Dear editor:

As a group formed in 2005 to advocate for the wild horses of the McCullough Peaks, Friends of a Legacy (FOAL) has followed the BLM’s plans for its upcoming bait-trap gather and promoted protocols that support our commitment to protect and preserve the herd. We’ve also met with BLM officials and understand that only essential agency personnel will be allowed to participate in the gather. That decision derived from the nature of bait trapping, which relies on enticing horses into corrals in a calm and quiet way, and can only be successful if the horses remain unstressed. With the BLM’s assurance that the gather will be conducted humanely and responsibly, FOAL has no reason to doubt its sincerity.

FOAL understands that population control is a critical element to maintaining the health of both the herd and the habitat. Per federal law, the BLM set the Appropriate Management Levels of the McCullough Peaks HMA to 70-140 horses in 2015 and proposes to remove enough horses to reach the upper limit. Given the current situation, FOAL prefers the bait gather as opposed to the more disruptive option of a helicopter roundup. At the same time, FOAL advocates for regular assessments to the HMA. In that way, we can work with the BLM on fertility treatments, the placement of reservoir work, and invasive species work to mitigate the need for gathers.

When BLM notifies FOAL about which horses have been removed, we will help publicize the adoptions of these horses by creating profiles of each horse and sharing that information online.

FOAL respects the wild horses and their natural behaviors and urges all visitors to stay at least 300 feet away from them. We remain committed to advocating for the McCullough mustangs.