WINNEMUCCA – The Bureau of Land Management, Humboldt Field Office this week wrapped up its wild horse and burro gather on the Shawave Mountains Herd Management Area (HMA).
Conducted by helicopter, the gather rounded up 1,653 animals, of which 1,596 wild horses and 220 burros were removed from the HMA, which is located about 20 miles southeast of Lovelock. Officials estimate about 466 wild horses remain in the HMA.
The BLM said that 44 mares that were included in the gather were treated with the fertility control vaccine Gona-Con and will be released back onto the range on Sept. 5. Gona-Con is a temporary fertility-control vaccine that can prevent pregnancy in wild horses for 1-2 years.
The BLM conducts wild horse and burro gathers throughout Nevada to reduce the environmental impacts of large herds on public lands and to support herd health, especially when food and water are scarce.
“The gather was critical to ensuring the health of public lands within the complex as well as the wild horses in the area, both of which are at risk due to herd overpopulation and severe drought conditions,” said Ester McCullough, Winnemucca District Manager.
Wild horses removed from the range during the gather will be readied for the BLM’s wild horse and burro adoption and sale program. The wild horses were transported to the BLM’s Indian Lakes Off-Range Wild Horse and Burro Corrals located in Fallon and the Burros were transported to the Axtell Contract Off Range Corrals in Axtell, Utah.
To view the release of the mares, RSVP to hohanlon@blm.gov for the meeting location and time.
Additional gather information is available on the BLM website at https://go.usa.gov/xfRfE.
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