Range withdrawal extension subject of public meeting

The Lovell Community Center will be the site of a public meeting to discuss a proposed withdrawal extension for land in Big Horn County that is part of the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range.

Hosted by the Bureau of Land Management Billings Field Office, the meeting is scheduled for
4 p.m. today (February 29)
at the community center just west of Lovell.

According to the BLM, the withdrawal extension applies to 1,960 acres of public land in Big Horn County, Wyoming. The legal location is identified in the Federal Register notice published January 17, 2024. A 90-day public comment period ends April 16.

According to BLM Realty Specialist Marzha Fritzler, the purpose of the existing withdrawal is to protect the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range. It will expire on March 7, 2025, if not extended.

The proposed withdrawal extension, if granted, would extend the current withdrawal, without any changes, for an additional 20 years. The lands would continue to be “withdrawn from settlement, sale, location or entry under the general land laws, location and entry under United States mining laws, subject to valid existing rights,” Fritzler said.

According to an FAQ to be presented at Thursday’s meeting, a withdrawal “serves to withhold (close) an area of federal land from settlement, sale, location or entry under some, or all, of the general land laws, including the United Sates mining laws, for the purpose of limiting activities under those laws in order to maintain certain public values in the area or reserving the area for a particular purpose or program.”

The purpose of the requested withdrawal, the FAQ continues, is to “protect wild horse and wildlife habitat, as well as watershed, recreation, cultural and scenic values” within the horse range. The withdrawal is a distinct and separate action from the Wild Horse Herd Management Plan being drafted by the Billings Field Office, the FAQ notes.

The purpose of the public meeting is to provide information and answer questions about the proposed withdrawal extension.

The FAQ adds that the final decision on the withdrawal extension will neither increase nor decrease the size of the current withdrawal. A withdrawal extension can only act to extend the term of the original.

Neither the current withdrawal nor the proposed extension has any effect on privately owned land or minerals, and no other management activities like recreation, grazing, special uses and timber would be affected by the
proposed withdrawal extension, the BLM said.

For those unable to attend the meeting, written comments may be submitted to BLM, Billings Field Office Manager, Attn: Pryor Mountain Proposed Withdrawal Extension, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, MT 59101.

For more information, call Fritzler at 406-896-5244, or reach out via email at mfritzler@blm.gov.

Local reaction

Nancy Cerroni, Director of Operations for the Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center, said the proposed withdrawal extension is essentially a formality.

“What this action will do is continue to allow that portion of the land to be part of the wild horse range,” she said, and quoting a BLM official, Lisa Scheirer, she added, “Withdrawals are only valid for 20 years, so we need to essentially update our paperwork. The extension will ensure that this portion of the wild horse range remains protected and nothing will change from the current status.”

 She continued, “No one will object. It’s a formality, I think.”

“With this portion of land, on a year-round basis, not a lot of horses use it, but it’s really important winter habitat,” Cerroni said. “Like right now, you see more and more horses down there. It’s tough. It is a tough desert land down there, but it’s got water sources, and it has adequate feed for them. They seem to find it. They look great right now. That’s where I spend a lot of time in the winter.”

Though the extension is a formality, Cerroni said it is important for the Lovell community to show support for the horse range and the wild mustangs in the process.

Herd condition

Cerroni said the year 2023 into the winter of ’23-24 was tough on the herd, with 21 horses dying during the year.

“That’s a large number,” she said. “Typically, it’s maybe six to eight.”

Causes of death include age, foals exposed to the elements, young mothers not able to provide enough nourishment and mountain lion predation.

“Natural management is going on all the time,” Cerroni
pointed out. “They can do all their planning but …

“Otherwise, they look pretty darn good. Their body conditions are good. They’re able to
disperse themselves across the range (due to the mild winter) in search of food.”