Wild Horses: On Wyoming’s Range, Water Is Scarce but Welfare Is Plenty
July 9, 2012
Wild Horses: Removals From Cloud’s Pryor Mountain Herd Continue
July 28, 2012
A colorful family in McCullough Peaks Herd
The BLM has issued a scoping notice for the McCullough Peaks Herd near Cody, Wyoming – I have been following and photographing this herd for 8 years
“BLM Seeks Input on Bait Trapping for McCullough Peaks Herd
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Cody Field Office is seeking public input on the use of bait trapping as a tool for managing the population of wild horses in the McCullough Peaks Wild Horse Herd Management Area (HMA).
The BLM proposes the use of bait trapping to gradually remove wild horses when the herd has exceeded its appropriate management level. Maintaining a population of approximately 100 adult wild horses will help prevent deterioration of rangelands and balance wild horses with other public rangeland resources and uses.
Public input is valuable early in the process and will enable the BLM to develop a well-informed environmental assessment. Comments may be emailed by Aug. 3, 2012, to: BLM_WY_McCulloughPeaksHMA@blm.gov
Comments may also be mailed to Tricia Hatle, BLM Cody Field Office, 1002 Blackburn Street, Cody, WY 82414 and postmarked by Aug. 3, 2012. This notice extends the deadline for input from July 30, the date in the original scoping letter sent to interested parties, to Aug. 3, 2012.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
For more information, please contact BLM Wild Horse Specialist Tricia Hatle at 307-578-5900, or stop by the Cody Field Office at 1002 Blackburn Street.”
The wild stallion Utah
Things that you need to know:
*The Herd area is 110,000 acres. Currently the population of wild horses in the Herd Area is 167, including foals.
*The BLM wants to bring the herd down to 100 horses, which is below the level needed to sustain genetic viability (150 adults). Bringing the numbers of horses down to 100 will seriously jeopardize the genetic viability of the herd.
The number of foals is way down this year due to birth control
*FOAL, Friends of a Legacy, a group in Cody has been working in partnership with the BLM to improve the range and also on using birth control to control the numbers in this herd. Currently there are only 7 foals born in 2012, so the birth control is working. They have darted the mares with PZP again this summer – let all their hard work pay off and leave the herd alone, let the birth control work.
*There are livestock lessors who run cattle on the range. If the BLM wants to improve the conditions on the range, they should curtail use by livestock. This is a herd management area and as such the horses should be treated as the primary species in the herd area.
Two wild stallions
*The range is suffering from drought conditions this year. This is a natural cycle, and part of managing wild horses is dealing with these conditions. It is still cheaper to haul water to the horses than to remove them and put them into holding facilities where they will face an uncertain future.
A family band runs to the waterhole
*This is a very popular herd for the public to visit. It is close to Cody and relatively easy to access. The BLM should seek to preserve this herd, not endanger it.
Please submit your comments, in your own words, by email or mail by August 3.
The wild stallion Tecumseh
79 Comments
So there are 167 horses including foals on 110,000 acres? You want to remove more? And the foal count is down all ready due to birth control…
So, the horses are run into the ground by helicopter? Some suffering injury, death? they are put in holding pens…for how long…until they end up on the slaughter pipeline???? What gives you the right to remove them? It’s their land is it not? You know nature takes care of it’s own. Why doesn’t the US of A concentrate on things besides rounding up the most beautiful creature God created? Like the economy that is in the toilet? These horses don’t bother anyone really. They would much rather stay with their families and live out their lives free just like you and me. I really feel for all you people who had a hand in doing this to them. You’re messin with the Man upstairs…you will all have hell to pay come judgement day! I’m gonna be laughing my ass off from Heaven and saying “I told ya so”! I think God will have a special plan for all the BLM people when it’s all said and done. You’ll be right there with all the pro horse slaughter idiots…P.S. I hope Sue Wallis is the first to go!
That is exactly how I feel!
you said it lori! God’s Holy Word says; “Your destruction of animals will terrify you”. our lives are so short, but eternity is pretty long.
Amen!
Well said Lori, very well said!!! I am so furious over the mishandling of the horses. It is just sickening to me that these people are doing all this out of greed. But then, isn’t that all the people in power are about?! God forbid they should miss out on that whole $1.30 a month per head of cattle that graze on the horses food!!! God Bless you, and all the rest of us who are fighting to keep our Mustangs safe from extinction!!! And most of all, God, please Bless our beautiful Mustangs, and help them to survive the greed of these heartless people who would see them die out for the sake of money and power!!!
Revove the cattle ranchers and their poor cows permanently. Stop hunting of horse’s natural predators by humans. Let natural predator/prey relationships emerge and keep the population in check. PZP is made of pigs ovaries and has bad long term side effects for horses (let alone the poor pigs). Stop messing with god’s horses and animals.
Again 167 horses on 110,000 acres? That should be plenty. And room for more even if grazing is sparce after over a century of cattle ranching. Once you remove your ranchers herds. They are your problem.
I agree, not to mention they’re using our tax dollars for something I don’t want it used for. Sally Jewell Sec of Interior, we need to find the money trail.
After reading most of these comments I realize how out of touch people are. They hate ranchers and their livestock even though the ranchers have been feeding them and their families for years. The united states and the BLM have been managing these herds for years and have been doing a pretty damn good job of it really. There are healthy herds all over the United States. The McCullough Herd is very healthy and just about the right size in my opinion. Most of you don’t know a damn thing about horses and what they’re meant for. Like all animals they are meant for the use of man. Don’t get me wrong I don’t believe in any behaviors involving animal cruelty. If you’ve been around any ranchers at all they are at the top in caring for animals, especially horses. These herds need management. I don’t believe it should take a shit pot of money to do it either. I don’t agree with expensive birth control but I do believe in culling for slaughter. You people are in a dream world if you think that just letting these mustang populations grow without management is wise. Look at the wild pigs in Texas. There is an area near my family’s ranch that where some bucking horses were turned out, probably a dozen or so. That was ten fifteen years ago and now the heard is close to 200 head. Let me ask you this. How would you like it if your neighbor had bunch of cats living next to you. These cats would sometimes come over eat your dog food, breed your cats, and other things. Your neighbor has plenty of room for these animals but still they are getting on your nerves. This is the same thing for ranchers on the border of wild horse herds. Face it, they need managed. I love horses and have been on them and around them my whole life which is more than I can say for a lot of you. I love my ranch gelding and I can honestly say he loves me back. He loves the work he does and would be if he didn’t have a job to do he wouldn’t be worth a shit. Mustangs are fun to look at and I’m glad the government gave them a place to roam. But, to let their numbers get out of control would be a bid mistake.
Same abusive deadly tactics going on 13 years later. Shame on the BLM. No morality in that group.
How stupid do you think we are? You are going to reduce the herds, why not take the sheep off the range instead, they just about kill everything in site when grazing! Better yet since there will most likely be a hay shortage this year with the draught cancel all leases for grazing cattle and sheep then you will insure that our history will not be put into a state of serious decline! The wild horses are a very importrant part of out history, native american as well immigrents alike have valued the wild horses through the years. You are going to cause inbreeding if you keep reducing the herds, you already have controlled the breeding as it is. LEAVE THEM ALONE, THEY CAN CULL THEMSELVES, you are not god and quit trying to play the role of god.
BLM – leave the Wild Horses, our American Icon – on their allocated range lands as designated by 1971 Act of Congress – Our American Icon is on it’s way to extinction – thanks to the BLM – The American Gov’t is ‘American’ – by the people, for the people. We are not ruled by dictators here!
Thank you!
It seems to me that moderation is not needed if we are respectful and do not use vulgar language…yet be able to post what could be improved…
Loretta!
You are correct…to me the BLM is in the Rancher’s pocketbooks…look they allow private stock to overgraze lands everywhere killing our wildlife off or weakening them due to not enough food; then they kill off the rodents like prairie dogs that help bring the grasslands back and also provide food for predators; the rancher, the developer, construction, 5G, solar, wind turbines and more use up land and take habitats away…biodiversity is important to the continuation of a balanced life on this planet. It does not stop there…predators, be it wolves, coyotes, bears but particularly, the wolves are here…they will cull a herd of the weak of the sick and keep a herd strong…that was proven in Jackson Hole to the so called rich and elite when the wolves culled the elk herds a couple of years…back came the feed, the grasslands if you would.
BLM needs to be fired and management needs returned to organizations that truly care for our wildlife and involve the talents at the county levels that know the history, the pros and cons of the land..but in reality Predator man is out of control…look. bees 80% gone due to man, ranchers, farmers etc. that are using killer insecticides, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, etc. 90% of our Monarch butter flies are gone and in less than 20years..FOE notes! Fifty years is all it took to rob us of 68% of our wildlife, worldwide because of Predator Human man and this includes birds, insects, mammals, etc.
The horn is being sounded by several organizations from Defenders to Center for Biodiversity…we are ruining, killing the health and help we have from our wildlife.
It does not help to have a governor such as Gordon, Gianforte that hates wildlife as does Trump hates all nature…the elite in ID have control of LIttle…what does that tell us…we better clean up our act and look out for our planet and our wildlife.
Note: Better read up of all that Trump did to hurt not only wildlilfe but forests, memorials, public lands etc.
I agree with Lori….the current herd numbers are at a manageable rate… That much land can withstand that herd… Even in drought….. You have birth control in place and it’s working…. Leave well enough alone….
I am not sure my comment will be posted for I posted to read of what Trump did with his EO, what he has done to the memorials and public lands…criticized the BLM … they need to be fired and management returned to people that care, respect the wildlife as are supposed to and more.
Even the Bible puts it to us…respect what is here…birds, bees, etc…Paul wrote about wildlife pretty extensively in Corinthians…lest we do less if we want our planet healthy and viable?
HR 7806 American Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2022…read it and pass forward if you agree…
Thanks.
Couldn’t say it any better. You go girl!!!!! Agree, agree, agree!
I say, “Leave them the hell alone!” NOW!!!!!!!
You said it yourself in the article – 100 horses is not viable. The herd will become extinct. The article said it is cheaper to haul water to the horses than put the horses in holding pens. So why would the BLM consider this round up? It has to be to satisfy the demands of the cattle ranchers. Nothing makes any sens except that big money must want this. Leave the horses alone.
what good for our wild horses is it to even bother trying to talk to blm. they are hell-bent on removing and killing these so-called American Freedom Icons! what a crock that is! American freedom must not be worth the few bucks one gets for slaughtering one of these horses! each and every American owes their freedom to the horses in building this country in the first place! the ultimate betrayal to mistreat and murder horses , wild or domestic. shame on America! ungrateful and rotten to the core. i am ashamed of this country~and we think we’re the greatest. we whine that other countries hate us~! we cry and moan when we are bombed! Good God~people~wake up!!
I tried to respond to the BLM with the email address you show but it will not go through. Is there another address.
Thanks
Dear Paula, Sorry for some reason I cannot get WordPress to do a quick link on that address, but this is the correct address – just copy and paste it into your email address: BLM_WY_McCulloughPeaksHMA@blm.gov
Thanks!
Carol
I am in agreement with all the comments before me. This is just because the cattle ranchers who get to use public lands for free and the horse slaughter advocates want the horses so they. Who are they hurting. Leave the Horses ALONE!
Dear BLM… from my side of the computer, in reading what is going on the herds of horses in America, I can’t help but take the side that your organization is not about managing horses but managing land……. you are obviously concerned about the land that you are supposedly in charge of…… be fair…. figure out a place where the horses can go…. be logical, make sense, do the right thing. Frankly this is getting to be a big use of my time bringing my feelings to your attention. Please, somebody there, wake up…… there has to be at least one caring, bright person that works in your department.
“I can’t help but take the side that your organization is not about managing horses but managing land”
Thats kinda their name… Bureau of LAND Management.
way to go lori you took the words right out of my heart and brain. The blm is asking for public opinion, my words have been leave them alone for years.
why put them into holding pens for eternity, let nature provide life for them. why let the cattle and pipline people tell the blm and our government what to do with our tax monies.
Please, please leave these horses where they are. They’re magnificent and a symbol of our nation’s history. If there are too many, Nature will take care of itself without man’s hand in it. Don’t move them.
I just sent this via e-mail. Feel free to use it again!
To Whom It May Concern:
I understand that the BLM considering the use of bait trapping as a tool to manage the wild horses of McCullough Peaks Wild Horse Management Area. I understand that bait trapping is less aggressive than helicopter roundups and tends to keep family bands of horses more intact that the mass roundups and that the horses experience fewer injuries and deaths. If removal of horses is required, I, personally, would prefer bait trapping vs. helicopter. However, my concerns are greater than which method of removal should be utilized.
I have been a horse lover all my life and have owned many. I have loved Mustangs and wild horses since I was a young girl. I have studied them, drawn and painted them, shown, bred, raised and trained them. Having raised my only child and currently having him in college, I, myself am planning to return to college to acquire a Bachelors of Science in Equine Science. Also, having a lifetime worth of experience in the outdoors, being raised by an outdoorsman, hunting, fishing and camping, my father taught his children early on the need for wildlife conservation. So, applying the wild horses as wildlife, their conservation is very easy to understand.
Being a list queen, it will be easiest for me to raise my concerns to you in list form. They are as follows:
1. The current population is 167. The BLM is wanting to remove approximately 67 of these horses. Equine genetics dictates that to have a viable herd that monitors itself regarding breeding the minimum required number of adult horses is 150. The proposal of the BLM to go in and remove 67 of these horses is putting them in a genetic emergency and forcing inbreeding, which we all know, creates problems such as developmental problems and birth deformities, to name a couple.
2. The current Herd Management Area is 110,000 acres. I am appalled that 1 horse from the McCullough Peaks Wild Horse HMA would be considered for removal from this many acres, much less approximately 67. Part of wildlife conservation includes proper management of rangeland and forage. I also, understand that drought conditions that exist. However, the cost of roundups and removal, manpower, transportation to holding facilities, feeding at holding facilities, transportation to and from adoptions and/or long term holding facilities an exorbitant dollar amount to the taxpayer compared to the cost of supplemental feed and water to the HMA for one year. If range conditions are as bad as the BLM studies have suggested, perhaps they should read their own reports and see that the source of the devastation is domestic livestock and remove and deny grazing permits to cattle and sheep until further studies prove that the range has recovered and leave the horses alone. You can reference a new Federal Assessment of Rangelands in the West report from May of this year, 2012. This is a herd management area and as such, the horses should be treated as the primary species. Did you know that horses recycle grass seeds in their manure? Cattle and sheep do not. Also, cattle and sheep will urinate and defecate in or near water sources. Horses do not.
3. It is my understanding that a group has been working with the BLM in this area to improve range conditions and also on using birth control on the mares to control the numbers of the herd. There has been a small number of new foals this year and taking that into consideration, it shows me that the birth control is working. Let the hard work of these individuals pay off and leave the herd alone. Let the birth control work. Did you know that a wild stallion will not breed his daughter? Domestic stallions will. This is because of the family band system the wild horses have. Once the young mare is old enough to breed, she will leave her family or will be driven away. Domestic stallions do not have that family band system and are hand delivered mares to breed or are kept in fenced pastures with daughters and the breeding age mare has no way to leave the family.
4. There are currently tens of thousands of horses being kept at long term facilities costing the taxpayers more than it would cost to leave them on the range. Don’t add to the numbers, currently between 45,000 and 55,000. The range can support the numbers, if cattle and sheep were not destroying it by overgrazing. Currently there are less than 25,000 horses in the wild. Yet there are over 8 million privately owned cattle on public lands that include the horse management areas.
5. In 1971 the “Wild and Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act” allotted approximately 53 million acres for the horses to roam. Currently the BLM has horses on only 26 million acres of the 160 million acres they manage. The horses share the 26 million with other wildlife as well as cattle and sheep. Why can’t the horses have their paltry 26 million acres and not share it with cattle and sheep. The wildlife they share the land with compete for a very small percentage of the forage, they survive quite well together. Let the wild horses of the McCullough Peaks Wild Horse Management Area stay on their measly 110,000 acres.
6. This is a very popular herd for the public to visit. It is close to Cody and relatively easy to access. We hope that the BLM would want to preserve this herd and monopolize on its popularity and seek the tourist dollars that could help with preservation. In the age of the internet, it would be a small thing to do to get public support for them and make it a tourist attraction. No one wants to go see cattle and sheep grazing except the cattle and sheep ranchers. Many herds have had genetic testing and Iberian horses are found in their bloodlines. While there are other bloodlines, and documentation of cavalry horses or ranch stock is always being touted as their ancestry, there are still many opportunities to make these “wild” horses profitable.
7. How far back can you trace your family tree, in North America? These horses, in many instances can, by their blood, trace back to the conquest of the New World, the 1520s and 1530s. How far north the conquistadors or Spanish missionaries got, is irrevilant, since we know horses travel and run from predators and we know the Nez Perce acquired horses before other tribes to their south did. Natural by definition – growing without human care; existing in or produced in nature. Once introduced and turned out or escaped Iberian horses and Barbs developed naturally into the American Mustang by mother nature. Thru survival of the fittest, mother nature herself developed the American Mustang. As westward expansion occurred there were outside influences added, however, mother nature continues to work her magic with this breed. The American Mustang has managed its own reproduction, growing, living, and occurring naturally in the American West. One of the greatest breeds developed by man, the Appaloosa, developed from the Iberian horses and the American Mustangs.
It is my hope that my concerns and those of others will be heard and the wild horses of McCullough Peaks Wild Horse Management Area be spared from roundups for the next many years allowing the herd to reach over 300. I am sure we could argue over some of my points until we are both blue in the face, however, I am steadfast in my belief that these horses have a right to be there, to be protected and to be treated humanely when rounded up, regardless of what system is implemented. I hope and pray for the Lord’s blessings upon the horses and the people who make the decisions regarding them.
Felicia Segura, LMT, ESMT
Katy, Texas
indonlire@yahoo.com
Bait trapping and indiscriminate birth control nullifies natural selection and fractures herd families. This is Human terrorism of a native North American species of animal by our own government. Wild horses actually help balance the ecosystem and entrich our lives in measurable quantifiable ways.
The huge cattle companies who use this ranchland are (most of them) not US corporations. There is the additional greed coming from the $20+ price per pound garnered overseas for non-chemically treated (wild) horse meat to EAT…there is more but it all must stop.
Our government can make money allowing these horses to live as they do. To manage population numbers, long-term, non-hormonal contraceptives can be done – it is used with the Assateague herd…sell horses humanely gathered. Adopt them out at a high price-for the wonderful horses that natural selection causes them to be.
The biggest thing to harp on, though, is that:
Wild Horses ARE native North American Wildlife-from:http://www.awionline.org
an excerpt from that article by Jay F. Kirkpatrick, Ph.D & Patricia M. Fazio, Ph.D.:
“The relatively new (30 year old) field of molecular biology, using mitochodrial DNA analysis, has recently revealed that the modern or caballine horse, E. caballus, is genetically equivalent to E. lambei, a horse, according to fossil records, that represented the most recent Equus species in North America prior to extinction. Not only is E caballus genetically equivalent to E. lambei, but no evidence exists for the origin of E. caballus anywhere except North America (Forsten 1992).
Wild Horses as Native North American Wildlife-Art wild horses truly”wild,” as an indigenous species in North America, or are the “feral weeds”-barnyard escapees, far removed genetically from their prehistoric ancestors? The question at hand is, therefore, whether or not modern horses, equus caballus, should be considered native wildlife. The question is legitimate, and the answer important. In North America, the wild horse is often labeled as a non-native, or even and exotic species, by most federal or state agencies dealing with wildlife management, such as the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the BLM.
The legal mandate for many of these agencies is to protect NATIVE wildlife and prevent non-native species from causing harmful effects on the general ecology of the land. Thus, management is often directed at total eradication, or at least minimal numbers. If the idea that wild harses were, indeed, native wildlife, a great many current management approaches might be compromised. Thus the rationale for examining this proposition, that the horse is a native or non-native species, is significant.”
If this is true, than isn’t what these agencies are doing to the wild horse herds illegal ?! Could the wild horse not be considered endangered native wildlife?
Sadly, the BLM is no more than a front for the wealthy cattle ranchers who are buying our government’s approval and stealing the resources of the American public. How else would you view such faulty analysis of herd/acres ratio and justify the cost of “holding” these magnificent wild horses before they ultimately die in captivity or secretly transport to slaughter. I continue to be amazed by the BLM’s disregard for all that is humane, compassionate and economically consciencious. We need to disband that department before it destroys all that we hold precious.
Nature will take care of itself. Man’s control of nature is not needed and it will only further jeopardize the environment. Let them be. Let nature be. The old and unhealthy will pass. The strong should be allowed to live free.
I must correct myself. The old and unhealthy will pass. The strong will live on. These animals have souls and emotions just as we do. They should ALL be allowed to live free.
Amen! I do agree….horses are NOT livestock, they deserve to live their lives on their own turf in their own herds!
The BLM needs to stop making lame excuses as valid reasons to take the Mustangs off the ranges. They are meant to be there, it is all part of the ecological cycle on the ranges. The horses keep the ranges healthy, and keep the cheat grass down, which lessens fire dangers on the ranges, plus, they re-seed the terrain which keeps the natural cycle going. The ranchers that graze their cattle pay a VERY SMALL fee to the BLM to do so, then make big profits off of those cattle. So in essence, our beautiful Western heritage, the Wild Mustang, is being wiped out because of greedy cattle ranchers. They need to be forced to pay their own way, like the rest of us struggling just to survive, and leave the Mustangs ALONE!!! They try to say the Mustangs are starving and need to be removed??? BS!!! The herds we have out here are totally healthy. As a matter of fact, they are healthier than allot of domestic horses I have seen through this Depression/Recession that our Country has been struggling through, due to bad judgement and mis-management in our government. They have their noses in things they have no business sticking them into, and it is terrible to see. It makes me sooo mad, and sooo very sad to see what has been allowed to happen in this country. These horses will not last much longer if people do not get a clue about the seriousness of this situation. They will be gone. Look at the Bengal Tiger! They are almost ALL GONE! It won’t be long before the Wild Horses are in the same category!!! PLEASE LEAVE THEM ALONE AND LET THEM LIVE IN PEACE!!!
P.S. Many of these horses that have been rounded up, will or have, ended up on posh European plates as a delicacy, because horse meat is considered a very expensive meal over there. That is where many of these poor animals end up. And yes, Even the healthy and young ones. More likely those are the ONLY ones that get sent over there as food. IT is absolutely sickening to me. But, then again, the corruption in our government, or any government, knows no bounds. They all thumb their noses at God and country, and the citizens, and what THEY want, be damned, right?!?!
If the BLM continues to ignore the laws passed in 1970-71 to protect the Mustangs, then we will use our power in voting out our representatives that are not listening to our requests to stop the BLM.
The best action we can take is to contact our local Senators and Congressmen and let them know what action want them to take on protecting our wild horses/burros; and the consequences they face if they don’t do this for them. The consequences will be to vote them out and vote someone in to replace them that will protect these wild animals. Remember: We have the power in our vote!!
How many Iconic symbols are going to be erased from this Land of the FREE? Who’s free? WHAT’S free? Who is at the head of the BLM? Does he/she/they have a clue of what these horses represent to US, the American People? How come they allow monies to be taken by RANCHERS, whether cattle or sheep or horses….to put our treasured symbols in jeapordy, by “sharing” (BULLs>>T) the grazing grounds, or to be run off their own land….to be sold, or slaughtered….COME ON!!!!! The list of questions is limitless, but sad is the fact that it seems those who are at the ‘helm’ could care less, but for the money to be had. How loud must the public scream, what must we say in order for the horses to remain free….these horses represent OUR freedom, and these symbols of FREEDOM are being erased.
I can never figure out why the “bigwigs” always want to mess with nature!!
They should find something else to do with their time rather than “harass” these horses….wild horses are wild horses and should stay where they are…BLM sucks….cattle ranchers suck….they chase with helicopters and 4X4s terrify a creature that is able to survive without outside help….LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!
Leave them alone. Before we know it they will be rounding us up for one reason or the other. Don’t mess with nature or God’s creations. Move the domestic animals off. We are not going to be eating much beef ect. if the price keeps going up.
I don’t know a lot about why you want to move/trap/irradicate these beautiful wild creatures. Their magnificice outweighs any other animal. Please leave these gorgeous animals alone. Nancy Christesen
Please leave these wild free spirt beauties alone. Is nothing sacred. Do you really need to kill what gets in your way!!!! Your ways of rounding up these wild animals is horrific. Please LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!!!!!
Leave the mustangs alone!!!
I am against bait trapping and reducing the McCullough Peaks Herd near Cody, Wyoming!!!
Humans do so much more damage to the earth than any animal could ever do!!!
Stop the hypocracy!!!
We must preserve the American Wild Mustang!!!
There is (AS USUA) NO JUSTIFICATION for this upcoming removal and needs to be SHUT DOWN before it can happen. What can be done with all the judges seemingly being bought and paid for by the BLM so they won’t listen to any of our arguments and also won’t sign ANY injunctions against the BLM until the “gather” is all but done!!!!! Since the damn rancher is controlling the BLM’s purse strings it is a guaranteed fact that they won’t be happy until ALL of the horses are FOREVER GONE from the lands that they were once alotted…HAD 40 MILLION, lost 15.5 Million but still have 24.5 MILLION to roam on and there are less than 16,000 TOTAL LEFT FREE on 24.5 MILLION ACRES!?!?! And the ALLOWABLE EXCUSE IS OVERGRAZING???? ONLY BECAUSE THE DAMN COWS ARE NOW WHERE THE HORSES USED TO BE!!!!!!
Congress refuses to listen, even with VIDEO proof of abuse, harrassment and death, as well as PHOTOGRAPHIC proof of injurys and stress and mares aborting once in holding…..HOW can this be allowed to continue!?!?!?!?!?
Please leave this wild horse heard alone. Please remove sheep and cattle grazing on land set aside for wild horse herds. If they can’t be removed they ,not the horses should be confined and cared for. Stop excessive round-up. Round-ups cost us the taxpayers huge amounts of money that could be much better spent promoting tourism, getting people from all over the world to come and see our National Treasures. Use the prison trained horses for trail rides to see the herds.
Our Government never makes any sence ever I swear. We are in dept, Leave the Horses BE, Let nature take its course on it’s own with out dirty (government) hurtful hands involved, If any thing is to be done it SHOULD BE TO HELP THEM “NOT TAKE THEM AWAY FROM THERE HOME OR KILL THEM”. Give the Horses what they need when they need it and leave them be. To all of the people who have UGLY hands God is watching you and God doesnt like UGLY. And here is another thing that bothers me all the tv commercials that use the images of wild horses running etc, I wonder every time I see one are those people who are paying for this advertisment donating money to help save these wonderful Horses? So many use the beauty of wild horses but could not have a care as to what is really happening to them in there own home. I am from NY and I would LOVE to have wild horses here, to be able to look out my window and see one would bring such joy, to drive to the store and see a band would be the best feeling ever. And some of the commercials I speak of are from Ford, Chevy and Dodge i beleive. SAVE THEM DO NOT SLAY THEM.
These horses are part of our American heritage. They should not be removed from their natural habitat and their herds. There is more than enough land for them to roam in, and they are being pulled from their roots. Please contact your representatives and tell them to leave them where they are. Soon we will have no wild horses…and that would be the shame.
Carol, Thank you for the update, I sent a letter this morning.
Thanks so much Alisa. I want to remind everyone who is making such great comments here to please write them to the BLM by the 3rd.
Carol
Dear Carol,
First of all thank-you so much for being a tremendous vessel of awareness on behalf of the wild horses. I will e-mail and write a letters and pray that they are heard. YEt is there anything else we can do as a community to ensure our letters are not ignored. It feels like regardless of how many pettions are signed and public outcry is strong specials interest continue to direct BLM policies.Through your images and your posts I have come to know some of these horses..the thought of them being facing a grimm future is heartbreaking!I wonder if the public media(TV) could be a platform for this…Ellen DEgeneres perhaps? she is a strong animal advocate and horse lover.
Feeling desperate here! Amazing work Carol!!!!!thank-you!
who do i email? is there a link?
This is the email for comments, which are due by August 3:
BLM_WY_McCulloughPeaksHMA@blm.gov
Will send an e-mail right now. Hugs, JB
Thank you Judy! The more people who can write the better.
please stop rounding up wild horses!! they are part of our heritage. they are part of the wildness and unbridled spirit of the west – probably the last significant relic. for once, can man’s greed be set aside and allow the beauty of nature be preserved?? this is something that we would love to see but it is not available where we live, nor is it available for a great many other areas in our nation and even internationally. what a treasure this is!! i hope that even the people working at the blm can understand and these animals can be protected and allowed to roam free.
The foal count is down due to birth control. Water is fenced off for cattle so horses are dieing of thirst. They are run to death with helicopters. Our taxes pay for this. I’m sickened. The more mares they inject with birth control, the less foals will be born. Less and less each year until the wild horses are no more. Isn’t this what the BLM, oil barons, uranium barons, and cattle ranchers want? So far they are getting it. Do you really think the government gives a shit? Seriously.
[…] horse inspections and continue through Aug. 9 with the dressage freestyle…. Wild HoofbeatsWild Horses: Please Comment on McCullough Peaks Herd’s Removal Plan July 22, 2012The BLM has issued a scoping notice for the McCullough Peaks Herd near Cody, Wyoming […]
These poor horses have more than earned their right to remain free-they are beautiful, unique animals that belong in the wild. There are so few horses for such a large range-it makes no sense to take them away from their home.
In today’s economy, who can afford to adopt the displaced horses, and if they are adopted, a life of captivity would be horrible for them.
They are symbols of our country, our history, freedom-leave them alone!!!
I’m glad that you mentioned again, Carol, that people posting here need to send their comments directly to the BLM. It appears that some people are thinking that by posting here they are speaking directly to the BLM when they are not.
Anyone wanting to direct comments to the BLM must either email them directly (Carol has posted the link) and/or send a letter via snail mail, postmarked by 8/3–again, Carol has provided the address. Just hope some of the earlier posters will come to that their comments here on this blog stay here and go no further.
Thanks Nancy!
I have a question for all the politicans. Is this where our tax dollars are spendt? How many people are lobbying for removal of OUR wild horses? And how much money are you receiving from cattlemen? Because I’m not seeing one comment for this horrific decision. I know petitions have been sent with tens of thousands of signatures. What happened to listening to the voice of the actual people? Seems our voices are going the same way our wild horses are. Gone and not even an after thought by you.
I think you need to leave these horses alone, man has interfere ENOUGH, Nature has always taken care of her earthly creatures and always will, natural process will cull them out on their own. Besides your birth control methods are already taking a toll. Not to mention what your roundups do! These horses and burros belong to the American tax payers not your agency. Can you NOT SEE that you are complaining about how much it costs..LEAVE them alone and save all that money, Right?? For what you put out in money for roundups by contracting out, HELLO ! You could be dropping food and water to them to HELP them survive as God intented. NOT EAT THEM and abuse, torture and kill them. SHAME!!
I am completely and totally against bait trapping in the McCollough Peaks in Wyoming. Please enforce the protection laws for the wild horses and burros and stop the BLM in what they are doing to eliminate these beautiful horses and burros.
DO YOUR CHILDREN know what you are doing to these beautiful wild horses and burros? I think you should tell them and show them photos and film of recent roundups and bait trapping as well as mishandling and animal cruelty by the BLM to these animals.
Shame on all of you for what you are allowing the BLM to do this. It is a known fact that taxpayer dollars in the millions are being spent in this slaughter action and there is no gain but losses in allowing cattle grazing and reduced fees to ranchers. There are millions of dollars in losses to the government and we wonder why there is a deficit? Think again. Cut ur losses while u still can and stop this horrible waste of tax dollars NOW!
I think it is a disgusting idea to bait the horses to capture them and remove them. I feel they should leave the horses alone until such time that they can gather them humanely without the use of baiting or motorized vehicles including helicopters or 4 wheel vehicles to run the horses and scare them in order to capture them.
These McCullough wild horses must not be removed nor tampered with. This is a disgrace! Don’t our public officials have something worthwhile to do?
Here’s a suggestion, LEAVE THEM ALONE! Humans will not be happy until they have wiped out every species. They were here long before you were! It’s their land, not yours!
Leave the horses alone they deserve to have a place to live in peace and with their herds.
Please allow the horse population to remain at 150 horses to ensure their survival and stop using birth control as it is causing these mares to become pregnant and give birth in the fall instead of the spring and is totally disrupting the natural cycle of these mares. These horses should not be used as guinea pigs for unproven birth control. I say shame on you BLM! We need to make sure that the person in charge of this BLM operation is actually working for the horses protection and not some other purpose!
Very good comments! These people should get a copy from you. Deputy Director Mike Pool E-mail: mpool@blm.gov. Acting Deputy Director (Operations): Janine Velasco E-mail: jvelasco@blm.gov
I sent emails BLM addresses poted on this page . I really really
Hope it helps and stops them from removing anymore of these wOnderful
Beautiful spirits!
Thank you so much Sondra and thank you very much to everyone who took the time to send comments to the BLM – they have received over 5900 comments, and there is no doubt that people care about these horses! Your efforts do make a difference.
Thank you!
Hey I found this website to be actually interesting Bookmarked!
Carol, once again a year late and a dollar short, lol.. What ever happened in this situation? Were you guys able to stop this senseless junk. I could understand if there were like 500 adult horses but less than 200 really??? I hope they leave these beautiful animals alone.
THE BLM IS OUT OF CONTROL !!! LEAVE THE WILD HORSES ALONE. THE HELICOPTER PILOTS SEEM TO ENJOY BEING CRUEL…
This world of greed sickens me. You rich people have more than you need. You want to kill everything that’s in you’re way due to greed. What will you do when there is no more horses to kill? What will you do then start killing people off? I have horses and I rescued a little paint from a kill pen. Try looking into the eyes of a horse that has been starved,beaten,stuck in a stall 24 7 not knowing if they will get water or get fed, It has taken me a while to even be able to touch this little horse, he is so happy running free with my other horse. please stop this insanity. Leave Gods creations alone!!!!!
SAVE OUR HORSES!!
This really shows that there are still folks that care about what they post on the internet. I actually loved browsing the comments.
Watch this animated video of BLM’s wild horse management plan: https://youtu.be/uwERVyZOeKY
PLEASE save the horses!!!
What in the world is this cruelty In benefit of ? 178 wild horse are no threat to Cattle Ranchers or to the environment. Is this so helicopter Companies can make a ton of money. There is no excuse for this inhumane and cruel roundup. These horses harm nothing. Please don’t do this monstrous thing.
Please submit your comments here on the BLM site so that they may be counted:
https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/blog/action-alert-keep-the-mccullough-peaks-herd-intact-comment-now