Do you have a wild horse advocacy related question and can’t find an answer anywhere? Add it to the WISH LIST comment section below. If we don’t know the answer, WE, you and me, find it!
Do you want to answer and do the research for a wish list item ? Comment below or send me an email with the work you compiled. I’ll get it added as soon as I can (right now this community consists of 2 members). Do you want to be involved?
We need each of you!
Do you have special skills that might help in this fight?
From organization skills, website building, researchers, graph makers, data compilers, documentation, SEO skills to get our message far and wide, bloggers, fact checkers, editors, knowledge of the actual herds, attorney skills, photographers to document events, environmentalists, people so scroll the internet to find video links that show who is our political allies, and who isn’t.
I’m sure I left out more than I thought of. But you get the idea!
This is a brand new project, and still in the basics developing stage. I am hoping that in the future, this will be a location that anyone, from any group, can easily find ALL of the information from the past, and the present to answer their questions.
WISH LIST: of things I would like added and feel are important\
- Data links to the public information we all seek, and spreadsheets exposing the truth going back into the history of this nation seem to be difficult to locate. We need more than today’s numbers. We have to record the last 50 years to show the consistent destruction of these herds. Grazing contracts, cattle numbers, horse numbers…..
- Does anyone have a list of ‘state by state’ news media release emails already in link form like this one from:
UTAH: newsdesk@kutv2.com
NC: news@wlos.com.
I could use a list like this for my data project so that when we contact new organizations for ‘STORIES THEY MAY COVER’, we can easily do it in bulk. I would like them done by each state so I can connect them to the individual state HMA page. Then I will add them all in bulk on the National HMA.
Who wants to take on this project, or add too it? Wild horses need ‘ALL OF YOU’ to help make this ‘Fight for Freedom’ data base project a success. - What we need to know (with documentation) when animals were removed, where they were/are being held, holding pens and their locations, how many are left, are there any left, etc.
- Links to the petitions, and legislatures actions for reading and getting involved!
- Who are the ranchers, who has the contracts.
- ALMOST DONE- Info about grazing, statistics, AUM’s current and past etc.
- Documented evidence of abuse by BLM, and cattle ranchers.
- Explaining the fences across America and the damage they cause to other wildlife (who are also under attack country wide)
- Get the answers to the questions relating to groups and have it easily listed for those to find out the pros and cons of each group in a pdf/spreadsheet editable format. How horse friendly are these groups on a sliding 1-10 scale? Are they non profit? Do they want the contraception? Which ones are doing the active legislative acts? Etc… So you know which one you want to give your donations too that will be best spent. This can change as the groups change.
- Info I haven’t even considered. What do you know that’s valuable?
- Why does the cattle industry have so much power?
- Why are we allowing the BLM to break the laws that were meant to protect the wild horses. Aren’t usage of helicopters illegal?
- Records needed for actual AMU on BLM properties, and info regarding sales/adoptions since holding facility was established.
- IN PROGRESS: Getting actual animal estimates is nearly impossible with BLM website data. They tell you what the their AML is, but the #’s are usually lower than their target goal. I am sure there is a PDF tucked somewhere in the governments system, along with info of Livestock in same areas to get a full headcount.
- Do you know of roundup / removals / or gathers not listed here
- I recall hearing of a 1000 horses missing from some holding center. Need updates. Comment below if interested in helping.
- Do you have evidence of these federally protected animals being sent to slaughter. SHOW ME!
We use the past, present, future format with regular updates. This fight is long from over.
I don’t care where the source comes from, as long as its accurate, and verifiable. In some cases editable (PDF/spreadsheet) for adding info as we gather it, future info, and fixing errors when necessary so it can remain updated and current.
Any if you feel the desire to tackle the task, comment in the bottom of the WISH LIST page so we know who is currently working on what. No pressure… do it you do what you can. I’ll upload it.
If you get burned out, or don’t have time to keep going as life gets in the way…. someone else can take over where you left off, and you can jump back in when you can. If someone feels they can improve any section of these pages, your efforts are welcomed!
There is a bunch of ways we can all be useful. Find an area you think is important, and do your homework. Cite your sources, add links, and put it together in an organized, easy to read format, and ready for upload in blog format.
‘Editable’ SPREADSHEETS are great for year to year and other comparisons. We need 20+ years of comparable records to show the steady decline of our wild horses. DOWNLOAD the pdf databases for records… you never know when it will disappear forever from our sources. We are fighting the government. They make the laws that can change how we get our information. Webpages, and links get changed all the time. So having ‘original’ hard copies is important.
Hi Jennifer. Thank you for all that you do and provide for advocates! I was asked the question, “How did the BLM come up with the AML numbers for the herd management areas for mustangs & burros?” Is there a formula that the BLM uses? I’ve heard, & have referred to that number as being arbitrary. Thank you! Diane
I think I may have found something regarding the AML values. I still would like your insight on this matter. Thanks https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/13511/chapter/9#197
Diane, I came up with a couple of items for you to review. I haven’t went over them in full detail.
Gleghorn, A. (2007). Unbridled Power and the Wild Horses and Burros Act. Fund for Animals, Inc. v. U.S. Bureau of Land Management, 15 Mo. Envtl. L. & Pol’y Rev. 151
https://scholarship.law.missouri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1311&context=jesl
(There is no set formula for calculating an appropriate management level, because each Bureau office has “significant discretion to determine their own methods of computing [appropriate management level] for the herds they manage.” The discretion in determination among local offices ranges from finding a level that reflects “the midpoint of a sustainable range” or as a “single number
GAO-09-77. (2008). Effective Long-Term Options Needed to Manage Unadoptable Wild Horses. Bureau Of Land Mangagement. U.S. Government Accountability Office, Washington, D.C., USA. 88p.
https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-09-77
BLM has set arbitrarily low appropriate management levels (AMLs) for wild horses. The 2008 GAO report found that BLM lacked a uniform procedure for determining AMLs
Fund For Animals. (2006). Fund For Animals, Inc. v. U.S. Bureau of Land Mgmt., 460 F.3d 13 (D.C. Cir. 2006)
https://casetext.com/case/fund-for-animals-v-us-bureau-of-land-manag
My guess, your guess, is a good as their ‘guess.’ I guess, lol.
I attempted to locate something more detailed and haven’t had any luck. What we do know is they claim their was only approx 27,000 WHB in 1971, and that is their basis for most everything. But a few of us have found documents that show significantly higher WHB numbers and that BLM straight up lied to us about those #’s, even lied to Congress which is illegal. If I find a diffinitive source for AML, I will let you know.
You are doing a splendid job, your Wish list is great, factual and much clearer. BLM are making the track difficult to follow. Thus making it very difficult to know where the horses are going.?
We need people in areas that are prepared to put in an effort to do reporting with video footage. Even if they drive around near the borders for put up holding facilities. Anything suspicious.
This areal counting method with grids is a little confusing, does that mean they estimate the number of horses? or does each grid overlap an HMA.
Are HMA’s registered or are HA’s registered or are these made up areas by BLM like their Internal Memorandums. Its difficult to know what is a legal entity, for example is BLM’s IM legal, if so where does legal begin and end?
Has anyone in areas that need Drone checking have any contacts?
My thought is that if sufficient clear information is available with proof then one could go with a brochure or to a large organization or person/celebrity and ask them to back aerial flights to do a proper count?
An inside person for property to keep advocates abreast with land coming up with BLM or land adjoining the Public lands, for a possible fund raising to buy land. Interestingly in the information you have put forward I see some of the allotments have been leased from BLM for Horses?? I thought BLM did not allow wild horses to reside in allotment areas, Madelein Pickens could not take allotments for wild horses. Well once the horses have been adopted they are not deemed Wild horses and have a freeze brand on them so could a consortium apply for an allotment for these?
It may be worth contacting Madelein Pickens for any other insight into the Mustangs and her ideas, that is once one has proven that enough prep work has been done.
Anyway these are a few thoughts, thank you again for what you are doing.
New to this group but was referred here as I am looking for facts to put together to mail out to decision makers in Washington. I also would be interesting in starting a blog to get peoples awareness.
I’m in! I am also new to this fight but I have been doing a lot of research myself and I’m having the same problem, I read something with get info move on to something else to learn more and can’t remember where the other info was! I’m in Tooele, Utah right the Onaqui that you visited. I can work on finding info for my state.
What I need from someone on the ground will be recent livestock evidence Pictures/ headcounts /documentation, and keep dates of your activity (others can also add to that), now and in the future in the individual HMA’s (only, not HA’s) for Utah, or wherever you may roam that shows why the horses were really removed. I think I can show the numbers from statistical viewpoint, but pictures speak the truth. I have tons of downloaded info already, I just have to get it transferred to site. Once its up, the wish lists will change. Welcome aboard!
I’m in big time! Can get you links to MN news agencies. I’m an environmental engineer by trade and can review EAs and EIS documents, lived in MT for ten years and worked throughout the west, especially WY, doing EA work. Great with data organization and presentation. Jack of many trades and mostly a problem solver. Just say the word!
Fantastic!
Yes, Ill have then uploaded tonight. I don’t know what EA, and EIS docs are (though I may already know as I have been reviewing so many docs lately), but I’m betting its a lot of details which is what we are working with. Can you build spread sheets… I’m clueless. 🙂
I would like to help in whatever way I can….please contact me…..I can make calls and write letters. thewinegal@att.net Dawn Ulle
We need all the help we a can get. Welcome aboard 🙂