By Shannon Lukens. (File photo courtesy BLM.)
A herd of wild horses will be gathered in the West Douglas Herd Area starting this Friday, Sept. 1. It’s about 20 miles south of Rangely in Rio Blanco County. The Bureau of Land Management plans to remove all 122 wild horses because they stray into private lands, and there is limited food and water available for them.
The horses will be taken to Canon City where they will be checked by a vet and put into the BLM’s wild horse and burro adoption program. Those not adopted will be cared for for the rest of their lives in grass pastures.
News Release from the BLM White River Field Office; Aug. 28, 2023.
BLM to conduct wild horse gather in West Douglas Herd Area
MEEKER, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will begin a wild horse gather on September 1 in the West Douglas Herd Area approximately 20 miles south of Rangely in Rio Blanco County. The BLM plans to remove the entire estimated population of 122 wild horses from the herd area, state, and private land. The appropriate management level for wild horses in this area is zero.
“The West Douglas Herd Area is not managed for wild horses due to limited food and water, which causes the horses to stray into private lands,” said White River Field Office Manager Bill Mills. “The removal of excess wild horses will protect the rangelands and reduce impacts to sensitive animal species and adjoining private properties.”
Since 1975, the BLM White River Field Office determined the West Douglas Herd Area was not identified for the management of wild horses. The BLM will conduct gather operations using drive trapping which has been proven effective in these areas.
When possible, the media and public will be allowed to observe the gather when safety requirements have been fulfilled and without negatively impacting the agency’s ability to gather horses. The BLM has established the West Douglas Herd Area gather phone line at (720) 432-9689 for updates on the next day’s gather activities, meeting times, and locations.
For information about the West Douglas Herd Area Gather, visit www.blm.gov/23-west-douglas. For more information on BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program, visit BLM.gov/WHB
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The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. .