Wyoming’s Ruinous Roundup: Antelope Hills Wild Horse Herd Will Never Be the Same
October 31, 2020
The Bureau of Land Management Does Not Allow the Public to See Wild Horses Being Driven into Traps with Helicopters
November 4, 2020Only a Tiny Amount of Wild Horses Will Remain in Antelope Hills Herd Management Area in Wyoming
I am at the viewing site for the Red Desert roundup – it will be the last day for this area in Antelope Hills. It is a balmy 31 degrees this morning. Yesterday they captured 107 wild horses and I thought they were done here. They only plan to leave 60 horses in this HMA of 159,000 acres. They will release 25 horses.
I saw a colorful family run on top of the hill near the trap. They came down followed by a group of four black horses who waited on the hill while the helicopter went after a big group of about 12 pintos buckskins, grullas and bays who looked so tired – moving slowly, I am not sure how far they had been pushed. It took a while for the helicopter to get the four blacks to meet up with the big group and get pushed in. They are using only one trap for this area which is absolutely huge.
Next I saw about another 50 wild horses being driven in. There have been a few groups of 10-12 and some small groups. There was one stallion bringing up the rear of a larger group, a proud and stunning grulla stallion who balked at being driven in and took off, avoiding the helicopter’s efforts to drive him to the trap. He is still running!!! Then we just saw a group of bays and browns come in the stallion bringing up the rear, he dodged the helicopter who drove his family in then chased him up the hill, then peeled off and he went all on his own toward the trap – looking for his family. But he was on the wrong side of the jute. And finally he gave up and went up a hill, but looked longingly back toward the trap that took his family from him. He finally disappeared from view.
The next morning at the meeting point for the Red Desert Complex Roundup I was waiting to go out and see stallions get released back into Antelope Hills. They will be releasing 25 total mares and stallions, but today it is just stallions being released. Yesterday they captured 76 wild horses.
Yes of course it is wonderful seeing the horses that are freed run away back into their homes. The wild horses in this area are simply stunningly beautiful. And we get to actually see them rather than the little dots we see one mile away at the observation point. But they have lost their families. They have lost their communities. Yes the stallions and mares once they are also released will get together and form new families. But it is not the same. I have seen stallions and mares that have been together for over 10 years, mares and sisters and daughters with very strong bonds.
They are giving all the mares that areP-22 birth control, so they might have a foal this coming spring but not after that. They are leaving only 60 wild horses in this area, well below the number needed to ensure genetic viability – that minimum number is 150 breeding aged adults. Birth control should not be used in herds this small. It is a recipe for extinction. Leaving 1 horse per 2650 acres is not right.
As we were headed back to town after the 14 stallions were released we saw the grulla and the bay stallion who had escaped yesterday – they had found each other. I was happy to see this.
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7 Comments
Roundups it’s a shame for your country, I hope hélicoptèrs pilots will be shoot and crashed!
[…] Documented by Carol Walker and first published on Wild Hoofbeats […]
I’m so sorry for our wild horses and ashamed of our BLM snd what they are doing with OUR public lands! It’s horrible!!!
This is so wrong and so heartbreaking!!! This country would not be what it is today without these beautiful horses that helped us settle this country! Is this how we repay them??? By ripping them from their families and their homes??? These are vast lands! There is room for all! The BLM is doing a very poor job managing this area. Again, this is totally wrong and heartbreaking.
This is so sad. I understand if they limit the horses if there are too many for the land and they die of starving, like in Australia, but this has political reasons and it’s only about Money. Let’s hope, that this politics of unlimited greed will end today…
I just don’t understand the Human Society in these states & holding areas. Why isn’t this organization & people with notoriety Hollywood, money plus news stories that would give their names known for a saving grace helping Mustang laws & our wild horses. We need well known movie Stars plus people who can use their influence & money to stop the removal of the Mustangs in America. Stop the slaughter & money lining pockets of the kill buyers & BLM programs. The Mustang Story is so sad with the lack of empathy for these horses. Who ever is running this pathetic program will go to hell. Question? Is there under the counter exchange of Monies that BLM employees or Who is benefiting. This program is morally wrong!!????????
I think about the Red Desert wild horses every day. They have been subject of the most disgraceful plot full of lies and blame casting and such ruthless violence. What has happened to them is truly evil!