American Herds Extras

LIBRARY

2011-07-04T14:44:00.000-07:00

LIBRARY, LINKS & RESOURCES

LINKS

BLM Rangeland Administration System (RAS)

REPORTS

Wild Horses & Burros

Government Accounting Office (GAO)

Improvements Needed in Federal Wild Horse Program
(GAO/RCED-90-110, August 1990)

Observations on Management of Federal Wild Horse Program
Testimony and Statement of James Duffas III, Director
(GAO/T-RCED-91-185BR, June 1991)

Current Formula Keeps Grazing Fees Low
(GAO/RCED-91-185BR, June 1991)

Assessment of Nevada Consulting Firm's Critique of Three GAO Reports
(GAO/RCED-82-178R, May 4, 1992)

Congressional Requesters/Contacts and Documents Reviewed
(GAO/RCED-92-193R, May 4, 1992)

Results of Recent Work Addressing the Performance of Land Management Agencies
(GAO/RCED-92-60, May 12, 1992)

Effective Long-Term Options Needed To Manage Unadoptable Wild Horses (GAO-09-77, October 2008)

Office of the Inspector General

Management of Herd Levels, Wild Horse & Burro Program, BLM, #97-I-1104_August 1997

The Adopt-A-Horse-Program, Audit Report (Report No. 98-I-419), April 1998

BLM WH&B Program_#C-IS-BLM-0018-2010_December 2010

National Academy of Science (NAS)

Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros: Current Knowledge and Recommended Research, Phase I Final Report, May 8, 1981

Wild Free-Roaming Horses & Burros: Final Report, January 12, 1983

Wild Horse Populations: Field Studies in Genetics and Fertility, September 30, 1991

Organizations

PEER_Horse Slaughter_Anatomy of a Cover within the Wild Horse & Burro Program_Bureau of Land Management_April 1997

The Use of Helicopters To Remove Wild Horses & Burros From Public Lands_6-07

C.R. MacDonald

America's Mustangs & Burros: What's Left, The High Cost of Miscalculating and Will They Survive? Summary Report: Method Overview & Alternative Populations, Revised 2009

American Mustangs & Burros: Inflated Populations Fiscal Year 2004-2009_Summary

The Jackson Moutains Wild Horses: A Case Study in the Mismanagement of the BLM's Wild Horse and Burro Program

The Thriving Natural Ecological Balance: A Comparative Analysis of Free-Roaming Wild Horses & Burros in Relation to Habitat, Wildlife and Livestock Populations_10-09

Report to Congress_WH&B Program_Refuting FY2011 Budget Justifcations/Request to Defund Roundups_Bowers/Peeples/MacDonald_11-10

Equine

Abandoned Horses Report: Deleting The Fiction_Part I
Abandoned Horses: Deleting The Fiction_Part II

Investigative Report: Suspected Illegal Exports of Geldings by Non-Slaughter Shipment From New Mexico to Mexico_11-07

DOCUMENTS

OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS/WH&B PROGRAM

National

Reports/Publications

BLM Census Methods_BLM Publication

Options for Managing a Non-Breeding Component within Self-Sustaining Herds of Wild Horses_Draft_July 2006

BLM Team Conference Calls: FOIA-Discussions of WH&B Program Strategies_7-08

BLM_Wild Horse & Burro Program_Alternative Management Options_10/08

Public Comments

National Wild Horse & Burro Strategy Development_C.MacDonald_7-29-10

Fiscal Year Adoptions, Removals and Free-Roaming Populations

1996 Adoptions & Removals
1996 Free-Roaming Populations

1997 Adoptions & Removals
1997 Free-Roaming Populations

1998 Adoptions & Removals
1998 Free-Roaming Populations

1999 Adoptions & Removals
1999 Free-Roaming Populations

2000_Adoptions, Removals, Free-Roaming Populations

2001 Adoptions & Removals
2001 Free-Roaming Populations

2002 Adoptions & Removals
2002 Free-Roaming Populations

2003 Adoptions & Removals
2003 Free-Roaming Populations

2004 Adoptions & Removals
2004 Free-Roaming Populations

2005 Adoptions & Removals
2005 Free-Roaming Populations

2006 Adoptions & Removals
2006 Free-Roaming Populations

2007 Adoptions & Removals
2007 Free-Roaming Populations

2008 Adoptions & Removals
2008 Free-Roaming Populations

2009 Adoptions & Removals
Note: As of FY2009, BLM stopped publishing the free-roaming population report.

2010 Adoptions & Removals

Gather Schedules

BLM operates on a Fiscal Year cycle from 10/01 to 9/30 of each year. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2005, BLM began creating a "Gather Schedule", which is an internal document used by BLM to both schedule and record national wild horse and burro removals and BLM uses two main Gather Schedules every year.

The first Gather Schedule is the "Preliminary", which is issued on or about October 1st each year and this document is designed to give BLM an overview of herds and HMAs that are on the horizon for removals. The Preliminary Gather Schedule is always subject to change as emergency removals such as wildfires, drought, etc. may cause BLM to re-shuffle, postpone or accelerate their initial plans from October that require them to modify the originally scheduled removals. A Preliminary Gather Schedule for a fiscal year is actually drafted a few months prior to the actual year it is being targeted for. For example, a Preliminary Gather Schedule for the official fiscal year of 2006 will actually be published in October 2005.

The second Gather Schedule is BLMs "Final Gather Schedule", which is the actual end result of last fiscal years management actions, also produced on or about October 1st of each year. This Schedule provides the "Final" numbers of actual wild horse and burro removals during the last fiscal year. Also, BLM has previously used a yellow highlight to distinguish wild burro removals from wild horse removals so herds marked in yellow indicate wild burro removals only.

2006_Preliminary Gather Schedule

2006 Final Gather Schedule

2007 Preliminary Gather Schedule

2007 Final Gather Schedule

2008 Preliminary Gather Schedule

2008 Final Gather Schedule

2009 Preliminary Gather Schedule

2009 Final Gather Schedule

2010 Preliminary Gather Schedule

2010 Final Gather Schedule

2011 Preliminary Gather Schedule

Facility Chart Reports:
Short Term & Long Term Holding Inventory

December 2006

July 2007

February 2008

June 2008

February 2009

April 2009

September 2009

October 2009

February 2010

August 2010

Short Term/Long Term Holding EA's & FONSI's

Fallon Short-Term Holding Facilities, Final EA, October 2009

Fallon Short-Term Holding Facilities, FONSI, October 2009

Ennis LTH Pasture, Preliminary EA, November 2009

Ennis LTH Pasture, Final EA and DR/FONSI, December 2009

Mission Ridge LTH Pasture, Final EA, DR/FONSI, November 2009

Mount Ayr LTH Pasture, Final EA, DR/FONSI, October 2009

Capture Status Reports

BLM Capture Status Report 2007: AHDF FOIA

BLM Facility Codes: 2007, AHDF FOIA

BLM WH&B Sold_January 1, 2006 - October 10, 2007, AHDF FOIA

Research Documents on BLM Capture Status

2006/2007 Wild Horse & Burro Capture Status Comparison Chart, 2010

NV0521 Deer Lodge Canyon HMA, Capture Status Comparison Chart

NV0408 Jakes Wash HMA, Capture Status Comparison Chart
Wilson Creek Complex Wild Horse Death Toll Chart, 2007

WH&B PROGRAM STATISTICS BY FISCAL YEAR

In 2004, BLM began publishing statistical data related to the Wild Horse & Burro Program, which included acreage, estimated populations and Appropriate Management Levels (AMLs). At this time, two sets of Herd Area/Herd Management Area data was reported. The first report was a National Program Summary of state totals including acreage, populations and AMLs but individual Herd Area/Herd Management Area statistics were published in separate documents arranged by state. In 2008, BLM combined these two reports into a single document. Therefore, between 2004 and 2007, individual Herd Area/Herd Management Area statistical data is provided in separate documents while publications from 2008 combine both the national summary as well as the individual data for each Herd Area/Herd Management Area by state.

Fiscal Year 2004
Note: While BLM continues to publish adoption, removal and population reports dating back from 1996 or earlier in the Program, they eliminated the 2004 HA/HMA statistical data from public electronic access. A cross-referencing of the statistical data between 2004/2005 may suggest why....

2004 National Program Data Summary

Arizona: 2004 HA/HMA Statistics

California: 2004 HA/HMA Statistics

Colorado: 2004 HA/HMA Statistics

Idaho: 2004 HA/HMA Statistics

Montana: 2004 HA/HMA Statistics

Nevada: 2004 HA/HMA Statistics

New Mexico: 2004 HA/HMA Statistics

Oregon: 2004 HA/HMA Statistics

Utah: 2004 HA/HMA Statistics

Wyoming: 2004 HA/HMA Statistics

Fiscal Year 2005

2005 National Program Data Summary

Arizona: 2005 HA/HMA Statistics

California: 2005 HA/HMA Statistics

Colorado: 2005 HA/HMA Statistics

Idaho: 2005 HA/HMA Statistics

Montana: 2005 HA/HMA Statistics

Nevada: 2005 HA/HMA Statistics

New Mexico: 2005 HA/HMA Statistics

Oregon: 2005 HA/HMA Statistics

Utah: 2005 HA/HMA Statistics

Wyoming: 2005 HA/HMA Statistics

Fiscal Year 2006

2006 National Program Data Summary

Arizona: 2006 HA/HMA Statistics

California: 2006 HA/HMA Statistics

Colorado: 2006 HA/HMA Statistics

Idaho: 2006 HA/HMA Statistics

Montana: 2006 HA/HMA Statistics

Nevada: 2006 HA/HMA Statistics

New Mexico: 2006 HA/HMA Statistics

Oregon: 2006 HA/HMA Statistics

Utah: 2006 HA/HMA Statistics

Wyoming: 2006 HA/HMA Statistics

Fiscal Year 2007

2007 National Program Data Summary

Arizona: 2007 HA/HMA Statistics

California: 2007 HA/HMA Statistics

Colorado: 2007 HA/HMA Statistics

Idaho: 2007 HA/HMA Statistics

Montana: 2007 HA/HMA Statistics

Nevada: 2007 HA/HMA Statistics

New Mexico: 2007 HA/HMA Statistics

Oregon: 2007 HA/HMA Statistics

Utah: 2007 HA/HMA Statistics

Wyoming: 2007 HA/HMA Statistics

Fiscal Year 2008

2008 National Program Data Summary

Arizona: 2008 HA/HMA Statistics

California: 2008 HA/HMA Statistics

Colorado: 2008 HA/HMA Statistics

Idaho: 2008 HA/HMA Statistics

Montana: 2008 HA/HMA Statistics

Nevada: 2008 HA/HMA Statistics

New Mexico: 2008 HA/HMA Statistics

Oregon: 2008 HA/HMA Statistics

Utah: 2008 HA/HMA Statistics

Wyoming: 2008 HA/HMA Statistics

Fiscal Year 2009

2009 National Program Data Summary

Fiscal Year 2010

2010 National Program Data Summary

HERD AREAS/HERD MANAGEMENT AREAS

California

Bitner HMA

Wild Horse Capture Plan_Final EA_9-05

Wild Horse Removals_FONSI/DR_2005
NOPA_Wild Horse Removals_Scoping_5-15-09

Buckhorn HMA

Comments to BLM

Comments to BLM_Massacre Lakes, Buckhorn and Carter Reservoir_CRM_10-10-07

Carter Reservoir HMA

Comments to BLM

Comments to BLM_Massacre Lakes, Buckhorn and Carter Reservoir_CRM_10-10-07

High Rock HMA

Preliminary EA_Wild Horse Removals_6-24-06

Massacre Lakes HMA

NOPA_Wild Horse Removals_5-18-07

NOPA_Wild Horse Removals_Scoping_5-15-09

Monitoring Evaluation_Massacre Lakes Allotment & Massacre Lakes HMA_4/06/10

Massacre Lakes_Livestock Allotment & HMA_Rangeland Health Assessment_4-07-10

Comments to BLM

Comments to BLM_Massacre Lakes, Buckhorn and Carter Reservoir_CRM_10-10-07

Nut Mountain HMA

Wild Horse Capture Plan_Final EA_9-05

Wild Horse Removals_FONSI/DR_2005

NOPA_Wild Horse Removals_Scoping_5-15-09

Wall Canyon HMA

Wild Horse Capture Plan_Final EA_9-05

Wild Horse Removals_FONSI/DR_2005

NOPA_Wild Horse Removals_Scoping_5-15-09

Montana
Pryor Mountains
BLM Pryor PZP Charts 2001-2007

PZP Results Comments: Cloud Foundation_4-12-07

Nevada

Calico Complex

Livestock Allotments

Pauite Meadows Livestock Allotment

Final Multiple Use Decision_10-15-03

Soldier Meadows Livestock Allotment

Soldier Meadows_Notice of Full Force and Effect Multiple Use Decision_1-24-94

Soldier Meadows Allotment Grazing Permit Renewal_PreEA_5-07

Soldier Meadows Allotment Grazing Permit_DR/FONSI_1-14-08

Legal

IBLA_Notice of Appeal, Statement of Reasons & Emergency Request for Expedited Petition For Stay_1st Filing_12-21-09

IBLA_BLM Request for Response Extension_12-29-09

BLM Extension Granted_1-13-10

IBLA_BLM Motion to Dismiss Petition of Stay_Lack of Standing_1-12-10

IBLA_Appellants Response to Respondents Motion To Dismiss/Evidence of Standing_1-15-10

IBLA_BLM Response to Appellants Evidence of Standing_1-19-10

IBLA 2010-46_Cindy R. MacDonald, ET. AL_Order_Final Ruling_2-04-10

Ruby Pipeline

Ruby Pipeline Projected Water Sources_Extracted from Final EIS

Letter from Ruby Pipeline to BLM_3-31-09

FERC_Ruby Response Letter_9-14-09

Draft Ruby Pipeline Migratory Bird Conservation Plan_10-09

Draft Conservation Agreement_Sheldon-Hart NWR_Ruby Pipeline/ONDA_6-28-10

Gold Butte HMA

Gold Butte Census_Cover Page_12-07

Jackson Mountain HMA

Jackson Mt. Wild Horse Gather_FONSI/DR_8-07-07

Jackson Mountain Wild Horses: Questions and Answers

Livestock Allotments

Biological Assessment/Happy Creek Allotment Livestock Grazing Permit_8-07

Happy Creek Grazing Allotment Renewal_Proposed Decision_8-05-08

Wilder/Quinn Grazing Allotment Authorization_RAS Doc

New Pass/Ravenswood HMA

New Pass/Ravenswood_Precloseout Report_1-04-08

Caliente Complex

Caliente Complex Gather: Interested Party Letter 6-11-09

Owyee HMA

Livestock Allotments

Owyhee Allotment_Field Observation Summary_12_08

Roberts Mountain HMA

Assessment of Existing and Current Conditions for the Proposed 3-Bar Ecosystem and Landscape Restoration Project: Environmental Impact Statement_12-09

Livestock Allotments

Roberts Mountain Allotment Grazing Authorization (Three Bar Ecosystem)_RAS Document

Rock Creek HMA

Wild Horse Gather_Interested Party Letter_4-23-09

Oregon

Sheepshead/Heath Creek HMA

Sheepshead/Heath Creek Post-Gather Report_11-08

South Steens HMA

South Steens Post-Gather Report_I_7-30-09

South Steens Post-Gather Report_II_Edited by BLM_7-06-10

U.S. FOREST SERVICE DOCUMENTS

Wild Horse Territories (WHT)

Notice of Proposed Action: Wild Horse & Burro Appropriate Management Levels (AMLs), Austin and Tonopah Ranger Districts, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, 2-24-10
(Includes Kelly Creek, Butler Basin, Dobbin Summit, Sevenmile, Little Fish Lake, Monitor North, Stone Cabin, Monitor South, Northumberland, Burro and Toquima WHT's and Little Fish Lake, North Monitor, Sevenmile, Salsbury, Stone Cabin, and Hickson HMA's)

U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE

Sheldon Wildlife Refuge

USFWS Official Documents

Sheldon Horse Management Plan/EA_Final_11-23-77

Horse & Burro Management at Sheldon NWR_Draft EA_4-07

Horse & Burro Management, Sheldon_Final EA_6-07

Horse & Burro Management, Sheldon_FONSI_6-07

Horse & Burro Management at Sheldon NWR_Revised Draft EA_9-07

Horse & Burro Management, Revised, Final_4-08

Horse & Burro Management, Sheldon, FONSI_4-08

Alerts/Public Comments

Alert_Recommendations for Comments_Author-Publication Date Unknown

Public Comments_Horse & Burro Management_C.MacDonald_5-10-07

Public Comments_C.MacDonald_Horse & Burro Management_9-26-07

Public Comments_Comprehensive Conservation Plan_Sheldon NWR_C.MacDonald_6-30-08

Rangeland/Conservation

Barnett_2002_Sheldon Horse Impact Study

Draft Conservation Agreement_Sheldon-Hart NWR_Ruby Pipeline/ONDA_6-28-10

Livestock

Hart Mountain_Livestock Analysis_S.Herman_2004

Resource Management Plans

Winnemucca Field Office

Public Comments_Draft_C.MacDonald_10-21-10

From Congress About Sheldon Horse & Burro Management

Congressional Letter to USFWS_Sheldon_7-19-06

Legal

Laura Leigh vs. Ken Salazar_9-02-09

Articles (Sheldon-Hart Wildlife Refuge)

Interagency Policies for Wild Horse and Burro Management_Case Study_V. Pfeiffer_12-12-05

Nevada Bighorns Unlimited_Oppose Sheldon Wild Horses_1-23-08

LIVESTOCK

Assessing the Full Cost of the Federal Grazing Program, Moskowitz, MBA and Romaniello, MS AG. Econ._October 2002

Livestock Grazing: Federal Expenditures and Receipts Vary, Depending on the Agency and the Purpose of the Fee Charged, GAO-06-869_September 2005

Updating the Animal Unit Month_J.Carter_WWP_3-17-08

RANGELAND

WILDLIFE

Threats to Desert Tortoise Populations: A Critical Review of The Literature_USGS_8-09-02
"No published studies were found that investigated the impact burros or horses...have on tortoise populations...." pp.57

ORGANIZATIONS

AHDF_Salazar Plan_Pro's & Con's_10-21-09

AWI: Words to Keep Them Wild and Free

SOWH Point Paper_DOI/BLM Wild Horse & Burro Program Investigation, Independent Census and Moratorium_10-19-09

ARTICLES

Census Slashes BLM WIld Horse Count_Keith Rogers_10-14-92

LAWS/REGULATIONS

Description of General Management Processes_C.MacDonald
Note: Currently, I have yet to find any authority granted to BLM to "zero out" a wild horse/burro Herd Area or revoke its HMA status, either in law or regulations, which allows BLM to overturn the Wild Free-Roaming Horse & Burro Act's Congressional mandate that wild horses and burros must be preserved in the areas "where presently found".

Wild Free-Roaming Horse & Burro Act (WFRHBA)

Federal Lands Management Policy Act (FLMPA)

Public Rangelands Improvement Act (PRIA)

National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA)

Threatened & Endangered Species Act (ESA)

Other Guiding Laws & Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations 43 CFR 1600 Land Use Planning

Code of Federal Regulations: 43 CFR 4700 Wild Horse & Burro Management

Code of Federal Regulations 43 CFR 4100 Livestock Grazing Management

Federal Register

LEGAL CHALLENGES & DECISIONS

Federal

Colorado Wild Horse & Burro Coalition, Inc. et al., V. Salazar_Memorandum Opinion_Collyer_8-05-09

Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA)

172 IBLA 128_Wild Horse Organized Assistance_8-02-07

CONGRESS

From Congress

Congressional Letter to USFWS_Sheldon_7-19-06

Senator Boxer to Secretary Salazar_2-19-10

Congressional Letter to BLM to Reform WH&B Roundup Policies_7-30-10

To Congress

Letter Requesting Defunding of Wild Horse & Burro Program_Reasons & Statistics_C.R.MacDonald_3-01-10

2010-04-15T02:03:00.000-07:00

WILD HORSE ANNIE AND THE LAST OF THE MUSTANGS
The Life of Velma Johnston

By David Cruise and Alison Griffiths

“This book captures the essence of the extraordinary life of Velma Johnston and what she was able to accomplish for the American Mustang. All of us who love and admire mustangs and horses in general owe this courageous woman a great debt of gratitude for exposing the plight and possible extinction of this breed. She was the difference in helping make the world a better place for these animals that are part of our western heritage.”—Monty Roberts, New York Times best-selling author of The Man Who Listens to Horses

“This important addition to the history of mustangs and animal protection laws is highly recommended for animal lovers and Western history buffs.”
—Library Journal, starred review

In one of the year’s most stirring biographies, David Cruise and Alison Griffiths paint a vivid portrait of Velma Johnston, an intrepid Nevada secretary whose dedication to wild mustangs captured the heart of the country and led to legislation that would preserve the animals who embody the wild spirit of the American West. WILD HORSE ANNIE AND THE LAST OF THE MUSTANGS: THE LIFE OF VELMA JOHNSTON (Scribner; March 16, 2010; $26.00) is the first to tell the full story of Velma’s life.

In WILD HORSE ANNIE, veteran writers Cruise and Griffiths depict the ups and downs of an extraordinary woman’s life and mission and reveal her lasting legacy.

David Cruise and Alison Griffiths are the authors of seven bestselling books, including Fleecing the Lamb, Lords of the Line, Net Worth, On South Mountain, and The Great Adventure. They spend summers on their small farm in southwestern Ontario and winters in Brooksville, Florida ... with their horses of course.

Contact them at wildhorseanniestory@gmail.com. Read the blog: www.wildhorseanniestory.com

More praise for WILD HORSE ANNIE AND THE LAST OF THE MUSTANGS

“It doesn't get more American than the mustang, and without Wild Horse Annie, we would not have any. Now, as wild horses are making their last stand, it's important to honor her legacy and continue the battle. Thanks to this well-researched and timely book, we can.”
—Deanne Stillman, author of Mustang: The Saga of the Wild Horse in the American West

“The story of how Velma organized support for the survival of the mustangs, and how she and her supporters pushed legislation through Congress to protect the free-ranging wild horses, is an example of how entrenched special interests can exploit publicly held resources and a testament to how much change a determined individual can foster.”
—Booklist

“Velma Johnston (Wild Horse Annie) is one of the most important people in our American history. She single-handedly saved our mustangs and with that our western heritage. This is an important book and Cruise and Griffiths have done a spectacular job of bringing home her story.”
—Madeleine Pickens, National Wild Horse Foundation

“Velma Johnson was a strong willed individual who made a difference. As a child she suffered from polio and in her era, careers for women were limited. She overcame these obstacles and stopped the atrocious abuse of wild horses.”
—Temple Grandin, author, Animals in Translation and Animals Make us Human

“Anyone who cares about the plight of America's mustangs has heard the name Velma Johnston, but too few know the extraordinary and heroic lengths to which she went to save these horses. In Wild Horse Annie and the Last of the Mustangs, authors David Cruise and Alison Griffiths have given us a remarkable gift; a provocative, in-depth look into this amazing woman's life in a story brimming with adventure and inspiration. Not only is this a fascinating and powerful book, it is also a tremendously important one. I couldn't put it down, and when I finished reading it my faith in the power one person has to make a difference was renewed.”
—Melanie Sue Bowles, author of The Horses of Proud Spirit and Hoof Prints: Stories from Proud Spirit

“One of the virtues of the authors’ account is its look at how libertarian conservatives such as Manchester Guardian publisher William Loeb and Dixiecrat politico Walter Baring helped advance [Velma’s] cause—and how Johnston eventually secured Dwight Eisenhower’s signature on a protective law known as the “Wild Horse Annie bill” that she then fought, for many years, to put teeth in.”
—Kirkus

“On her way to work in 1950, Velma Johnston saw a truck of almost-dead horses en route to the pet-food factory, thereby launching a one-woman campaign to save wild horses that earned her the moniker Wild Horse Annie. A biography full of adventure.”
---The Globe and Mail -- Canada’s national newspaper

“This book is a thoroughly researched and riveting tribute to the life and achievements of Velma Johnston and her struggles -- against massive odds -- to protect her beloved mustangs.”
--- Martin Harbury, author of The Last of the Wild Horses

“A HOT TITLE.”
---Cincinnati Public Library,

CLICK HERE TO ORDER!

NEW!

2009-09-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

HORSE POWER TO STREAM
NATIONAL WILD HORSE AND BURRO
MEETING LIVE ON THE WEB

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th, 2009
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EASTERN STANDARD TIME!

HORSE POWER a non-profit 501(c)3, and their Educational Partner, Sierra Nevada Community Access Television., is proudly Bringing the Public the complete National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory meeting, Monday, September 28th, from 8 am - 5 PM. Starting 5 AM Eastern Standard Time.

The National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board meeting will be web-streamed live from the Hyatt Arlington, 1325 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia, by HORSE POWER at nvhorsepower.org through their public information and educational partner Sierra Nevada Community Access Television (SNCAT).

This meeting will cover issues relating to the management, protection, and control of wild horses and burros on Western public rangelands. Topics include: Old Business, Update on Pending Litigation, Gathers, Adoptions, Facilities and Forest Service Updates. Including the recommendations and input from the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board , Wild Horse and Burro Advocates along with Public Comments.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS HORSE POWER'S HOME PAGE
FOLLOW THE LINKS FOR LIVE STREAMING COVERAGE

NVHORSEPOWER.ORG
　
Contact Information:
HORSE POWER
Sally Summers
Executive Director
3235 Eastlake Blvd # 26
Washoe Valley,NV 89704
775-849-3879
nvhorsepower.org

THANK YOU
HORSE POWER OF NEVADA
AND
SIERRA NEVADA COMMUNITY ACCESS TELEVISION!

Wild Horse Conservation

2009-04-26T15:56:00.000-07:00

A recent new addition to the wild horse and burro advocate community has started a blog titled, Wild Horse Conservation. Currently posted is a new short video urging public involvement in the production of a documentary on the plight of the American Mustang throughout the West as well as efforts to restore Southern California's last herd of wild horses to their rightful native range. Click Here to view.

Video footage includes an interview with Kathleen Hayden of Coyote Canyon Caballos de Anza (CCCDA), A California State Horsemen's Association Club. Kathleen and her husband, Robert Hayden are the founders of CCCDA and are currently urging active public involvement in restoring this unique, heritage herd. To learn more or become a member of the CCCDA, Click Here.

This unique herds story and the ongoing restoration efforts have also been recently highlighted on Madeliene Pickens website. To learn more, Click Here.

Nevada Helicopter Hearing

2009-04-26T12:45:00.000-07:00

BLM PUBLIC NOTICE - APRIL 13, 2009

The Bureau of Land Management will be hold a public hearing regarding the use of motorized vehicle and/or aircraft in the management of Nevada's wild horses and burros on Wednesday, May 20, 2009.

The hearing will covene at 10:00 a.m. in the Great Basin A and B conference rooms of the Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Boulevard in Reno, Nevada. The hearing is being held in accordance with Public Law 92-195, as amended by Public Law 94-579 and Public Law 95-514, as well as 43 Code of Federal Regulations Part 4700.

BLM Nevada proposes to use fixed wing aircraft for population surveys, helicopters for population surveys or capture, or other motorized vehicles to transport captured wild horses or burros or in field monitoring activities during the spring-summer-fall of 2009 and winter-spring of 2010.

The hearing is open to the public and is limited to comments concerning the use of motorized vehicles or aircraft in wild horse and burro management. Interested persons may make oral or written statements. Written statements may be sent to the Bureau of Land Management, P.O. Box 12000, Reno, Nevada 89520 and must be received by May 19, 2009 to be considered at the hearing. Nevada's current acting Wild Horse & Burro Lead is Glenna Eckel at Glenna_Eckle@blm.gov

The HMA's where the BLM is planning to utilize helicopters and motorized vehicles to capture and transport excess wild horses and/or burros include:

Seaman Herd Area (HA)
White River Herd Area (HA)
Moriah Herd Area (HA)
Eagle Herd Management Area (HMA)
Garfield Flat Herd Management Area (HMA)
Tobin Range Herd Management Area (HMA)
Hickson Herd Management Area (HMA)
Lahontan Herd Management Area (HMA)
Rock Creek Herd Management Area (HMA)
Antelope Complex
Caliente Complex
Calico Mountain Complex

****************************************************************************

Editors Note: The original post had yet to receive a response from BLM regarding questions as to what Wild Horse & Burro Herd Managment Areas were covered in BLM's listed "Complexes". BLM has responded and the original post is being changed to reflect this new information.

Below is a summary background/history of the Herd Management Areas listed in the Helicopter Hearing notice.

Seaman, White River and Moriah Herd Areas were recently zeroed out by BLM in their new Ely Resource Management Plan (RMP), which decided to remove almost 1.6 million acres of habitat from future wild horse management. Law now dictates BLM must remove all wild horses within these now zeroed out areas. American Herds did an indepth analysis of how BLM determined the area could no longer support wild horse herds after 40 years beginning in the November 2008 post, A Slight of Hand through the January 2009 post Abracadabra Addendum. Click Here to learn more.

The Caliente Complex includes the rest of the Herd Management Areas BLM zeroed out in their Ely Resource Management Plan; Apple White, Blue Nose Peak, Clover Creek, Clover Mountains, Delamar Mountains, Little Mountain, Meadow Valley Mountain and Miller Flat.

The Eagle HMA was formerly known as the Wilson Creek and Deer Creek HMAs and were renamed during BLMs scramble process of the Ely RMP, which combined these two HMAs while simultaneously removing almost 125,000 acres from wild horse use. Last gathered in Febuary 2007, BLM reported removing 752 wild horses with 160 remaining. One year later, new BLM herd statistics reported this same area now had 421 wild horses instead.

Rock Creek HMA was last gathered in the fall of 2006 during an emergency fire removal with BLM reporting 52 wild horses still remained. Less than six months later, they reported 220 actually remained. Rock Creek HMA was included as part of the Owyhee Complex in BLMs 2006 Draft "Options for Managing A Non-Breeding Component within Self Sustaining Herds". The Owyhee Complex was cited as including the Owyhee, Little Humboldt and Rock Creek HMAs with a total of 84 geldings being considered for castration and release within the Complex.

The Lahontan HMA only allows 10 wild horses within the HMA before BLM cites them as "excessive". They were last removed in February 2004 with the last reported population at 40.

The Hickson HMA is an exclusive burro area co-managed by BLM and U.S. Forest Service. BLM established an allowable burro population that ranges between 16-45 burros in 2005 (this means that BLM will most likely only leave 16 burros after each round up in their portion of the HMA). This decision also issued a managment level of zero wild horses, which were removed in both 2005 and 2009. The most current available information indicates USFS has yet to establish any population levels for either wild horses or burros within their area, which comprise about 60% of the area wild burros use. The National Program Office last reported wild burro populations totaled 43 in February 2008.

The Tobin HMA found BLM adjusting their allowable management level up from 19 to 42 in 2005. BLMs reported populations found wild horse numbers jumped from 146 in 2007 to 239 in 2008.

The Antelope Complex. The last time this "Complex" was used to remove wild horses, it was only reported as encompassing the Antelope and Antelope Valley HMAs. This time, BLM has added the Spruce-Pequop and Goshute HMA's while removing the Antelope HMA. However, Antelope Valley continues to be included and these are predominately the same HMAs BLM grouped together when they did their December/January 2005 removals with the exception of excluding the Antelope HMA during this new proposal.

Because of BLM lumping different HMA's together under a "Complex" heading, it is much easier for them to scramble historical prior management activities and populations within individudal HMAs (they are often reported as one giant total to the general public and press) It also presents BLM the opportunity to omit pertinent information from current proposals. As a result, I am going to include the history of the "last" Antelope Complex information for reference.

The last "Antelope Complex" has a maximum allowed population level for the Antelope and Antelope Valley HMAs of 583. Wild horses have been removed in 2002, 2004 and 2007.

In December 2004, BLM reported removing 964 wild horses with 319 remaining - some mares were reported as treated with PZP to slow population growth. Yet in February 2007, the National Program Office reported wild horse populations only totaled 270 wild horses with no additional gathers reported since 2004. By November 2007, the BLM Ely Field Office reported actual populations now totaled 1,181. BLM reported removing an additional 847 wild horses in December 2007 and January 2008 with 330 estimated as left on the range after the removals according to their Final 2008 Post-gather schedule released in November 2008. However, in February 2008, the National Program Office reported 619 wild horses still remained. (You figure it out because it doesn't look like they can....)

The current "Antelope Complex" proposed for removals includes Antelope Valley, Spruce-Pequop and Goshute HMA.

BLM conducted removals in Spruce-Pequop HMA in December 2001 and again in January 2005 where BLM reported 49 remained. Between 2007 and 2008, BLM reported wild horse populations again doubled, jumping from 72 to 144. The maximum allowable wild horse population has been established at 82.

As for the Goshute HMA, BLM also conducted removals in December 2001 and again in January 2005. This HMA also saw wild horse populations sky rocket between 2007 and 2008, going from 108 to 194. The maximum allowable population is 123 wild horses.

The Antelope Complex, which includes Antelope, Antelope Valley, Spruce-Pequop and Goshute, were recommended for castration and release of 118 geldings to be part of a population management control in BLMs 2006 Draft "Options for Managing A Non-Breeding Component within Self Sustaining Herds".

The Calico Complex is comprised of Calico Mountains, Warm Springs Canyon, Granite Range, Black Rock Range East and West HMAs. In 2007, BLM reported wild horse populations for these HMAs totaled 761. By February 2008, BLM changed this figure to wild horses now numbering over 2,000.

While a grazing allotment evaluation approved in early 2008 stated wild horse populations in the Calico Mountains area were so minimal, BLM wasn't bothering to monitor their effects (this was also used as the justification to increase livestock grazing authorizations in the final decision for the Soldier Meadows allotment by an additional 15%), just one month later, turns out populations again exploded in the area.

Between 2007 and 2008, Granite Range went from 208 to 301, Black Rock Range East went from 74 to 215, Black Rock Range West jumped from 76 to 399, Calico Mountains went from 264 to 549 and Warm Springs Canyon sky rocketed from 139 to 607.

Based on this fantastical change in wild horse populations in just one year, some of the questions the public MUST ask is; Is BLM really THAT bad at being able to figure out how many wild horses are actually on the range? If they can miss hundreds of horses every year, how can they POSSIBLY issue legitimate livestock grazing authorizations that conserve and protect public resources?

Expect an emergency removal on this one. Recently, witnesses in the area have reported wild horse populations are indeed now highly excessive with little hope of the range being able to support them through upcoming drought conditions. The Calico Complex has also been recommended for castration and release of 104 geldings to be part of a population management control in BLMs 2006 Draft "Options for Managing A Non-Breeding Component within Self Sustaining Herds".

*********************************************************************************

Since the hearing is being restricted to only include public comments regarding the use of aircraft and motorized vehicles, you may also want to check out this pictorial report complied by wildhorse and burro advocates titled, "The Use of Helicopters to Remove Wild Horses and Burros From Public Lands" by Clicking Here. It is a large file due to all the photos so wait for it to download.

You may also want to ask BLM the same questions that have been put to the National Wild Horse & Burro Advisory Board Representative of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Boyd Spratling since the summer of 2007, which he has so far failed completely to address. Click Here to view.

Also, since BLM is including discussions about census methods, perhaps some questions should be raised about how they swore their census methods USE to be reasonably accurate - until a few years ago when they announced to the National Wild Horse & Burro Advisory Board that they had actually reached their national population target in December 2006.

Since then, as the validity of their population reports have continued to be EXTREMELY questionable, BLM began a campaign stating their historical counting techniques have been GROSSLY inaccurate for the last several decades. (See the Mustang & Burro Report Here, which to date BLM has not disputed or been able to prove an error was made in the method that only found 13,500 - 16,800 were most likely left after their wholesale cleansing of America's wild horses and burros over the last 8 years.)

You may also want to ask BLM about the statewide census done in Nevada and commissioned by "Dances With Wolves" author Michael Blake conducted in 1992, which only found 8,400 wild horses statewide. At that time BLM reported there were over 33,000 wild horses and burros in Nevada, not 8,400. Back then, there was significant evidence that BLM was grossly OVERCOUNTING (or should we say reporting) wild horse populations. What a difference a decade or two makes, huh? Of course, wild horse and burro advocates attempting to point out how far BLM was off in their counting and reporting methods were also swept under the carpet by the ominpotent authority of BLM, a trend which continues without accountability today. Click Here to view.

Finally, while BLM continues to beat the drum that their counting methods are to blame, the new census method they are planning on now using in Nevada (and perhaps elsewhere) is the result of a study conducted in Wyoming in partnership with USGS (who was the lead agency) on the Adobe Town and Salt Wells Creek Herds.

The numbers and reporting in that study were SO convoluted between that study and what BLM reported, it is hard to believe BLM is going to lean on this as their "answer" to the questions being raised today about the remaining wild horse and burro populations. To read "The Wild Horses of Wyoming, A Tale of Tallies", Click Here.

For those of you who have trouble reading page after page of numbers that never add up, here's the summary of what USGS last concluded about this "new" method.

It only adds an extra +18.7% to the actual number of wild horses that are counted by visual observation (By the way, they NEVER assume that this method might actually be overcounting wild horses). So that's only +3.7% more than BLM's old method and it CERTAINLY doesn't explain how the hell BLM keeps finding thousands of unaccounted for wild horses and burros just one or two years before they are due to be gathered according to their Strategic Management Plan. (This was the document that laid out the plan to remove wild horses and burros every 3-4 years to maintain stable populations).

So if you are thinking about submitting public comments for the hearing, perhaps you might want to ask BLM for some REAL answers as to the long string of "population explosions" they keep "finding" the last couple of years since they supposedly reached national AML and how they believe this new method is going to prevent them from STILL missing thousands of wild horses annually with only a +3.7% difference in techniques.

Oh, and one last thing. That +3.7% is a result of PROJECTING more populations than they physically count so it too is subject to change - all they have to do is change the "projection formula" again and Viola, a whole new set of numbers can emerge....

11 Burros Shot in Arizona

2009-02-28T15:45:00.001-08:00

On February 23, 2009, federal rangers announced 11 wild burros, including new born foals, were shot to death in a remote location in the Arizona desert near Lake Pleasant in the week preceedng the announcemnt.

The BLM has called this a "slaughter" with the deaths currently under investigation. To view an uncut interview with BLM regarding the massacre, Click Here.

While BLM states that nothing like this has ever happened before, a local activist has countered by claiming 54 wild burros were massacred in the Black Mountains behind Oatman in the 90's with no one ever being charged.

Arizona is the last state left with any wild burro herds exceeding an allowed population of more than 150 but a string of recent aggressive land use plans issued by AZ BLM over the last few year had proposals removing tens of thousands of acres from wild horse and burro use, which included lands along the Colorado river - the most abundant water source in the area.

In Defense of Animals has offered additional reward money, now up to $6,000 dollars, for information leading to a conviction. Click Here to view. Please call 1-800-637-9152 if you have any information to assist in the investigation. All calls are confidential.

Click Here to read "11 Wild Burros Shot To Death Northeast of Phoenix".

Click Here to view and sign petition sponsored by Friends of Equines FOES of Equine Slaughter.

Please do not let another slaughter of wild horses and/or burros "disappear" into the cracks with no one ever being charged. Urge officials to thoroughly investigate and prosecute those responsible.

CONTACTS

BLM AZ Supervisory Ranger Patrick Brasington;
(623) 580-5559
Cell: (602) 228-2288

AZ State BLM Office, Director Jim Kenna;
(602) 417-9500
ASOWEB_AZ@BLM.gov

Phoenix BLM Director Terri Raml;
(623) 580-5500
PFOWEB_AZ@BLM.gov

Public Relations Mgr. BLM/AZ Office
Pamela Mathis
(623) 580-5509
Cell: (602) 402-7690

2009-01-22T12:48:00.000-08:00

!TAKE ACTION NOW!

Since the passage of the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act in 1971, the federal protections given to America's Wild Horses and Burros and the critical habitat they need to survive has been circumvented, ignored and eroded to such a point that nothing short of demanding EMERGENCY INTERVENTION may be able to save them!

With more wild horses and burros in government holding facilities than still on the range, BLMs own population reports suggesting they have removed thousands of animals illegally, the majority of the remaining herds cut to population levels so low they are at risk of inbreeding or large scale die offs, over one third of their habitat now gone, the secret "Burns Amendment" slipped in the back of a massive Congressional bill overturning three decades of protection from being sold for slaughter and BLMs recent announcement of possibly killing thousands of those now captured, the future of America's Mustangs and Burros has become very, very grim indeed.

We must restore their protections if they are to be preserved!

~HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO~
Please email, call or write the provided contacts
and demand they initiate these actions.

*EMERGENCY NEPA ACTION TO DESIGNATE
CRITICAL HABITAT ON PUBLIC DOMAIN

NEPA is a legal process allowing immediate action to return our now imperiled wild horses and burros back to the range while relieving the BLM and the taxpayers of the financial costs to care for them.

*CALL FOR A CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION

The lives of the tens of thousands of wild horses and burros currently at risk have been taken from the American people. Evidence suggests much of how this happened is linked to corruption, waste, fraud, and abuse running rampant in the Wild Horse and Burro Program and the Department of the Interior that must be exposed.

*DEMAND A MORATORIUM ON WILD HORSE & BURRO REMOVALS

Over the last seven years, over 75,000 wild horses and burros have been removed from public lands. Evidence suggests thousands more wild horses and burros were removed than was necessary and BLMs own reported national populations have been highly skewed for well over a decade. No further removals should occur until an independent count assesses the actual wild horse and burro populations still remaining on public lands.

*DEMAND THE LAWS GOVERNING THEIR PROTECTION BE RESTORED

Much of the current crisis these majestic American icons face today is a result of laws that have either been ignored or undermined. Wild Horse's and Burro's were granted Special Status due to their historic, cultural and aesthetic values to the American people as well as their immeasurable contributions towards the building of our great Nation. They are irreplaceable national treasures loved the world over that must be preserved, both now, and for future generations.

DEMAND CHANGE!
Please use the following links to voice your concerns
in addition to the ones above.

President Barack Obama

Your Congressional Representatives

The Secretary of the Interior

The Secretary of Agriculture

The Bureau of Land Management
NO! Killing America's Heritage Species is NOT AN OPTION!

WANT TO DO MORE?

LETTER TO CONGRESS
Click Here for a preformatted letter to your representatives
urging them to initiate the actions listed above.

PRINTABLE PETITION
Click Here to download, then just print and begin getting signatures.
Mail to both your federal and state representatives.

TALKING POINTS
Click Here for Talking Points about what must be done!

AHDF LEGISLATIVE GUIDE

Click Here If you would like to learn more about the legislative and lobbying process, American Horse Defense Fund has recently published this great Legislative Guide to help increase understanding of how it all works.

SCREAM YOUR HEAD OFF!

If you live in an area that still has Wild Horses and Burros, contact your State and County Officials and demand they take action to protect and preserve America's Wild Horses and Burros and their habitat.

WRITE NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES

Express your views, share your experiences and ask for sincere and indepth investigations into what has been really going on "out on the range" to America's wild horses and burros before it's too late.

Note: We also hope to have a downloadable Postcard available soon for convenience. Just add a few words voicing your concerns and drop it in the mail addressed to Congress.

~THANK YOU FOR TAKING ACTION NOW!~

PROTESTING SALAZAR

2008-12-17T06:27:00.001-08:00

President Elect Barack Obama has announced his intention to appoint Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) to the position of Secretary of the Interior. Obama's choice is a travesty and flys in the face of the "change" promised to the American people!

Senator Salazar is enthusiastically supported by those in big agribusiness, ranching and mining and THAT means more of the same! Here is a sneak peak of "who" is warmly embracing Mr. Salazar's appointment.

"Of all the names mentioned, Salazar is the one we're happiest with." said Dan Keppen, head of the Family Farm Alliance. 'Note: Keppen was formerly the head of Klamath Water Users Association, the group that worked with the Bush administration to manipulate science and overturn salmon restoration efforts in the Klamath Basin (leading to the deaths of as many as 70,000 salmon before they could spawn in September 2002). His current group was launched to be the lobby front for agribusiness interests that get Bureau of Reclamation water.

To read more of Mr. Salazar's past track record, why he is the wrong choice for protecting public resources and why, as a rancher, his appointment to the position of Secretary of the Interior represents an overwhelming conflict of interest, Click Here.

Mr. Salazar has also voted against reversing the Burns Amendment to restore protections for America's wild horses and burros, is an avid supporter of horse slaughter and was only one of four Democratic Senators to have earned a zero on the Humane Society's Scorecard!

Please protest Salazar's appointment NOW by letting Obama's Transition Team know, this is unacceptable and sends a clear message; his campaign promises of "change" are revealing themselves to be little more than empty rhetoric.

~BE THE CHANGE WE NEED~
!DON'T TAKE THIS BETRAYAL LYING DOWN!

Write, Call of Fax the Transistion Team ASAP at:

John Podesta, Obama Transistion Team Head
email John.Podesta@ppt.gov , Fax 202-682-1867

Greg Nelson - liaison to Mr. Podesta
email Greg.Nelson@ptt.gov , Fax 202-443-4724

Webforms:
http://change.gov/page/content/contact/

Call The Transistion Team at:
202-540-3000, then dial 2

Here is a sample letter that you can copy and submit as well. Just add your name and/or organization and contact information and it's ready to go.

SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
KEN SALAZAR?

NO CHANGE - MORE OF THE SAME - AMERICAN SHAME

Much of our public lands, resources and the agencies overseeing them have now reached critical levels of concern due to the long-standing policies of the past accelerated by the last eight years of blatant disregard for both law and public outcry. The American people were promised change under your leadership; the appointment of Mr. Salazar represents a betrayal of the public trust and fails utterly to fulfill that promise.

The Wild Horse and Burro Program overseen by the Bureau of Land Management is currently in shambles, a poignant illustration of the magnitude of crisis much of our public lands, resources, wildlife and their ever-shrinking habitats now face.

Over 30,000 wild horses and burros are now headed for slaughter due solely to gross malfeasance, lack of oversight or accountability as well as the insidious policies of political meddling and corruption versus sound science based decisions that have pervasively corroded the wise stewardship of our Nation’s resources.

NOW is the time for strong, progressive and visionary leadership in efforts to repair what may be irreparable. There is no more time to waste on yet another politically motivated appointment that serves only special interests; not the American people or our children!

Ken Salazar promotes more of the same destructive policies

and we strongly oppose his appointment as the

Secretary of the Interior!

SUPPORT RAUL GRIJALVA FOR TRUE CHANGE!
~CHANGE YOUR MIND~

YOU ARE THERE!

2008-11-15T13:44:00.000-08:00

HORSE POWER OF NEVADA PRESS RELEASE

HORSE POWER of Nevada, a non-profit 501 (c)3 has just issued a stunning announcement!

As a result of a recent educational partnership with Sierra Nevada Community Access Television, the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting scheduled to meet in Reno, Nevada on November 17th, 2008 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. will be broadcast LIVE through streaming video at the HORSE POWER WEBSITE.

For the first time ever, the National Wild Horse & Burro Advisory Board will be available to the general public everywhere through this historic partnership in order to connect concerned citizens, wild horse and burro advocates and people all over the world for this most controversial of meetings!

The decisions made at this meeting, could by law include the euthanasia or selling for slaughter of the over 30,000 of America’s wild horses and burros now warehoused in government pens.

The meeting will include recommendations and input from the Bureau of Land Management, The National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board and public comments from Wild Horse and Burro Advocates from all corners.

A giant “hats off” to HORSE POWER OF NEVADA and SIERRA NEVADA COMMUNITY ACCESS TELEVISION for their coordination and insight into making it possible to bring International attention to the “managed” plight of America’s Mustangs & Burros!

Don’t miss this historic and exciting opportunity!

To access the National Wild Horse & Burro Advisory Meeting LIVE on
Monday, November 17th, 2008 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, go to:

The link for LIVE streaming video will be available the day of the event.

NVHORSEPOWER.ORG

See ya there!

ARTICLE ARCHIVES

2008-11-14T11:29:00.000-08:00

BLM Plan Could Make Mustang as Rare as the Buffalo - Horseback Magazine/Steve Long

Opposition Grows to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's Wild Horse Plan - Reno Gazzette Journal

BLM Admits Price Tag of $1,700,000 For Wild Horse Round Up - Carol Able/Examiner.Com

Wild Horse Activist Buzz Denver with Anti-Salazar Banner - Denver Post 11/20/09

BLM Extends Public Comment Period for Nevada Wild Horse Round Up - LA Equine Policy Examiner 11/17/09

Wild Horse Removal Generates Over 7,000 Comments to BLM - LA Equine Policy Examiner 11/16/09

Reports Reveal More Deaths and Sloppy Record Keeping by BLM as Groups Call for Investigation - Steven Long/Straight from the Horses Heart 10/29/09

The Wild Horses of America That Congress Forgot About - Wild Horse Warriors 10/02/09

Exclusive Interview: Former Senator Conrad Burns - Horseback Magazine 9/15/09

Can The Wild Horses and Burros Be Saved? Laura Allen/Animal Law Coalition 9/26/09

Senate Directs BLM to Get New Game Plan - Straight from the Horses Heart 9/26/09

The Horses That Congress Forgot: OUR Sheldon Horses - Laura Leigh 8/17/09

BLM's Wild Horse Elminination Plan Angers Ecologist - Environmental News Service, 7/07/09

Round Up Set - Casper Star Tribune, 7-07-09

Memorial Day Prayer For Charlie and Buffalo Bill - Deanne Stillman/LA Observed 5/23/09

Leave The Wild Burro Be - Las Vegas Sun, 5/21/09

Tribe Struggles With Glut Of Horses - Seattle Times, 5/10/09
Plus: Confederated Umatilla Journal
NW Tribes Want To Reduce Horse Numbers (pg. 10), March 2009
Tribes Unite Over Feral Horse Issue (pg. 1) and Tribal Horse Coalition (pg. 41),- April 2009

Horse Project Boss Considers New Home for Spanish Mustangs - Mountain View Telegraph, 5/07/09

Ted William Rants Again - Fly, Rod + Reel, 4/28/09

Showdown At Horse Slaughter Pass - Horse Talk-New Zealand/John Holland, 4/25/09

Work Under Way To Remove 200 Horses From Mustang Ranch - World-Herald News, 4/22/09
Hope For Iconic Horses - Kern Valley Sun, 3/17/09

How To Get Promoted At The BLM: Screw Up - City Life/George Knapp, 3/12/09

Pickens Finds Little Horse Sense At The BLM - City Life/George Knapp, 3/05/09

Federal Agency Says Madeleine Pickens Idea Wild Horse Refuge Flawed As Proposed - Associated Press, 3/02/09

Eleven Burros Shot To Death Northeast of Phoenix - Phoenix Metro News, 2/23/09

Wild Horses' Future Uncertain: Benefactor seeks land to house animals - Associated Press, 2/14/09

Wild Horse Backers Push For Protection: Congressmen introduce bill to prevent killings - Associated Press, 2/13/09

"Mustang-The Saga of the Wild Horse in the American West, Deanne Stillman"REVIEW by Orion Magazine, Melissa Holbrook Pierson, January-February 2009

Dead Horses Found Dumped With Brands Cut Off - Idaho News, 2/05/09

"Wild Horses Rounded Up In Nevada": RGJ, 1/16/09

"Mustangs: Spirit of The Shrinking West": National Geographic, February 2009

"BLM Plans Gather of Horses In Northern Nevada": Reno Gazzette Journal, 1/14/09

"Horse Latitudes": Deanne Stillman/Terrain.org, Winter/Spring 2009

"Wild Horses": Nevada Magazine, January/February 2009

"Wild Horse Birth Control Effective But Not Panacea": Powell Tribune, 12/30/08

"Save Our Wild Horses": Las Vegas Sun Editorial 12/24/08

"Farm Bureau Meeting To Focus on Hurdles": Idaho News, 1/08/09

"Luckiest Horse In Reno": Huffington Post, 12/23/08

"Government Rounds Up Wild Horses in Toole County": KSL TV, 12/10/08

"Government Needs to Restore Wild Horses": Record Courier 12/03/08

"Wild Horse Summit Held To Determine Mustangs Fate": Kern Valley Sun, 11/13/08

"Wild Horse Annie Is Rolling In Her Grave": Western Colorado Blog, 11/12/08

"Round Up at Little Book Cliffs Range": KDNK, November 2007

Congressional Inquiry

2008-11-11T02:32:00.000-08:00

To have even more impact, please

consider taking a moment to write

President Elect Obama & Biden

requesting a sincere investigation

into BLM's management of the

Wild Horse & Burro Program!

Also, start your own local petition

to send to your Congressman to

be sure our voices are herd!

Click Here to download, then

just print and begin getting

signatures!

Petition powered by ThePetitionSite.com

2008-11-07T11:20:00.001-08:00

BLM GATHER SCHEDULES

BLM operates on a Fiscal Year cycle from
10/01 to 9/30 of each year.

Beginning in Fiscal Year 2005, BLM began creating a "Gather Schedule", which is an internal document used by BLM to both schedule and record national wild horse and burro removals and BLM uses two main Gather Schedules every year.

Preliminary Gather Schedule

The first Gather Schedule is the "Preliminary", which is issued on or about October 1st each year and this document is designed to give BLM an overview of herds and HMAs that are on the horizon for removals. The Preliminary Gather Schedule is always subject to change as emergency removals such as wildfires, drought, etc. may cause BLM to re-shuffle, postpone or accelerate their initial plans from October as things may change over the course of the next year that require them to modify the scheduled removals.

Final Gather Schedule

The second Gather Schedule is BLMs "Final Gather Schedule", which is the actual end result of last fiscal years management actions, also produced on or about October 1st of each year. This Schedule provides the "Final" numbers of actual wild horse and burro removals during the last fiscal year. Also, BLM has previously used a yellow highlight to distinguish wild burro removals from wild horse removals so herd removals marked in yellow indicate these removals were for wild burros.

Click on the links below to view or download.

FY11 Preliminary Gather Schedule

FY10 Final Gather Schedule

FY 2010 Preliminary Gather Schedule

FY 2009 Final Gather Schedule

FY 2009 Preliminary Gather Schedule

Dean Bolstad of the BLMs Wild Horse & Burro National Program Office has affirmed that all herds and HMAs on this schedule have been pre-approved for removals by Deputy Director Henri Bisson.

FY 2008 Final Gather Schedule

FY 2008 Preliminary Gather Schedule

FY 2008 Gather Schedule - Advisory Board
This Gather Schedule was given to the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board at their February 25, 2008 meeting. It is reflective of all removals that occurred between October 1, 2007 and February 11, 2008.

FY 2007 Final Gather Schedule

FY 2007 Preliminary Gather Schedule

FY 2006 Final Gather Schedule

FY 2006 Preliminary Gather Schedule

2008-10-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

Reports

The Thriving Natural Ecological Balance
A Comparative Analysis of Free-Roaming Wild Horses & Burros
In Relation to Habitat, Wildlife and Livestock Populations
C.R. MacDonald - October 2009

The Jackson Mountains Wild Horses
A Case Study in the Mismanagement of the
BLM's Wild Horse & Burro Program
C.R. MacDonald ~ February 2009

Wild Burros of the American West

A Critical Analysis of the National Status of

Wild Burros on Public Lands

C.R. MacDonald ~ June 2007

Americas Mustangs and Burros

What's Left, The High Cost of Miscalculating

and Will They Survive?

C.R. MacDonald ~ July 2008

The Use of Helicopters To Remove
Wild Horses & Burros From Public Lands
Pictorial ~ June 2007

BLM Team Conference Calls
FOIA - Discussions of WH&B Program
July 2008

Alternative Management Options
BLM Wild Horse & Burro Program
Draft Report - October 2008

White Paper: Horses to Slaughter
Anatomy of a Cover Up within the
Wild Horse & Burro Program of the
Bureau of Land Management
PEER - April 1997

Investigative Report
Suspected Illegal Exports of Non-Slaughter Geldings
From New Mexico to Mexico
Valerie James Patton ~ November 2007

Rangeland Management
Improvements Needed in Federal Wild Horse Program
August 1990

Public Land Management
Observations on Management of
Federal Wild Horse Program
Testimony
General Accounting Office GAO-RCED-91-71
June 1991

Effective Long-Term Options Needed
to Manage Unadoptable Wild Horses
Government Accountability Office/GAO-09-77
October 2008
Summary
Highlights
Full Report
Recommendations

Management of Herd Levels,
Wild Horse & Burro Program
Bureau of Land Management
Office of the Inspector General
Report No. 97-I-1104
August 1997

Livestock Grazing
Federal Expenditures and Receipts Vary,
Depending on the Agency and the Purpose
Of The Fee Charged
Government Accountability Office GAO-05-869
September 2005

Assessing The Full Cost of the Federal Grazing Program
Moskowitz, MBA and Romaniello, MS AG. Econ.
October 2002

Results of Recent Work
Addressing the Performance
Of Land Management Agencies
General Accounting Office GAO/T-RCED-92-60
May 1992

Rangeland Management
Current Formula Keeps Grazing Fees Low
General Accounting Office GAO/RCED-91-185BR
June 1991

Killing Big Bend Burros
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Internal Affairs Investigative Report #I07-014
December 4, 2007

2008-10-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

ORGANIZATIONS

American Horse Defense Fund

American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign

American Mustang & Burro Association

America's Wild Horse Advocates

Animal Law Coalition

Animal Welfare Institute

Conquistador Equine and Rescue Program

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

Equine Welfare Alliance

Front Range Equine Rescue

In Defense of Animals

International Fund For Horses

International Society for the Protection of Mustangs & Burros

Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue

Madeleine Pickens

Manes & Tails

The Nakota Horse Conservancy

National Mustang Association

National Wild Horse Association

Nevada Horse Power

Return to Freedom

Save Our Wild Horses

The Cloud Foundation

Texas Horse Talk

Wild Burro Rescue

Wild Horses of Shackleford Banks

Whispering Winds Equine Rescue

Wild Horse Spirit

Wild Horses 4Ever

Wild Horses In Need

Wild Mustang Coalition

BLOGS

An American Mustang - Augustus' Reign

Art and Horses (Laura Leigh's Blog)

The Cloud Foundation

Hooflinks

Pryor Wild

Spring Creek Basin Weblog

Straight From The Horses Heart

Tuesday's Horse

Wild Hoofbeats

Wild Horse Conservation

Wild Horses of Little Book Cliffs

Wild Horse Warriors

Wild Mustang Chronicles

PHOTOGRAPHY

Living Images – Carol Walker

Nation's Horse World

Wind Horse One Studio

MEDIA: FILMS

Humanion Films

Rein Free

Moving Cloud Productions

Voluntary Instincts-Environmental Media Productions

Wild Hoofbeats - The Review

2008-09-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

Wild Hoofbeats – America’s Vanishing Wild Horses
by Carol J. Walker

Forward by Ginger Kathrens

I have often thought one of the great pitfalls of technology is filming the natural world, whether through still photos or live action footage. Though this may sound strange as film has given the gift of transporting us into amazing worlds we’d most likely never see without it, I’ve always felt it insidiously caused a great disservice to both us and to Mother Nature herself.

Why? Because no matter how beautiful the images may be, there is one thing film just cannot do ~ it fails to fully transmit the absolute power that radiates from being in the presence of the natural world.

This living “essence”, which can only truly be felt through personal experience, is reduced to a two dimensional reality, whether on paper or on screen, and too often becomes the substitute for our relationship with the true nature of the world we live in. The sheer enormity of the animals is lost, the crackling energy of their wildness is diluted and the vastness of their homescapes is instead brought to us in boxes - tamed, controlled, safe and “managed”.

With that said, Carol Walker’s “Wild Hoofbeats – America’s Vanishing Wild Horses” is as close as it is ever going to get without actually being there.

For those that appreciate fine art photography, they will not be disappointed as it is absolutely packed with stunning photographs of the highest caliber; beautiful, rich, vivid, raw, tender, and intimate and just on this basis alone, it stands apart as a monumental tribute to the magnificence and beauty of the American Wild Horse.

Yet Wild Hoofbeats delivers much more than just beautiful images as it often transcends ordinary boundaries, leaving no question that you are in the presence of truly vital wild animals of profound importance.

For years, Carol photographed the wild horses of Wyoming and made the Adobe Town herds the focus of this incredible work of artistry. Visiting them during all seasons throughout the years, she shares with us her growing knowledge of each band, each unique family member, the bonds that can take them a lifetime to create as well as a brief history of the various herds highlighted throughout her travels.

From the time she “discovers them”, she follows them through their natural cycles on the great Red Desert plains, through the helicopter driving that rounds them up, shatters their families, their freedom and their lives, and even goes so far as to visit one of BLMs long-term holding facilities, where most of America’s wild horses have now been shipped too, in efforts to try and locate one of the now captured wild stallions whose riveting presence had so moved her to begin following him and his band.

As each page is turned, bringing one deeper into the heart of America’s wild horses with its electrifying visual connections as to why these majestic creatures were declared national icons and living symbols of America’s spirit, freedom and independence, the elegant and profound narration provides stark contrast as it simultaneously sums up the simple truths behind both the tragedy and the travesty that has been unfolding in relative obscurity to our vanishing wild herds.

Educational, beautiful and enlightening, “Wild Hoofbeats – America’s Vanishing Wild Horses” is an instant classic for those who already know the value of the distinctly American wild horse, but more importantly - it is a must have for those who don’t - as it powerfully communicates what is truly being lost or more accurately, what is being taken from us.

Ultimately, it reaches into the depth of the soul and as gratifying as it is visually, it leaves a penetrating sense of sadness through its crystal clear revelations - something precious and irreplaceable is being destroyed right before our very eyes and unless people wake up and speak up, it’s spectacular photography may only serve future generations by historically documenting what “use to be”.

Highly recommended, very reasonably priced, there is a 2009 Wild Hoofbeats Calendar with over 70 images available as well.

For more information or how to order

Click Here or go to
www.wildhoofbeats.com

10% of all proceeds will go to the Cloud Foundation, a 501c organization dedicated to the preservation of wild horses on our public lands and the protection of Cloud’s herd in the Arrowhead Mountains of Montana.

2008-07-30T05:04:00.000-07:00

I-TEAMS INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS ON WILD HORSES

I-Team: Wild Horse BLM Budget Preview

I-Team: No Straight Answers on Wild Horse Budget

I-Team: Nevada's Wild Horses Face Desperate Future

I-Team: Web Extra: BLMs Susie Stokke On Nevada's Wild Horses

I-Team: Wild Horses Face Extermination

I-Team: Wild Horse Report Raises Questions

I-Team: Headway Made at Wild Horse Summit

These investigative reports as well as an entire section devoted to wild horse and burro stories over the years can be conveniently accessed by Clicking Here.

Brought to you by
www.lasvegasnow.com

2008-07-29T03:12:00.000-07:00

Americas Mustangs & Burros
What's Left, The High Cost of Miscalculating
and Will They Survive?
by C.R.MacDonald
July 2008

Summary Report

Full Report ~ No Appendix

Forward/Table of Contents

Part I ~ What's Left

Part II ~ The High Cost of Miscalculating

Part III ~ Will They Survive?

Appendix I

Appendix II

Appendix III

Appendix IV

Appendix V

Appendix VI

Appendix VII

Appendix VIII

Appendix IX

Inflated Populations Table_Update 2004-2009

On June 30th, 2008, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced the Wild Horse and Burro Program had reached a crisis point of epic proportions.

As a result of removing over 75,000 wild horses and burros from public lands since 2001, BLM now claims the cost of holding 32,000 warehoused animals has exceeded the programs financial limits and something must be done.

According to BLM, only three viable options now exist:

*Allow BLM to grant Instant Title to adopters, almost a guaranteed slaughterhouse end.

*Allow BLM to shoot tens of thousands of wild horses both on and off the range.

*Give BLM more money to manage the Wild Horse and Burro Program.

While BLM is attempting to focus the public’s attention on “what” should be done about BLMs reported crisis of “excess” wild horses and burros, the first question the public should really be asking is, does BLMs data back up their claims?

Despite the massive cleansing campaign over the last several years, BLM continues to report 33,000 wild horses and burros still roam public lands. However, independent analysis utilizing BLMs own statistics and methods of annual population reports, removals and reproductive rates concluded the most likely wild populations still remaining is merely 13,500 wild horses and burros - 20,000 less than BLM reported.

BLMs own data fails to support their population claims by a large margin and evidence strongly suggests the agency has removed 11,000-14,000 more wild horses and burros than was necessary. In other words, BLMs own statistics point to the conclusion that the current “crisis” has been manufactured.

American Herds offers this timely report, “Americas Mustangs & Burros: What’s Left, The High Costs of Miscalculating and Will They Survive?”, a culmination of two years of research into a variety of BLM proposals, policies and management, both in the wild horse and burro program as well as other multiple uses of public lands.

This comprehensive overview provides a wide variety of case studies, documents, statistics and data, most taken from BLMs own reports, as well as a brief history of the abuse and malfeasance over the years in the wild horse and burro program, some alleged, some proven, and where it stands today.

Several versions have been created for easy access, portability and to send as attachments for anyone who wants to learn more about what has really been happening to Americas Mustangs and Burros.

While BLM maintains options are limited, now narrowed to merely choosing which way the American public wants to see wild horses and burros die unless BLM is given more money, another option exists, though it is hardly one BLM will recommend, and that is to examine the validity of BLMs claims and investigate their management.

Research and analysis based on BLMs own statistics has shown their current population reports or population goals cannot be valid. As a result, the simplest solution to the current “crisis” is to return the wild horses and burros back to the range, as statistics reveal they should have never been captured and warehoused in the first place.

This post was originally published on July 9th, 2008 and can also be accessed by clicking Here.

OFFICIAL RESOURCES

2008-06-17T02:49:00.000-07:00

Provided below are links to various laws, regulations and resources affecting wild horse and burro management on public lands.

BLM
Home Page
Wild Horse & Burro Program
Wild Horse & Burro Statistics & Maps
National Wild Horse & Burro Adoption Schedule
Internet Adoptions

LAWS
Wild Free-Roaming Horse & Burro Act (WFRHBA)
Burns Amendment~For Sale Authority
Federal Lands Management Policy Act (FLMPA)
Public Rangelands Improvement Act (PRIA)
National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA)
Threatened & Endangered Species Act (ESA)
Other Guiding Laws & Regulations

FEDERAL REGISTER

BLMs CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFRs)
Land Use Planning
Wild Horse & Burro Management
Livestock Grazing Management

DESCRIPTION OF GENERAL MANAGEMENT PROCESSES

RANGELAND ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM
Access livestock grazing authorizations by allotment.

INTERIOR BOARD OF LAND APPEALS (IBLA)
Cases & Rulings Issued By IBLA

2008-02-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

The following statement was sent out by Ginger Kathrens and

The Cloud Foundation

CLOUD ALERT - SAVE THE PRYOR HERD

February 6, 2008

Friends of Cloud and his herd:

In January we spent four wonderful days with the wild horses, even though we couldn't get close enough to many of them because of snow. We did see Cloud and his family from across Big Coulee looking grand in the snow. They were on an inaccessable island, rimmed by cliffs on three sides. When it started to snow, little Shadow, Cloud and Aztec's September foal, began racing around the junipers. We were thrilled to see that, at least so far, winter has not stolen her exuberance. She certainly has her father's personality.

From Tillet Ridge we also glassed across Big Coulee and spotted Flint up on Sykes Ridge with older bachelors. This compact grullo step-son of Cloud looked to be in great shape, but again, this was through spotting scopes. Down in the desert, Bolder was with his family and everyone looked great. We saw Shaman far up on Sykes ridge, so perhaps he has given up on winning his mares back from Cloud's dynamic, dark palomino son.

Since we've been back home in Colorado, it has been cold in the Pryors with high winds and a huge snowfall that left a foot of snow even in the desert lowlands. I imagine that by now Cloud and his family have dropped down off their island stronghold into an area with less snow.

Before we went up to track the horses, we had good meetings in Billings, Montana with staff from both Senators Baucus and Tester's offices who expressed interest in our cause since they had heard from so many of you!! Many thanks for helping raise awareness about the threats to Cloud and the Pryor Wild Horse Herd.

We also had a cordial meeting with BLM managers in Billings in which we discussed the future of the Pryor Herd. I felt we were setting the stage for a respectful and productive relationship between the Cloud Foundation and BLM. And then, just one month later, we received the AP newspaper article which is attached. (see below)

In this article, BLM indicates that they plan to drastically reduce the herd to only 92 animals. We were totally blindsided by this announcement. What this means is that the herd would be reduced to non-sustainable levels, far below the minimum 150 to maintain their genetic viability.

What this also means is that by this fall, 80 horses could lose their freedom and their families, including Cloud and his band.

In our meeting, BLM told us there are "too many old horses" on the range. What an irony! Infertility drugs were first given to mares over 13 years of age for "humanitarian reasons" and to "extend the lives" of older mares. Now, these very mares might be removed from their home, losing everything they have long held dear - their families and their freedom.

It is quite true that the Pryor horses do live a long-time, even longer than when I first came on the scene in 1994. It is not unusual for a mare or a stallion to live into their 20s. One former band stallion (my horse Trace's grandfather) lived to be nearly 27. Obviously, the Pryor horses are still genetically strong and the range is healthy or the horses would not be living longer than they did 14 years ago. And the huge surviving foal crop of 2007 (34 foals which is the largest since 1981) is a testament to the health and vigor of the horses.

However, the over-hunting of mountain lions has created an unbalanced predator-prey relationship. That is why we are asking that the Pryor Mountains be closed to mountain lion hunting to try to promote a natural balance, allowing nature to call the shots, not humans.

This is the situation in a nutshell and we desperately need everyone to speak loud and clear....and repeatedly to see if BLM will listen and respond to our wishes for our horses on our public lands.

Here is what you can do to make a difference. E-mail the following people:

Go to: http://www.doi.gov/ click on contact us to reach Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne

BLM Director Jim Caswell: James_Caswell@blm.gov

Field Manager Jim Sparks: Jim_Sparks@blm.gov

Wild Horse Specialist Jared Bybee: Jared_Bybee@blm.gov

Go to: http://www.baucus.senate.gov/ click on contact us, choose environment, to contact Senator Baucus

Go to: http://www.tester.senate.gov/ click on contact us, choose environment to contact Senator Tester

Please tell all these decision makers in your own words that:

You do not approve of such a drastic removal, especially any removal of older horses.
Horses over 10 years of age could be sold to slaughter as these older animals are no longer protected due to the passage of the Burns Rider that weakened the Wild Horse and Burro Act.
The removal of any lead mares and band stallions will destroy the social fabric of the bands.
The adoption demand for older horses is non-existent.
The genetic viability of the herd will be damaged, perhaps irreparably.
The BLM is charged with managing for a self-sustaining populaton and this violates their mandate.
The Pryor Wild Horse herd is a unique Spanish herd.
Instead of this horrible plan, BLM should work to expand the range and focus tax dollars on range improvement.
BLM should work with Montana Fish, Game, and Parks to stop the killing of mountain lions in the Pryors.
And BLM should start paying attention to the public! Please don't destroy Cloud's herd!

Thanks so much for all your support and your involvement. It is so vital to the future survival of these wonderful animals.

Happy Trails!

Ginger Kathrens

Volunteer Executive Director

The Cloud Foundation

Click Here to read the February 4, 2008 Associated Press article, BLM Recommends Reducing Wild Horse Herd.

Click Here to read Gingers comments and submission to the BLM Billings Montana Field Office about their management of the Pryor Wild Horse Herds just one month ago. (Note: Comments shown before were of an older evaluation.)

Click Here to sign up for the Cloud Foundations Email List to receive the very latest news on Cloud and his family and the Pryor Wild Horse Herds.

2008-02-07T05:11:00.000-08:00

~BOOKS~

MUSTANG
Saga of the Wild Horse in the American West

Deanne Stillman

After over a decade of researching their stories and history, award winning author Deanne Stillman shares with us "Mustang - The Saga Of The Wild Horse In The Amerian West".

Click Here to Order

Managing For Extinction
Animal Welfare Institute

One of the most comprehensive and indepth works around that is still easy enough beginners, Managing For Extinction covers the wide spectrum of issues that has affected the continuing decline of America's wild horses, burros and their habitat, the mismanagement of BLM and provides a staggering array of statistics. Complete with beautiful photos and illustrations of America's wild horses and burros, a species now in significant decline throughout the West.

An absolutely indespensible tool for those who want to know more!

Animal Welfare Institute price for non-members is $3.00.
Click Here to order.

Among Wild Horses!
A Portrait of the Pryor Mountain Mustangs
Lynne Pomeranz

An up-close photographic look at a majestic herd of wild horses.

Photographer Lynne Pomeranz spent three years tracking and witnessing one of the last remaining herds of wild horses in the United States, which roams along the Pryor Mountain range between Wyoming and Montana. Both tender and dramatic, the photos of Among Wild Horses reveal horses living a life that is rugged in nature, rich in history, and nothing short of breathtaking to observe.

The Pryor Mountain Mustangs will claim a special place in the hearts of horse lovers of all ages.

Click Here to Order

The American Mustang Guidebook
Lisa Dines
History, Behavior, and State-By-State Directions on
Where to Best View America's Wild Horses.

Click Here to Order

America's Last Wild Horses

Hope Ryden

The Animal Welfare Institute is pleased to offer the most recent edition of Hope Ryden's landmark book, America's Last Wild Horses. Since it was first published over 30 years ago, it has provided some of the most revealing photos and descriptions of the Bureau of Land Management's round-ups and cruel treatment of wild horses. This edition includes a new introduction by Ryden, detailing the current efforts to undermine the future of these beloved horses. Used by Congress in the passage of the original 1971 Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act, the information provided in this book is sadly needed just as much today - a truly timeless classic.

Click Here to order your copy now.

Our Unprotected Heritage:

Whitewashing The Destruction of Our Cultural & Natural Environment

Dr. Thomas King

An indepth and timely look at how the current bureacratic system circumvents both intent and laws set in motion to preserve America's natural, cultural and historic values.

Click Here to Order

Western Turf Wars

The Politics of Public Lands Ranching
Mike Hudak

Traveling throughout the West, author Mike Hudak speaks with former employees of wildlife and land-management agencies and citizens who have long advocated for better management of our public lands. Western Turf Wars is a compilation of these accounts - testimonies that reveal how and why the management agencies have failed to protect our public lands. A must read for all who are interested in what is really going on behind the scenes with our public resources. Click Here to order your copy today.

The Phantom Stallion (Series)

Terri Farley

Author Terri Farley has a fabulous line of wild horse books for children of all ages with a series of books called The Phantom Stallion, which highlights the various adventures of Sam with wild horses and a magnificent wild stallion named Phantom. Excellent gifts that help share the world of wild horses, they are perfect for any occassion. Young readers can also explore The Phantom Stallion website that has dozens of interesting facts, photos and Terri's blog that is updated on a regular basis and includes wild horse news.
Click Here to start your Phantom Stallion adventures today!

2008-02-07T04:07:00.000-08:00

~WILD HORSE & BURRO VIDEO LINKS~

Americans Against Horse Slaughter

Australia's Wild Horses

Desert Brumbies

Horses ~ Stop Horse Slaughter & Abuse

Horse Resuce of America - The Burns Amendment

I Am - Horses

ISPMB~Saving Wild Horses

I-Team: Wild Horse BLM Budget Preview

I-Team: No Straight Answers On Wild Horse Budget

I-Team: Nevada's Wild Horses Face Desperate Future

I-Team: Web Extra: BLM's Susie Stokke On Nevada's Wild Horses

I-Team: Wild Horses Face Extermination

I-Team: Wild Horse Report Raises Questions

Managing The Murder of Mustangs

Michael Blake: Saving Wild Horses

Michael Blake: Horse 1202

Mustang Medicine

Save American Wild Horses

Save The Brumbies

Tribute To Wild Mustangs

Wild Burro Rescue Video

Wild Horse Gather

Wild Horses~Falling Through The Cracks

BLOG ARCHIVE - INDEX

2008-01-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

2011

April
4/02/11 Call On Congress Now To Defund Wild Horse Roundups

March
3/06/11 For High Crimes & Misdemeanors

February
2/18/11 Thanks For Listening

January
1/22/11 REPORT TO CONGRESS

2010

December
12/27/10 The Iron Curtain
12/03/10 Horse Photography: The Dynamic Guide

October
10/30/10 THE FUDGE FACTOR
10/22/10 For The Future
10/16/10 Gubmint Cheese
10/02/10 A Similar Vaccine

September
9/13/10 1941 vs 1971

July
8/23/10 Dear Sue
8/06/10 On Da Take

July
7/28/10 In The Pink
7/15/10 What Judge?
7/08/10 Pilot Valley or Toano?
7/04/10 Calico: Past, Present & Future VII

June
6/19/10 Calico: Past, Present & Future VI

May
5/26/10 Calico: Past, Present & Future V
5/06/10 Calico: Past, Present & Future IV

April
4/29/10 Calico: Past, Present & Future III
4/21/10 Calico: Past, Present & Future II
4/15/10 Calico: Past, Present & Future I

March
3/27/10 Say Something
3/19/10 Two For One
3/04/10 Tidbits & Toadstools

February
2/24/10 Gold In Them Thar Hills!
2/15/10 BLM Protests Greet Obama
2/04/10 The Irony Of Ivanpah

January
1/29/10 Katie On Calico
1/19/10 The Dead of Winter

2009

December
12/30/09 Buried
12/23/09 Shepherding The Future
12/06/09 What's Left?

November
11/19/09 A Unified Call for Moratorium
11/05/09 Crunching Calico

October
10/17/09 Salazar Sez's
10/03/09 BLMs National Wild Horse Adoption Day

September
9/27/09 Of Borders & Brands
9/21/09 Senator Feinstein: A Woman Of Her Word?
9/11/09 In The News

August
8/24/09 Culling Cloud - The Pryor Mt. Legacy
8/09/09 Killing Em With Kindness

July
7/24/09 Wielding Wildlife (And Other Stories)
7/10/09 Wild Horse Wipe Out (Ongoing)

June
6/13/09 HOPE VS CHANGE!
6/06/09 On Massacre Lakes

May
5/24/09 Rounding Rock Creek
5/16/09 Show Me The Money
5/13/09 The National Excess
5/06/09 Say It With A Smile

April
4/26/09 Nevada Helicopter Hearing - Revised
4/16/09 The Vigilantes
4/10/09 Anniversary
4/01/09 Walking With Sunshine

March
3/25/09 Mustang Meat Patties
3/20/09 Atonement

3/13/09 New & Improved
3/03/09 Breaking Through Del Rio

February
2/26/09 In Memory Of..
2/15/09 Taboo II

January
1/31/09 Taboo
1/23/09 Kick It Up A Notch
1/13/09 Allegations, Hearsay and What the F*%k?
1/08/09 Abaracadabra Addendum

2008

December
12/29/08 The Prestige
12/23/08 The Magicians
12/13/08 Nothing Up Our Sleeve
12/08/08 For Our Next Trick
12/04/08 Watch The Rabbit Disappear

November
11/30/08 A Slight of Hand
11/24/08 88 Million Acres?
11/21/08 Madeleine Pickens
11/19/08 The Dangerous Horse
11/15/08 This Is Not A Democracy
11/13/08 YOU ARE THERE!!!
11/09/08 The Advisory Board
11/02/08 In Essence

October
10/28/08 By The Victors
10/ 25/08 The New Brand
10/22/08 The Blessed Sixty-Six
10/15/08 The Gathering
10/07/08 Rigged
10/03/08 No Standing

September
9/26/08 Herber Wild Horses
9/21/08 Losing Ground
9/14/08 Last Herd Standing
9/12/08 Wild Hoofbeats - The Review
9/03/08 Game Over

August
8/27/08 Perhaps
8/22/08 Get One Free!
8/15/08 Original Intent
8/10/08 Good To Be King
8/04/08 Wishing For

July
7/27/08 Today
7/20/08 Just An Opinion
7/09/08 Americas Mustangs & Burros
7/03/08 Free For All

June
6/24/08 BLM Budgets
6/17/08 Gettin It Straight
6/09/08 Ground Hog Day
6/03/08 Mustang by Deanne Stillman

May
5/26/08 Capture Calendar
5/21/08 The Final Solution
5/18/08 What Are They Hearing?
5/13/08 What You Mean
5/06/08 At The Root

April
4/29/08 The Devil's in the Details
4/23/08 Symanski ~ 1996
4/17/08 A Real Extreme Mustang Makeover
4/10/08 Whacking Wild Horses
4/05/08 Two Plus Two Equals Five

March
3/30/08 PROVE IT!
3/26/08 Want Versus Need
3/19/08 Mirror
3/15/08 Spanish Cerbats - Just A Theory?
3/08/08 Last of the Spanish Mustangs
3/02/08 The Greatest Herd -Part II

February
2/27/08 The Greatest Herd - Part I
2/23/08 Going Gelding?
2/20/08 For Everything Else
2/16/08 The Thriving Ecological Balance
2/07/08 Every Step of the Way
2/03/08 What NBU Is Doing For You

January
1/30/08 The Natives
1/26/08 Musings
1/21/08 Pure Propaganda
1/20/08 Canyonland
1/15/08 Letter To The Hopefuls
1/09/08 The Event
1/06/08 Authorized To Destroy
1/02/08 Utah Vernal Draft RMP

2007

December
12/25/07 A Christmas Fable
12/23/07 Big Bending The Rules
12/21/07 When The Dust Finally Settled...
12/19/07 How Muddy The Mountains...
12/11/07 Orphans Of The Desert
12/08/07 Direct Reductions
12/06/07 Less Than 10%
12/04/07 Critically Endangered
12/01/07 Tribute

November
11/29/07 Stalled
11/27/07 Closing The Deal
11/25/07 Year Of The Horse II
11/21/07 Year Of The Horse - Part I
11/19/07 A Good Plan
11/17/07 "Doing Everything We Can"
11/15/07 Hero Of The Herds II
11/13/07 Hero Of The Herds!
11/10/07 NCPWH - Why It Matters
11/07/07 WHOA - The Final Blow?
11/05/07 Rattlesnake Retrospect
11/01/07 Getting Burned

October
10/31/07 Western Turf Wars
10/29/07 Willie Nelson - Preventing Horse Slaughter
10/25/07 The Top Ten
10/24/07 Sold Out
10/23/07 Let Em Know
10/20/07 Land Of The Lawless
10/18/07 What In The Wyoming?
10/15/07 The Million Dollar Question - Part II
10/14/07 The Million Dollar Question
10/11/07 Nellis-Keeping It Safe
10/10/07 Little Miss Sunshine
10/09/07 Surprise!
10/07/07 Snotty Noses
10/06/07 Be Herd!!!
10/05/07 Planning Obsolescence
10/04/07 Forage Anyone?
10/02/07 4 More Out The Door
10/01/07 No Animal Police For Them

September
9/29/07 The Aftermath
9/28/07 SOP-Standard Operating Perils
9/27/07 Drifting
9/25/07 The American Wild Horse
9/24/07 The 700 Club
9/22/07 Trashed Again
9/21/07 Ode To The Taken
9/19/07 Going, Going, Gone
9/14/07 Last Chance
9/13/07 It's A Beautiful Day In The Kudrna
9/12/07 AUM
9/09/07 The Natural Horse
9/06/07 Where Have All The Geldings Gone?
9/02/07 What Happens In Nellis, Stays In Nellis

August
8/30/07 What You Do
8/27/07 Hunting For Horses?
8/24/07 Horse Sense
8/22/07 Symbols Of...

SOUTH DAKOTA'S SHAME! S.B. 170

2008-01-28T04:21:00.000-08:00

The Animal Welfare Institute has announced that last week, the South Dakota state legislature introduced a bill to make up to $1 million dollars available to ANYONE who wishes to construct and open a horse slaughtering facility in SD.

While the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act has languished in the bowels of our federal bureaucracy for years, if anyone has any question how fast the government can move when big business tells them to jump, South Dakota shows the American people who our “public servants” are really interested in serving.

Despite only being introduced seven days ago, S.B. 170 already has a hearing scheduled in the Senate Agriculture Committee this Tuesday, 1/29/08 at 10:00 am.

Though built in South Dakota, a horse slaughter plant in any state will profoundly affect American horses everywhere and we have the right to speak out against this shameful and disgraceful move by those who only measure life by the pound!

!!CALL TO ACTION!!
Here’s what you can do to speak up for those who can’t!

The following information was copied from AWI’s Action Alert about what you can do. To view their press release in full, go to: http://www.awionline.org/legislation/eAlerts/2008/012708.htm

1. Please call all members of the South Dakota Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee to let them know that you oppose S.B. 170. If you live in South Dakota, tell them. However, you needn't be from South Dakota to call - passage of S.B. 170 will affect horses and people from across the United States. They can be reached at their Capitol offices by calling the operator at 605-773-3821.

Senator Jay Duenwald
Chair Senator Cooper Garnos (cosponsor)
Senator Tom Hansen,
Vice Chair Senator Gary Hanson (cosponsor)
Senator Frank Kloucek (cosponsor)
Senator Jim Lintz
Senator Kenneth McNenny
Senator Jim Peterson
Senator Dan Sutton (cosponsor)

2. Call your United States Senators and Representative and urge them to cosponsor and support speedy passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (S. 311/H.R. 503). The federal bill, which has enormous and growing Congressional and public support, will prohibit the slaughter of horses in the United States for human consumption, as well as their export for the same purpose. Its passage will nullify S.B. 170 or any similar legislation. You can reach your legislators by calling the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.

Talking Points

In addition to your own feelings on horse slaughter, here are some points to raise in your calls:

Americans overwhelmingly oppose horse slaughter and this has resulted in the closure of the remaining foreign-owned domestic plants. South Dakota would be out of step with public sentiment if the state legislature passes S.B. 170 into law and this will reflect unfavorably on the state.

The overwhelming majority of horses they would slaughter come from other states, including stolen horses and horses sold under false pretenses.

Given that the federal American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act is anticipated to move in 2008, the loan made available via S.B. 170 would be fool hardy. The state risks pumping scarce taxpayer dollars into an industry that is likely to be shut down under federal law.

The FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill (which funds the federal government) currently before Congress includes a provision that prohibits the use of federal tax dollars for the inspection of horses going to slaughter ? without which the animals cannot legally be slaughtered. It is anticipated that like measures will be included in future spending bills, too. South Dakota could find itself with a slaughterhouse that cannot operate due to federal funding restrictions.

The REDI fund, through which the loan would be made, is designed to promote job growth in South Dakota. The fact is that a horse slaughter plant would employ only a handful of low-paid, unskilled workers who are more likely to be a drain on the economy than a bonus.

The establishment of a plant in South Dakota would have a negative environmental and economic impact on the hosting jurisdiction. Disposal of blood, tissue and other waste associated with operating a plant would likely stress pre-existing sewer systems and could even require significant public expenditure to fortify the infrastructure.

American Herds offers these other suggestions to help protect American horses from this cruel and inhumane fate!

Introduced on 1/22/08 with the hearing scheduled just 7 days later, you can read S.B. 170 for yourself at the following link- http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2008/170.htm

Help make the people of South Dakota aware of what their representatives are planning to pull right under their noses by contacting as many media sources before Tuesday as you can.

Here are some quick links. You can write one letter and send it to all of them to let your voice be herd!

South Dakota Newspaper Association http://www.sdnamember.com/directory.php

Here’s a list of TV News Email addresses too!

ksfy@ksfy.com (ABC affiliate)

news@kdlt.com (NBC affiliate)
j_wahle@kdlt.com

news@newscenter1.com (KNBN news team)
mdupre@newscenter1.com
jnelson@newscenter1.com
nsabbatino@newscenter1.com
ksulhoff@newscenter1.com
jwickersham@newscenter1.com

KEVN FOX news has an online form for contacting them -

http://www.kevn.com/ContactUs.aspx

HELP THE BRUMBIES

2008-01-26T23:13:00.000-08:00

Sponsored by Save the Brumbies, Click Here to Have "Your Say" and register your comments with Australian officials about their treatment of Australia's wild horses!

Sponsored by Save the Brumbies, Click Here to sign this Online Petition to denounce the treatment of Australia's wild horses and donkey's and let your voice by herd!

BACK TO ABOUT BRUMBIES

AUSTRALIAN WILD HORSE ORGANIZATIONS

2008-01-26T22:40:00.000-08:00

Save The Brumbies

Brumby Watch Australia

Snowy Mountain Bush Users Group, Inc.

Donkey Shelter, Inc.

Horse Web Site Links

BACK TO ABOUT BRUMBIES

- BRUMBY LITERATURE -

2008-01-26T21:37:00.000-08:00

ARTICLES
Click Titles to Link to Articles & Books

1.26.08 Musings - American Herds

1.16.08 Kill All Wild Horses In Australian National Park: Environmentalists

1.14.08 Group To Fight Kosciuszko Brumby Cull

12.13.07 Brumbies Must Go From Kosciuszko Says Green Group

12.06.07 Parks Service ‘Ignoring’ Snowy Mountain Brumby Submissions

11.17.07 Massacre At Murder Spring: The Shocking Cull of Wild Horses in the Aussie Outback

11.14.07 Thousands of Australia’s Wild Horses Shot To Death

11.11.07 Uproar In Australia Over Wild Horse Cull

11.10.07 Queensland to Slaughter 10,000 Wild Horses

11.10.07 Over 10,000 Horses Slaughtered

10.31.00 Australia Culls 600 Wild Horses in Scorched Park

RELATED LITERATURE

Standard Operating Procedure – Ground Shooting of Feral Horses

THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON'T THEY? by Jane Duckwater

Any queries?
Write or phone Jane Duckworth at (03) 9457 6273
Email Jane Duckworth at janeduck@iprimus.com.au

“MANAGING VERTEBRATE PESTS - FERAL HORSES”
by WR Dobbie, DMcK. Berman and ML Braysher

BACK TO ABOUT BRUMBIES

- BRUMBY VIDEOS -

2008-01-26T21:10:00.001-08:00

-Videos of Australian Wild Horses & Donkeys-

Australia's Wild Horses!

Save The Brumbies

Desert Brumbies

!Warning - Graphic Videos!

The Destiny of Feral Donkey's

Peter Donkey Trip

BACK TO ABOUT BRUMBIES

ABOUT BRUMBIES

2008-01-26T20:44:00.000-08:00

-CLICK HERE FOR PHOTO GALLERY- BRUMBY CULLS
!WARNING! GRAPHIC PICTURES
MATURE VIEWERS ONLY

-CLICK HERE FOR BRUMBY FACT SHEET-

-CLICK HERE FOR VIDEOS-

-CLICK HERE FOR RELATED LITERATURE-

-CLICK HERE FOR BRUMBY ORGANIZATIONS-

-CLICK HERE TO TAKE ACTION-

Australian Wild Horses or "brumbies" in the bush.

PHOTO GALLERY - BRUMBY CULLS

2008-01-26T15:36:00.000-08:00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

!WARNING!

The following photos are very graphic.

For Mature Viewers Only!

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BACK TO ABOUT BRUMBIES

The Candidates Package

2008-01-15T21:31:00.000-08:00

Here is an easy package to put together to present to the Presidential Candidates to encourage them to confront the current wild horse and burro issues and their wipe out.

You can print them directly from these links or for cleaner version or to add your address and signature, just copy and paste them into your own Word documents and print.

In some cases, transferring to Word failed to space things correctly so make sure you review your copy to ensure it's format came through. You can also highlight the entire document and click the "justify" formatting button located on the top of your tool bar to provide a clean, even presentation of your documents. (The "justify" button is one of four buttons that only show lines. It is the last one to the right and is the only one that shows all lines being even)

Letter to the Hopefuls - Printable Version - Click Here

Question to the Candidates - Printable Version - Click Here

"Talking Points - Wild Horses" Printable Version - Click Here

From American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign

Wild Horse & Burro Fact Sheet - Printable Version - Click Here

Compiled by American Herds

2008-01-11T13:05:00.000-08:00

PETITIONS

To Preserve Wild Horses & Burros

American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign

No To Cattle In Wild Horse & Burro Country