MEEKER, Colo. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) White River Field Office signed a decision to gather and remove excess wild horses from the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area in northwestern Colorado.
“The BLM is committed to sustaining an ecological balance in the Piceance-East Douglas HMA," said White River Field Manager Kent Walter. “Our goal is to have healthy horses on healthy rangelands."
The appropriate management level in the HMA is 135-235 horses. Current estimates place the herd population at 838 wild horses. As part of the decision, helicopter and/or bait trapping methods may be used for gather operations. Fertility treatments will be used to curb annual herd population growth.
The decision and its associated documents are available online at https://go.usa.gov/x7fcQ. Appeals to the decision will be accepted over the next 30 days and must be submitted in writing to: Field Manager, BLM White River Field Office, 220 East Market St., Meeker, CO 81641.
For information about the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program, visit https://www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro.
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Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
