09/24/2018-10/27/2018) / CLOSED/ $71,879.25 / Wild Horse Helicopter Gather Little Book Cliff Wild Horse Range in Colorado
NATURITA #naurita
- CO345 H / district / County
- 25,340 acres: 19700 BLM other 5640
- AML: ?
- Livestock AMU: ? cattle / ? x5= ? sheep
- EST 2020 # 0 horses # 0 burros # 0 cattle # 0 sheep
Energy Conflicts:
Grazing allotments: ? / records as of 2020 See individual HMA’s
2020 Livestock AMU: Livestock use: WHB:
, Sheep & Cattle / Total AUMs 0 – Livestock use 0
PICEANCE-EAST DOUGLAS AREA HMA (#piceance) (#PEDHMA)
- CO0161 – Horse / Meeker – Rio Blanco County / WHITE RIVER FIELD OFFICE at 970-878-3800
Contact: Chris Maestas: cjmaestas@blm.gov 970-826-5101 - 2022 acres: 190,016 = blm acres 158,332 (300-square mile area designated for managing a healthy wild horse herd in balance with other multiple uses)
- AML: 135-235 / Aum for horses – low 135 x12 = 1620 high 235×12= 2,820 about 25% are authorized for horses
- Livestock AUM: about 7,000 CATTLE (noted at 23:10) (11,523 both outside and inside HMA)
- EST Jun 2022: # 1385 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
Wildlife: Wildlife living in the area include mule deer, elk, badgers.
Population & land estimates: 1970’s-current #piceanceestimates
- EST Jun 2022: # 1385 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
- EST Feb 2021: # 838 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
- EST 2020 (fall/winter) # 838 horses # 0 burros # 12,247 (in & out) cattle # 0 sheep (#438h outside hma)
- EST 2019 # 698 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
- EST 2018 # 532 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep (#374h outside hma)
- EST 2017 # 454 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
- EST 2016: # 337 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
- EST 2011: # 382 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
- EST 2010: # 265 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep (#65h outside /post 2010 gather)
- EST 1997: # 467 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
- EST 1996: # 240 # 0 burros # ? cattle & sheep
- EST 1985: # 93 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
- EST 1974: # 139 / 133 (pg 6) horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
- EST 1971: # ? horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
2022 acres: 190,016 = 158,332 blm ( this would include greasewood allotment after they Zeroed out North Piceance)
1996 acres 164,762 = 148153 BLM & 16559 other
Notice the Extreme jump in #’s from 2021 to 2022, just prior to scheduled roundup. Inflating numbers allows them to remove more horses without oversight. As they often claim horses mutiply by 20% every four years (20%=1,005.6). Here they show a jump of 65% (65%=1,382.7) in just one year. INFLATED NUMBERS SCAM! #numbersscam.
Also noted in doc 2011 DOI-BLM-CO-110-2011-0058-EA “Consequently, while the BLM utilizes a 20% increase, as it appears to be the most common in any one year, the Table 3-21 indicates that the herd populations do not average that figure due to a variety of factors including sever winter events and drought. The table shows that the original inventory total of 139 horses compounded at 16.16712% since 1974 (less the 1,407 horses known to be removed during the period) produces the population of 265 found in the 2010 inventory”
Estimates have not been verified by an outside independant source. All estimates come from BLM paid employees and BLM paid contractors.
Note that when documents refer to ‘removing horses from outside of this HMA’, they are referring to other Herd Areas’s (West Douglas, North Piceance) where horses ‘once had’ federal protection but have since been zeroed out and completely dissolved (1997 White River – RMP). Livestock still remain on those areas (see their sections for details).
Wild Horse History: The 1971 Wild and Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act mandates that wild
horses be managed in areas where they existed at the passage of the Act. Horses that relocate
outside management boundaries, or onto private lands, are prioritized for removal. The White
River Resource Area completed the first land use plan in 1975. Two wild horse units were
identified in the 1975 Plan: the Piceance and Douglas Creek Units. The Douglas Creek Unit
included what is now the East Douglas portion of the Piceance/East Douglas Herd Management
Area and the West Douglas Herd Area. The East and West Douglas portions were physically
separated by completion of a highway right-of way fence in 1983. The planning process
established the boundary of the West Douglas Herd Area by considering the location of the
horses within what was believed to be physical boundaries consisting of fences and topographic
barriers. All Land Use Plans since 1975 contained the decision that wild horses would not be
managed in the area now identified as the West Douglas Herd Area. All Land Use Plans since
1974 recognized wild horses would be managed within the Piceance/East Douglas Herd
Management Area, as this area contained the proper mix of habitat in regards to summer/winter ranges, water resources, and contained 91% of the horses at the passage of the act. The White River Field Office currently manages a population of between 135 and 235 wild horses on 190,000 acres in the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area.

Piceance Documents: Genetics, EA’s, reports… #piceancedocs
#
GENETICS #geneticseastdouglas
2006 – Genetic Analysis of the Piceance-East Douglas HMA, CO – Cothran
2003 – Genetic Analysis of three populations of the feral horses of the Piceance CO HMA – Cothran
1995 – Genetic analysis of the feral horses of the White River Resource Area of Colorado – Cothran
1994 – Strategies for genetic management of feral horse populations on public lands in the US – Cothran
1993 – Genetic analysis of the Barcus Creek wild horse population – Cothran
Mentions: Barcus Creek, Mesa 84, Spring Creek herds (From maps: I think spring creek was a part of the ‘zeroed out’ North piceance herds)
REPORTS & EA’s #piceancereports
Piceance East Douglas – and surrounding areas (West Douglas, North Piceance)
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS (EA,DNA,DR,FONSI,eplanning), LAWS, DOCS, Rio Blanco county records, maps
WHBA Note: Dated ‘Headline Title’ is usually ‘first linked’ to the ‘archived version’ so that the access will always be there in case the original link goes dead (which is common). You can find the original link and archive at the bottom of each listing. Archive shows different versions by date of changes.
Dead links are strikedthrough but still documented (I try to find a workable access to these important hidden/lost/missing documents)
I show basic notes of what is found in link so you have some general understanding of what the link refers too.
—————————————————————————————————-
For request: ‘special access’ of a current updated list of these docs in PDF format: WHBA contact
Jul 7 22 WILD HORSES OF THE PICEANCE-EAST DOUGLAS HERD MANAGEMENT AREA – AN ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF HERD AND HABITAT CONDITION – Delia G. Malone, Ecologist (tags: 2022 July Piceance Basin Ecology Report, Delia Malone, Scott Wilson, Sierra Club)
Rio Blanco County https://rbc.us https://www.rbc.us/578/Natural-Resources / White River Field Office – Piceance East Douglas HMA (PEDHMA) will include all of the regions herd areas documents here. As often has occurred, many West Douglas Herd Area (WDHA) and North Piceance Herd Area (NPHA) removals (includes Whiter River, Cathedral Creek, etc…) fell under the ‘Outside of Piceance-East’ once the herd areas were zeroed out. I will include those ‘herd area’ specifics in their own sections as well. archive
Jun 15 22 BLM COLORADO VIRTUAL WILD HORSE INFORMATION MEETING – PICEANCE about 7,000 aums CATTLE (noted at 23:10) / Aum for horses – low 135 x12 = 1620 high 235×12= 2,820 piceance about 25% are authorized for horses / (26:00) claim 1300 on hma using 14000 aums
https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-colorado-virtual-wild-horse-information-meeting archive Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcYIlVr1WzM&t=1471s archive
2022 jun 15 Board of County Commissioners of Rio Blanco County, Colorado Special Work Session BLM Colorado Wild Horse Virtual Information Meeting When: Wednesday, June 15, 2022, 5 PM Where: Via Zoom link https://www.rbc.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06152022-507
2022 feb 2 Rio Blanco County Meeting – Agenda 2022-02-22
This meeting will be streamed live on the RBC YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBicnhlMpB47tzL_NjN0FIg archive
Based on the 2021 census, there are now well over 1,500 horses in and around the Piceance East Douglas Herd Management Area (PEDHMA), which has an Appropriate Management Level (AML) of 135 – 235.
In partnership with BLM, the Conservation Districts have been conducting intense range monitoring in this area over the past four years and that monitoring is showing severe overgrazing by horses in multiple locations. There was 100% utilization of the grass in many monitoring sites last fall. We look forward to providing that detailed data in the near future as the analyses and reports are currently being drafted.
Rio Blanco County commends the local office for finalizing the Environmental Assessment and signing the decision record to remove the excess horses from within the PEDHMA. We are thrilled that the PEDHMA is on the national gather schedule for this August/September. The gathering of wild horses will provide much needed relief for the rangeland.
The county’s only concern is that removing 750 horses will not get the numbers down near AML. Please continue all efforts to remove ALL the excess horses from Rio Blanco County. Reducing the number of horses to a maximum of 235 would give the land an opportunity to recover.
https://www.rbc.us/documentcenter/view/3426 archive
2020-22 DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2020-0056-EA DR FONSI appendices eplanning Nov 23 20 PR Feb 22 21 PR jun 13 22 PR Piceance-East Douglas HMA Gather and Fertility Control Plan removal of excess wild horses over the next few years (10 years) will reduce impacts to private property and promote healthy rangelands. The aml in the HMA is 135-235 horses. Current 2021 estimates place the herd population at 838 wild horses. The BLM would gather and selectively remove excess wild horses down to the low end of AML using an initial gather operation conducted as soon as possible and return periodically to gather excess wild horses to maintain the AML within the PEDHMA. (DR: The BLM would use a variety of gather techniques including bait trapping, helicopter drive trapping, and helicopter assisted roping (helicopter use would only be scheduled between July 1 and February 28, 2021. The BLM would also initiate the administration of fertility control treatments to reduce the current annual recruitment rate. Fertility control treatments would primarily consist of vaccine treatments (e.g., PZP, PZP-22, GonaCon – Equine; preference is GonaCon – Equine) along with the potential use of intrauterine devices (IUDs). https:/eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2003177/570
2021 Nov 2 2021-0237.pdf (doi.gov) / DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2020-0056-EA Notice of Appeal (IBLA 2021-236, IBLA 2021-237, IBLA 2021-238) – Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area Gather and Fertility Control Plan / Motion to Consolidate Denied; Motion to Dismiss Granted / LAWSUIT https://www.oha.doi.gov/IBLA/Dispositives/2021%20Dispositive%20Orders/Nov%202021/2021-0237.pdf archive
2021 Instruction memorandum added to NATIONAL OFFICE, COLORADO RIVER DO /
PIM 2021-007 – Euthanasia of Wild Horses and Burros Related to Acts of Mercy, Health or Safety.
PIM2021-007 ATT1 WHB EUTHANASIA POLICY (UPDATED) (PDF / 537 KB)
Individuals to whom the AO may consider delegating this authority include BLM employees, veterinarians, individuals under contract with the BLM, individuals performing duties under assistance agreements with the BLM, federal, or state wildlife management officers, animal control officers, and law enforcement officers.
On gathers, at preparation facilities (facilities where animals are prepared for transport or adoption), at off-range corrals (ORC) or off-range pastures (ORP) facilities, and at inmate training facilities, the AO is responsible for ensuring trained personnel are available to perform euthanasia at appropriate times. This includes anytime when wild horses or burros are being captured, sorted, worked, or loaded for transportation, regardless of location. At adoptions and public events, the AO will ensure that a veterinarian is on-site or on-call to perform timely and discreet euthanasia if necessary, as an act of mercy.
“All personnel authorized to perform euthanasia will be trained to use gunshot. Only those specifically trained on the techniques for injection or captive bolt are authorized to use these techniques.”
PIM2021-007 ATT2- HENNEKE BODY SCORING CHART (PDF / 243 KB)
PIM2021-007 ATT3- FIREARMS TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION (PDF / 84 KB)
WHBA notes: Curious as to why the national office wasn’t sufficient enough to list this, that they had to actually add mention of ‘Colorado River DO’ as shown in the search? What changed from the past to the current. Anything significant? It is noted that the 2018 Authorize Use of Firearms to Euthanize Wild Horse and Burros by Non-Law Enforcement Personnel became INACTIVE on 09/30/2021. This new policy language allows for ‘captive bolt’ euthanasia.
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2021 2021 WEST DOUGLAS HERD AREA EMERGENCY WILD HORSE GATHER: COMPLETED AUG. 13 & GATHER REPORT Jul 23 21 PR remove the entire estimated population of 450 wild horses from the WEST DOUGLAS herd area, state, and private land. https:/www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro/herd-management/gathers-and-removals/colorado/2021-west-douglas-herd-area-emergency-wild-horse-gather
2021 2021-12 Resolution: Management of Wild and Free Roaming Horses within RBC- may 11 21 signed archive In 1975 the White River Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management wrote Wild Horse Management plans which specified the areas wild horses would be allowed to exist and in this plan it was determined that all feral horses would be removed from the lands West of Colorado Highway 139, commonly known as the West Douglas Herd Area.
BLM has failed to abide by their own plans and have allowed wild and feral horses to proliferate to the point that they have migrated out of The West Douglas Herd Area and have been in trespass in those areas for 45 years.
may 11 Rio Blanco County Meeting Agenda 2021-05-11 – Amended (WHB page 124-6 unsigned)
2021 census (need locate)
2020 DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2020-0040-CX DR Fonsi oct 27 20 PR eplanning
Removal of Wild Horses (75) from Private Lands in the Greasewood Allotment in the Piceance-East Douglas HMA (claims the last roundup in the PEDMA area was 2011, but I show more below)
This action is needed to address concerns of wild horses impacting private property within the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area. The BLM has received requests from a private landowner to remove the horses. The BLM’s wild horse management responsibilities under the 1971 Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act include removing wild horses from private land when requested in writing by private landowners. Wild horses will be gathered using a bait trapping technique located within the Greasewood Allotment at either Thompson Spring, East Fork Spring, or Berry Bros. Windmill. Once captured, the wild horses will be taken to a BLM facility in either Wyoming or Colorado for adoption or sale. Some of these wild horses would potentially be used for the annual Meeker Mustang Makeover event held in Meeker, Colorado; the event’s mission statement includes the use and promotion of local wild horses. https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2000200/510
2020 DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2020-0056-EA – EA DNA DR FONSI appendices eplanning Piceance-East Douglas HMA Gather and Fertility Control Plan The purpose of the Proposed Action is to remove excess wild horses from within the PEDHMA, to manage wild horses to achieve, and maintain within the established AML ranges, and to reduce the wild horse population recruitment (growth) rate in order to prevent undue or unnecessary degradation of the public lands by protecting rangeland resources from deterioration associated with an overpopulation of excess wild horses within the PEDHMA, and to restore a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple use relationship on the public lands consistent with the provisions of Section 1333 (a) of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. (appendice: The WRFO has conducted wild horse gathers some 20 times over the past 40 years either within and/or outside of the PEDHMA, including during 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2015, and 2017, public comments, fertility references) https:/eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2003177/570
2018 DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2018-0071-DNA DR Fonsi eplanning eplan – CO Jun 5 18 PR
gather all excess wild horses (374) that are outside the designated Piceance-East Douglas HMA, including those in the West Douglas area. https:/eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/108096/510
2018 DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2018-0068-DNA DR Fonsi eplanning – In progress / 84 Mesa Area Fence Extension – These fence sections and extension are needed in order to retain wild horses within the (PEDHMA).“The boundary of the Piceance-East Douglas HMA will be expanded to include the Greasewood allotment (presently a part of the North Piceance Herd Area. The proposed fence sections and fence extension, at approximately 1,260 feet in total length includes three shorter sections (west to east 100 feet, 85 feet, and 75 feet) in areas that are not rimmed out by the topography plus the approximate 1,000 feet fence extension that has been allowing wild horses access to the private lands. These fence sections and extension are needed in order to retain wild horses within the (PEDHMA). The BLM would use fence tags to mark the fences which would help make the fences more visible to wildlife, wild horses, and livestock. At this time all fences are proposed to be four stranded barbed wire with wildlife “friendly” spacing. https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/102542/510
2018 IM-2018-007 – Authorize Use of Firearms to Euthanize Wild Horse and Burros by Non-Law Enforcement Personnel INACTIVE (Expires: 09/30/2021) archive CO-IM-2018-007
Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) establishes the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado’s requirements for on-the-job transport, possession and firearms use by nonlaw enforcement personnel to euthanize wild horses and burros with firearms. This IM provides guidance for complying with BLM WO IM-2013-059 (Wild Horse and Burro Gathers: Comprehensive Animal Welfare Policy); the Department of the Interior Departmental Manual Part 446; BLM Manual 4730; and BLM Handbook 1112-1, Chapter 37; and 1112-2, Chapter 17; pertaining to the authorization, qualification, use and storage of Bureau-issued firearms to wild horse and burro personnel. This policy does not apply to law enforcement personnel. Policy/Action: Non-law enforcement personnel with firearms qualifications may be authorized to transport, possess, or use a firearm while on official duty to euthanize wild horses and burros that meet criteria outlined in Attachment 1. Personnel must be authorized to perform this duty and will strictly follow the training, safety and operational requirements outlined in Attachment 2.
In accordance with Federal Regulations, 18 U.S. Code § 930, firearms are prohibited inside Federal facilities. Exceptions are made for law and non-law enforcement personnel with firearms qualifications.
The BLM can use either lethal injection or firearms to humanely euthanize wild horses and burros. Lethal injection is not an option for horses on the range due to drug residues that may poison wildlife or enter the environment. Currently, BLM Colorado relies on law enforcement to euthanize wild horses with firearms. Many times, law enforcement officers are unavailable to euthanize an animal in a timely manner, causing undue suffering. Allowing nonlaw enforcement employees to carry firearms in the field will allow timely responses to humanely euthanize wild horses and burros to prevent undue suffering.
2017 DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2017-0056-EA DR fonsi eplanning eplan – CO Jun 9 17 PR Aug 11 17 PR (ep-co: The decision will also allow future gathers to remove wild horses that stray from the 300-square-mile Piceance-East Douglas HMA designated for their management) (ea: The BLM’s White River Field Office has ‘approved a plan that would allow future gathers to remove all excess wild horses that are outside the designated Piceance-East Douglas HMA, including those in the West Douglas area’. Gather of Excess (100) Wild Horses from Areas Outside of the Piceance-East Douglas HMA. (PR aug: The BLM will primarily use a helicopter drive trap method to gather the horses from private lands in the Cathedral Creek area. If less than 100 wild horses are gathered from this area, the BLM may elect to gather horses from additional nearby areas outside the HMA. The decision area does not include the West Douglas HA) (PR jun: remove 72 of the 217 west douglas (PR:The EA is a baseline document for potential future wild horse removals outside the HMA over the next several years that could include using helicopters and/or bait- and water-trapping. It specifically includes a proposed helicopter gather this fall to remove 72 wild horses outside the HMA. The BLM currently estimates there are 217 wild horses outside the HMA within the analysis area, which includes about 773,000 acres in the White River Field Office east of Colorado Highway 139, south of Colorado Highway 64 and west of Colorado Highway 13. The analysis area and EA do not include the West Douglas Herd Area, which is west of Colorado Highway 139 – WHBA: means it’s been approved for future removals even though it isn’t listed specifically in docs) https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/77052/510
2016 Jul 21 16 PR BLM to Hold Public Hearing Regarding Use of Motorized Equipment for Wild Horse Management
2016 DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2016-0057-EA DNA DR FONSI eplanning oct 31 15 PR / Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Duck Creek Fence Construction Project and Corcoran Spring Reconstruction – The proposed new Duck Creek fence section does not necessarily follow the previously delineated HMA boundary it is located as close as possible to the boundary where the fence will be effective and result in the least impacts to the other resources (i.e. listed plant species and cultural resources). The proposed fence will be a 4 strand barbed wire fence. The proposed reconstruction of the Corcoran Spring will be to place the new water feature out of the drainage, it will also include a design feature such that the wild horses and wildlife will make use of the new water source where the water has been placed into a “container” of some kind at or near ground level to avoid placing the water into a tank which the wild horse and other wildlife have shown they will not use. (EA comments: there are approximately 184 acres of the HMA that would be fenced out of the rest of the HMA. If the BLM were to find wild horses in this area that is technically within the HMA but outside of the fence, then we would attempt to move the wild horses back into the fenced portion of the HMA. If wild horses are found outside of the HMA boundary, then those wild horses would not be moved into the HMA since the HMA is currently over AML./ Uses prison labor to build fences / mentions bladderpod trampled by horses and cows in duck creek CO06031 – 2020 aum 1,270 cattle- which was a part of the North Piceance herd area that was zeroed out. Do horses even have access to this area anymore?) DR: Construction of the new 0.9 mile section of the Duck Creek fence – means they took the shortest route and the horses lost another 184 acres. https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/57016/510
2016 may 20 LAND and NATURAL RESOURCES PLAN and POLICIES RIO BLANCO COUNTY, COLORADO
4.13 Wild Horses, Burros, and Estray livestock West Douglas and Piceance areas (pg 89)
1. Recognize the horses protected under the WFRHBA are in fact feral horses even when they are referenced as “wild”.
2. Proactively manage horses within the PEDHMA at AML (135 – 235) as identified in the current Resource Management Plan (U. S. Interior 1996): a. Demand all excess horses (those above 235 within the PEDHMA) be gathered and removed from the rangelands.
3. Feral horses within the PEDHMA should be managed for a viable, healthy herd that will result in the thriving natural ecological balance (including the standards and guidelines for rangeland health) and multiple-use relationship in that area as required by the Act.
4. Immediately remove wild horses from private lands when notified of their presence as defined through the WFRHB Act and Colorado estray laws. Immediate removal should be conducted in such a manner so that the horses will not return to the private land nor be placed within County boundaries as long as the BLM is out of compliance with AML.
5. Demand the immediate removal of all feral horses within Rio Blanco County that are found outside the PEDHMA in accordance with the Act, including the areas referenced as the West Douglas and North Piceance Herd Areas.
6. Any proposed enlargement or expansion of the current HMA or HA boundaries or any new HMAs or HAs are outside the WFRHB Act and unacceptable.
7. Inventory wild horses at least every three years.
8. Remove horses to the lowest range of the AML to reduce the frequency of gathers. Because completing a gather is a lengthy and expensive undertaking often hampered by litigation, and because horses have no predators, if not gathered to the lowest end of AML population, numbers will rebound requiring another gather in too short of time.
9. Support the use of long-term fertility control such as spaying of mares but only if the numbers are within AML.
10. Public education programs should be created to inform the public at large about the need to maintain healthy ecosystems and the differences between livestock, wild horse, and wildlife management needs and impacts.
11. Rulemaking should be pursued to give the BLM additional options for the disposal of wild horses to allow BLM to meet their existing statutory requirements.
12. Modifications of HMA boundaries would be allowed only for the purpose of reducing resource conflicts and adverse effects on private lands so long as there is no net increase in boundary size or AML numbers.
13. Any reduction in HMA size should be completed with appropriate reduction in AML.
14. Develop and implement habitat management and/or monitoring plans to specifically determine impacts of wild horses on range, riparian, water, wildlife, and other resources.
15. Monitoring plans should accurately identify the causal factors in resource changes (e.g., separate wild horse, livestock, and wildlife impacts) and if monitoring shows any adverse impacts, take action to manage the activity based on the specific results in the monitoring.
16. Once excess horses are removed from areas where livestock grazing permittees have taken reductions in AUMS, livestock grazing reductions shall be reinstated as soon as resources recover.
17. Any equine animal released from private individuals, tribes, or neighboring lands onto public lands after 1971 is considered as estray as defined in Colo. Rev. Stat. 35-44-101 and dealt with accordingly.
18. Support non-reproducing herds within HMA boundaries and within AML.
19. Develop monitoring programs that separate the utilization by species (e.g., wild horse, livestock, or wildlife) that can be used to inform management.
https://www.rbc.us/DocumentCenter/View/1702/20160520_rio_blanco_land_use_plan_final?bidId archive
2016 feb 22 Wild Horse Aerial Inventory PEDHMA & WDHA https:/eplanning.blm.gov/public_projects/nepa/77052/108386/132712/Wild_Horse_Aerial_Inventory_2016.pdf archive
2016 2016 PEDHMA map of west douglas and north Piceance, both dissolved https://web.archive.org/web/20161230123751/https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/co_pedhma_map.pdf
2015 DOI-BLM-CO-N05-2015-0024-DNA EA (DNA) DR fonsi eplanning Jan 30 15 PR Jul 29 15 PR Sep 13 17 PR 2017 Cathedral Creek Gather GATHER REPORTS Cattoor Livestock INL17PD00944 (9/14-9/19/17)(86G/1D) Canon VETERINARY REPORTS / Piceance-East Douglas HMA and Adjacent Areas (Tommys Draw,Catherdal Creek,North Piceance HA) Wild Horse Gathers (gather up to 167 horses using water and bait trapping and helicopter gather operations) (DNA: The predominant land uses within the gather area are livestock grazing, recreation and energy development.) (PR sep: Thursday the Bureau of Land Management will begin gathering up to 100 wild horses that have strayed from the designated Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area in northwestern Colorado. The BLM will primarily use a helicopter-drive trap method to gather the horses from private lands in the Cathedral Creek area south of Rangely. If less than 100 wild horses are gathered from this area, the BLM may elect to gather horses from additional nearby areas outside the HMA east of Colorado Highway 139) https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/43789/510
2015 COLORADO WILD HORSE AND BURRO COALITION, INC., et al., Plaintiffs, v. SALLY JEWELL, et al., https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-dcd-1_15-cv-01454/pdf/USCOURTS-dcd-1_15-cv-01454-0.pdf archive map of original piceance/douglas territory 1974 pg 27-31 / remove 167 wild horses from contiguous sections of Colorado’s White River Resource Area: the West Douglas Herd Area (“West Douglas HA”) and the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area (“East Douglas HMA) / LAWSUIT
2015 DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2015-0023-EA DNA DR Fonsi eplanning NEPA West Douglas HA Wild Horse Gather: plans to gather excess (167) wild horses in the White River Field Office in northwest Colorado as early as September 2015 using water and bait trapping and helicopter gather operations to sustain healthy public lands and wild horse populations.
Maintaining healthy herd populations is a key aspect in the BLM’s multiple-use mission to manage public lands for a variety of natural resources and a sustained yield. When wild horse herds grow at levels that are unsustainable for local resources, the ecological balance of these areas is altered and can impact plant and animal species on the range. The BLM has determined that current wild horse populations south of Rangely pose a serious and potentially permanent risk to the area’s ecological balance.
The horses in the West Douglas herd became isolated from the larger Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area to the east when construction of the State Highway 139 right-of-way fences created a physical barrier to movement between the herds. The BLM decided to remove the wild horses from West Douglas through various public planning efforts since 1975, including the 1997 White River Resource Management Plan and a 2005 RMP amendment. The West Douglas Herd Area currently has 365 horses, which is not sustainable for the area. The Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area currently has 377 wild horses, but its appropriate management level is between 135 and 235 wild horses.
The BLM evaluated several alternatives in conjunction with scientific data, range-specific conditions and public input through a formal environmental analysis. The planning documents evaluating the planned gather operations are available at the White River Field Office at 220 E. Market St., Meeker, CO 81641 and online at: http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/wrfo/wrfo_wild_horses.html
2008-sep 2016 archives https:/eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/43788/510
http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/co/field_offices/white_river_field/wild_horse_documents.Par.92698.File.dat/Final%20EA%20WDHA%2020150023_7.27.15_withappendices.pdf archive
2015 Memo: West Douglas Herd Area Review of Current Situation (1/14/15)
2015 Memo: West Douglas Herd Area Excess Wild Horse Determination Decision (1/27/15)
2015 Wild Horse Management History and Current Conditions within the West Douglas Herd Area (January 2015, Revised April 2015, Revised September 2015) https://eplanning.blm.gov/public_projects/2003177/200391671/20029713/250035912/WDHA History Document_Final_Jan2015_Revised Sep2015.pdf archive west douglas / 1974 territory map
2015 Rio Blanco County Fence Laws https://www.rbc.us/225/fence-laws archive
2015 White River Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment for Oil and Gas Development – BLM / Meeker County https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/lup/65266/79043/91308/2015_Oil_and_Gas_Development_RMPA_ROD.pdf archive
Piceance-East: A lease notice would be added to leases that encompass portions of a wild horse herd management area. In order to protect wild horses within this area, intensive development activities may be delayed for a specified 60-day period within the spring foaling period between March 1 and June 15.
The lessee may be required to perform special conservation measures within the wild horse herd management area including:
• Habitat improvement projects within the HMA in areas adjacent to development if such development displaces wild horses from crucial habitat.
• Disturbed watering areas would be replaced with an equal source of water, having equal utility.
• Activity/improvements would provide for unrestricted movement of wild horses between summer and winter ranges
2015 Northwest Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment
The major threats to GRSG and GRSG habitat on BLM-administered lands in the northwest Colorado sub-region are the following: No mention of horses
- Fluid mineral development—fragmentation of GRSG habitat due to mineral exploration and development
- Infrastructure—fragmentation of GRSG habitat due to development, such as rights-of-way (ROWs) and renewable energy development
- Grazing—loss of habitat components due to improper ‘livestock’ grazing
- Wildfire—loss of large areas of GRSG habitat due to wildfire
- Invasive species—conversion of GRSG habitat to cheatgrass-dominated plant communities
“This may require temporary or longterm changes in livestock grazing, wild horse management, travel management, and other uses to achieve and maintain the desired condition of ESR and Burn Area Emergency Rehabilitation projects to benefit GRSG”
Improper Livestock grazing: NOTE ‘NO’ removals for livestock whom ARE a major threat to GRSG
- Prioritize the review and processing of grazing permits and leases in PHMA
- Include in National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) analysis for Renewals and modifications of grazing permits and leases specific management thresholds, based on the GRSG habitat objectives table land health standards and ecological site potential, to allow adjustments to grazing that have already been subjected to NEPA analysis
Free-roaming equid (wild horses and burros) management: NOTE removals for WHB who ARE NOT mentioned as a major threat in the GRSG
- Manage herd management areas (HMAs) in GRSG habitat within established appropriate management level ranges to achieve and maintain GRSG habitat objectives
- Prioritize rangeland health assessment, gathers and population growth suppression techniques, monitoring, and review and adjustment of appropriate management levels and preparation of HMA plans in GRSG habitat Range management structures
And noted here which shows consistent ‘favor to livestock’, whom ARE a major threat to GRSG:
“MD FIRE-12: (PHMA) During fuels management project design, consider the utility of using livestock to strategically reduce fine fuels (Diamond at al. 2009), and implement grazing management that will accomplish this objective”
Objective RM-1: GRSG objectives and well-managed livestock operations are compatible because forage availability for livestock and hiding cover for GRSG are both dependent on healthy plant communities
MD RM-3: (PHMA) The BLM will prioritize: 1. the review of grazing permits/leases, in particular to determine ‘ if ’ modification is necessary prior to renewal, and 2. the processing of grazing permits/leases in PHMA.
See section:2.2.5 Wild Horses and Burros (WHB) – for all the negative efforts specific objectives directed at WHB https://eplanning.blm.gov/public_projects/lup/36511/63221/68470/Northwest_Colorado_ARMPA_508.pdf archive
2014 DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2014-0035-EA / DOI-BLM-CO-N05-2014-0035-EA (dead link) (need to locate)
https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/nepa/108096/147194/180948/doiblmcoN0520180071dna_Unsigned_FONSI_public_review.pdf dead link mentioned in DOI-BLM-CO-N05-2018-0071 https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/nepa/108096/20013069/250017871/doiblmcoN0520180071dna_final_2.14.20.pdf
2018 DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2018-0071-DNA (Gather of Excess Wild Horses Located Outside of the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area) Determination of NEPA Adequacy (DNA) – Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) – Unsigned archive
2014 Feb 24 14 PR piceance fence proposed construction of five segments of a Herd Management Area fence in Rio Blanco County. The proposed fence would serve to improve management of wild horses within the Piceance-East Douglas HMA. The 137-mile perimeter of the HMA is not adequately fenced and wild horses can leave the HMA. Wild horses leaving the HMA are at risk of vehicle collisions and pose concerns to natural resources on both public and private land.
2013. BLM Approved Land Use Plan Amendments/Record of Decision (ROD) for Allocation of Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources on Lands Administered by the Bureau of Land Management in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. United States Department of the Interior.
2012 Aerial Inventory February 16-17 https://web.archive.org/web/20151011075435/http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/co/field_offices/white_river_field/Documents.Par.31886.File.dat/Signed%20Memo%20and%20Report%20022812.pdf
2012 DOI-BLM-CO-110-2012-0104- (unsigned EA, FONSI) – (only copy available) WHBA
[these docs below align with 0088EA but dates could also work for 0104EA, unclear if related as I can find no other info on the 0104EA] July 15-August 13 2012 West Douglas Emergency Wild Horse Gather 2010 West Douglas Emergency Gather Reports Documents and Maps Facility & Veterinary Reports
- IMMEDIATE CLOSURE OF PUBLIC LANDS: The Bureau of Land Management, Northwest District, White River Field Office is giving notice that the BLM is temporarily closing certain access roads and certain areas to all public use, including vehicle operation and sightseeing, from June 20, 2012 to December 1, 2012. The closed area is located on or near Texas Mountain east of BLM Road 1214 and east of BLM Road 1063.
————-
2011 jul 19 12 VIDEO – BLM CO – West Douglas Herd – no water – no mention of the thousands of livestock that utilize this public lands
2012 DOI-BLM-CO110-2012-0105-CX
2011 DOI-BLM-CO-110-2011-0058-EA (EA, FONSI, and Decision Record) DNA DR FONSI eplanning
PICEANCE-EAST DOUGLAS HMA WILD HORSE GATHER PLAN AND SELECTIVE REMOVAL / gather approximately 382 wild horses, and remove excess (247) wild horses / actual use of grazing pastures 2007-10 / description Wild Horse Herd Distribution in HMA pg 70- / yearly pop est 1974-92 / lot of tables counting foal, and old horses pg77
WHBA notes: that while this document is labeled DOI-BLM-CO-110-2011-0058-EA officially, the left hand corner of all pages internally notates it as ‘DOI-BLM-CO-110-2010-0089-EA’ which can lead to confusion with screenshots. Uncorrected BLM error.
The BLM considers the 20% figure the most common annual increase and accounts for naturally occurring population losses (i.e. normal death loss, old age, starvation, and predation). If 100 horses are observed in an inventory, 120 horses would be expected the following year. However, the two right hand columns indicate that the “expected” number of horses is not always found on a subsequent inventory. For example in 1982, 207 horses were observed in the HMA inventory. Compounded at 20%, less the 64 head gathered in 1983 and 1984, 283 horses were expected in the 1985 inventory. The table shows that only 93 were found – which is only 33% of expected. Both 1983 and 1984 were deep snow years, so death loss is a distinct possibility. This theory is supported by data from West Douglas Herd Area where only 41 percent of the expected number of horses were found in the 1986 inventory.
Consequently, while the BLM utilizes a 20% increase, as it appears to be the most common in any one year, the Table 3-21 indicates that the herd populations do not average that figure due to a variety of factors including sever winter events and drought. The table shows that the original inventory total of 139 horses compounded at 16.16712% since 1974 (less the 1,407 horses known to be removed during the period) produces the population of 265 found in the 2010 inventory
[In 1996, through the WRRA Wild Horse Removal Plan EA #96-72, BLM analyzed a stocking rate of 450 AUMs to wild horses in Pasture C of the Square S Allotment for 30 wild horses and 1,275 AUMs to wild horses in the Yellow Creek Allotment for 85 wild horses. In the 2002 Piceance-East Douglas Wild Horse Herd Management Area EA and Gather Plan #WR-02-049, BLM analyzed a stocking rate of 258 AUMs to wild horses in the Tommy’s Draw Pasture of the Cathedral Bluffs Allotment for 17 wild horses, 150 AUMs in the Hogan Draw Pasture of the Cathedral Bluffs Allotment for 10 wild horses, and 435 AUMs in the Greasewood Allotment for 29 wild horses. Wild horse AUMs were based on wild horses accounting for 1.25 AUs. The 1997 WRRMP/ROD allocated 2,101 AUMs for the wild horses within the HMA, however, the above gather documents analyzed an increased stocking rate which allows for a maximum of 214 (2,568 AUMs) wild horses at season long grazing. The BLM’s current AML of 135 – 235 is based upon this increased stocking rate. ] pg 69 http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/co/field_offices/white_river_field/wild_horse_documents.Par.87813.File.dat/DOI-BLM-CO-110-2011-0058-EA.pdf archive same file as https://eplanning.blm.gov/public_projects/2003177/200391671/20029707/250035906/DOI-BLM-CO-110-2011-0058-EA.pdf archive
2010 DOI-BLM-CO-110-2010-0089 DR, FONSI, EA 2010 PICEANCE-EAST DOUGLAS HERD MANAGEMENT AREA WILD HORSE GATHER PLAN AND SELECTIVE REMOVAL (318) wild horses, and remove approximately 183 excess wild horses from within and outside the PEDHMA. Of the 135 wild horses returned to the PEDHMA, approximately 10% will be yearlings or approximately 13 head (7 studs and 6 mares). Of the remaining 122 wild horses returned to the PEDHMA, approximately 60% (72) would be studs and 40% (50) mares. BLM would treat all released mares, older than 2 years of age, with PZP. Wild horse selection for release would be to maintain a diverse age structure, herd characteristics and body type (conformation). (EA: A previous gather to remove excess wild horses from the PEDHMA was conducted in 2006. At that time, a total of 258 wild horses were gathered from inside the PEDHMA and 62 wild horses were gathered from outside the PEDHMA. Of the 258 wild horses gathered inside the PEDHMA 216 wild horses and one domestic horse were removed, and all of the wild horses gathered outside were removed. Of these, 41 wild horses were released back to the range, which included 11 studs, 28 mares treated with fertility control, and one filly. The estimated postgather population was 224 wild horses.) The WRFO completed an aerial inventory (direct count method) from February 2 through March 17, 2010. During the inventory 265 wild horses were observed within and 115 outside the PEDHMA. https://web.archive.org/web/20161001123940/http:/www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/co/field_offices/white_river_field/2010_completed_eas.Par.49945.File.dat/Final%20doiblmco11020100089ea.pdf
2010 DOI-BLM-CO-110-2010-0089 DR FONSI EA, comments 2010 PICEANCE-EAST DOUGLAS HERD MANAGEMENT AREA WILD HORSE GATHER PLAN AND SELECTIVE REMOVAL (as noted in advocate comments, look up USGS Z:\Research\Literature\Wild Horse ContraceptiveResearch.mht WO-IM-2010-057
2010 WILD HORSE & BURRO POPULATION INVENTORY AND ESTIMATION WO-IM-2010-057 https://www.blm.gov/policy/im-2010-057 archive
2010 DOI-BLM-CO-110-2010-0088-FINAL (EA, FONSI, and Decision Record) – WEST DOUGLAS HERD AREA WILD HORSE GATHER removal of all the excess wild horses from within the WDHA. It is also my decision to removal all excess wild horses that have relocated outside the WDHA boundaries, as described in Alternative A
text of gov.uscourts.dcd.122483
https://archive.org/stream/gov.uscourts.dcd.122483/gov.uscourts.dcd.122483.5.8_djvu.txt
2010 PICEANCE-EAST DOUGLAS HMA WILD HORSE GATHER PLAN AND SELECTIVE REMOVAL DOI-BLM-CO-110-2010-0089-EA 2010 DOI-BLM-CO-110-2010-0089-EA DR remove some
2010 2010 White River Wild Horse Gather White River 2010 Gather Report (North Piceance, Mares Canyon, Magnolia Bench, Magnolia Flat Documents and Maps
2010 feb 2-mar 17 Direct Count Aerial inventory (mentioned in 110-2010-0089)
265 wild horses were observed within and 115 outside the PEDHMA
2002 Piceance-East Douglas Wild Horse Herd Management Area EA and Gather Plan #WR-02-049 (as mentioned in DOI-BLM-CO-110-2011-0058-EA locate)
2008 WRFO mapPiceance – East Douglas Herd Management Area (HMA)
2006 CO-110-2006-030-EA Final NOTICE OF FINAL DECISION FULL FORCE AND EFFECT 2006 PICEANCE-EAST DOUGLAS HERD MANAGEMENT AREA WILD HORSE REMOVAL
2006 DOI-BLM-CO-110-2006-166-EA text final D text mentioned in DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2017-0056-EA Gather and Removal of Wild Horses from the West Douglas Herd Area
2005-7 CO-110-2005-083-EA and 2007 Affirmed Decision #CO-WRFO-05-083-EA (tags:1974 Census Information, original maps west douglas (lots of mentions of land us plans and maps to document) https:/www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/co/field_offices/white_river_field/Documents.Par.51133.File.dat/2005%20West%20Douglas%20Herd%20Area%20Amendment_EA_Appendices_with%202007%20Affirmed%20Decision.pdf archive Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Appendix D Appendix E Comments/Responses Affirmed Decision
2005-2012 Archived BLM missing EA files West Douglas
2005 H-1610-1 Land Use Planning Handbook
2004 BLM – Nepa in CO – planning
2003 CO-WRFO-03-050-EA Appendix A: SURFACE STIPULATIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL SURFACE DISTURBING ACTIVITIES / lease holder (oil and gas) West Douglas Herd Area Amendment to the White River RMP Environmental Assessment (CO-WRFO-03-050-EA) (WHBA notes: This is no longer an issue for the lease holders as it is not a protected area for horses now?)
1999 Wild Horse Program Analysis and Operational Plan – douglas herd areas
1997 White River – RMP Amendments (oil) to the 1997 White River RMP EA DNA DR FONSI eplanning (includes 1994 & 96 proposed versions)
1996 WRRA Wild Horse Removal Plan EA #96-72 (as mentioned in DOI-BLM-CO-110-2011-0058-EA locate)
1993 West Douglas HMA / Oil Springs Mountains WSA – A southwestern portion of this herd area is designated as a (WSA) wilderness study area in 1980. It was determined: 1981 Acreage Study area: 17,740 acres / recommended acreage for wilderness: 0 acres (pg 27) https://www.gao.gov/assets/rced-93-151.pdf https://www.blm.gov/site-page/programs-national-conservation-lands-colorado-oil-spring-mountain-wsa learn about WSA
1985 BLM is unsuccessful in removing all horse from west douglas pg 14
1983 Completion of fence separating West Douglas from Piceance East pg 14
1981 – Management Framework Plan – 1) Allocate 2,101 AUMs of forage for a range of 95-140
wild horses in the 148,153 acre Piceance-East Douglas Creek Herd Management Area, 2)
removal all horses west of Douglas Creek, 3) remove horses from all other allotments within the
Piceance Planning Unit, 4) complete boundary fencing of Yellow Creek and Cathedral Bluffs
(allotments) to eliminate drift of wild horses into adjacent allotments.
Square S and Cathedral Bluffs have allotments that are outside of than the HMA.
1981 White River Resource Area Grazing Management EIS.
The recommendations of the 1980 Management Framework Plan (MFP) were again presented to the BLM’s internal and external publics along with the scoping process for the court ordered grazing EIS. The Multiple-Use Recommendations from the MFP became the proposed action for the 1981 Grazing EIS. In addition to the proposed action, the Grazing EIS evaluated five other alternatives, some of which were developed from opportunities or objectives identified in the URA/MFP. As relates to wild horses, the grazing EIS evaluated the following alternatives in detail:
(WHBA:They rarely ever veer from the first alternative)
Alternative A (Proposed Action)· o Manage 90 to 140 horses on 148,153 acres public land (161,300 total acres) which includes parts of both herd units. o Allocate 2,101 AUMs of forage for wild horse use within the area described. o Remove all horses west of Douglas Creek and from all other allotments in the Piceance Basin not designated for management of wild horses.
Alternative B (No Action)· o Manage present herd of 625 horses on 443,979 acres public land recognized as the area occupied by wild horses in 1971. o Allocate 9,364 AUMs of forage for horse use within the area described.
Alternative C (Eliminate all Livestock Grazing)· o Manage 500 to 750 head of wild horses on 443,979 acres public land. o Allocate 9,364 AUMs of forage for horse use within the area described.
Alternative D (Optimize Livestock Grazing)· o Manage 52 wild horses on 148,153 acres public land (161,300 total acres). o Allocate 797 AUMs of forage for horse use within the area described. o Remove all horses west of Douglas Creek and from all other allotments in the Piceance Basin not designated for management of wild horses.
Alternative E (Emphasis on Other Resource Uses)· o Manage 280 to 450 head of wild horses on 148,153 acres public land (161,300 total acres). o Allocate 4,200 AUMs of forage for horse use within the area described. o Remove all horses west of Douglas Creek and from all other allotments in the Piceance Basin not designated for management of wild horses.
Alternative F (Optimize Wild Horses)· o Manage 700 to 1,125 head of wild horses on 443,979 acres public land. o Allocate 16,865 AUMs of forage for horse use within the area described. During public review of the Draft Grazing EIS, responses indicated concern regarding proposals for managing wild horses. Major areas of concern included: 1) the need for reducing the size of the wild horse range; 2) the proposed population levels; and 3) the possibility of the proposals violating the mandates of the Act.
1980 Management Framework Plan (MFP) – U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
1976 FEDERAL LAND POLICY AND MANAGEMENT ACT “On public land (for purposes of this piece we will discuss BLM, more public land than any other agency) we have “Multiple Use. This policy outlines how land use plans are to be created to manage public land for the “public good.”
1975 White River Unit Resource Analysis (URA) noted on pg 14 (Meeker 77-400606 google books and Rangely Unit Resource Analyses
1977 ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF NATURAL RESOURCE INFORMATION: Northwestern Colorado mentions details of Unit resource analysis citings for multiple CO counties
1975 BLM drafted a White River Resource Area (WRRA), Management Framework Plan (MFP) (locate)
BACKGROUND: In 1975, BLM drafted a White River Resource Area (WRRA), Management Framework Plan (MFP) based on the information developed in the 1975 Unit Resource Analysis (URA). The 1975 URA identified two wild horse herd units, the Douglas Creek Herd Unit and the Piceance Basin Herd Unit. The 1975 Unit Resource Analysis further identified wild horse utilization/distribution problems resulting from human development and projected human population increases. Based on this analysis, the decision of the 1975 MFP was to: 1) remove wild horses west of Douglas Creek, 2) retain wild horses east of Douglas Creek, and 3) construct a fence along the Douglas Creek road (State Highway 139) from Rangely up East Douglas Creek.”
From 1978 through 1980, another planning effort was undertaken to update the 1975 MFP. This update was driven by court-ordered environmental impact statements requiring area-specific analysis of the livestock grazing program. A 1980 URA again identified two wild horse herd units, the Douglas Creek Herd Unit and the Piceance Basin Herd Unit. Based on the 1980 URA, the Piceance-East Douglas Area (including that portion of the Douglas Creek Herd Unit east of Douglas Creek) was selected for management of wild horses because of a “lower density of both developed and undeveloped energy resources than any other area within the two wild horse herd units” and, “[t]he topography of the proposed area is highly suited to the needs of wild horses… offers both summer and winter ranges and provides all other elements necessary for the survival of wild horses.”
The BLM’s 1980 White River Resource Area MFP called for the complete removal of wild horses from the herd area as the BLM, through information gained in land use planning completed pursuant to Section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, determined there to be an overpopulation on the public lands. As defined in 16 USC § 1332(f) “excess animals” includes wild free-roaming horses or burros which must be removed from an area in order to preserve and maintain a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple- use relationship in that area. Through the MFP process, the BLM determined that it could not maintain a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationship outside of the designated Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area (HMA).
1975 Unit Resource Analysis (URA). (need locate)
In 1975 , the BLM developed a unit resource analysis (URA) for the Oliver – Mercer Planning Unit ( Montgomery , 1975b ) . This analysis is quite….
https://casetext.com/case/natural-resources-defense-council-inc-v-morton-2 COLORADO WILD HORSE AND BURRO COALITION, INC., et al., Plaintiffs, v. Kenneth Lee SALAZAR, Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior, et al., Defendants. Civil Action No. 10-1645 (RMC). United States District Court, District of Columbia. Sept. 13, 2012. Douglas Creek area. It noted that the primary land use for the local economy was the oil and gas industry and that no forage had been allocated to wild horse use. A.R. Vol. 4, Tab 14, p. 379.3 The *101White River Field Office prepared a Management Framework Plan 4 for the WRRA in that same year and determined that conditions were not suitable for managing a population of wild horses west of Douglas Creek (the “West Douglas Herd”). It concluded that the West Douglas Herd should be removed because “[t]he increase in oil and gas activities in this area … is causing horses to disperse into areas where they did not exist prior to 1971.”
1975 77-400606 USDI Bureau of Land Management . MEEKER PLANNING UNIT RESOURCE ANALYSIS . 1975 . unpublished ; contact : USDI Bureau of Land Management , Meeker , Colo . This report begins with a physical profile of the Meeker Planning Unit describing climate , topography , geology , soils , vegetation , water resources, animals , fire , limiting physical factors , and developments . Resource data on lands , minerals , timber , range management , watershed , wildlife habitat , recreation , and an ecological profile follow . The resource data are presented both from the standpoint of present situation and from capabilities and opportunities for development as well . (need locate)
1975 77-400616 USDI Bureau of Land Management . WHITE RIVER MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK PLAN . 1975 . unpublished ; contact: USDI Bureau of Land Management , Craig , Colo . The Management Framework Plan presents the Bureau of Land Management’s management strategy for all the natural resource land from Meeker , Colorado , west to the Utah line , with a northern boundary between the Yampa and White Rivers extending southward to Douglas Creek Pass on the west and Rifle on the east . The plan is derived from the resource information presented in the Bureau’s Rangely , Piceance, and Meeker Unit Resource Analysis reports , collectively . (need locate)
1974 map of original territory piceance herd units (located in 2015 COLORADO WILD HORSE AND BURRO COALITION vs SALZAR)
19?? Land Use Planning for Wild Horses and Burros – The 2005 H-1610-1 Land Use Planning Handbook (2005 how to) identifies the following (see 2004 CFR-2004-title43-vol2-part4700-subpart4700): page 10
a. Herd Areas: Herd Areas (HAs) are limited to areas of the public lands identified as being habitat used by wild horses and burros at the time of the passage of the Wild Horse and Burro Act as amended (16 U.S.C. 1331-1340). b. Herd Management Area Designation: Herd Management Areas (HMA) are established only within Herd Areas, or portions of a Herd Areas within which wild horses and/or burros can be managed for the long term. For Herd Management Areas identify the following: (1) Initial and estimated herd size that could be managed while still preserving and maintaining a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationships for that area. (2) Guidelines and criteria for adjusting herd size.
c. Herd Areas Not Designated as Herd Management Areas. Where appropriate, the LUP may include decisions removing horses from all or part of a herd area.
Energy Conflicts: yes
Jun 20 22 Enterprise Products Partners L.P: One of the Nations Largest Natural Gas Refineries is located within the boundaries of the Piceance – East Douglas HMA. (links) – George Brauneis https://www.facebook.com/george.brauneis/posts/pfbid037kpU1UxyZTAaWGy6hupXDfGD92CWFxeDiR42fEKPq5fgjhkYiBTXsRFZ5MjNVjN1l
jun 29 22 Piceance Basin is the second largest area for fracking, oil and gas in this Nation. It’s apocalyptic in the Basin – Pam True
Land exchange with Exxon Mobile
Proposed PICEANCE SWA PROPERTY EXCHANGE Involving Lands and Water Rights Owned by
Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife And Exxon Mobil Corporation / FEDERAL ASSISTANCE GRANT W-33-L / (Pg4) Over the past several decades, the Piceance SWA has not only been impacted by drought, but also by increased mineral development activities in the surrounding areas. The SWA now exhibits reduced wildlife habitat values and has resulted in reduced big game populations. archive
dec 14 20 Oil & Gas Wastewater Spills in the Piceance Basin Top 700k Gallons in 2019 – kdnk radio
2012-2020 Garfield & Rio Blanco County, CO – Spill/ Release incidents reports
NEPA –White River FO eplanning – oil and gas projects
2012 Big Energy and wild horses – Wild Horse Education

Livestock Conflicts : Yes #piceancegrazing
Grazing allotments: 4 / records as of 2020 MAPS
2022 Livestock AMU: 7000 +- CATTLE Livestock use: 2800 (see at 26:00) WHB use: 1385 claim
2020 Livestock AMU: 7000 +- CATTLE Livestock use: 12,247 WHB use: 698
Square S CO06027, Cattle / Total AUMs 3,522 – Total Livestock 2,461 (IMPROVE category- AMP implented 05/01/1972) (WAYNE PENNELL aut 0500682 & 0500751 operates all 12 pastures) (permitted use 2439 & 1083)
0001 | ALKALI |
0002 | LWR YELLOW CRK |
0003 | UPR YELLOW CRK |
0004 | HORSE DRAW |
0005 | NORTH RYAN |
0006 | DRY RYAN |
0007 | SOUTH RYAN |
0008 | EQUITY / SWIZER |
0009 | HUGHES |
0010 | SUMMER CPW |
0011 | D SUMMER BLM |
0012 | C STAKE SPRINGS |
Land exchange with Exxon Mobile (Pg4) Over the past several decades, the Piceance SWA has not only been impacted by drought, but also by increased mineral development activities in the surrounding areas. The SWA now exhibits reduced wildlife habitat values and has resulted in reduced big game populations.
Yellow Creek CO06030, Cattle / Total AUMs 2,157 – Total Livestock 1,554 (IMPROVE category) (BURKE BROTHERS operate all 3 pastures)
0001 | BOX ELDER |
0002 | BARCUS-PINTO GULCH |
0003 | ROCKY RIDGE |
Greasewood CO06036, Cattle / Total AUMs 1,567 – Total Livestock 682 (IMPROVE category) (4M RANCH, LLC operate 1 pastures)
0001 | GREASEWOOD |
Cathedral Bluffs CO06349, Cattle / Total AUMs 5,175 – Total Livestock 7,550 (IMPROVE category- AMP implented) (POWELL 4A RANCH operate all 6 pastures) (permitted use 6766 / suspended aum 1591)
0001 | HOGAN DRAW |
0002 | TOMMYS DRAW |
0003 | BURMA ROAD |
0004 | WILLOW CREEK |
0005 | BEAR CANYON |
0006 | POWELL-4A |
0007 | CATHEDRAL CREEK |
Only 1, the greasewood allotment (pg22), has been incorporated into the Piceance East Douglas HMA when the North Douglas HA was dissolved. Unclear if any horses have access to it.
1981 – Management Framework Plan – 1) Allocate 2,101 AUMs of forage for a range of 95-140
wild horses in the 148,153 acre Piceance-East Douglas Creek Herd Management Area, 2)
removal all horses west of Douglas Creek, 3) remove horses from all other allotments within the
Piceance Planning Unit, 4) complete boundary fencing of Yellow Creek and Cathedral Bluffs
(allotments) to eliminate drift of wild horses into adjacent allotments.
Square S and Cathedral Bluffs have allotments that are outside of than the HMA.



IN THE NEWS – Piceance
2022 (July) Piceance-East Douglas HMA Gather
2022 PICEANCE-EAST DOUGLAS WILD HORSE GATHER archive
2022-20 DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2020-0056-EA DR FONSI appendices eplanning Nov 23 20 PR Feb 22 21 PR jun 13 22 PR Piceance-East Douglas HMA Gather and Fertility Control Plan removal of excess wild horses over the next few years will reduce impacts to private property and promote healthy rangelands. The aml in the HMA is 135-235 horses. Current 2021 estimates place the herd population at 838 wild horses. (according to the jun 13 2022 PR, the current numbers are 1,385 horses #numbersscam). The BLM would gather and selectively remove excess wild horses down to the low end of AML using an initial gather operation conducted as soon as possible and return periodically to gather excess wild horses to maintain the AML within the PEDHMA. The BLM would use a variety of gather techniques including bait trapping, helicopter drive trapping, and helicopter assisted roping (helicopter use would only be scheduled between July 1 and February 28, 2021?). The BLM would also initiate the administration of fertility control treatments to reduce the current annual recruitment rate. Fertility control treatments would primarily consist of vaccine treatments (e.g., PZP, PZP-22, GonaCon – Equine; preference is GonaCon – Equine) along with the potential use of intrauterine devices (IUDs). https:/eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2003177/570
Animals: 780 gathered / 0 returned / 3 deaths / 0 fertility / 0 collared
Date of gather: (Jun 16 22- ? Bait) (jul 15 22- 28 Heli) September Gather Method: Bait / Heli
Contractor: CATTOOR Contract price: 140L0622F0134 $559,250.00
Plan Gathered: 750 Animals Shipped: 650 (where are the other 130H)
Facility: AXTELL Max capacity: Public Access: NO
Dead Animals: ? Shipped: ? Buried: ?
Public viewing: no/yes
Notes: due to deadly outbreak at CANON PRISON corrals that killed the majority of 150 of the zeroed out west douglas herd, BLM has changed to another off-limit to public facility. The ’roundup corrals’ are intentionally held on private property so they can claim no visitors may attend. jun 24 Witnesses saw ‘corraled’ wild horses and documented while BLM claimed none had been gathered yet.
jul 28 had brutal fence flip where horse were run into barbed wire #fenceflip
Gather Reports
Gather Status
The gather will happen in two stages. Bait and water operations will begin on June 16. Drive-trap operations will begin on or about July 15.
As of July 28, 2022:
Animals Gathered: 780
780 Wild Horses (283 Stallions, 347 Mares, and 150 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 650
650 Wild Horses (240 Stallions, 277 Mares, and 133 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: 3
-Sudden / Acute: 0
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 3
Downloads
IN THE NEWS – 2022 Piceance #inthenews2022piceance
jul 28 29 Wilson documents the horses flipping over fence during roundup – WilsonAXPE #fenceflip
jul 28 22 Contractor Cattoor’s helicopter chase runs horses into fence during roundup- injuries sustained (deaths?) – WHBA
Jul 28 22 Today’s portion of the Piceance-East Douglas Helicopter Roundup is being carried out in Cow Canyon – The irony – WilsonAXPE
Jul 5 22 (video) Piceance HMA: discussion with Ashley Avis & Eric Molvar of Western Watersheds – Wild Beauty Foundation #coexisted
ERIC: 30:45- “Based on the science, there were 2 to 7 million wild horses in North America in the last 1700’s, early 1800’s, during the time of Lewis and Clark. That was the time when you had 16 mil sage grouse at the same time. Today we might have 200-250 million sage grouse nationwide. Then we had 16 million, living side by side with 2-7 million horses, with 55 million bison, with 10 million elk which is ten times as many as we have today, with 380,000 wolves. And all of these animals were part of big… I mean it was an American serengetti really at that time. And Lewis and Clark recorded that as they headed west. You know they recorded the abundance of all these different types of wildlife, and that’s something that coexisted with that number of wild horses at the time. So to say today, that you know today’s population of wild horses which is currently estimated by the BLM at about 82,000 throughout N. America, and that’s overpopulated? Well overpopulated compared to what? You know if you think about it, the number of cattle that are out there in the west, in the west , there are something like 18 million cattle on public and private land together in the western states. So if there are 18 million cattle and 82,000 wild horses, whose overpopulated? Well…. Nobody really wants to admit it, that the livestock are making profits for the humans out there using the land.”
Jul 2 22 (images) A high number of foals, some just hours old, plus scorching July. Foaling Season Should Not Be Helicopter Season. – Aria https://www.facebook.com/fortheloveofaria/posts/pfbid02AaCVb8b5fnxs6m4VHMZ4NfFqjXRKAPVDk2BBnK7JwopzJ8wSYxiWe8CU6HRNVwZTl
jun 30 22 Western watershed documents aerial flight over the Piceance basin prior to roundup – WWP
jun 29 22 Piceance Basin is the second largest area for fracking, oil and gas in this Nation. It’s apocalyptic in the Basin – Pam True
jun 29 22 BLM Lies: water trap with the little wind mill near the Greasewood allotment – Pam True
jun 24 22 Advocate claims BLM is lying and has already started gathering horses she just had photographed in their HMA. 2022 Piceance East Douglas Gather – photo evidence – Pam True #jun24
jan 27 22 BLM looks to remove 750 horses from area herd – Daily Sentinel archive
Jun 11 22 BLM won’t allow water to Box Elder / Piceance East Douglas herd during drought Picenance Basin between Rifle & Meeker. It shows the current drought conditions in that area, particularly in the Box Elder section of the East Douglas HMA. The horses are stacked up around a water tank that hasn’t seen moisture since last November (2021). The BLM has recently stated that they will not be hauling water to the Piceance Basin Mustangs this year, & will not allow any outside groups to do so either.
2021 (February) PRIVATE LAND WILD HORSE GATHER
2021 gather schedule
(CO Piceance-East Douglas HMA 0 75 Darting Horse NA Dart Fertility Control)
(Piceance-East Douglas HMA 2/10/2021 9/30/2021 63 63 15 15 0 0 Bait or Water
(In-house) Horse Nuisance Public safety; private lands)
Animals: ? gathered / 0 returned / 0 deaths / 0 fertility / 0 collared
Date of gather: Gather Method: bait
Contractor: Contract price: $ ?
Plan Gathered: 100 Animals Shipped:
Facility: CANON PRISON Max capacity: 3000 Public Access: NO
Dead Animals: ? Shipped: ? Buried: ?
Public viewing:
Notes:
PLAN
The Bureau of Land Management has issued a final decision to remove up to 100 wild horses this fall from private land and other areas outside the designated Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area (HMA) in northwestern Colorado.
The decision will also allow future gathers to remove wild horses that stray from the 300-square-mile Piceance-East Douglas HMA designated for their management.
“The BLM is committed to maintaining a healthy wild horse population on healthy rangelands in the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area,” said BLM White River Field Manager Kent Walter. “Wild horses that stray from the established Herd Management Area need to be removed to reduce conflicts with other resources and private land under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act.”
“Wild horses that stray from the established Herd Management Area need to be removed to reduce conflicts with other resources and private land under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act.”
The BLM will primarily use a helicopter drive trap method to gather the horses from private lands in the Cathedral Creek area. If less than 100 wild horses are gathered from this area, the BLM may elect to gather horses from additional nearby areas outside the HMA.
The BLM currently estimates that there are 210 wild horses outside the HMA within the area covered by this decision, which includes about 773,000 acres in the White River Field Office east of Colorado Highway 139, south of Colorado Highway 64 and west of Colorado Highway 13. The decision area does not include the West Douglas Herd Area, which is west of Colorado Highway 139.
BLM Gather Reports:
IN THE NEWS:
2020 Private Land Gather
2020 gather ?
Animals: ? gathered / 0 returned / 0 deaths / 0 fertility / 0 collared
Date of gather: (?) Gather Method: Heli / Bait
Contractor: Contract price: $ ?
Plan Gathered: ? Animals Shipped:
Facility: Max capacity: Public Access: NO
Dead Animals: ? Shipped: ? Buried: ?
Public viewing:
oct 27 20 BLM REMOVE WILD HORSES FROM PRIVATE LAND – press release
Final update PDF removal of approximately 75 excess wild horses from private lands in the
Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area. This action is needed to address concerns of wild horsesimpacting private property within the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area.
Wild horses will be gathered using a bait trapping technique located within the Greasewood Allotment at either Thompson Spring, East Fork Spring, or Berry Bros. Windmill.
https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2000200/510 / DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2020-0040-CX – Decision Record / Removal of Wild Horses from Private Lands in the Greasewood Allotment in the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area (claims the last roundup in the PEDMA area was 2011, but I show one in 2015 below)
2020 gather
Animals: ? gathered / 0 returned / 0 deaths / 0 fertility / 0 collared
Date of gather: (?) Gather Method: Heli / Bait
Contractor: Contract price: $ ?
Plan Gathered: ? Animals Shipped:
Facility: Max capacity: Public Access: NO
Dead Animals: ? Shipped: ? Buried: ?
Public viewing:
oct 27 20 BLM REMOVE WILD HORSES FROM PRIVATE LAND – press release Final update PDF
https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2000200/510 / DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2020-0040-CX – Decision Record / Removal of Wild Horses from Private Lands in the Greasewood Allotment in the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area (claims the last roundup in the PEDMA area was 2011, but I show one in 2015 below)
2017 PRIVATE LAND WILD HORSE GATHER
Animals: 86H gathered / 0 returned / 0 deaths / 0 fertility / 0 collared
Date of gather: (September 14, 2017-?) Gather Method: Heli / Bait
Contractor: Contract price: $ ?
Plan Gathered: 100 Animals Shipped:
Facility: CANON PRISON Max capacity: Public Access: NO
Dead Animals: ? Shipped: ? Buried: ?
Public viewing: NO, private land
sep 14 17 46 wild horses caught from Piceance herd
sep 30 17 gather sheduled archive shows 86 horse gathered
2015 Piceance-East Douglas HMA and Adjacent Areas Wild Horse Gather
2015 DOI-BLM-CO-N050-2015-0024-EA DNA DR fonsi eplanning
Animals: ? gathered / 0 returned / 0 deaths / 0 fertility / 0 collared
Date of gather: Gather Method: Heli / Bait
Contractor: Contract price: $ ?
Plan Gathered: 167 Animals Shipped:
Facility: Max capacity: Public Access:
Dead Animals: ? Shipped: ? Buried: ?
Public viewing:
Notes:
Plan
MEEKER, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management plans to gather excess wild horses in the White River Field Office in northwest Colorado as early as September 2015. The BLM will gather up to 167 horses using water and bait trapping and helicopter gather operations to sustain healthy public lands and wild horse populations.
Animals: 276 gathered / 0 returned / 1 deaths / 0 fertility / 0 collared
Date of gather: (Sept. 21 – Sept. 30, 2012) Gather Method: Bait
Contractor: Contract price: $ ?
Plan Gathered: 382 / 247 + 78 outside HMA (WDHA?) Animals Shipped:
Facility: CANON PRISON Max capacity: Public Access: NO
Dead Animals: ? Shipped: ? Buried: ?
Public viewing: ?
PLAN
Proposing to gather approximately 382 wild horses, and remove approximately 247 excess wild horses from within the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area (HMA) beginning September 20, 2011. If the BLM is fully successful implementing the proposed action, the HMA would consist
of approximately 135 wild horses, which the BLM would select to maintain a diverse age
structure, herd character, and body type (conformation). Of the wild horses returned to the
HMA, 10 percent would be yearlings (13 wild horses – 7 studs and 6 mares). Of the remaining
122 wild horses 60 percent (72 wild horses) would be studs, and 40 percent (50 wild horses)
would be mares. The BLM will treat all mares that are released back to the HMA over two years
of age with Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP) immunocontraception (fertility) drugs. In addition, to
comply with 43 CFR 4710.4, all wild horses located outside the boundaries of the HMA,
approximately 78 head, will be gathered and removed unless during the selection process it is
determined that specific wild horses could be returned to the HMA to assist with herd character.
BLM Gather Reports: 2012 East Douglas gather report links to wrong report (2012 west douglas removal) so no details are known of the east gather
IN THE NEWS:
2011 Piceance-East Douglas Gather
oct 15 10 Pre-gather video – Kent Walter WRFO
Pop est: 382
Animals: 276 gathered / 0 returned / 1 deaths / 0 fertility / 0 collared
Date of gather: (Sept. 21 – 30, 2011) Gather Method:
Contractor: Contract price: $ ?
Plan Gathered: 135 + 78 outside= 213 Animals Shipped:
Facility: CANON PRISON Max capacity: 3000 Public Access: NO
Dead Animals: 1 Shipped: ? Buried: ?
Public viewing: y
Plan & Details
Goal of Gathers:
To manage healthy herds on healthy rangelands.
The BLM plans to reduce the current estimated population of 382 wild horses within the 190,000-acre Herd Management Area to 135 and remove another 78 wild horses found outside the HMA. The appropriate management level for this HMA is between 135 and 235 wild horses.
Details of the Gathers:
Details of the gather are available on this website by following the links in the right column. BLM invites the public to observe this gather and details are also available regarding safety procedures and logistics.
While the risk of injury or occasionally death to wild horses is always present during a gather, the BLM is committed to conducting wild horse gathers safely and humanely. BLM will update this site daily, including specific information about any animal injuries or deaths.
Adoption:Animals removed from the range will be available for adoption from our Canon City facility. These spectacular horses have desirable traits, and we expect them to be in high demand. To adopt a White River horse, contact the BLM at 866-468-7826.
Latest News:For BLM news releases and statements issued about White River Gather, check our Newsroom.
Background:
The White River Field Office manages the 190,000-acre Piceance East Douglas HMA for a healthy wild horse herd of between 135 and 235 wild horses.
White River 2011 Gather Report – none located
wrong gather report listed White River 2011 Gather Report shows (july 15-30 2012) not (Sept. 21 – 30, 2011). They attached a 2012 west douglas report to this 2011 piceance gather by accident. Facility & Veterinary Reports is blank but led me to 2012 West Douglas Emergency Gather Reports which is the same report. So we have no gather report for 2011 piceance roundup
PICEANCE – EAST DOUGLAS REMOVALS #piceanceremovals
- 2022 Piceance -East Douglas Gather
- FEBRUARY 2021 PRIVATE LAND WILD HORSE GATHER
- 2015 september gather
- 2012 EAST DOUGLAS GATHER
- 2011 Piceance-East Douglas Gather also called White River 2011 Gather Report
- 2010 Piceance West-East Douglas Gather
- 2010 White River Wild Horse Gather White River 2010 Gather Report (North Piceance, Mares Canyon, Magnolia Bench, Magnolia Flat Documents and Maps
According to docs: The WRFO has conducted wild horse gathers some 20 times over the past 40 years either within and/or outside of the PEDHMA, including during 1980 (inside#133h), 1981 (inside#185h), 1983 (#54h), 1984 (#10h), 1985 (#7h), 1989 (#15h), 1991 (#21h), 1992 (#72h), 1993 (#58h), 1994 (#23h), 1996 (#239h), 1997 (CT#135h), 1998 (#?h), 1999 (#92h), 2002 (#151h), 2006 (KG#inside212h, outside46h), 2010 (SJ#?h), 2011 (CT#?h), 2015 (#?h), and 2017 (CT#oustide86h). see horse removal #’s list (pg 75) But we noted in this doc they also show removals that occurred in 1974 (#58h), 1975 (#23h), 1977 (#239h), 1978 (#135h), 1987 (212h).
CONTRACTS LOCATED
Initials CT- Cattoor / SJ – Sun J / KG – KG Livestock
2022 CO MEEKER RIO BLANCO / CT 140L0622F0134 / (07/06/2022-09/14/2022) / OPEN / $559,250.00 / WRFO 2022 PEDHMA GATHER – piceance / 4
2017 CO MEEKER RIO BLANCO / CT INL17PD00944 -1 / (08/29/2017-10/20/2017) / CLOSED / $61,364.00 / Cathedral Creek Helicopter Gather /2
2011 NV WINNEMUCCA HUMBOLDT /CT- INL11PD01274 -2 / (08/18/2011-09/30/2011) / $161,279.20 / Piceance-East Douglas Gather /1
2010 NV MEEKER GARFIELD / SJ INL10PD04613-2 / (11/22/10-11/23/10) / CLOSED / $150,568 / PICEANCE, EAST/WEST DOUGLAS WILD HORSE GATHER / plan to gather 138H according to (2010-11savedGSchedule)
2010 CO MEEKER GARFILEDS / INL10PD03402 -1 / (06/30/2010-10/20/2010) / CLOSED – no work performed / -$172,167.50 / Piceance-East Douglas Wild Horse Gather /1
2006-7 CO MEEKER RIO BLANCO /KG INLNAD06KL17 -3 / (08/14/2006-01/08/2007) / OPEN / $99,870.00 / East Douglas Wild Horse Gather/ records state 258h
2006-7 CO MEEKER RIO BLANCO /KG INLNAD06KL18 -2 / (08/14/2006-01/08/2007) / OPEN / $20,755.25 / East Douglas Wild Horse Gather/
1997 CO MEEKER / CT, troy BC660199709B1422N660P972537 (09/15/1997-10/15/1997) / $48,000 / ?
(I believe this is the 1997 piceance gather mentioned in docs located on Cattoor Livestock page)
SAND WASH BASIN HMA #sandwash
- CO0143 – Horse / Moffat County / LITTLE SNAKE FO 970-826-5000
- Acres: 157,730 – including 154,940 of public BLM land, 1,960 of private land and 840 of state land
- AML: 163-363
- Livestock AUM: 20,949
- EST 2020: # 733 horses # 0 burros # 30,701 cattle & sheep
- EST 2021: # 264 +/- horses # 0 burros # 30,000 +/- cattle & sheep
(BLM numbers aren’t out yet, but videos of livestock are IN THE NEWS-2021 section below) - EST 1996: # 270 # 0 burros # ? cattle & sheep
Wildlife: Elk, mule deer, Greater sage-grouse, pronghorn, white-tailed prairie dogs
ADVOCATE VIDEOS – See the horses and their families
Unfortunately, many of the horses depicted here have already been removed. As we have no oversight of the horses once they leave the public lands: many will die in the gather/roundup, a few will get adopted to good caring homes, a few will get taken by those who will hold them for the year for the $1000 incentive program and sell them as soon as they can (to kill buyers), a few supposedly end up in long term pastures that ‘were already maxed out before the roundup,’ but the majority will end up in kill pens heading to the slaughter plants in Canada and Mexico for human consumption and your dog’s food.
oct 2 18 Picasso, A Day in the life of a Sand Wash Legend
nov 15 19 Wild Wonders of America in Colorado Wild Mustangs of Sand Wash Basin
dec 14 18 Wild Horse Warriors for Sand Wash Basin
Livestock conflict: yes
Grazing allotments: 4 – records as of 2020 / maps & videos
2020 Livestock AMU: 20,949 Livestock use: 30,701 WHB: 733
Lang Spring CO04212, Sheep / Total AUMs 364 – Livestock use 514 (MAINTAIN CATEGORY – AMP implemented 01/07/2003) (TWO BAR SHEEP CO LLC operates all pastures)
0001 | LANG SPRING |
Nipple Rim CO04213, Sheep / Total AUMs 3,978 – Livestock use 5,797 (IMPROVE CATEGORY) (LR SMITH GRAZING ASSOCIATION, LLC 2450 aum, SMITH RANCHO INC 2450 aum / operates pastures)
0001 | NIPPLE RIM |
Sheepherder Spring CO04217, Sheep & Cattle / Total AUMs 9,042 – Livestock use 12,064 (IMPROVE CATEGORY – AMP implemented 01/07/2003) (TWO BAR SHEEP CO LLC operates all pastures)
0001 | SIMSBERRY |
Sand Wash CO04219, Sheep & Cattle / Total AUMs 7,568 – Livestock use 12,326 (IMPROVE CATEGORY – AMP implemented 04/26/2000) (NOTTINGHAM LAND & LIVESTOCK operates all pastures)
0001 | SAND WASH |
0002 | LOWER SAND WASH |
0003 | THREE C WASH |
CO04217 & CO04219 small portions are also outside of HMA

LAWSUITS & LITIGATION – SAND WASH BASIN – coming soon
IN THE NEWS – Sand Wash #newssandwash
may 27 22 Wild horse crisis at Canon City Prison leaves unanswered questions – Stacie Lee / Sandwash Basin and West Douglas horses only died
may 12 22 Death toll hits 142 wild horses held captive in Colorado after BLM fails to vaccinate. Feds promise probe — and more roundups – Denver Post archive
Apr 26 22 Mysterious illness kills 57 horses in three days at federal wild horse facility in Cañon City– Colorado Sun / East Cañon Correctional Complex: The federal Bureau of Land Management says many of the horses are from the West Douglas range, in Rio Blanco County. (Sandwash Basin and West Douglas horses only died)
dec 23 20 PUBLIC COMMENT – Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area Gather and Fertility Control Plan – Pamela True – mentions Sand Wash
2021 SAND WASH BASIN WILD HORSE GATHER
Original herd size est: 896
Animals: 684 gathered / 52 returned / 2 deaths / 0 fertility / 0 collared
Date of gather: (08/31/2021-09/29/2021)
Gather Method: #N500AR HELICOPTER ROUNDUP SERVICE 140D8020A0009
Contractor: CATTOOR
Contract price: $289,860.00 140L0621F0305 OPEN
Plan Gathered: 783
Animals Shipped: ?
Facility: CANON PRISON Max capacity: 3000 Public Access: NO
Dead Animals: 2 Shipped: ? Buried: ?
Public viewing gather: yes
Notes:
BLM GATHER REPORT – summary
Sunday, September 12
Summary: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. sunny, high near 81.
Animals Gathered: 17 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Saturday, September 11
Summary: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. sunny, high near 91.
Animals Gathered: 18 (5 Stallions, 9 Mares, and 4 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 33 (19 Stallions, 8 Mares, and 6 Foals)
Animals Released: 52 (24 Stallions, 28 Mares, and 0 Foals) *see overview
Overview: Today, 49 horses were released back into the Sand Wash Herd Management Area (24 Stallions and 25 Mares), 3 Mares were transported and released in the Spring Creek Herd Management Area in Southwest Colorado.
Friday, September 10
Summary: 7 a.m. -through 1 p.m. sunny, high near 91.
Animals Gathered: 18 (4 Stallions, 8 Mares, and 6 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 38 (12 Stallions, 14 Mares, and 12 Foals)
Thursday, September 9
Summary: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. sunny, high near 89.
Animals Gathered: 23 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 114 (36 Stallions, 60 Mares, and 18 Foals)
Wednesday, September 8
Summary: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. sunny, high near 92.
Animals Gathered: 107 (49 Stallions, 47 Mares, and 11 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 36 (12 Stallions, 24 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 1 – Pre-existing / Chronic: 1 – A colt near the trap site showing difficulties in movement and coordination. Assessment of the animal was made, determined that it had a pre-existing condition — non gather related.
Tuesday, September 7
Summary: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. sunny, with a high near 90.
Animals Gathered: 79 (22 Stallions, 46 Mares, and 11 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 111 (36 Stallions, 61 Mares, and 14 Foals)
Monday, September 6
Summary: 8 a.m. -2 p.m. sunny, high near 87. – 5 mph
Animals Gathered: 93 (26 Stallions, 55 Mares, and 12 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 115 (35 Stallions, 61 Mares, and 19 Foals)
Sunday, September 5
Summary: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. sunny, high near 91. 5 mph
Animals Gathered: 122 (45 Stallions, 58 Mares, and 19 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 80 (36 Stallions, 28 Mares, and 16 Foals)
Saturday, September 4
Summary: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. dry and breezy. 40- 85 degrees
Animals Gathered: 126 (55 Stallions, 60 Mares, and 11 Foals)
Deaths: 1 – Pre-existing / Chronic: 1 – Received a public report of a wild horse with a leg injury on the range. Assessment of the animal was made, determined that it had a pre-existing leg injury — non gather related and was euthanized.
(Was this the one that broke its leg jumping out of the corral and has video of it dangling?- find documentation)
Friday, September 3
Summary: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. dry and breezy. 41- 81 degrees
Animals Gathered: 16 (10 Stallions, 4 Mares, and 2 Foals)
Thursday, September 2
Animals Shipped: 64 (21 Stallions, 32 Mares, and 11 Foals)
Wednesday, September 1
Summary: 12 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. overcast, cool, rain showers. 45-54 degrees. One wild horse jumped out of the corral without incident. This resulted in 64 horses on hand/65 gathered.
Animals Gathered: 65 (22 Stallions, 32 Mares, and 11 Foals)
Plan:
gather approximately 783 excess wild horses, removing approximately 733 wild horses for future adoption or sale, and returning approximately 50 wild horses back onto the HMA. Approximately 25 mares will receive fertility control before being returned to the HMA. The gather is expected to last approximately 14-25 days.
Additional gather operations may take place in areas outside the HMA on public, state, and/or private lands where wild horses have moved in search of food and water. This management action is intended to prevent starvation and dehydration of wild horses due to exceptional drought that has further limited forage production and water resources
IN THE NEWS – 2021 SAND WASH BASIN
nov 21 21 Roundups of wild horses cause controversy – video CBS
nov 16 21 Thousands of sheep takeover the land at Sand Wash Basin, CO where an ’emergency gather’ of 684 horses for supposed lack of forage and water just ended – video Jenny Meyer
sep 18 21 – One man’s life’s work to expose the truth behind roundups
nov 23 21 BLM claim thousands of sheep just passing through Sand Wash
nov 12 21 Blm Allows Livestock Grazing In Sand Wash Basin Just Months After “Emergency” Wild Horse Roundup
nov 11 21 ‘Iconic Mustangs’ Replaced By Thousands Of Sheep 2 Months After Massive Roundup Due To ‘Drought’
nov 8 21 photographer packed in with thousands of sheep at sand wash basin
sep 14 21 State input stops Sand Wash Basin wild horse roundup early; 632 total horses removed
sep 7 21 https://wildhorseeducation.org/2021/09/07/sand-wash-basin-update/
sep 4 21 https://wildhorseeducation.org/2021/09/04/september-team-news-roundup-legal-legislative/
VIDEO
PUBLIC OBSERVERS-
https://www.9news.com/video/life/animals/helicopters-drive-wild-horses-into-traps-in-northwest-colorado/73-aae1e5ec-3d17-48e9-9918-7666c5d512e0?jwsource=cl – notice BLM rep intentionally doesn’t mention livestock who also occupy area. 30,701 grazed area in 2020
BLM –
SEPT 1 – WILD HORSES BEING GATHERED
WILD HORSES RELEASED BACK INTO HMA ON SEPT 11, 2021
January 2021 Sand Wash Basin Public Safety/Private Land Gather archive
unable to locate any contracts of this gather, or find out details
Animals: 10 gathered / 2 returned / 0 deaths / 0 fertility / 0 collared
Date of gather: January 12 – 16, 2021 Gather Method:
Contractor: Contract price: $ ?
Plan Gathered:
Animals Shipped:
Facility: Max capacity: Public Access:
Dead Animals: ? Shipped: ? Buried: ?
Public viewing:
Plan: ? HORSES OR BURROS
Notes:
GATHER REPORT
Saturday, January 16, 2021
Animals Gathered Today: 2
Friday, January 15, 2021
Animals Gathered Today: 4
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Animals Gathered Today: 3
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Animals Gathered Today: 1
Animals Released: 2
IN THE NEWS
Fall 2016 Sand Wash Basin Bait Gather
Animals: 166 gathered /123 returned / 1 deaths / 14 fertility / 0 collared
Date of gather: (11/02/2016-04/30/2017) Gather Method: BAIT
Contractor: CATTOOR / Little Snake Field Office
Contract price: $178,747.00 INL17PD00017 -1 / CLOSED
Plan Gathered: 200
Animals Shipped: 10+22+12+8 = 52 (3 stallions, 5 mares, 2 foals) (11 mares, 4 foals, 7 studs) (3, mares, 0 foals, 9 studs) (1 mare, 7 studs)
Facility: CANON PRISON Max capacity: 3000
Dead Animals: ? Shipped: ? Buried: ?
Public viewing: NO
Plan: gather 200 wild horses, treat 75 with birth control and remove 50
Notes: BLM successfully gathered 43 excess wild horses. Fourteen mares received fertility treatment and released back into the range
Notes: numbers don’t add up, see gather report
GATHER REPORT
VETERINARY REPORT OCT. 2021 – CANON CITY FACILITY
Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016
Summary: The BLM received permission from Moffat County to limit access to a county road where trapping was taking place. We communicated with locals to explain the operation and advised them to avoid the area if possible. Weather was warm.
Animals Gathered Today: 2
Animals Released: 2
Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016
Animals Gathered Today: 12 (seven adults and two foals to corrals and left two mares and one foal in the trap overnight.)
Animals Released: 2
Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016
Summary: The mares and foal and one additional mare caught today were transported to the holding corrals without incident. Four additional horses (three studs and one mare) were caught and transported from a different trap today. No foals were orphaned, no horses were injured, and no hotshots were used during loading or unloading.
Animals Gathered Today: 5
Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016
Summary: The mares and foal and one additional mare caught today were transported to the holding corrals without incident. Four additional horses (three studs and one mare) were caught and transported from a different trap today. No foals were orphaned, no horses were injured, and no hotshots were used during loading or unloading. An injured foal was also located today. The contractor captured it and, due to the injuries it had, it was determined it needed vet care. SWAT arranged for a volunteer to pick up the horse and foster it to health or have it put down after being examined by a vet.
Animals Gathered Today: 5
Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016
Summary: The injured coal from yesterday had to be euthanized. Still waiting on vet report.
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 5
Animals Released: 8
Total Deaths Today: 1 (unrelated to the gather) – Chronic/Pre-existing: 1 no mention
Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016
Facility Report; Horses Received
Facility Name: Canon City
Number: 10
Gender: 5 mares, 2 foals, 3 studs
Condition: good
Incidents surrounding shipment: none
Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016
Animals Gathered Today: 2 – two horses that were caught were released at the trap site.
Animals shipped: 10 (five mares, three studs and two foals to Canon City)
Animals Released: 2
Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016
Animals Gathered Today: 1
Saturday, Nov. 26, 2016
Animals Gathered Today: 9
Animals Released: 1
Monday, Nov. 28, 2016
Animals Gathered Today: 1
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 1
Animals Released: 4
Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016
Animals Gathered Today: 8
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 1
Animals Released: 6
Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016
Animals Gathered Today: 17
Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016
Animals Gathered Today: 2
Friday, Dec. 9, 2016
Animals Gathered Today: 3
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 3
Animals Released: 14
Friday, Dec. 9, 2016
Facility Report; Horses Received
Facility Name: Canon City.
Number: 22
Gender: 11 mares, 4 foals, 7 studs.
Current condition: good.
Incidents pertaining to shipment: none.
Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016
Animals Gathered Today: 2
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 3
Animals Released: 2
Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2016
Animals Gathered Today: 4
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 3
Animals Released: 4
Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016
Animals Gathered Today: 12
Friday, Dec. 16, 2016
Animals Gathered Today: 1
Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016
Animals Gathered Today: 5
Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016
Animals Gathered Today: 8
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 2
Animals Released: 4
Monday, Dec. 19, 2016
Animals Released: 15
Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016
Facility Report; Horses Received
Facility Name: Canon City.
Number: 12
Gender: 3, mares, 0 foals, 9 studs.
Current condition: good.
Incidents pertaining to shipment: none.
Friday, Jan. 20, 2017
Animals Gathered Today: 14
Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017
Animals Gathered Today: 1
Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017
Animals Gathered Today: 14
Monday, Jan. 23, 2017
Animals Gathered Today: 3
Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017
Animals Gathered Today: 1
Friday, Jan. 27, 2017
Animals Gathered Today: 2
Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017
Animals Gathered Today: 2
Monday, Jan. 30, 2017
Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 2
Animals Released: 29
Friday, Feb. 3, 2017
Animals Gathered Today: 3
Animals Released: 3
Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017
Facility Report; Horses Received, (I question why they need to tell us the horses were received. If they shipped them, shouldn’t that be assumed that they arrived at the intended destination, or is it sometimes they don’t make it there… then where do they end up?)
Facility Name: Canon City
Number: 8
Gender: 1 mare, 7 studs
Condition: good
Incidents surrounding shipment: none
Final Gather Report – Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Total Animals Gathered: 166
Total Animals Treated with Fertility Control: 14
Total Animals Released: 123
Total Deaths: 1
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
IN THE NEWS – 2016 SAND WASH – coming soon
SAND WASH BASIN REMOVALS
SPRING CREEK BASIN HMA (#disappointmentvalley) (#springcreek)
- CO0384 – Horse / San Miguel County
Mancos|Dolores Field Office / 970-882-7296 - Acres: 21,932 surrounded by cattle allotments
- AML: 35-65
- Livestock AUM: 0
- EST 2020: # 69 horses # 0 burros # 0 cattle # 0 sheep
- Wildlife: Elk, mule deer, bald eagles, golden eagles, peregrine falcons, coyotes, prairie dogs, rattlesnakes, black bears and mountain lions.
Energy Conflicts: YES 120 uranium claims See documentary Disappointment Valley
Grazing allotments: 0 / records as of 2020
Shows no grazing allotments inside, but is surrounded by livestock
Documents – Spring Creek
2011 DOI-BLM-CO-S010-2011-0062 – Spring Creek HMA Wild Horse Gather Plan
Click to access DOI-BLM-CO-S010-2011-0062EA_Final_forCommentPeriod_printresolution.pdf
Lawsuits
IN THE NEWS – Spring Creek Basin
Disappointment Valley: A Modern Day Western – Documentary
sep 18 21 James Kleinert and C. Downer ‘Assessment – Due to PZP, Spring Creek Wild Horses, the herd will die out in the next 10 years – Telluride News (PZP, wild horses, spring creek basin, sand wash basin, colorado, James Kleinhert, Craig Downer, zeroed out, chemical genocide)
Aug 7 20 FERTILITY CONTROL & Zero Growth for wild horse herds – AWHC (Tags: wild horse, PZP, zero growth, chemical genocide, Virginia Range NV, McCullough Peaks HMA WY, Spring Creek Basin CO, Pryor Mountains MO)
jun 23 16 Spring Creek Basin Wild Horses -Is there a downside to PZP? – Telluride News
2016 T.J. Holmes address the San Miguel County Comission – James Kleinert (2011 Spring Creek brutal round up resulting in the death of several wild horses.)
2011 https://springcreekbasinmustangs.com/2011/08/02/spring-creek-basin-roundup-ea/
jun 28 11 https://springcreekbasinmustangs.com/2011/06/
How to see THE WILD HORSES OF DISAPPOINTMENT VALLEY
springcreekbasinmustangs.com – documents and tracks the herd
SPRING CREEK BASIN REMOVALS
2011
2005 KG
NORTH PICEANCE HA #northpiceance
2018 Fonsi – DOI-BLM-CO-N05-2018-0071-DNA – archive
- CO0163 – Horse – HA Dissolved / NO mention on Forest Service page / WHITE RIVER FIELD OFFICE at 970-878-3800
- In 1996 was 130,919 acres = 120214 BLM, 10705 other. (see map below for past view) and now consists of (current>) only livestock allotments for cattle and sheep
Looks like only 1, the greasewood allotment, has been incorporated into the Piceance Ease Douglas HMA when this HA was dissolved. Unclear if any horses have access to it due to cattle fences. - AML: ZEROED OUT, herd area with no herd (see map in West douglas section)
- Livestock AUM: 7,573 cattle / 1,023 x5 = 5,115 sheep
- EST 2020: # 0 horses # 0 burros # 3,429 cattle # 5,740 sheep
- EST 1996: aml 0 # 130 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # ? sheep
Livestock conflict: yes
Grazing allotments: 8 / records as of 2020
2020 Livestock AMU: 7,573 + 5,115s Livestock use: 3,429 + 5,740s WHB: 0
Spring Creek CO06032, Cattle / Total AUMs 3,642 – Livestock use 1,520 (IMPROVE category / AMP implemented 11/12/2009 ) (TUFFY SHERIDAN operates all pastures)(suspended aum 934 / temp susp aum 523)
0001 | GILLAM (WEST) |
0002 | GILLAM (EAST) |
0003 | BIG CANYON |
0004 | BIG RIDGE |
0005 | SWITCHBACK |
0006 | MCDOWELL |
0007 | SUMMER |
0008 | GILLAM |
Greasewood CO06036, Cattle / Total AUMs 1,567 – Total Livestock 682 (IMPROVE category) (4M RANCH, LLC operate 1 pastures) This is now apart of Piceance East HMA
Lower Fletcher Draw CO06041, Cattle / Total AUMs 513 – Livestock use 250 (MAINTAIN category / AMP implemented 05/18/2005 ) (WADE COX operates all pastures)
0001 | LOWER FLETCHER DRAW |
Hammond Draw CO06039, Cattle / Total AUMs 215 – Livestock use 167 (MAINTAIN category / AMP implemented 05/18/2005 ) (WADE COX operates all pastures)
0001 | HAMMOND DRAW |
Boise Creek CO06042, Sheep / Total AUMs 1,023 – Livestock use 5,740 (MAINTAIN category) (NICK THEOS FAMILY LLC operates all pastures)
0001 | BOISE CREEK |
Little Spring Creek CO06038, Cattle / Total AUMs 931 – Livestock use 595 (IMPROVE category / AMP implemented 09/27/2000 ) (4M RANCH, LLC operates all pastures) (permitted use 1183 / suspended aum 252)
0001 | LITTLE SPRING CREEK |
Upper Fletcher Draw CO06040, Cattle / Total AUMs 508 – Livestock use 140 (IMPROVE category / AMP implemented 09/27/2000 ) (4M RANCH, LLC operates all pastures) (permitted use 618 / suspended aum 112)
0001 | UPPER FLETCHER DRAW |
E. Fork Spring Creek CO06033, Cattle / Total AUMs 196 – Livestock use 75 (CUSTODIAL category) (MARK C PHILLIPS operates all pastures)
0001 | E FORK SPRING CREEK |
Plan: ?
BLM Gather Reports: ?
IN THE NEWS – North Piceance
White River Resource Area Land and Resource(s) Management Plan 1996 – shows all 3 east, west, and north piceance
WEST DOUGLAS HA #westdouglas
- CO 0162 – Horse / Garfield County / WHITE RIVER FIELD OFFICE
- 302,291 acres in 1996: 274019 BLM & 28,272 other
- was 123,387 acres of federal land managed by BLM and 4,754 acres of private land (see map below for past view). BLM identifies approximately 52,486 acres (43%) as rangeland sites that contribute principally to forage production and now consists of (current>) only livestock allotments for cattle.
- Elk Hunting: all of the West Douglas Herd Area is within game management unit 21
- AML: ZEROED OUT, herd area with no herd
- Livestock AUM: 15,349 Cattle
- EST 2021: # 0 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
- EST 2020: # 457 horses # 0 burros # 5,445 cattle # 0 sheep
2022 Influenza has killed 144 (West Douglas) horses held at Canon City Prison since the outbreak began on April 22, 2022 Dedicated on the ground advocates state that they want proof of necropsy and images of bodies as numbers don’t match up with visual inspections at facility prior to report of outbreak. They feel horses may have went to slaughter prior, and this is a cover-up to falsify numbers. For more info #2022influenzacanon
Population EST – AML 1971-current #westdouglaspopulation
WHBA Note: they use the word ‘estimate,’ ‘assumed’ 20% population growth, ‘projected’ population, and ‘decreasing inventory accuracy’. This gives them leeway to guesstimate.
Records taken from multiple sources. Even their own records show incorrectly:
two seperate documents (below) show different populations counts. One states an aerial count occured (*), the other doesn’t.
EX: 2005 # 91 / 97* horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
Same with: 1994 # 104 / 105* horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
* numbers observed in aerial counts by helicopter
** numbers observed in aerial counts by fixed wing aircraft: ‘decreasing inventory accuracy’
2021 # 0 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
2020 # 457 horses # 0 burros # 5,445 cattle # 0 sheep
2012 # 154* horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
2010 # 73** horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
2009 # 147 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
2005 # 91 / 97* horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
2004 # 95 / 97 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
2003 # 85 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
2002 # 77* horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
2001 # 113 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
2000 # 94 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1999 # 78 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1998 # 137 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1997 # 95* horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1996 # 91 or # 151 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1995 # 126 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1994 # 104 / 105* horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1993 # 84 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1992 # 66* horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1991 # 61* horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1990 # 50 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1989 # 63 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1988 # 50 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1987 # 44 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1986 # 32 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1985 # 59 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1984 # 98 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1983 # 82 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1982 # 68* horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1981 # 133* horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1980 # 106 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1979 # 85 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1978 # 68 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1977 # 53* horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1976 # 40 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1975 # 30 horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1974 # 9* horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
1971 # ? horses # 0 burros # ? cattle # 0 sheep
Herd Phenotype: The West Douglas wild horse is generally small (~14 – 14.2 hands high and
700-800 pounds), with a large, rounded jaw, straight to convex forehead, and a convex nose.
Many of the horses have a deep chest, a short back and a sloping croup with relatively low set
tail. The eyes are set wide apart and the ears are of average to short length.
Population Color Balance: Color variation in this herd has diminished between 1981 and the
present. In 1981 the colors bay, black, grey, sorrel, and brown each contributed to at least 17%
of the herd. The remaining 25% was composed of palomino, red and blue roan, buckskin, and
pinto, and an occasional (3) albino. In 1996 the colors bay, brown, sorrel and black accounted for over 93% of captured horses. Three grey horses were captured, and removed. In 2001 74% of the horses captured were bay. The remaining 26% were sorrel, black and brown.
Decreased herd genetic diversity and genetic traits that exist in only trace frequencies likely
contribute to the diminished variation in color. Natural selection and human selection are other
probable reasons for the decrease in color variation. While colorful horses are desirable in that
they serve as ‘marker’ horses during census and gather operations and are often more popular
with adopters, herd health and survival cannot be directly linked to the expression of any
particular color pattern within a population. Recognition is made that managing to encourage
West Douglas Herd Area rarer colors is secondary to managing for desirable herd social structure and individual reproductive fitness. (#CO-WRFO-05-083-EA)



West Douglas DOC’s: EA’s, Genetics, Reports, Cawp #westdouglasreports
Environmental Assessments and Docs
As many of these docs are intertwined and combined within the East Piceance HMA plans, that is where they can be located. #piceancedocs
#2022influenzacanon
2022 BLM – CO – daily situation reports – canon city archive
2022 Influenza has killed 144 (West Douglas) horses held at Canon City Prison since the outbreak began on April 22, 2022 Dedicated on the ground advocates state that they want proof of necropsy and images of bodies as numbers don’t match up with visual inspections at facility weeks prior to report of outbreak. They feel horses may have went to slaughter, and this is a cover-up to falsify numbers. They state they have evidence that shows this.
apr 26 22 OUTBREAK INVESTIGATION REPORT
may 20 22 Situation Report 2022 Canon City Equine Influenza Outbreak
may 27 22 Canon City Equine Influenza Outbreak – only West Douglas horses infected and died map included
May 24 22 Canon City Off-Range Corral (Canon City, CO) 2 non compliance for WDHA horses /
Standard 1.IV.D.2 Facilities must conduct Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) testing and apply freeze-marks within 30 days of receiving WH&Bs, unless directed by the facility veterinarian when age or physical condition requires a delay. (major) Non-Compliance: EIA testing and freeze marking has not always been completed within 30 days. The delays appear to be a combination of management and staffing issues, such as the prioritization of other tasks (preparation of Sand Wash Basin horses) over more long-standing needs (West Douglas horses).
Standard 1.IV.D.6 Facilities must adhere to the current BLM vaccination policy. (major) Non-Compliance: Among animals received from gather operations as well as those that had been at the facility for some time, current and timely vaccinations had not been maintained in several instances. This appeared to be for several reasons as described above as well as the attempt to accommodate unusually high-strung animals received from a gather (West Douglas).
GENETICS #geneticswestdouglas
2010 West Douglas 2010 Genetics Report
2002 West Douglas 2002 Genetics Report
Livestock conflict: Yes
Grazing allotments: 3 / records as of 2020 MAPS
conflict: 3 allotments (pg 46 EA)
2020 Livestock AMU: 15,349 Livestock use: 5,445 WHB: 457
Twin Buttes CO06346, Cattle / Total AUMs 11,555 – Livestock use 3,919 (4 pastures – pg36-38) (IMPROVE category / AMP implemented 04/01/2009)
(JAMES D. STEELE TRUST – permitted use 464 – susp aum 57 /
TWIN BUTTES RANCH CO permitted use 12273 – susp aum 1130)
0001 | WINTER/SPRING RANGES |
0002 | WEST CREEK |
0003 | WEST DOUGLAS/REDROCK |
0004 | PARK CANYON |
East Douglas Creek CO06356, Cattle / Total AUMs 2,400 – Livestock use 1,455 (IMPROVE category / AMP implemented 05/17/2006) (REES AND JESSICA POTTER operate all pastures)
0001 | TEXAS CAMP |
0002 | BRUSH CREEK |
0003 | TRAIL CANYON |
0004 | CRYSTAL SPRINGS |
Foundation Creek CO06361, Cattle / Total AUMs 157 – Livestock use 71 (IMPROVE category / AMP implemented 04/01/2009) (garfield county 5% ac / Rioblanco county 95% ac) (JAMES D. STEELE TRUST operate all pastures)
0001 | FOUNDATION CREEK |

Both Herd areas: West Douglas and North Piceance have been zeroed out and dissolved. No changes to grazing allotment – Twin Butte shown in blue).



Energy Conflict: yes
2022 DOI-BLM-CO-0000-2022-0001-EA draft oil and gas (tags:white river, greasewood,Piceance Creek, Yellow Creek,Crooked Wash)
???? Oil and Gas – Chevron (pg 44 EA) – https://nflss.blm.gov/leasesale/list
2012 Big Energy and wild horses – Wild Horse Education


Hunting Conflicts: yes #hunting
2022 yellow creek elk herd management – GAME MANAGEMENT UNITS 21, 22, 30, 31, & 32 – Colorado Parks & Wildlife Unit 21 is West Doulgas -Elk management in E-10 is affected by habitat quality decline, competition with feral horses, long-term drought, increasing recreational activity, oil and gas development, large-scale wildfire, and the resulting changes in herd distribution. CPW collaborates with private landowners and land management agencies on habitat projects to benefit all species of wildlife. Calf:cow ratios in E-10 have been declining steadily, which mirrors the trends in many elk herds in Colorado. Additionally, hemorrhagic, and chronic wasting diseases have been documented in E-10 and may be impacting the population. Predation may also be affecting calf survival. Elk distribution and public hunting access is complex and requires cohesive and uniform management strategies.
https://web.archive.org/web/20150905123053/http://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Maps/BigGameGMUmap.pdf Colorado Big Game Unit Map / west doulgas is 21
LAWSUITS
2017 16-969 – Front Range Equine Rescue v. Bureau of Land Management
2015 15-1454 – COLORADO WILD HORSE AND BURRO COALITION, INC. et al v. JEWELL et al
2015 14-485 – AMERICAN WILD HORSE PRESERVATION CAMPAIGN et al v. VILSACK et al
2014 12-17804 – In Defense of Animals, et al v. United States Department of th, et al
2012 10-1645 – COLORADO WILD HORSE AND BURRO COALITION, INC. et al v. SALAZAR et al
2010, 2012 10-1852 – In Defense of Animals et al v. United States Department of the Interior et al
2009 – BLM removed horses in 2012, 2015, all the horses from the land in 2021
2007, 2008, 2009 06-1609 – COLORADO WILD HORSE AND BURRO COALITION, INC. et al v. KEMPTHORNE et al and SALAZAR

2009 – BLM removed horses in 2012, 2015, all the horses from the land in 2021
IN THE NEWS – West Douglas #newswestdouglas
may 27 22 Wild horse crisis at Canon City Prison leaves unanswered questions – Stacie Lee
may 12 22 Death toll hits 142 wild horses held captive in Colorado after BLM fails to vaccinate. Feds promise probe — and more roundups – Denver Post archive
Apr 26 22 Mysterious illness kills 57 horses in three days at federal wild horse facility in Cañon City– Colorado Sun / East Cañon Correctional Complex: The federal Bureau of Land Management says many of the horses are from the West Douglas range, in Rio Blanco County.

2021 WEST DOUGLAS HERD AREA EMERGENCY WILD HORSE GATHER
Original herd size est: 450 Horses
Herd size after gather: ZERO – 0
Animals:: 457 gathered / 10-11 deaths
Date of gather: 07/21/2021 – 08/24/2021 Gather Method: HELI
Contractor: C D WARNER LIVESTOCK, LLC Contract price: $476,202.50 140L0621F0234
Plan Gathered: 450
Animals Shipped: 457?
Facility : CANON PRISON Max capacity: 2000
Dead Animals: 11 Shipped: ? Buried: ?
Public viewing: Yes
Plan: to remove ALL horses from this area and make it livestock only – project successful
Notes: numbers way off / more gathered than noted shipped / 111 not accounted for
may 27 outbreak at Canon city facility has left 145 of this west douglas herd dead.
GATHER SUMMARY:
Animals gathered: 9+17+21+20+21+25+19+22+16+32+11+22+36+32+29+55+42+28 = 457
HBC scores – none noted
Animals released : 0 / 1 foal placed in foster care
Animals shipped: 41+46+32+35+49+93+40=336
Mares treated : 0
Deaths: 10 = (pre-existing – 9) (acute – 1 ) / notes count: 11
2 mares with chronic pre-existing lower back spine fracture, stud with chronic pre-existing lower leg fracture, foal chronic pre-existing injury to lower chest, 1 stud with pre-existing laceration on the back/soft tissue injury; 1 stud with pre-existing upper and lower limb injuries to left hind, 1 stud and 1 foal chronic pre-existing conditions — lower leg fracture, Chronic: 1 horse blind in one eye
Notes: numbers way off / more gathered than noted shipped / 111 not accounted for
GATHER REPORT:
Friday, August 13
Summary:6:30 a.m. -5:30 p.m. hot and sunny. 62-96
Animals Gathered: 9 (3 Stallions, 4 Mares, and 2 Foals)
Deaths: 1 – Pre-existing / Chronic: 1 – mare with chronic pre-existing lower back spine fracture.
Thursday, August 12
Summary: 6:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. hot and sunny. The high was 93 degrees and the low was 60 degrees
Animals Gathered: 17 (6 Stallions, 7 Mares, and 4 Foals)
Deaths: 1 – Pre-existing / Chronic: 1 – no mention
Wednesday, August 11
Summary: 6:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. hot and sunny. 58-90 degrees
Animals Gathered: 21 (5 Stallions, 10 Mares, and 6 Foals)
Deaths: 1 – Pre-existing / Chronic: 1 – with mare with chronic pre-existing lower back spine fracture
Tuesday, August 10
Summary: 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. hot and sunny. 58- 92 degrees
Animals Gathered: 20 (6 Stallions, 10 Mares, and 4 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 41 (41 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Monday, August 9
Summary: 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. partly cloudy. 62-86 degrees
Animals Gathered: 21 (8 Stallions, 11 Mares, and 2 Foals)
Sunday, August 8
Summary: 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. partly cloudy. 62-86 degrees
Animals Gathered: 25 (7 Stallions, 13 Mares, and 5 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 46 (0 Stallions, 29 Mares, and 17 Foals)
Saturday, August 7
Summary: 6 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. partly cloudy. 46- 85 degrees
Animals Gathered:19 (11 Stallions, 7 Mares, and 1 Foals)
Deaths: 1 – Pre-existing / Chronic: 1 – stud with chronic pre-existing lower leg fracture.
Overview: 1 stud euthanized for chronic pre-existing condition
Friday, August 6
Summary: Helicopter maintenance was completed a day early /6 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. partly cloudy. 53-87 degrees
Animals Gathered: 22 (8 Stallions, 11 Mares, and 3 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 32 (24 Stallions, 8 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 2 – Pre-existing / Chronic: 1 stud and 1 foal were euthanized with chronic pre-existing conditions — lower leg fracture.
Thursday, August 5
Animals Shipped: 35 (14 Stallions, 21 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Wednesday, August 4
Summary: 6 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. partly cloudy. 56-84 degrees
Animals Gathered: 16 (4 Stallions, 6 Mares, and 6 Foals)
Tuesday, August 3
Summary: 6 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. partly cloudy. 56-82 degrees
Animals Gathered: 32 (13 Stallions, 13 Mares, and 6 Foals)
Deaths: 1 – Sudden / Acute: 1 stud euthanized for leg fracture.
Monday, August 2
Summary: 6 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. partly cloudy. 53-83 degrees
Animals Gathered: 11 (2 Stallions, 7 Mares, and 2 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 49 (0 Stallions, 28 Mares, and 21 Foals)
Sunday, August 1
Summary: 6 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. partly cloudy. 55-80 degrees
Animals Gathered: 22 (4 Stallions, 12 Mares, and 6 Foals)
Saturday, July 31
Summary: 6 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. partly cloudy. 63-85 degrees
Animals Gathered: 36 (10 Stallions, 18 Mares, and 8 Foals)
Deaths: 1 – Pre-existing / Chronic: 1 foal was euthanized due to chronic pre-existing injury to lower chest.
Friday, July 30
Summary: 6 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. partly cloudy. 63-90 degrees
Animals Gathered: 32 ( 13 Stallions, 14 Mares, and 5 Foals) / 1 foal was placed into foster care.
Animals Shipped: 93 (27 Stallions, 42 Mares, and 24 Foals)
Thursday, July 29
Summary: 6 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. partly cloudy. 61-93 degrees
Animals Gathered: 29 ( 9 Stallions, 14 Mares, and 6 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 40 (26 Stallions, 14 Dry Mares, and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 2 – Pre-existing / Chronic: 1 stud with pre-existing laceration on the back/soft tissue injury; 1 stud with pre-existing upper and lower limb injuries to left hind. Both studs were euthanized
Wednesday, July 28
Summary: 6:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. sunny to partly cloudy, 64-93 degrees
Animals Gathered: 55 (21 Stallions, 24 Mares, and 10 Foals) / 1 foal was placed into foster care
Tuesday, July 27
Summary: 6:00 a.m. and went through 5:30 p.m. sunny to partly cloudy 62- 93 degrees
Animals Gathered:42 (13 Stallions, 22 Mares, and 7 Foals)
Monday, July 26
Summary: 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. sunny to partly cloudy, 64-92 degrees
Animals Gathered: 28 ( 14 Stallions, 9 Mares, and 5 Foals)
Deaths: Pre-existing / Chronic: 1 horse blind in one eye.
Overview: One horse that was trapped was blind in one eye; the injury was preexisting and not related to the gather.
BLM – video / images
2015 WEST DOUGLAS WILD HORSE GATHER
ePlanning EA DOI-BLM-CO-N05-2015-0023 2015 gather schedule
Original herd size: 167
Animals: 167 gathered / 0 returned / 2 deaths / 0 fertility / 0 collared
Date of gather: (08/31/2015-09/25/2015) Gather Method: HELI
Contractor: SUN J LIVESTOCK INC.
Contract price: $109,408.25 INL15PD01213 -1
Plan Gathered: ALL – everything they can locate
Animals Shipped: 228
Facility: CANON PRISON Max capacity: 2000
Dead Animals: 2 Shipped: ? Buried: ?
Public viewing: Y
Notes: According to notes on BLM official website. If you only gathered 23 on the first day, how do you ship 62 that same day? See gather summary
Numbers shipped are more than gathered – 58 not accounted for
Plan:
restrict wild horse use to areas where they were found at passage of the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act that have been designated as Herd Management Areas through land-use planning documents, and reduce (slow) population growth rates. All horses removed from Humboldt HA as well under this EA.
Gather Summary:
Animals gathered cumulative: 23+54+16+15+25+8+17+10=168 / HBC scores – no mention
Animals released cumulative: 0
Animals shipped: 62+77+31+32+26=228
Mares treated cumulative: 0
Deaths: 2
Notes: According to notes on BLM official website. If you only gathered 23 on the first day, how do you ship 62 that same day?
Numbers shipped are more than gathered – 58 not accounted for
GATHER REPORT
FINAL GATHER REPORT .pdf
Numbers from BLM official gather report before the pdf above came out
Wednesday, September 16
Summary: Completed the gather early due to high winds. Maximum drive distance was less than 5 miles.
Animals gathered: 23
Animals shipped: 62
Total Deaths Today: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
Thursday, September 17
Summary: No issues to report today.
Animals gathered: 54
Animals shipped: 0
Total Deaths Today: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
Friday, September 18
Summary: No issues to report today.
Animals gathered: 16
Animals shipped: 77
Total Deaths Today: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
Saturday, September 19
Summary: Set up new trap site today.
Animals gathered: 15
Animals shipped: 0
Total Deaths Today: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
Sunday, September 20
Summary: One horse died when it fell and was stepped on by another horse. A foal was roped to avoid mare-foal separation. It is uninjured and paired with its mother.
Animals gathered: 25
Animals shipped: 31
Total Deaths Today: 1
Acute: 1
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
Monday, September 21
Summary: No issues to report today.
Animals gathered: 8
Animals shipped: 0
Total Deaths Today: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
Tuesday, September 22
Summary: One foal had to be euthanized after breaking its leg during gather operations. See full report below.
Animals gathered: 17
Animals shipped: 32
Total Deaths Today: 1
Acute: 1
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
Wednesday, September 23
Summary: The gather total reached 167 today, so gathering operations have ceased. The remaining horses at holding will be transported to Canon City on Sept. 24.
Animals gathered: 10
Animals shipped: 0
Total Deaths Today: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
Thursday, September 24
Summary: No issues today.
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 26
Total Deaths Today: 0
Acute: 0
Chronic/Pre-existing: 0
2012 WEST DOUGLAS EMERGENCY GATHER This gather report was located accidently on the White River 2011 Gather
Original herd est: ?
Animals: ? gathered / 0 returned / 0 deaths / 0 fertility / 0 collared
Date of gather: (7/15-30/2012) Gather Method: BAIT
Contractor: C D WARNER LIVESTOCK, LLC
Contract price: $23,690.00 INL12PD00842-3 / CLOSED
Plan Gathered: 50 Animals Shipped: ?
Facility: Max capacity: Public Access:
Dead Animals: ? Shipped: ? Buried: ?
Public viewing: No
Notes:
PLAN – Gather Details:
Captured West Douglas herd mustangs and a foal were lured to BLM’s Yellow Creek Corrals in July with tanks of water placed in the parched landscape of Texas Mountain. But after the first week, no more horses came to the water trap, and BLM suspended the emergency gathering procedure on July 23
2012 West Douglas Emergency Gather Reports
From BLM -that’s all it noted
Animals gathered cumulative: 0 (0 stallions, 0 mares, 0 foals)
HBC scores:
Animals released cumulative:
Animals shipped cumulative:
Mares treated cumulative: 10
Deaths: 0
Notes:
GATHER REPORT
2012 West Douglas Emergency Wild Horse Gather
Gather Reports found in BLM archives 2012 West Douglas Emergency Gather Reports
July 15 Summary: Construction began on the water trap today. No attempts to gather were made today. July 16 Summary: Construction of trap completed at 1 p.m. Monitoring of trap area continues. No attempts to gather were made today. July 17 Summary: Monitoring trap area today. No attempts to gather. July 18 Summary: Monitoring trap area today. No attempts to gather July 19 Summary: Complete panel construction was completed and 10 horses were gathered. Foals 4, Stallions 1, Mares 5 Animals gathered: 10 Animals shipped: Gather related animal deaths: 0 Non-gather related animal deaths: 0 July 20 Summary: Horses gathered without any injury. Foals 1, Stallions 1, Mares 2 Animals gathered: 4 Animals shipped: Gather related animal deaths: 0 Non-gather related animal deaths: 0 July 21 Summary: Horses gathered without injury. Transportation to Canon City is scheduled for Monday or Tuesday. Foals 1, Stallions 2, Mares 2 Animals gathered: 5 Gathered related animal deaths: 0 Non-gather related animal deaths: 0 July 22 Summary: Gathering operations slowed with only one horse gathered. No injuries to animals during this gather to date. Animals gathered: 1 Animals shipped: 0 Gather related animal deaths: 0 Non-gather related animal deaths: 0 July 23 Summary: No animals were gathered and no attempts at gathering took place today. Animals were shipped to Canon City without incident. Prior to the gather, one foal was identified as an orphan. The mare responsible for this orphan was never located or identified. The BLM has sent the orphaned animal to foster care. Animals gathered: 0 Animals shipped to Canon City: 19 Animals shipped / for foster care: 1 Gather related animal deaths: 0 Non-gather related animal deaths: 0 July 24 Summary: No animals were gathered and no attempts at gather were made. Currently, we are collecting usage data with trail cameras. July 25 Summary: No animals were gathered and no attempts at gather were made. Currently, we are collecting usage data with trail cameras. July 26 Summary: No animals were gathered and no attempts at gather were made. Currently, we are collecting usage data with trail cameras. July 27 Summary: Currently, we are collecting usage data with trail cameras. Horses remain in the area and are using water provided to them. Gathering attempts were unsuccessful. July 28 Summary: Currently, we are collecting usage data with trail cameras. Horses remain in the area and are using water provided to them. Gathering attempts were unsuccessful. July 29 Summary: Currently, we are collecting usage data with trail cameras. Horses remain in the area and are using water provided to them. Gathering attempts were unsuccessful. July 30 The resource conditions that warranted an emergency gather do not presently exist. The area has received rain on and off for the last 10 days. The horses have dispersed themselves throughout the HA and are no longer coming to the water trap. However, these present conditions are likely to change quickly and we could be right back in an emergency situation. The gather activities were placed in a “Suspend Work Order” for the next 30 days. |
WEST DOUGLAS REMOVALS
- 2021 WEST DOUGLAS HERD AREA EMERGENCY WILD HORSE GATHER
- 2015 WEST DOUGLAS WILD HORSE GATHER
- 2012 WEST DOUGLAS EMERGENCY GATHER
July 2015 EA DOI-BLM-CO-N05-2015-0023 West Douglas Herd Area Wild Horse Gather
Mentions: Wild horse gathers/removals have been conducted nine times over the past 34 years in the area:1981, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2006 and 2012. The last time that wild horses were
gathered and removed in this area was in 2012 under an emergency situation due to the lack of
sufficient water resources. Of the proposed 50 wild horses to be gathered and removed only 20
wild horses were gathered and removed from the east side of the Texas Mountain area. Cited in (DOIBLM-CO-110-2012-0140-EA) though this file was not located in NEPA at all. Why was this file removed from government completely? Found by wayback machine internet archive that we all need to be using for preserving important internet documentation at all times!
Please watch energy video in red button above
CONTRACTS LOCATED
2021 CO MEEKER RIO BLANCO/CD 40L0621F0234 -1 / (07/25/2021-08/24/2021) / CLOSED / $$383,625.00 / Colorado West Douglas HMA Drive Trap Gather / 1
2012 CO CASTLE ROCK DOUGLAS /CD INL12PD00842 -3 / (07/05/2012-08/30/2012) / CLOSED / $23,690.00 / EMERGENCY WILD HORSE GATHER, WEST DOUGLAS / 1 /
2010 CO MEEKER GARFIELD / CT INL10PD03401 -1 / (06/30/2010-10/10/2010) / CLOSED – no work performed / -$77,205.00 / West Douglas Wild Horse Gather /1

Appropriate Management Level (AML) of horses and burros per Herd Management Area (HMA)
An AML (low-High) is the amount of animals they will let remain in areas
< 2006 EA (pg 212) USDA 2007 BLM 2021 > and texas USDA Animal Management Unit = (all gov agencies show different calculations)
An AUM is the amount of forage needed to sustain one horse (1 aum), one cow per 1000 lbs (1 aum), two burro (.5 aum), five sheep (.18 aum), or five goats (.19 aum) for a month
HINT: How to read EST AMU: ( ? = yes, needs actual animal #’s / 0 = none / blank = unknown)# ? horses # 0 burros # cattle # sheep
I found in a 2006 EA (pg 212) shown below that states ‘wild horses’ are only 0.9 aum and that changed in USDA 2007 to ‘horses’ are 1.25 aum. So that makes me think,
Do wild horses require less forage than captive horses (nutrient value)? Or are they changing the numbers to achieve their goal (depending on project) of less horses on the land?
“Animal Unit Month (AUM): The amount of forage to sustain one mature cow or the equivalent, based
on an average daily forage consumption of 26 pounds of dry matter per day. The equivalent animal units
for other ungulate species, based on a weight conversion (3 percent body weight per day), are: 10.5 for
antelope; 7.6, deer; 2.1, elk; 1.2, moose; 0.9, wild horses; and 5.2, sheep.”
This COLORADO – HMA project will include gatherable information from a multitude of verified sources and combine it all together for a complete access point for wild horses of this state. It will show you FACTS and links to BLM, ROUNDUPS, MEDIA, ADVOCATES (on the ground), SANCTUARIES, NON PROFITS, YEARLY HISTORY, STATISTICS, RECORDS OF ABUSE, RESEARCH, POLITICS, CATTLE INDUSTRY, and any other important data for complete oversight in relation to the BLM’s activity related to the Herd Management Area’s of this nation’s wild horse herds.
Arrggh!!!!!