Printed in the High Desert Advocate Edition August 27, 2021.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Elko District, Wells Field Office and Ely District, Bristlecone Field Office began a wild horse gather on August 2, 2021, on the Antelope Complex located about 50 miles southeast of Elko or 50 miles north of Ely, Nevada. The BLM gatheredd and remove approximately 2,200 excess wild horses. The BLM conducted gather operations using the helicopter-assisted method.

DAILY GATHER REPORTS

Tuesday, Aug 24

Summary: Temps 64– 71, Windy. 

Animals Gathered: 15 (7 Studs, 7 Mares, and 1 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 0 (0 Studs, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)

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

Monday, Aug 23

Summary: Temps 54– 71, Windy – no animals gathered today.

Animals Gathered: 0 (0 Studs, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 78 (20 Studs, 43 Mares, and 15 Foals)

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

Sunday, Aug 22

Summary: Temps 54– 82, light smoke, mostly clear, winds 5-7.

Animals Gathered: 84 (22 Studs, 44 Mares, and 18 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 13 (1 Studs, 7 Mares, and 5 Foals)

Deaths: 3 / -Sudden / Acute: 0 /-Pre-existing / Chronic: 3

4 month old Bay Colt was euthanized in accordance with IM 2021-007 due to chronic injury (Physical Defect/Deformity)

3 month old Buckskin Filly was euthanized in accordance with IM 2021-007 due to chronic injury (Fracture)

4 month old Buckskin Colt was euthanized in accordance with IM 2021-007 due to chronic injury (Lameness)

Saturday, Aug 21

Summary: Temps 51– 77, light smoke, partly cloudy, winds 10-15. 

Animals Gathered: 13 (1 Studs, 7 Mares, and 5 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 76 (16 Studs, 47 Mares, and 13 Foals)

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

Friday, Aug 20

Summary: Temps 37– 69, light smoke, mostly clear, winds light and variable. 

Animals Gathered: 76 (16 Studs, 47 Mares, and 13 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 77 (25 Studs, 39 Mares, and 13 Foals)

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

Thursday, Aug 19

Summary: Temps 53– 74 smokey, Light rain  

Animals Gathered: 71 (25 Studs, 33 Mares, and 13 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 44 (27 Studs, 40 Mares, and 18 Foals)

Deaths: 1 / -Sudden / Acute: 0 / -Pre-existing / Chronic: 1

4 year old Bay Stallion was euthanized in accordance with IM 2021-007 due to chronic injury (Physical Defect/Deformity)

Wednesday, Aug 18

Summary: Temps 58– 67 smokey, Light rain  

Animals Gathered: 87 (23 Studs, 46 Mares, and 18 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 44 (19 Studs, 22 Mares, and 3 Foals)

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

Tuesday, Aug 17

Summary: Temps 64 – 86 sunny  

Animals Gathered: 29 (17 Studs, 9 Mares, and 3 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 133 (67 Studs, 42 Mares, and 24 Foals)

Deaths: 1 / -Sudden / Acute: 0 / -Pre-existing / Chronic: 1

11 year old Buckskin Stallion was euthanized in accordance with IM 2021-007 due to chronic injury (Blind).

Monday, Aug 16

Summary: Temps 68 – 93 sunny  

Animals Gathered: 114 (35 Studs, 55 Mares, and 24 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 94 (0 Studs, 65 Mares, and 31 Foals)

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

Sunday, Aug 15

Summary: Temps 64 – 81 sunny  

Animals Gathered: 52 (20 Studs, 21 Mares, and 11 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 122 (80 Studs, 42 Mares, and 0 Foals)

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

Saturday, Aug 14

Summary: Temps 64 – 90 sunny  

Animals Gathered: 95 (29 Studs, 44 Mares, and 22 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 109 (17 Studs, 68 Mares, and 24 Foals)

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

Friday, Aug 13

Summary: Temps 70 – 96 sunny  

Animals Gathered: 88 (27 Studs, 46 Mares, and 15 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 121 (93 Studs, 28 Mares, and 0Foals)

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

Thursday, Aug 12

Summary: Temps 56 – 88 sunny 

Animals Gathered: 52 (20 Studs, 24 Mares, and 08 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 90 (0 Studs, 57 Mares, and 35 Foals)

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

Wednesday, Aug 11

Summary: Temps 58 – 91 Smokey 

Animals Gathered: 222 (89 Studs, 99 Mares, and 34 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 88 (26 Studs, 41 Mares, and 21 Foals)

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

Tuesday, Aug 10

Summary: Temps 62 – 84 Smokey

Animals Gathered: 136 (50 Studs, 65 Mares, and 21 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 83 (26 Studs, 46 Mares, and 11 Foals)

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

Monday, Aug 9

Summary: Temps 51 – 82 Smokey 

Animals Gathered: 52 (13 Studs, 28 Mares, and 11 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 45 (16 Studs, 20 Mares, and 9 Foals)

Deaths: 2  /  -Sudden / Acute: 1 /  -Pre-existing / Chronic: 1

6 year old Bay Mare was euthanized in accordance with IM 2021-007 due to chronic injury (Blind).

20+ year old Bay Stallion died due to pre-existing/chronic issue.

Sunday, Aug 8

Summary: Temps 51 – 86 Smokey

Animals Gathered: 43 (14 Studs, 20 Mares, and 9 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 87 (26 Studs, 46 Mares, and 15 Foals)

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

Saturday, Aug 7

Summary: Temps 58 – 92 Smokey 

Animals Gathered: 126 (52 Studs, 59 Mares, and 15 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 0 (0 Studs, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)

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

Friday, Aug 6

Summary: Temps 68- 82 Smokey no horses gathered today due to heavy smoke

Animals Gathered: 0 (0 Studs, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 86 (26 Studs, 32 Mares, and 28 Foals)

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

Thursday, Aug 5

Summary: Temps 68- 94 Sunny

Animals Gathered: 45 (16 Studs, 18 Mares, and 11 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 40 (26 Studs, 14 Mares, and 0 Foals)

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

Wednesday, Aug 4

Summary: Temps 68- 91 Sunny

Animals Gathered: 82 (33 Studs, 33 Mares, and 16 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 85 (26 Studs, 39 Mares, and 20 Foals)

Deaths: 2  /  -Sudden / Acute: 1 / -Pre-existing / Chronic: 1

8-year Bay Mare died due to sudden/acute issue.

2-week old Buckskin colt died due to pre-existing/chronic issue.

Tuesday, Aug 3

Summary: Temps 59- 86 Sunny 

Animals Gathered: 96 (33 Studs, 42 Mares, and 21 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 0 (0 Studs, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)

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

Monday, Aug 2

Summary: Temps 56- 84 Sunny  

Animals Gathered: 12 (7 Studs, 3 Mares, and 2 Foals)

Animals Shipped: 2 (0 Studs, 0 Mares, and 2 Foals)

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

Bureau of Land Management to begin the  

FY2021 Antelope Complex Emergency Wild Horse Gather

Printed in the High Desert Advocate Edition August 6, 2021.

ELY, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Elko District, Wells Field Office and Ely District, Bristlecone Field Office will begin a wild horse gather on or about August 1, 2021, on the Antelope Complex located about 50 miles southeast of Elko or 50 miles north of Ely, Nevada. The BLM plans to gather and remove approximately 2,200 excess wild horses. The BLM will conduct gather operations using the helicopter-assisted method.

The Antelope Complex has four herd management areas (HMA) which consist of Goshute, Spruce-Pequop, Antelope Valley, Antelope HMAs and encompasses over 1,608,350 acres of public land. The combined Appropriate Management Level (AML) is 435-789 wild horses. At the beginning of March 2021, the BLM conducted simultaneous double-observer surveys helicopter survey, the current estimated adult population is 6,032 wild horses within and directly outside of the Complex. The current estimated population, which did not include foals, is nearly 7.5-times above the high end of the established AML.  

The purpose of the gather is to prevent undue or unnecessary degradation of the public lands associated with excess wild horses, to restore a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationship on public lands, consistent with the provisions of Section 1333(b) of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. The action is also necessary to reduce overpopulation of wild horses within and outside the HMAs, where there currently is not enough water and/or forage to support the number of horses in the area, and to prevent further degradation of public lands by helping to balance herd size. 

By balancing herd size with what the land can support, the BLM aims to protect habitat for other wildlife species such as sage grouse, pronghorn antelope, mule deer and elk. Livestock grazing permittees in the Elko District have taken non-use or reduced use for over 10-years, while still providing positive resources such as water for the horses and wildlife. Removing excess wild horses would also enable significant progress toward achieving the Standards for Rangeland Health identified by the Northeastern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council.

“We conduct gathers like this to ensure the health of rangelands within the HMAs, as well as the health of the wild horses in the area, are not at risk due to herd overpopulation and severe drought conditions,” said Gerald Dixon, Elko District Manager. “As always, we are committed to conducting safe and humane gather operations as we work to protect animal health by bringing herd size down to AML in order to work toward restoring a thriving natural ecological balance to the range and protect the range from further deterioration associated with overpopulation.” 

The BLM’s priority is to conduct safe, efficient, and successful wild horse gather operations while ensuring humane care and treatment of all animals gathered. The BLM and its contractors will use the best available science and handling practices for wild horses and burros while meeting overall gather goals and objectives in accordance with the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Policy. 

All animals identified for removal will be transported to the Palomino Valley Center in Nevada or Axtell Off-Range Corrals in Utah. Upon arrival to the facilities, all animals will be checked by a veterinarian and readied for the BLM’s wild horse and burro adoption and sale program.   

Members of the public are welcome to view the gather operations, provided that doing so does not jeopardize the safety of the animals, staff and observers, or disrupt gather operations. The BLM will escort the public to gather observation sites located on public lands. Once gather operations have begun, those wanting to view gather operations must call the gather hotline nightly at (775) 861-6700 to receive specific instructions on each days’ meeting location and time. 

The following COVID-19 guidelines rules may apply based on the State Governor’s recommendations up to: 

• Facemasks are required for daily safety briefings and in the observation areas. 
• Always stay at least six feet from others. Avoid gathering with others outside of your household. 
• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. 
• Bring hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol to use if soap and water are not available. 
• Do not attend the gather if you are sick, recently exposed (within 14 days) to someone with COVID-19 or are not feeling well. 
• The BLM is conducting the gather under the DOI-BLM-NV-E030-2017-0010-EA Antelope and Triple B Complexes Gather Plan Environmental Assessment decision signed on December 21, 2017. Access the Decision Record and determination of National Environmental Policy Act adequacy at https://go.usa.gov/xFDvP. 
• Gather reports and additional information will be posted on the BLM website at https://go.usa.gov/xFK5U. For technical information, contact Bruce Thompson, Wild Horse and Burro Specialist at (775) 753-0286 or b50thomp@blm.gov.
  
  For information on how to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro, visit www.blm.gov/whb.