• Jan 31, 2024
•  https://www.codyenterprise.com/news/opinion/article_afd3cbbc-c075-11ee-92d5-6b015b8b6b26.html

To the editor,            

I am writing about the unnecessary death of a wild one-year-old filly in the bait trapping operation currently being conducted in the McCullough Peaks herd near Cody, Wyoming.

I have been visiting and observing and photographing the wild horses in this herd 2 – 3 times per year since 2004. When the BLM’s plans for this bait trapping were announced, I commented against it and encouraged others to do so as well because this is an aging herd, with a significant portion of the horses being over 20 years old, and the likelihood that at least 10 would die over the winter. Since summer, 10 horses have already died this winter, bringing the count to be only 171 wild horses. The herd’s numbers have been successfully kept in check using PZP birth control. And in the BLM’s Environmental Assessment Plan, there was no range data, nothing to show if the horses were causing range degradation, and thus a need for removal.

The time of year is also critical. In the Cody Resource Management Plan, record 4151, it says “apply seasonal restrictions from February 1 to July 31 to prevent foal abandonment or jeopardy of wild horse health and welfare, as appropriate, to surface and disruptive activities in the McCullough Peaks HMA” and record 4154 states, “Avoid wild horse gathers 6-weeks before or 6-weeks after peak foaling season. To the extent possible conduct wild horse gathers in the fall, after peak foaling season has occurred.”

It is now February 1. They should not be capturing any more horses.

Regarding the tragic events of January 24, the BLM captured 10 horses. They were only supposed to remove horses between one year old and five years old. They separated a four-month-old, a five-month-old and two yearlings from their mothers, released the mothers, then left the foals and yearlings alone, unmonitored, overnight, and one of them, a filly named Kat Ballou, was found dead in the morning with an acute head and neck injury. The excuse from the BLM was that they were quiet when BLM staff left. I contend that anyone who knows anything about wild horses or domestic horses knows that what they did was negligent and wrong. These youngsters had never been without their mothers. They had never been penned up in a corral before. This was a dangerous situation to put these young horses in. I own three mustangs myself, one of whom came from McCullough Peaks after the 2009 helicopter roundup, and these horses need to be allowed to become accustomed to being confined in a pen or corral. They can become injured if panicked. I have owned horses for over 50 years.

The lead on this bait trap gather is inexperienced with wild and domestic horses. He made a decision that resulted in the death of one of these horses that did not need to happen. Because BLM staff has not admitted that they have done anything wrong, I am very concerned that there will be more deaths as this bait trapping continues. This ill-conceived and ill-managed bait trapping should be stopped now.

Carol Walker,

Colorado