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CARSON CITY, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management will begin a wild horse gather tomorrow, Oct. 17, in and around the North Complex Herd Management Areas in northwest Nevada, to protect the health of the herd as late season forage declines and winter approaches. The gather, the first since January 2012, will help to reduce the risks wild horses face when the range can no longer support the current population. 

The North Complex includes the Dogskin Mountains, Flanigan, and Granite Peak Herd Management Areas. Horses may appear healthy at the start of the fall, but forage and water resources are limited, especially in areas affected by the Bug Fire. With far more wild horses on the landscape than the range can sustain, competition intensifies, creating conditions that can lead to malnutrition, dehydration, and long-distance travel in search of food and water as winter sets in.

The North Complex’s healthy, sustainable herd size is 101-157 wild horses, but the 2026 population estimated nearly 424 wild horses within and just outside the Complex; more than three times what the land can support. Removing approximately 320 excess horses is necessary to relieve pressure on limited food and water resources, support long-term herd stability, and prevent winter suffering. The decline in forage has been further intensified in the Dogskin Mountains and Granite Peak Herd Management Areas following the 2026 Bug Fire.

With seasonal change already underway, lowering herd numbers now ensures the remaining horses have access to the food and water they need to make it through winter safely. A balanced herd size also helps protect sensitive wildlife species such as sage grouse, pronghorn antelope, and mule deer and supports progress toward the “Standards for Rangeland Health” identified by the Sierra Front–Northern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council.

The BLM’s Sierra Front Field Office will manage the gather. BLM staff and contractors will follow the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program, which uses proven, science-based practices to ensure humane care. Crews maintain a controlled approach that keeps horses moving at a steady pace. All gathered animals will be transported to the Litchfield Wild Horse and Burro Corrals to receive veterinary evaluation and care and then prepared for placement through the BLM’s Adoption and Sales Program.

The public lands within a five-mile radius surrounding drive trap sites and temporary holding facilities will be temporarily closed to all forms of public access in accordance with 43 C.F.R. § 8364.1 to ensure that the gather is effective and safe for wild horses, BLM employees and contractors, and members of the public. 

However, the BLM will provide public observation opportunities during the gather. Members of the public are welcome to view the gather operations provided that doing so does not jeopardize the safety of the animals, staff and observers, or disrupt gather operations. The BLM will escort the public to gather observation sites located on public lands. Those wanting to view the gather operations must RSVP by calling 775-885-6150 no later than 5 p.m. the day before they want to observe gather operations. Callers will be contacted with specific instructions on each day’s meeting location and time by 9 p.m. the evening before.

The gather plan documents can be viewed on the BLM National NEPA Registry. Daily gather reports and additional information will be posted on the gather website. 

The BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program is grounded in science, law, and humane‑care standards and adheres completely to the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act and other federal laws. The BLM does not send wild horses or burros to slaughter, and no loophole exists that would legally allow people who adopt or buy wild horses to ever sell animals directly or to middlemen for slaughter.

Information on how to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro can be found on the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program webpage.