HINES, Ore. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to gather wild horses within and immediately next to the Palomino Buttes and Stinkingwater herd management areas in southeast Oregon mid-August.
These gathers are necessary because the populations of horses in these areas are significantly larger than what the land can sustainably support. The public is welcome to observe. “These gathers are a critical part of our effort to support animal welfare on the range," said Jeff Rose, BLM Burns District Manager. The gathers will also reduce degradation of public lands by the over-sized herds."
At the Palomino Buttes Herd Management Area (HMA), crews will gather approximately 225 horses. Around 25 mares will be treated with fertility control and returned to the range. The Palomino Buttes HMA can sustainably support 32 to 64 horses, while allowing for other animals and resource uses. The BLM currently estimates there are 254 horses in the area. The Palomino Buttes HMA is about 15 miles southwest of Burns on the south side of Hwy 20/395. The tentative dates for the gather are August 14 to 16.
At the Stinkingwater HMA, crews will gather approximately 83 horses. About 20 mares will be treated with fertility control and returned to the range. The Stinkingwater HMA can sustainably support 40 to 80 horses, while allowing for other animals and resource uses. The BLM currently estimates that there are 103 horses in the area. The Stinkingwater HMA is about 30 miles east of Burns. Access to the west side of the herd area is by way of the Stinkingwater access road. The tentative dates for the gather are August 17 to 20.
Animals gathered from the range will be transported to Oregon’s Wild Horse Corral Facility in Hines. Horses not selected for return to the range will be prepared for adoption or sale into private care.
The gathers’ exact start and end dates are still being finalized and details about the viewing opportunities are available at https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro/herd-management/gathers-and-removals/oregon-washington. The supporting National Environmental Policy Act documents for each gather are also available at this same website.
For more information, contact Tara Thissell at tthissell@blm.gov or 541-573 -4519.
Source: Bureau of Land Management