11-27-2010 Dlko Daily Free Press

Winnemucca-area roundup approved

WINNEMUCCA — The U.S. Bureau of Land Management's Winnemucca District, Humboldt River Field Office has issued a record of decision on an environmental assessment for the Augusta Mountains Herd Management Area Wild Horse Gather Plan.

The proposed roundup is planned for January 2011.

The BLM plans to gather roughly 275 wild horses from in and around the Augusta Mountains Herd Management Area in Lander, Pershing and Churchill counties 75 miles southeast of Winnemucca.

The agency reported there currently are 294 horses within the Augusta HMA.

The BLM's plan calls for all horses gathered within the HMA to be returned back to the HMA after the mares are vaccinated with the PZP-22 (Porcine Zona Pellucida) fertility control drug.

Additionally, the BLM plans to gather and remove approximately 40 excess wild horses that have established home ranges well outside the HMA in the adjoining Fish Creek Mountains.

The BLM stated the appropriate management level for the Augusta Mountains HMA is 185 to 308 wild horses.

The goal by vaccinating the mares before releasing them is to slow population growth and maintain population size within the AML, and extend the time before a gather to remove excess wild horses would be needed, according to the BLM.

The Augusta HMA Wild Horse gather and impacts are described and analyzed in the EA, which is available online at www.blm.gov.