In an effort to improve deteriorating range conditions and manage the Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Herd, the Bureau of Land Management has proposed a summer roundup to remove up to 38 horses from the range starting as early as July.


A letter released by the BLM Monday proposes to remove wild horses from the PMWHR and adjacent national forest lands in the summer of 2008. The action is in coordination with the BLM and the Custer National Forest.


According to the plan and preliminary environmental assessment, the proposed action would consist of capturing numerous family groups and selectively removing primarily young animals from the 2006 and 2007 foal crops. If horses of this age cannot be captured in sufficient numbers to meet the objective, older horses would then be captured. Of the animals removed, the sex ratio would be approximately 60 percent females and 40 percent males in order to balance the sex ratio for the entire herd. Harem stallions or core breeding-age mares (six to ten years old) would not be removed from the herd. The post-gather population of approximately 130 wild horses would still be above Appropriate Management Level (AML).


The roundup operates under the 1984 Herd Management Area Plan, which was last updated in 1992. The BLM is currently attempting to put a new HMAP into action, but this summer roundup would operate under the 1984/1992 HMAP.


Genetic samples would be taken during the roundup as part of the continued monitoring of herd health and to track genetic variation.


    In the proposed action, multiple capture sites (traps) would be used to capture the wild horses. The trapping would consist of portable pens set up either at or near water sources. Hay would be used to attract horses to the area. Once a band of horses or individual horses were in the trap, BLM personnel would close the gate. Animals identified for removal would be sorted at the trap site and transported to Britton Springs, Mont. If the animals could not be sorted at the trap, the entire band would be transported to Britton Springs. Any animals not identified for removal would be released back onto the range.


    The document states that the BLM also considered, but decided against using other alternatives for population control. One such alternative was using fertility control on all ages of wild mares to suppress herd growth rates. Another considered action was using helicopters to gather and capture the entire herd population and then selectively remove about 70 horses, reducing the size of the herd to about 100 adult horses. This alternative was eliminated because of budget constraints.


    The proposed roundup would take place on and off through July, August and September of 2008, for approximately three to six weeks. According to the BLM, the action should prevent deterioration of the range and help maintain a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationships with other users on the range for one season.


    A copy of the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range 2008 Gather Plan and Preliminary Environmental Assessment (EA) is available at the Billings Field Office Website at http://www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/fo/billings_field_office/wildhorses/pryorherd.html for a 30- day public notification period. A hard copy can be provided upon request.


    If any member of the interested public would like to provide any information, data, or analysis, comments must be submitted to: Jim Sparks, Field Manager, BLM Billings Field Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, Montana 59101, phone (406) 896-5013, fax (406) 896-5281, e-mail: MT_WildHorse@blm.gov. Comments will be accepted as written, hand delivered, electronic or oral. Office business hours for those submitting hand-delivered or oral comments are: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Any personal information submitted with comments may be published by the BLM.


The comment period for the EA is open for 30 days and the deadline is July 25.