The Associated Press reports:
WINNEMUCCA — Federal land managers have completed a roundup of wild horses around the Jackson Mountains about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca.
The Bureau of Land Management said 647 “excess” mustangs were removed from the range in Humboldt and Pershing counties during the gather that ended in early July.
Anne Novak of Protect Mustangs said the BLM should impose limits on mining and ranching if it wants to improve rangeland health. She said horses cost the American taxpayer nothing when they live in the wild.
See also “BLM concludes Jackson Mountains wild horse gather“; Report and Video, My News 4 – KRNV, Reno, Nevada; July 6, 2012.
NBC News KKCO Channel 11, Grand Junction, Colorado reports:
The Bureau of Land Management is starting to gather up wild horses near Rangely. It’s hoping to move 50 horses from the West Douglas Herd area out east.
Last month the BLM identified a herd that was running low on water due to the drought. Authorities decided the best solution would be to move the horses to a temporary holding facility. The gather will last 30 days, or until 50 horses have been gathered, whichever comes first.
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The BLM say the mustang roundups are necessary because of drought and the condition of the horses.
However, prior to mustang removals in the Jackson Mountains reports claimed that the cattle had plenty of forage and water in spite of the drought conditions. So why didn’t the horses?
Additionally, images provided by BLM Nevada prior to the Jackson Mountains roundup where they alleged mustangs were in poor condition were unconvincing even to the untrained eye.
Insofar as Rangely is concerned, the roundup of 50 horses was allowed by the Judge in a lawsuit filed by wild horse advocates to protect the West Douglas herd. He fell for the BLM drought excuse it seems.
HorseTalk reports:
Veterinarian Don Moore, who grew up in Rangley and has watched the wild horses in the area for over 50 years, said:
The West Douglas wild horses have endured many droughts in the past. If a drought was going to kill these horses, it would have done so a long time ago.
Concerning mustang fatalities at the hands of BLM contractors used for the roundups, Ginger Kathrens adds:
Simply saying all is well and the horses are being treated humanely doesn’t fly anymore after the hundreds of horses, including little foals, have died from what BLM characterizes as ‘non-gather related’ injuries.
So the relentless pursuit of American wild horse and burros continues to the tune of millions and millions of taxpayer dollars year after BLM year when the nation’s wild horses and burros can take care of themselves for absolutely nothing. All we need to do is leave them alone.
Tuesday's Horse 
I listen and read everything possible about the destruction of the Free Roaming Wild Mustangs who are federally protected.I blast my facebook about everything that is going on from the helicopter round ups to hearing many Mustangs were shipped into the slaughter facility with a different brand. Scouters discovered the old brand is tied to the BLM. You can Thank President Bush also a rancher signed a change of that law giving BLM all rights to the Wild Horses and removal of their freedom. This allows ranchers rights now called Welfare Ranching on BLM Land. This is the worst act of Greed and destruction of America’s Wild Mustangs.
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Why isn’t the ratio 1 cow/1 horse ? Why is it 100 cattle to 1 horse? And then remove the horses anyway? Why is my federal dollar going to BLM? Can I shift it to a sanctuary group–after all they are the people following the true spirit of the law–and BLM is wasting my money. Just really ticked off. and it never ends–and there is no appropriate progress,and the horses are ALWAYS on the losing end of the stick…
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UNFORTUNATELY, We have no control over the use of our tax money.. I would like to quit supporting ridiculous costs of war equipment that goes to rich corporations that lobby against us…but no luck. Same with energy companies. I see no advantage to giving 4 billion in incentives to oil companies, while they pay no taxes. We have to back the bill that charges cows on BLM range, the same thing that they would be charged on private land… We need to support Laura Leigh who is winning in court against them because she is there everyday watching and photographing, and demanding change. She is also negotiating with them for better care ON the range lands. I just don’t think that we get very far “bitching” about them to each other. I am faxing and emailing and calling my USELESS legislators who always vote against me (John Cornyn, KB Hutchinson, Joe Barton) in the hope that at sometime, one of their aids will actually say, we need to look at this! And I add my thoughts in the same way to other legislators as encouragement. I am totally ready for any other suggestions to make our points!
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As seen on Twitter. It boggles the imagination. BLM Nevada getting rid of as many wild horses as they can find way to, yet the tweet this? How are they going to earn these patches? Geez whiz.
@BLMNV: Just finished up a great meeting with @GirlScoutsSN on planning a #wildhorses patch for Girl Scouts in Northern #Nevada. #exciting
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This is how the BLM is fooling the public. Most of the Girl Scouts now days live in condos, apartments or in the burbs. Very few live on farms or ranches so most are city kids that don’t know anything about what is happening with the Mustangs unless the parents are interested in helping to save the horses. So to them the BLM is the good guys.
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We need to have some of the cattle removed from the range lands. I believe that the energy development is going to happen, both traditional (oil & gas) and green (wind & sun), It is being demanded by the American public and both political parties. In some ways, the advocates for Mustangs need to be realistic, and start demanding ways that the horses and the industrial usage can co-exist. Just think about the range, once windmills are set up, what would keep horses from grazing at the base of them. This is a win-win scenario. We need to start a dialogue that shows the possibilities. Cattle grazing rights raised to the going rate ( bill in Congress) and fewer cattle to compete with the horses, while the energy thing is being built with a compatible planning for the horses. I live in North Texas, raised in East Texas. I have lived my whole life around gas and oil wells. Once they are set, they operate in Church yards, on the corner of ranches, and in the woods of East Texas. It’s not that I want them on the Western Range Lands, or like looking at them, but feel that perhaps a realistic approach is the best way to save the Mustangs and Burros.
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Agreed. However, the BLM / DOI use drilling etc as a reason for removing wild horses even though there is no history, as you suggest, that wild horses cannot live easily around pipeline, derricks. There used to be an old poster in black & white of wild horses grazing around derricks at either Shell or Exxon offices (can’t remember; been a long time now).
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Cant give up, canada may have a few shocks when slaughter stops ther, the us needs to clean up their mess too which includes the BLM.
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The BLM will NEVER STOP THIS HORRIBLE TREATMENT OF THESE HORSES as long as the money keeps coming in their pockets from the ranchers. Why should the ranchers use this PUBLIC PROPERTY for their private livestock? UNCONSCIONABLE.
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