A herd of horses visits a spring at Devil's Garden wild horse territory. (Photo: Laura Snell)
October 14, 2018 - Officials with the Modoc National Forest are rounding up 1,000 wild horses on federal lands and putting them up for sale and adoption, reported Christina Maxouris and Brandon Griggs on CNN.com
About 4,000 wild horses live on Devil's Garden Plateau, a protected territory inside Modoc National Forest near the Oregon border. It's home to the largest herd of wild horses in the country managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
"With a population growth rate of 20-25 percent, 800-1,000 wild horses will be born on the Devil's Garden this year, making these small removals negligible," said Laura Snell, UC Cooperative Extension advisor in Modoc County.
Snell's research on wild horses at Devil's Garden was chronicled in California Agriculture journal by executive editor Jim Downing. The federal government has determined the ideal horse population on the 230,000 acres of wild horse territory is no more than 402, however, more than 4,000 wild horses are running on the land.
The current federal horse gathering was prescribed by the 2013 Devil's Garden Plateau Wild Horse Territory Management Plan to help address impacts on aquatic resources, wildlife, grazing and traditional cultural practices. Reducing the population will allow range and riparian ecological conditions to recover, while also supporting wild horse herd health by reducing competition for limited food, water and habitat, according to a Modoc National Forest press release.
Most gathered horses are expected to be under 10 years old and will be available for adoption at the BLM Litchfield Corrals. Gathered horses 10 and older will be cared for at the new Double Devil Wild Horse Corrals on the Modoc National Forest and offered for adoption and sale. To adopt a young horse, see https://www.blm.gov/adoptahorse/ or wildhorse@blm.gov. To adopt or purchase an older horse go to https://go.usa.gov/xQ3r3.
Source: UC ANR
Related Information: Senator Dianne Feinstein’s Letter to the Forest Service: Don’t Sell California Horses for Slaughter
U.S. Forest Service: Wild horse gather planning update
As conditions permit, the Modoc National Forest plans to begin the gather and removal of approximately 1,000 wild horses from the Devil’s Garden Plateau Wild Horse Territory on Oct. 9, 2018. Gather operations are expected to run through all of October.
This action is prescribed by the 2013 Devil’s Garden Plateau Wild Horse Territory Management Plan to help address impacts on aquatic resources, wildlife, grazing and traditional cultural practices. Reducing the population will allow range and riparian ecological conditions to recover, while also supporting wild horse herd health by reducing competition for limited food, water and habitat.
The 2013 Devil’s Garden Plateau Wild Horse Territory Management Plan is found online at http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/fs-usda-pop.php/?project=32426. This plan designates an appropriate management level of 206-402 adult wild horses. There are currently an estimated 3,900 on and around the territory.
Viewing opportunities will be offered for a limited number of public and media representatives on a first-come-first-served basis. Viewers will need to call ahead of time to make reservations, arrive at 225 W. Eighth St. in Alturas by 6 a.m., follow forest personnel to the parking location and remain on site until activities are complete for the day.
Tours of the sorting facility will be offered daily after gather operations. Please call 530-233-8738 for more information and to reserve your date to view gather operations.
Most gathered horses are expected to be under 10 years old and will be available for adoption at the BLM Litchfield Corrals. The Devil’s Garden offers colorful and stout horses that can be trained for any number of uses. More information on how to adopt wild horses from the BLM is available at https://www.blm.gov/adoptahorse/, wildhorse@blm.gov or by calling 866-468-7826.
Gathered horses 10 and older will be cared for at the new Double Devil Wild Horse Corrals on the Modoc National Forest and offered for adoption and sale. Applications for adoption of these older horses and information about sales is available at https://go.usa.gov/xQ3r3.
