Horse News

BLM Puts Slanted Media Spin on Destroying West Douglas Wild Horse Herd

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By Matthew Berger of the Daily Sentinel

Calculated Response for the BLM to Manipulate Public Opinion and Circumvent the Federal Court

“The Leadership of SFTHH and Wild Horse Freedom Federation are at extreme odds with the distorted perspective of this rogue federal agency”

A West Douglas Family Band ~ photo by Toni Moore

Even wild horses will require extraordinary measures to make it through this year’s drought, it appears.

The Bureau of Land Management is taking the exceptional step of trucking tanks of water to a herd of wild horses, an effort the agency says is necessitated by the area’s springs having dried up, though some advocates continue to question their actions.

Last week, these emergency efforts to provide water went a step further as BLM officials doubled the amount of water being delivered to the bands of horses in the West Douglas Herd Area, a hilly region south of Rangely that is not officially managed for wild horses but which has been home to the herd for decades.

Earlier this month, the springs supplying water to two of the bands of horses within that herd dried up, the BLM says. According to horse experts with the agency, bands of horses there are fairly territorial about their water sources and are unlikely to try to compete with other bands for the use of springs that might still be running.

“It becomes ingrained in these horses that they just have their water,” said Jerome Fox, wild horse specialist with the BLM’s Grand Junction office. “They’ll share resources when there’s plenty, but when there gets to be a shortage, it’s survival of the fittest.”

To get these two waterless bands through the dry summer, then, the agency trucked a 500-gallon tank of water above where the bands congregate on the side of Texas Mountain. The tank empties into a trough, from which water is delivered down to the site of the now-dry springs via pipe.

That 500-gallon tank has had to be replaced about every day and has only been enough to provide water to one of the bands lacking it, BLM officials said. That band consists of about 10 to 20 horses.

ADDITIONAL TANK

Last week, several officials dragged up an additional tank, doubling the amount of water flowing to the horses.

The extra water was delivered via a rubber pipe to the other band of about 20 to 30 horses, which are in a lower part of the area from the first band.

“We were hoping that (tank) would get to the upper and lower bands, but the lower ones just aren’t utilizing it,” Fox said. Still, he said, “they’re staying in relatively good shape, so we’re trying to determine whether they’re sneaking up when the other horses aren’t around. I hope they are.”

Fox said that without this supplemental water, it is believed that within two or three days the horses would be too weak to be able to seek water.

Lauren Wachs, associate director of the Cloud Foundation, which advocates on behalf of wild horses, said she had been out to the West Douglas region two weeks ago and saw seeps and springs that were providing adequate water for the horses.

Fox said he had spoken to Wachs by phone last week but that she said the foundation had decided not to share the GPS coordinates of the springs because of an ongoing court case over the West Douglas horses.

Wachs confirmed that, but said the BLM already knew the location of the springs because they had marked them. When pressed for their locations, she mentioned Wild Rose Spring, which is on the other side of Texas Mountain from the two bands in question.

“Horses (that are) not members of the affected band are already using the Wild Rose Spring,” BLM spokesman Chris Joyner said. “Simply moving off to another water point is not an option for the affected horses … Please remember these are wild animals competing for limited resources.”

“We have and will continue to monitor all water points throughout the herd area,” he added.

In the eyes of the Cloud Foundation, the BLM action is inspired more by a desire to remove the horses than from drought-inspired necessity.

The BLM has been attempting to get permission to round up some of the horses from the West Douglas area, as they see it as lacking adequate summer range and generally unsustainable for supporting horses over the long run.

That action, however, which would involve rounding up some of the horses before putting them up for adoption and moving them to long-term holding pastures, has been held up in court.

“Hauling the water is really a precursor to doing a round-up,” as habituating them to the water source is a step toward that action, Wachs said.

The BLM says it is evaluating the possibility of a roundup but that, for now, it is trying to avoid that through providing the water to get the horses through the drought.

“We will keep bringing water as long as necessary,” Fox said.

He also pointed out the small amount of grass in the area and that, if needed, they would haul hay up to the herd area.

CLOSE MONITORING

Elsewhere, the BLM has turned on an additional well in the Sand Wash Herd Management Area west of Craig and is closely monitoring the Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range behind Mount Garfield.

Marty Felix, of Friends of the Mustangs, which works with the BLM to monitor the Little Book Cliffs horses, said there is “always water in the canyons” beyond the Bookcliffs.

“The horses are smart enough to know to get down there,” she said.

The last time water tanks were taken up to the horses there was in 1977, she said, though there are troughs that collect water from springs there for the horses.

Felix said they were “prepared to haul water” but that they were more concerned about the food available to the Book Cliffs horses, though she noted that there is grass available in other places there.

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28 replies »

  1. Every Monster has its Achilles heel , the BLM is no Different , we must find theirs , and we must find it ASAP>>>>>>>>>>>>…..

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  4. “Limited Resources”? Are other multiple use projects being curtailed in the area?

    Don’t forget the “Drought Management” plan. This is the current strategy for removing America’s Wild Horses and Burros from their LEGAL Herd Management Areas:
    http://ppjg.me/2012/05/16/public-comment-on-battle-mountain-district-drought-management-plan/
    Public Comment on Battle Mountain District Drought Management Plan
    Does the BLM consider CUMULATIVE effects of all of the uses of water? Quickly adding up just the few uses above, just these few mines use about 18,000 gallons of water per minute (and possibly over 50,000 gallons of water per minute with dewatering). But the BLM frets over the 15 gallons of water a day that a wild horse drinks and claims wild horses are “degrading the range?”

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    • BLM S DISTORTED lies and greedy CLAIMS AND VIEWS no longer matter, What matters is what is being done to stop them !!!!!!!

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  6. Unreal!!!! Too bad the media isn’t up there showing what is going on!! The American people have
    had the wool pulled over their eyes so long that they are blind!! But who can think about wild horses and their off spring when they can’t even feed themselves! Thanks Dubja Boy…this
    country is spiriling faster than it can catch up…Hmmmm could this have been the plan for all our
    equine friends both domestic and wild?

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  7. From FORBES
    FORBES
    Vickery Eckhoff, Contributor
    http://www.forbes.com/sites/vickeryeckhoff/2012/02/28/contraceptives-for-wild-horses-are-just-what-the-government-ordered/4/
    Stacking the Deck?
    Ranchers appear to have a lock on public lands right now (and on the wild horses’ and burros’ futures), but energy and mining companies will be giving them a run for their money in the next five to ten years.
    That’s because there’s more than grass in them thar hills. There’s gold and silver, copper, uranium and molybdenum along with natural gas and large aquifers of water that make large mining operations and energy projects—including massive fracking, geothermal and other “green” initiatives—a more profitable venture than raising beef cattle.
    Think of what happens when the land on which the horses and cattle graze, and the water that they drink, is wanted for development.
    Consider the Calico Complex in northeast Nevava, the site of one of the most violent gathers in 2010, when 1,900 horses were removed from public lands. This was followed by a second gather in 2011 removing 1,100 more horses. 796 horses and 41 burros were estimated to be left there, but only 242 were actually seen as they were gathered and released, some treated with fertility control drugs. These 242 horses will roam an area of 583,000 acres. The cost for the round up: approximately $2.16 million. What might the incentive be for freely spending taxpayer monies to so drastically reduce the herd?
    How about the Ruby Pipeline: 675 miles of 42-inch pipe for carrying natural gas from Wyoming through Utah, Nevada, California and Oregon? A $3 billion, British Petroleum project, the Ruby Pipeline cuts straight through the Calico Range according to documents found between BLM and the contractor, El Paso Natural Gas. Just don’t expect the horses’ sacrifice to bring energy relief to millions of Americans. That gas is headed overseas and it’s just one instance, among many, in which public lands set aside for horses and burros are being co-opted by private enterprise.

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  8. In order to win, we have to stop the individual who is responsible for these unnecessary wild horse stampedes and killing! The cruel being is SOI Salazar, the king of cattle ranchin’ and other interests for PROFIT! Need to find out who is filling his pockets! As far as the wild horses are concerned, there aren’t many left on the range these days, BLM can haul in water and hay for them. If grazing and water become scarce, remove the domestic livestock from the public lands! Problem solved! BLM manages 245 million acres, 14 million domestic livestock, but they cannot manage few thousand wild horses? Give me a break!

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  9. In 1971 when the FRWHBA was signed into law, the wild horses were grazing on 54 million acres, today there are on or about 34 million acres, which is more then enough for less then 30,000 wild horses. However, of we take 54 million acres and divide by 10 states where the horses currently roam, there would 5.4 million acres in each state. Since there are approximately 270 million acres of public land that belongs to the people entrusted to the government to manage, then we the people need to demand that the government reserves 54 million acres in 10 states as a wild horse preservation and sanctuary. Other wild life are welcome, no hunting, no cattle ranching, mining, drilling, fracking or any other abuse by humans of public lands be allowed!

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  10. I see Jerome Fox is in CO now. He was at Winnemucca and signed off on the Calico horses in 2009. He is a weed specialist from Idaho. Plants tell you where water is as much as geology can. He must not be looking for water. Andstating the horses will be too weak in only a few days? When that happened last, ay Owyhee, it was because a gate was shut to keep the migrating horses from going to Spring pasture. There is still coverup of nearly 100 deaths all caused by the contractor attempting to hold horses in a nearly waterless place too long. There had been plenty of water. Craig Downer and I saw plenty only 3 weeks before. Jerome is a fall guy. He should know better.

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    • SWH, Exactly what??? Believe what you will. Never be afraid to investigate those you support. You may be surprised what you learn! I used to believe the same thing, I no longer believe anything from that camp. I have my reasons and there is no jealousy involved as we are always accused of. There is a lack of transparency and truth and reality on their part. Truth will out. This is my opinion from my experiences.

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    • We all can find out the truth when we work on it. The source of the truth is not that lawsuit, I certainly hope you don’t think that. The truth most often comes from the very good researchers who have provided information to many. The truth is not elusive but facts are. I prefer to trust where people do not place themselves at the fore front for the purposes of control and personal aggrandizement and to earn a living off the the wild ones. Again, this is my experience and viewpoint. No need to say more.

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    • No one is “earning a living” off the wild one except BLM and their contractors. I do know however that many people work their tails off day and night to help the wild horses!!!

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    • SHOW ME THE MONEY! Tell the truth. Be transparent. If the means to the end is illegal then the end is invalid. How can folks believe all the BS and slander and hate coming from your founder. Secrecy should not be tolerated. One person holding all the money? She does make her living off the advocates and wild horses. How else does she exist. She has no job! Every penny should be accounted for and each gift and there have been many. I know.

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  11. There are many who fight for the wild horses, each in their own way, they are have my respect and gratitude, We all are strong as a unified force, but when those among us choose to tear another down it makes us all not only look foolish, but it weakens the entire advocacy.
    The first amendment suit is a huge win for all of us and it is not over, it is still active, we do not yet know what the full outcome will be. If we have our way it will full and total access to all horses and data surrounding them, where ever they are! Some are under informed or simply do not understand how the court wins that appear small, are huge, as they set case law that all of us can use into the future to build the wall, brick by brick.
    I applaud those bringing these cases and fighting for the wild horses, each and everyone of you!

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    • The truth deserves to be heard. You represent a cover up you appear to not even be aware of!
      You don’t want people to know the truth about a scam artist who to me has no right to bring her arrogance to the supreme court. This is deadly serious with the horses losing and the advocates betrayed. You do not know what is going on. We want a clean campaign. You don’t have that!

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  12. So don’t throw the wild horses and burros in my face, Leslie, as if I have not worked double time for over 3 years and really sacrificed. All my friends and associates have done this also. With integrity and without defaming anyone!

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  15. Amen, enough with the junior high melodrama. There seems to only be one person doing any bashing and I really don’t care to read more about your issues.

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  16. Many Wars were WON with the Divide and Conquer technique! Please dont waste what little time Our Mustangs have !!!!!! We have horses to save here !!!!!! The BLM is just lovin this,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

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