The BLM is planning yet another assault on America’s wild horses — this time the agency is proposing to roundup wild horses in northwest Colorado within the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area (HMA) overseen by the White River Field Office, which also is responsible for 156 grazing allotments. 

Friends of Animals is asking supporters to send in comments to the BLM telling the agency to stop treating ranchers as clients and to leave America’s wild horses alone. Comments are due by May 5. 

The BLM plans to terrorize wild horses with a helicopter as well as water and bait trapping. The roundups could begin as early as September 2015. 

Up to 167 wild horses could be rounded up from the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area. The BLM claims the HMA currently has an estimated 377 wild horses, and that the appropriate management level for that area is between 135 and 235 wild horses. The adjacent West Douglas Herd Area is not managed for wild horses but the BLM claims an estimated population of 365 wild horses. Gathers could occur in either area. Back in 2010, a genetic analysis done by Texas A&M University stated that current variability levels are low enough that the West Douglas herd should be monitored for possible inbreeding effects such as reduced fertility and deformities. 

In your comments, tell the BLM it should be removing cattle from the Piceance Creek and East Douglas Creek grazing allotments instead of scapegoating wild horses for impacting plant and animal species on the range.

According to the BLM’s own Range Administration System, 1,110 cattle are allowed to graze in the Piceance Creek allotment and 1,455 cattle are allowed to graze in the East Douglas Creek allotment, yet the wild horses are being blamed for range degradation.

The BLM planning documents evaluating the proposed gather operations are available at the White River Field Office at 220 E Market St. and online at: www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/wrfo.html. Public comments regarding proposed gather plans will be most helpful to the BLM if received by May 5, 2015. Written comments can be mailed to the White River Field Office, 220 E. Market Street, Meeker, CO 81641 or submitted via email to mkindall@blm.gov. General questions can be directed to Melissa Kindall at 970-878-3842. 

Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address or any other personal identifying information in your comment, be aware that your entire comment, including personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time. While individuals may request the BLM to withhold personal identifying information from public view, the BLM cannot guarantee it will be able to do so.