My Aggie Girl
Moriah Herd Area Wild Horse Gather
Posted by Texas Mustang Project on May 15, 2010
Moriah Herd Area Wild Horse Gather
The BLM Ely District, Schell Field Office is seeking public comment on the Moriah Herd Area Wild Horse Gather Preliminary Environmental Assessment (EA), which addresses the need to remove approximately 72 excess wild horses from in and around the Moriah Herd Area (HA), approximately 48 miles northeast of Ely, beginning in August 2010. The BLM will accept comments until June 18, 2010.
The BLM Ely District is implementing the Ely Resource Management Plan that was signed in August 2008. Through the planning process, a decision was made to remove wild horses and drop Herd Management Area (HMA) status on those areas that do not provide sufficient habitat resources to sustain healthy (wild horse) populations, i.e., forage, water, space, cover and reproductive viability.  As a result, 12 HMAs reverted to HA status, including the Moriah HMA.
Please address written comments to the BLM Ely District Office, HC 33 Box 33500, Ely, NV 89301 attn: Mary D’Aversa, Schell Field Manager. Comments may be submitted electronically to MoriahHA@blm.gov.
For more information, contact Chris Hanefeld, BLM Ely District public affairs specialist, at (775) 289-1842 or chris_hanefeld@blm.gov.
- Questions and Answers
- BLM Seeks Public Comment on Moriah Herd Area Wild Horse Gather (05-14-2010)
- Â PEA Moriah Herd Area Wild Horse Gather DOI_BLM_NV_L020_2010-0032-EA
- Ely Proposed Resource Management Plan 2007
- Approved Plan and Record Of Decision
Ely Approved Resource Management Plan and Record Of Decision (August 2008)
- Texts Cover page through Signatures of RODÂ
- Approved Plan Introduction and Background, Management Decisions
- Appendices Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C, Appendix D, Appendix E, Appendix F
- For Readers on Broadband Connections: To download the ROD and RMP in its entirety, click here.Â
Other Environmental Documents from the Ely District:
- Jakes Wash HMA Wild Horse Gather Plan and Final EA (06-20-2007)
- Moriah HMA Wild Horse Gather Final EA DR FONSI (09-20-2007)
- Fiscal Year 2009 Rangeland Inventory, Monitoring, and Evaluation Report
- BLM Internal Documents & Evidence – I really have to encourage you all to look over this page again… A lot of the documents that were referenced in the PEA for Moriah are posted here. The others I am still researching and trying to find.
- BLM Science Strategy 2008
- Strategic Research Plan Wild Horse & Burro Mgmt October 2003 – Rev March 2005
From the BLM Ely Field Office Webpage:
Wild Horses & Burros – Ely District
The BLM protects, manages, and controls wild horses and burros under the authority of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act to ensure that healthy herds thrive on healthy rangelands. The BLM manages these living symbols of the Western spirit as part of its multiple-use mission under the 1976 Federal Land Policy and Management Act
The BLM bases its decisions regarding the management of wild horses and burros as well as other resources and activities on public lands through the development of land use plans, i.e. Resource Management Plans, or RMPs, and activity plans, i.e. gather plans and herd management area plans.  Land-use planning and activity planning are public, collaborative process through the National Environmental Policy Act.
The BLM Ely District in August 2008 signed the Record of Decision for the new Ely RMP and is currently implementing the decisions that are located within the management decisions section. The Ely District made the decision to manage for 810-1,695 wild horses in six wild horse Herd Management Areas, or HMAs, that vary in size from 19,000 acres to 1,225,000 acres.
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News and Other Tidbits Pertaining to Ely District…
BLM’s Wild Horse Elimination Plan Angers Ecologist ELY, Nevada, July 7, 2009
The ~Texas~ Mustang Project's Blog 
LOUIE COCROFT said
AS MAR SAID–THIS IS GOING TO BE A WILD RIDE. HANG ON AND TURN THE MUSIC UP–RIGHT TRACIE?
sandra longley said
this one really needs to have the flesh ripped from the bones to find out whats going on here…cattle are remaining but the horses are being removed-on 52,000+ acres..there is some funny stuff going on here..look at the map, cattle boundries and horse boundries..look where water troughs are located…look at the topography of the southern part of the HMA..no water sources just dry washes.
themustangproject said
Agreed and agreed. There is something more to this one, the likes of which I think are going to have some pretty resounding outcomes… I’m digging right now and just updated the original post with more information. I’ve come across the cattle allotment issues, and the other part that I’ve come across is the Spring Valley Wind Project. I have the complete PEA on this but it’s huge! Waiting on it to upload…
T.
themustangproject said
Gimme some duct tape and some David Allen Coe with a little bit of Waylon and Merle mixed in… We’ve got work to do!
T.
LOUIE COCROFT said
SOMEONE, I THINK IT WAS JAN, MENTIONED THAT SOME OF THE QUARTERS FOR NEVADA FEATURE A WILD HORSE. WE SHOULD ALL WRITE TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEVADA AND TELL HIM THAT THEY FORGOT TO SHOW THE HELICOPTER.
LindaH said
Great comment Louie! That made me smile:)
Linda said
Will someone please define the term “finding of no impact” or what ever the exact phrase is?
sandra longley said
the removal, or the leaving of the horses doesn’t effect that issue..depending on what their chosen course of action is. instance..cultural resources..if there are no indian artifacts found to be in that area..then the horses grazing there have no impact.
Linda said
Thanks, Sandra, that’s what I thought. Personally, I find the phrase completely disingenuous, since it certainly DOES have a devistating impact on the horses and the band structures, and have said that when submitting comment. Not that it’s made any difference, since the BLM is “about the land.” Other than a confirmation of submission, has anyone ever received anything substantive on their comments?
sandra longley said
On the Calico comments they basically addressed the petion with a N/A..and if you had added comments to your portion -they appeared to not even read them..so i sign the petion and send my comments now seperately.Same thing on the petiotion sent to the US Att. on the case of the 2 guys who shot those horses in Nevada.They do address the comments of the sage grousers and the sierra club..they have worked dilligently to get them on their side with ‘staged” tours of ravaged land and destroyed water holes, and then give them tours of the caves where wild horses have been ammassing weapons of mass destruction..and show them bodies of familys who have been murdered in their bed by rampaging wild horses.Where do they get the time when they are off reproducing like rabbits…Man them boys have some imagination..they should be writing comic books..LOL
Linda said
Bordo has pretty much convinced me that the whole commenting process is nothing but a sham. Since the BLM changed the gather date from June to May, essentially simultaneous with the deadline for comments, there was little or no time for them to consider or respond to any public input. I asked for an extension as a formality, knowing it wouldn’t even be considered.
I’ve put a great deal of time and effort into my comments, but I now realize they do absolutely no good. The decisions have already been made, and the deeds will be done, and public input be damned.
Our founding fathers considered citizens not only had a right, but an obligation to question government decisions. That’s what lead to the American Revolution. Unfortunately, they never mentioned anything about government’s obligation or responsibity to directly respond to or be held accountable by the citizenry. Today I hardly recognize the country I once had faith in.
sandra longley said
i know that feeling of frustration..we put alot of work in reading the documentation, researching the topography and studing maps..not to be acknowledged..but in the larger scheme of things..it is VERY important to our case in a court of law or in the political sphere,and down the line- it gives us “standing” in these issues-It says “beware” we are watching studing and reading and are fully aware of what is going on..and we are digging digging digging..and sooner or later we will accumulate a work product that shows-overwhelmingly-mismanagement-and an ulterior motive exists.
LOUIE COCROFT said
A GAO REPORT STATED THAT WILD HORSE REMOVALS WERE NOT LINKED TO NOR DID THEY SIGNIFICANLY CHANGE RANGE CONDITIONS.
sandra longley said
Please click on and read the article by Craig Downer..above there are some very pertinent points and information contained to use in your comments…
sandra longley said
If you look at the map and the cattle and horse boundries you will see..the cattle share the whole HMA..and more importantly they have areas exclusively for their use which the horses are fenced out of..that land consists of the meadowland-the best grazing and water sources for the whole HMA..the horses have acess to the upper portion of Pleasant valley, with less meadows and water..and alos have cattle there..Multiple use is not being administered to the benifit-equally of all-but geared toward the cattle.
sandra longley said
ow look to the left boundries and what do you see, water troughs posistioned right outside the boundry..which “baits” the horses to go outside the HMA as they are claiming..to acess the water..I would wonder if that is not intentional baiting,drawing the horses out, so that they can state the horses are leaving the HMA because there is no water???
LOUIE COCROFT said
WOW, SANDRA. GOOD EYE!
LOUIE COCROFT said
I THINK THAT 15% TO 22% RATE CAN BE ARGUED. I HAVE READ THAT IT IS MORE LIKE 10% A YEAR–OR LESS.
LOUIE COCROFT said
FOUND THIS ON AMERICAN HERDS–HERE IS SOME MORE TO STUDY
Achieving Population Goals in a Long-Lived Wildlife Species (Equus caballus) with Contraception: Jay F.Kirkpatrick, Wildlife Research, 2008, 35, 513-519 CSIRO Publishing http://www.publish.csiro.au/journals/wr
Measuring The Effects of Wildlife Contraception: The Argument for Comparing Apples with Oranges:
Jay F. Kirkpatrick, Viewpoint, Reproduction, Fertility and Development 2007, 19, 548-552, CSIRO Publishing, http://www.publish.csiro.au/journals/rfd
Immunocontraception and Increased Longevity in Equids:
Jay F. Kirkpatrick (1*) and Allison Turner (2); (1*)The Science and Conservation Center, Billings, Montana, (2) Assateague Island National Seashore, Berlin, Maryland, Research Article, Zoo Biology 26:237-244 (2007), Wiley InterScience.
LOUIE COCROFT said
YOU HAVE TO GO ONTO THE AMERICAN HERDS WEBSITE TO PICK UP THE LINKS THAT WILL PULL UP THE INFO.
I AM VERY INTERESTED IN SUBSTAINABLE HERDS. THEN, THERE WOULD BE NO NEED TO REMOVE ANY OF THEM.
I THINK GINGER IS IN FAVOR OF THE PZP–BUT USED DISCRIMINATELY AND ONLY IF NEEDED.
themustangproject said
This is exactly what Karen @ ISPMB has been workibg on for 11 yrs. Fortunately, she’s got the answers to your questions above. Unfortunately, she’s habging on by a threaf. I’ve thought the same thing about the 20% number – it just doesn’t sound right. However, Karen explained how it actually is right as a direct result of the gathers.
The older and establuished studs who are removed make way for the young-dumb-and-full-of-%&*# who basically have a field day with the newly unprotected mares. All they know after being released back or left to their own devices is there is no patriarch to stop them from breeding without discretion.
There is a very spoecific reason why there are Bachelor Studs and Harem Studs, and an even more specific reason why they fight each other: BALANCE. Without one, the other runs rampant, if you’ll pardon the pun.
The gathers allow this behavior. This behavior causes the population to soar, the overpopulation causes the gathers. Then the gathers allow the behavior again and the cycle starts all over. This is not so much a “compensatory” breeding situation as it is a “non-discretionary” breeding situation. As I’ve stated before, the plight of the American Wild Mustang is a debt that they do not owe but are in fact paying a debt that mankind has incurred.
The questions here are multi-fold… What would happen – REALISTICALLY – if all gathers were stopped right now? Do we REALLY want that outcome? How could we reduce the “side effects” of both stopping the gathers and having the gathers? We know – even if we don’t like to admit it – that there are some HAs and HMAs that have too many horses on their tender soils. This is not to say that there are not too many of other animals as well, just that there are some places that have too many horses. So how do we keep those tender soils from becoming non-fertile without removing the horses? And if we remove them, how do we remove them without hurting them? Then, where do we place them? On another range? In holding? The moon?
If we leave them where they are, how do we prevent the inevitable outcome of death by starvation after those tender soils have been damaged to the point that they cannot provide sustenance? And would this die-off cure the population problem? Or would it then be replaced in a sense by compensatory breeding?
PZP shows promise, yes. What do we do in the meantime?
We really do have to look at these questions with open, honest, sincere and hard eyes because its truly the point in time we are currently facing. We’ve fought a hard and long battle. What are we going to do when we get the spoils of victory?
T.
LOUIE COCROFT said
FIRST, WE NEED SOME REALLY ACCURATE NUMBERS AS TO HOW MANY ACTUALLY ARE OUT THERE. IT DOESN’T SOUND AS THOUGH THERE ARE AS MANY AS STATED. WE NEED OUR OWN COUNT–HERD WATCH. THAT GAO REPORT SHOWED THAT THE REMOVALS DIDN’T IMPACT THE RANGE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
I THINK WE HAVE TO KEEP COMING BACK TO THE “IN THE WILD” MANAGEMENT STRATEGY. THEN, THE HERDS COULD BE MONITORED, BUT BY THE RIGHT PEOPLE, UNDER THE RIGHT GUIDANCE.
THE HORSES AND HAVE BEEN THE SCAPEGOAT FOR LONG ENOUGH.
THEY HAVE BEEN SHOVED INTO SMALLER AND SMALLER HERD AREAS. THAT SKEWS THE NUMBERS. I AM FOR GETTING THAT LAND LOCKED IN FOR THEM WITH CAREFUL MONITORING. THEN IT WOULD BE A GOOD JOB FOR A BUREAU EMPLOYEE. JUST USE THE MONEY THE RIGHT WAY.
LOUIE COCROFT said
JUST LOOK AT WHAT A GRAVY TRAIN THESE ROUND-UPS ARE FOR SOME. NO WONDER THEY DON’T WANT THEM STOPPED.
LOUIE COCROFT said
THE QUOTE THAT I SAW WAS $1.3 MILLION FOR THE CALICO ROUND-UP–THROUGH APRIL–.LOOK AT HOW THAT MONEY COULD HAVE BEEN USED.
LOUIE COCROFT said
I SEE THAT MADELEINE PICKENS IS ANNOUNCING A CEREMONY IN D.C. SHE FOUND SOME WONDERFUL LAND IN NORTHERN NEVADA FOR THEM–THE DOI NEEDS TO WORK WITH HER. NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME.
sandra longley said
I went and pulled up news articles from clear back in the 1800s..And through the decades…the exact same claims were made by those who wanted the horses removed..so it would seem that no matter how many horses there are on how many acres..the story never changes..its all in how many people fall for it..If you believe the current EAs-many horses should already be dead and dying of thirst and starvation..yet on they go maintaining a fairly consistent reproductive rate and death rate..according to their own figures.
the ones that do seem to starve or die of thirst at this point seem to suffer more from being fenced out of or off of water and feed sources.
LOUIE COCROFT said
MAKES YOU REALIZE THE TREMENDOUS COURAGE THAT WILD HORSE ANNIE HAD.