BLM plans to gather 200 wild horses in Malheur County by helicopter

HINES, Ore. (KTVZ) -- On Monday, Sept. 21, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management plans to begin a wild horse gather by helicopter on private property within and outside of the South Steens Herd Management Area in Harney County, located about six miles south of the small town of Frenchglen.

The HMA contains approximately 134,000 acres of BLM-administered and private land and is bordered by Highway 205 to the west and the Blitzen River and Steens Mountain to the east.

The appropriate management level for the South Steens HMA is 159-304 wild horses. The current population estimate for this herd is 979 adults and 200 foals.

The objective of this gather is to capture and remove approximately 200 wild horses which have strayed onto private property within and outside the southern HMA boundary. The gather is expected to take approximately five days and operations will be limited to these specific areas. Daily reports will be posted online at www.blm.gov/programs/wild-horse-and-burro under “ongoing gathers” and “Oregon.”

All gather activities and temporary holding facilities will be on private land. There will be no public viewing opportunities until horses arrive at Oregon’s Wild Horse Corral Facility in Hines, where the horses will be checked by a veterinarian and readied for the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Adoption and Sale Program.

The BLM’s top gather priority remains to conduct a safe, efficient, and successful operation while ensuring humane care and treatment of all animals gathered. The BLM and its contractors will use the safest and most humane handling practices for wild horses while meeting overall gather goals and objectives following the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Policy.

For information on how to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro, visit www.blm.gov/whb.