Galloping to Freedom Wins 2016 Colorado Independent Publishers’ 1st Place EVVY Award
August 22, 2016Please Comment on the BLM’s Upcoming Checkerboard II Wild Horse Wipeout Plan
September 6, 2016
Corona of Sand Wash Basin
The Colorado BLM published the Environmental Assessment for the Sand Wash Basin Herd in Colorado on August 6. The deadline for comments is September 4, 2016.
It is extremely important that you write and comment because the way that the EA is set up, on the surface it looks as though it is a proposal for a simple bait trapping of wild horses, giving at least 80% of the mares PZP-22 for birth control and then removing 50 horses. You might say “well, that’s not so bad.” But in actuality, it is a 10 year plan that opens the door for helicopter removals down to low AML over the period of 10 years, with no opportunity to comment later on the plan. This part of the EA must be changed. Currently, if you look on the BLM’s eplanning website for the project here:
The length of the project is 10 years, with the start date at 03/28/2016 and the end date of 9/30/2016.
And the paragraph that really concerns me is this one:
“In 2016, it is estimated that up to 50 excess wild horses would be sent to the GEMS for adoption. The number of excess wild horses removed in the future may vary depending on holding space at the GEMS or BLM preparation and holding facilities. The number of excess horses removed from the HMA would not reduce the population to below the low end of AML within the Sand Wash Basin following implementation of the proposed action.”
This opens the door for the BLM to remove more horses down the road, without public comments, possibly even down to low AML which is only 163 horses. This urgently needs to be removed from the EA. If what the Wild Horse and Burro Expert Ben Smith told me is true, that they are only doing removals this year and the 10 year part is just for the annual administration of PZP-22, then that needs to be spelled out clearly.
Current population estimate of the Sand Wash Basin Herd is 550 wild horses, and that number does not include foals born this year – there are estimated to be 57 foals born this year. Appropriate Management Level, (AML) for the Sand Wash Basin Herd is 163-362.
This population estimate was made doing an actual ground count by volunteers, the very best way to get an accurate count. I applaud the BLM for this paragraph: “Population estimates in the Sand Wash Basin HMA are likely to be close to the actual number of horses due to the volunteers that observe the horses in a consistent manner, and track foaling and death loss.”
The biggest concern I and others have had was that the BLM could schedule a helicopter roundup and remove 444 wild horses. They do not have room for these horses in short and long term holding. So they worked out a plan to use bait trapping, intending to capture 80% of the mares in the herd and give them PZP, and then remove 50 young horses who will be sent to the Great Escape Mustang Sanctuary (GEMS) for training and placement. You can read about them here: http://greatescapesanctuary.org/
There are three alternatives in this EA:
Alternative A: Bait trapping, Fertility control using PZP-22 and removal of 50 horses which will be sent to GEMS
Alternative B: Bait Trapping, Fertility control using PZP-22, No removal of horses
Alternative C: No Action
The Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area is 157,730 acres, and there are 4 grazing allotments for livestock ranchers grazing sheep in the area. It is a very dry and arid area, and some years have better rain than others. But in my opinion the very best thing that could happen for this herd would be to raise the AML to 350-600 and retire all the livestock grazing leases, and make Sand Wash Basin a Wild Horse Range. Sand Wash Basin wild horses should be managed as the principle species in this Herd Management Area, as mandated in the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act.
This is the BLM response to raising the AML:
This is the response regarding managing wild horses as the principle species and making Sand Wash Basin a wild horse range:
At the Waterhole in Sand Wash Basin
Public Comments Can be mailed to:
Little Snake Field Office at 455 Emerson St., Craig, CO 81625
or submitted via email to blm_co_sandwash_hma@blm.gov.
Comments are due by September 4, 2016.
35 Comments
Stop this insanity. Leave them be!
I can say it in a few words. THE BLM NEEDS TO STAY OUT AND AWAY FROM ALL OUR MUSTANGS!!! YOU HAVE FAILED TO UPHOLD THE BY-LAWS OF YOUR DEPARTMENTS….YOU have mismanaged to please those who can put up the money……ranchers, farmers, oil companies, and trophy hunters and ego searching killers…….IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO BE TOTALLY WITH US OR AGAINST US……
Please leave all mustangs wild and free! No barbaric round ups or sterilization. Leave them alone
Have written & sent emails on the AWHP site and also on this one – both probably to the same email address, but figured the more the better!
As always – people need to contact the BLM at the email address above – commenting here really isn’t effective unless you write to the BLM!
The email that was sent on the AWHP site apparently went successfully. But for some reason this one just gets shunted off into my “outbox”. Have tried several times & for some reason it just wont work. The email address is the same in both places so???
Hi Maggie. Use the link to comment in the post. If it is a mass email with comments like AWHPC sends out the BLM only counts all of those comments as one. You are much better off commenting directly yourself. Thanks!
Here is the email address:
blm_co_sandwash_hma@blm.gov
Those are unsderscores between BLM and co and sand wash and hma.
For whatever reason changed the email address and it finally went. I also deleted the AWHPC form letter & wrote my own when I emailed from their site. Hopefully the ones with a personal note get counted individually.
The horses should be left alone. They are a natural resource and the BLM and other “so called” agencies that want rid of they should back off.
NO ! Damn you filthy corrupt horse Killers! Damn you to hell!
August 27 2016 : Today I signed a petition against several men who tortured a dog, at a kill pen wicked facility. At one point one of the men got on a horse and hung the dog riding the horse. What hell those poor animals suffer by the wicked heartless brutal non-human monsters! After the dog was tortured from the chocking ride, he proceeded to cut and slash the dogs throat, while in the video they posted, onlookers at this hell hole kill pen whooped and howled the dog torturer on! No animal deserves this unholy savage act done to them! I am ashamed of this government that you allow things like this to fester and grow! Animal abuse in our “once great nation” is becoming a savage unholy ritual! It is way to late to help this poor dog, and the horse at this evil kill pen! It is time Senator to make laws that stand and deliver punishments, fines and prison sentences to the horrid heartless animal abusers! It is time to look at the savage, brutal heart of these monsters. They are a danger and menace to Society and animals. They are brutal, sick and wicked barbarians. No animal deserves to be tortured and killed like this. This is not China or Korea! Or is it? It is Time to take animal abuses and torture serious and ban it from our country! One group that you need to start and watch and end is the B.L.M.! and the Kill buyers, the slaughter houses, and race horse industry, and the animals in laboratories for tests and torture that goes on there too! Seriously animal abuse is wicked, Proverbs 12:10. These two men should be hung! Seriously!
Ms Carol Kyer
Leave these beautiful animals alone!!!
Many thanks for this breakdown of the information available on the EA. There is a lot to read! I am concerned about which recommendation/option to go for. I see you’ve suggested Option B or C, but I believe SWAT are now suggesting Option A? I think.
It is confusing because of what “could” happen after the plans are put in motion. It is all very worrying. I dread the thought of a helicopter round up – especially after seeing video/photos of the previous 2008 one and the trampled horse 🙁
Will definitely email – just trying to work out what to do for the best.
Of course, Option D would be the best – a wild horse range. If only!
Leave the mustangs alone let them be free
Please stop what your doing and leave these innocents alone. They were put here long before we were here and they have a purpose. Your greed and willingness to eliminate these beautiful creatures is heartless and totally unnecessary. Please leave them all alone, they are on Public lands and the Public want the to stay
We have to stop slaughtering our wild horses. This is not right we are to be caretakers over these beast of burden not kill and torture them enough already find our humanity again
Leave them be! Don’t do it!
This is a shame!!! These horses are part of the American history and it is just all about the ground to feed more livestock!! What a shame these horses need to be protected ! And what you are doing isn’t quite that! So disappointed!
Leave them alone! It is unnecessary. Option C, No Action!
Leave our wild horses alone. The sheepherders can buy their own land to graze their sheep on. These horses are not hurting anyone and provide so much enjoyment to those of us that have gone to see them. They deserve to be allowed to roam free.
Absolutely! wild horses need to be managed as the principle series where they are found as per the 1971 Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act – retire the livestock grazing leases in wild horse herd management areas.
Being a Native American taxpayer, I’m with the disgusted group that can’t fathom how our public servants have become such bullies and shysters. And their job was to protect and preserve, manage OUR-US land, OUR-US resources that are not for sale to private interests, and those private interests OWN our public servants, who still take the wages we-US pays them. The untrustworthy who desire to retain their job, should also desire to regain our trust. Stop selling US out. Our wild things are OUR wild things. We used to hang horse thieves, and that is what our public servants, and the money behind the disgusting activities to remove any wild animal, horse thieves.
This is crazy!!! They cannot destroy these beautiful animals!
Organize a mosquito round-up if you need to play cowboy and kill things, you disgusting bunch of sickos! If it weren’t for the help of horses and donkeys, elephants and camels, nothing much would have been accomplished in the progress of civilization’s infrastructure, even if some of the time the horses were abused to help men make war. Leave these horses alone!!!!!!!!!!!!! They have earned their freedom. Sheep and cattle ruin the land anyway.
Organize a mosquito round-up if you need to play cowboy and kill things. If it weren’t for the help of horses and donkeys, elephants and camels, nothing much would have been accomplished in the progress of civilization’s infrastructure, even if some of the time the horses were abused to help men make war. Leave these horses alone!!! They have earned their freedom. Sheep and cattle ruin the land anyway.
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WHY would you just HEARTLESSLY kill all the Wild Mustangs?. Did they trample on Land that the BLM maybe wants to buy?…You’re supposed to PROTECT & Preserve…What happens when there are NO MORE Wild Mustangs roaming free? Just like the Buffalo was almost driven to extinction you are doing the same thing to another of OUR Beautiful Animals! You’re just as bad as a Horse Thief except killing it instead of PROTECTING IT!! Make People BUY the land they need for grazing instead of killing off BEAUTIFUL Wild Mustangs that EARNED their rights to roam LONG before anyone else did! I’m sorry but the Government is getting too greedy for their own good! Allow things to have what you gave them in the 1st place!
please leave these beautiful animals alone! It’s heartbreaking when your a animal lover!
REALLY ITS NOT THAT HARD !!!! We have many States that pay ranchers for sheep and cattle to graze off mountain BLM land to prevent forest fires, so why not use the mustangs?? NOW since we have so many BLM people that have nothing to do but collect a pay check, they can work for it by keeping the horses out of public places.. Maybe they could train a few and ride them, instead of wasting fuel riding in a fancy truck or suv’s .. Hell, I would love to get paid a Government wage to keep an eye on the herd’s, and if you need more cowboy’s just contact me. I know a lot of men and women that would love to get paid to ride . . This will clear off over growth, save firefighter’s, fire cost, and help with regrowth of out public lands, and many other things in our environment. Many people travel out state parks to see wild life, so lets show them some horses. So lets not Kill our resources , lets use them and in a correct way !!!!
I really hope that someone is reading these, and their not just blowing us off !!!!!
I am reading these comments, Carol Walker, but do not expect the BLM or Advisory Board to read them. You must contact the Advisory Board Diectly: Please speak up – send comments to the Advisory Board ASAP at this address: whbadvisoryboard@blm.gov
You can email the bloody-minded Advisory Board individually as well:
June Sewing: mustangs@infowest.com; Fred Woehl: prtfred@gmail.com; Robert Cope: cowdoc75@hotmail.com; Julie Weikle: jweikeldvm@yahoo.com; Sue McDonnell: suemcd@vet.upenn.edu; Steven Yardley: steven.leslieyardley@yahoo.com; Ben Masters: benmasters@unbrandedthefilm.com
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The BLM has not spelled out in this new document how many horses they plan to take this year or in future years, just a total number.
I am concerned that the BLM may change what they have been telling volunteers and go ahead and do a helicopter roundup this fall if they get the funds.
All of the wild horses rounded up and removed from their homes and families right now are at risk of being killed or sent to slaughter while we wait for Congress to vote on the 2019 Appropriations Bill. These horses are far safer and much better off remaining where they belong on our public lands, and managed there.
Please send your comments in – the BLM has made it easy by providing an online form – but since this is not and Environmental Assessment, it is completely unclear what exactly they will do with these comments. Please do comment however – if they do not hear from the public, they will assume everything they have planned including acting without proper NEPA compliance and lack of transparency is acceptable.
Tell them they must comply with NEPA and that 10 year plans are not acceptable. They need to allow the public to have input at every stage of managing this Herd. Tell them that using birth control is acceptable only if they leave a population of at least 150-200 breeding aged adults in the Herd. Tell them that leaving the wild horses on the range and managing them there is the safest alternative for the horses. Tell then that wild horses need to managed as the principle species in this Herd Management Area as per the 1971 Act, so that reduction in livestock grazing should be considered before removal of wild horses.
You can comment by July 5 at this link – go to the Comment on Document button at the bottom right of the webpage: https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/projectSummary.do?methodName=renderDefaultProjectSummary&projectId=103446
There is one more very important issue that I request that you act on today. There is a very bad drought in this part of Colorado, and waterholes are drying up quickly in Sand Wash Basin. There was rain last week which helped, but the horses will need more water this summer than is currently on the range. Wild Horse Warriors of Sand Wash Basin, a a volunteer group working with the BLM has raised funds and has the equipment and volunteers needed to haul water as needed to the wild horses without any labor or cost to the BLM. You can follow updates on the water hauling and situation on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/wildhorsewarriorsforsandwashbasin/
They have been working to get permission to haul water but have not been granted that permission yet. Initially that permission was to be issued by the Colorado State BLM Office in Denver, but now the group has been told that the permission needs to come from the National BLM Office in Washington, D.C. I know that I asked you to flood the Colorado BLM office with calls and thank you to all of you who did that:
Alert! Sand Wash Basin Wild Horses Need Water Now – Please Call the Colorado BLM
Now we need calls to the BLM National Office. The group has been told that the water situation is not bad enough yet, the horses’s body conditions are not bad enough yet, and they do not want the horses “relying” on hauled water and they have never hauled water to this location before. In my opinion these are terrible reasons NOT to haul water. A Herd Management Area in northern Wyoming, McCullough Peaks, has had the local volunteer organization, FOAL and the Cody BLM Field Office working together for at least 6 years hauling water to the wild horses there without needing the horses to be in poor condition – they simply do it when range conditions warrant it. My biggest concern is those nursing mothers who consume far more water than the other horses. Once they start looking in “poor condition” it may very well be too late, and there will be a crisis with lots of dead horses and foals. Why wait? Please call and tell the BLM that Wild Horse Warriors needs permission to haul water to the Sand Wash Basin Wild Horses NOW.
please leave the horses free untouched
IT’S TIME TO LEAVE THE SACRED LIFE’S OF THE HORSES UP TO GOD & TO THEIR FREEDOM RIGHTS IMMEDIATELY &
STOP BEING A PREDATORS TO THEM FOR THE TAXPAYERS MONEY !!
THE LIVING WATER MUST BE PROVIDED FOR THEM IMMEDIATELY, AS THE AGENCY IS RUN BY THE HUMANS NOT A BARBARIANS,
NOR PREDATORS !!
IT’S TIME TO EVALUATE ALL ATTEMPTS OF ANIMAL CRUELTY AND CONSCIOUSLY ACT FOR THE WELFARE & HEALTH OF THE SACRED,
TREASURES SOULS !!
SET THEM FREE & PROVIDE WITH THE WATER , AN ABUNDANT HEART & LOVE !!
Anna Stach
Thank you so much everyone who called and emailed – your voices were heard about the wild horses at Sand Wash Basin! BLM is allowing Wild Horse Warriors to haul water on Thursday.