Public hearing: Vehicle, aircraft use in management of wild horse, burro populations

CEDAR CITY – The Bureau of Land Management Utah will host its annual statewide public hearing to discuss the use of helicopters and motorized vehicles in the management of wild horses and burros on Utah’s public lands.

An annual public hearing for comments on this issue is required by federal regulation and the Cedar City hearing will be the only one held in Utah this year.

Southern Utah was chosen as the location of this year’s meeting due to the recent decision to gather and remove up to 200 wild horses from Iron and Beaver counties later this year.

“Helicopter and motorized vehicle usage is a critical tool for managing wild horses on the open range,” said Chad Hunter, Cedar City Wild Horse and Burro Specialist.  “These management tools allow us to conduct aerial population inventories, monitor animal distribution, and transport gathered animals in an effective and humane manner.”

Since government roundups began in 1975, the BLM has removed more than 14,600 wild horses and 500 burros from Utah’s rangelands.  Over 7,500 of these animals have been adopted locally.

Utah’s 2014 satellite adoptions started in May and continue throughout the state.  Locations include Gunnison, Salt Lake City, and Delta.

Daily adoptions are ongoing at the Delta Wild Horse and Burro Facility.  Monthly adoptions are held on the first Tuesday of each month at the Gunnison Prison Horse Facility.

For additional information about the upcoming statewide public hearing, or future wild horse and burro adoptions visits the BLM website, or contact the Cedar City Field Office at 435-865-3000 or the BLM Utah State Office at 801-539-4057.

Hearing info

  • When: Wednesday, June 18, 6-7 p.m.
  • Where: Cedar City Heritage Center, 105 north 100 east, Cedar City
  • Additional hearing info: BLM Utah | Telephone 435-586-7872, 801-539-4057

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7 Comments

  • Terri Berryhill June 14, 2014 at 1:49 pm

    We all know and have pictures of helicopter roundups. They are not humane and they need to be banned. If you have to use something as cruel as a helicopter running horses many miles at a dead run and even flying low over there withers then you need to leave the horses alone. A helicopter is not a good tool unless you enjoy watching terrified horses running for their lives! I can’t imagine anyone would like that especially a wild horse burro expert!!!

  • Judy Cubel June 15, 2014 at 7:11 am

    In 1519 Spanish Conquistadors reintroduced HORSES to the New World. In 1606 plains Indian tribes of the Comanche, Pawnee, Dakota and the Rocky Mountain Indians tribes of the Navajo, Paiute, Crow, Shoshoni and Blackfeet all had horses. In 1630, Spanish explorers came with more horses to Utah. By 1846, when Brigham Young finally came to the Salt Lake Valley, the Iberian-Sulphur Mustang had been in Utah 240 years! Utah celebrates the Pioneers, Utah should celebrate the Iberian-Sulphur Horse and their cousins across the South Western USA! I have photos of Mustangs being chased by helicopters, some Wild Horses had the helicopter’s skids resting on their backs, being were forced down into the dirt. The BLM knows the Mustangs are afraid of the helicopters. My wild born, Utah Mustang Stallion was only 10 or 11 MONTHS old when the BLM captured him. For years, my stallion would run under the trees when a helicopter or low flying plane would come over the ranch! Still afraid after 10 years! He still remembers the horror of being chased from the only range-lands they the BLM helicopters!

  • agro June 15, 2014 at 10:19 pm

    What a waste of time. The question which vehicle? What a joke. Who cares what you use, the point is to use something to eliminate feral horses that are destroying everyone’s favorite hunting areas. People who actually care about the environment don’t care what you use to manage it, as long as its managed. Shoot the d…* things.
    *Ed. elipses

  • Shane Destry June 17, 2014 at 3:08 pm

    note to AGRO – “the point is to use something to eliminate feral horses that are destroying everyone’s favorite hunting areas “? everyone being the handful of you and your trigger happy acquaintances who like to blaze away at whatever moves ? And we should listen to a handful of sociopaths like yourself instead of 80% of Americans who demand that the BLM adhere to federal law by protecting wild horses from roundups because….? because the will of a handful of those who like to kill things should outweigh the wishes of the American people ? Roundups of wild horses by any means it is true are contrary to the 1971 federal law protecting them from being harassed and shot on their protected areas – whether by helicopters or by trigger happy lunatics like yourself !

  • carla Tillman June 17, 2014 at 3:25 pm

    Shot them? Shoot the welfare ranchers cattle. No more hunting….

  • Sue carter June 17, 2014 at 7:28 pm

    Uh, are you really allowed to hunt on an HMA?

  • dk June 24, 2014 at 8:31 pm

    Here is great information on the number of Welfare Rancher cattle and sheep in this area, and the number of Federally-protected Wild Mustangs and burros. It’s staggering. There should be no gathering of the few Mustangs we have left in the wild and on the range:

    http://horsetalk.co.nz/2014/06/21/livestock-behind-utah-forage-shortage-horses-advocates/#comment-58203

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