Roundup Report: Stinkingwater HMA, August 2021

(August 2, 2021) The Stinkingwater Herd Management Area (HMA) consists of 71,893 acres of public lands in Oregon. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) notes that during an aerial June 21, 2021 direct count survey, 449 horses were documented within and adjacent to the HMA. However, the BLM’s unscientifically low Appropriate Management Level (AML) for the HMA – the number of horses the agency claims that the “range can sustainably support in conjunction with other animals and resource uses” – is just 40 to 80 animals. 

Thus, this August will see approximately 390 wild horses permanently removed from their home on your public lands; all in an effort to reach AML.

At the same time, the BLM authorizes 609 cow/calf pairs (or 7,308 Animal Unit Months (AUMs)) to graze in the HMA. It is time for the BLM to manage wild horse habitat for the wild horses. For example, with just a 35% reallocation of livestock AUMs to wild horses, the AML would rise from a max of 80 to 293 individuals!

Report

Total Horses Removed: 401

Total Deaths: 3

August 21, 2021: 

Today seven horses were removed in the Stinkingwater roundup. There were no deaths and the horses removed have BCS scores of 4-5. 

August 20, 2021:

30 horses were stampeded into the trap today. There was one 12-year-old dun stallion who was euthanized with a "pre-existing condition of blindness/eye abnormality." The horses removed have BCS scores of 4-5. 

August 19, 2021:

Today 29 wild horses were rounded up and permanently removed from the Stinkingwater HMA. The horses coming into the trap were at a healthy BCS of 4-5. The operation ended early due to windy conditions. 

August 18, 2021: 

41 horses were removed in the Stinkingwater roundup. The horses coming into the trap were at a healthy BCS of 4-5. The operation ended early due to windy conditions. 

August 17, 2021

Today, 56 wild horses were captured from their homes. The horses coming into the trap were scoring a healthy weight of 4-5s on the Henneke Body Score chart. The operation ended early due to windy conditions. 

August 16, 2021

Today was the second day of the Stinkingwater roundup and 76 horses lost their freedom. According to the BLM, one yearling was euthanized due to a pre-existing condition of "physical defect of severe chronic skin lesions covering over half of the body, indicative of autoimmune disease" with a poor prognosis for recovery.

The horses in the trap were at a healthy BCS of 4-5 and the weather was sunny with smoke cover aloft. There were two members of the public in attendance today, 

August 15, 2021

The roundup of the Stinkingwater wild horses began today. On the first day of the operation, 162 wild horses were stampeded into the trap, forever losing their freedom. According to the BLM, one colt (male baby horse) was euthanized due to a pre-existing condition of “blindness/eye abnormality.” The horses removed came into the trap with a healthy weight, scoring 4s and 5s on the Henneke Body Score Chart.

There were three public observers in attendance and the weather was sunny with smoke cover aloft.