BLM plans to gather wild horses west of Cedar City, and you’re invited - KSL NewsRadio

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CEDAR CITY, Utah — The Bureau of Land Management Cedar City Field Office plans to begin gathering operations to remove excess wild horses from an area west of Cedar City.

Operations will begin on August 7, 2022. The Bureau aims to gather wild horses from within and outside of the Blawn WashHerd Management Area and Bible Spring Complex Area.

According to a news release, this area can support 80 to 170 animals. The current population of wild horses in the area sits at 831.

“The BLM’s priority is to conduct a safe and successful wild horse gather operation while ensuring humane care and treatment of the animals,” said BLM Cedar City Field Manager Paul Briggs in a news release. “The excess wild horses are located on semi-desert landscapes where forage and water are exceedingly scarce due to prolonged drought.”

The BLM plans to gather as many as 450 wild horses using the helicopter drive-trapping method. Additionally, the Bureau will implement a population growth suppression to help reduce the birth rate of horses in the area.

“The gather operation combined with fertility control measures are the first step in restoring a thriving and natural ecological balance to the area and maintaining that balance into the future,” Briggs said.

All horses gathered in the area will be transported to the contracted Axtell off-range corrals in Axtell, Utah.

The BLM invites you

The Bureau is inviting the public to watch as it gathers the wild horses.

It will host escorted tours, as long as conditions remain safe for horses and participants and operations are not disrupted.

Interested individuals must have their own transportation, food and water. The BLM highly advises the use of binoculars and four-wheel drive vehicles. There will be no public restrooms. It also advises participants to wear weather-appropriate shoes and neutral-colored clothing.

According to the BLM, starting Aug. 7, daily convoys of individuals interested in observing the gathering will depart at 5:30 a.m. Interested individuals can meet at Maverik Adventure’s First Stop located at 220 North Airport Road, Cedar City, Utah.

Details on the BLM-escorted tours will be announced daily on the BLM gather hotline at 801-539-4050.