BLM begins bait-and-water gather in Spring Mountains Complex, plans to remove 850 animals amid concerns over rangeland health and highway safety
Pahrump, Nevada (High Desert News Online) – The Bureau of Land Management’s Pahrump Field Office began a bait-and-water wild horse and burro gather about March 15, 2026, in Nevada’s Spring Mountains Complex, planning to remove roughly 850 animals to protect rangeland health and highway safety.
- About 850 animals to be removed: roughly 425 wild horses and 425 wild burros using temporary bait-and-water traps.
- Area and scale: the complex spans ~616,912 acres across Johnnie, Red Rock and Wheeler Pass HMAs; current populations exceed AML ranges (total ~1,797 head).
- Methods and safety: corral panels baited with water/forage, no helicopters; temporary closures will protect the public and staff.
- Post-capture care: animals transported to Palomino Valley Off-Range Corrals for veterinary checks and placement via the BLM Adoption/Sales Program.
Main details and legal basis
The Bureau of Land Management’s Pahrump Field Office initiated the gather on or about March 15, 2026. The agency plans to remove approximately 425 wild horses and 425 wild burros from protected Herd Management Areas (HMAs) within the Spring Mountains Complex.
The gather is being conducted under the Spring Mountains Complex Wild Horses and Burros Herd Management Plan Environmental Assessment. NEPA documents and the herd plan EA are available on the BLM announcement and the BLM gather program page. The action cites Section 1333(b) of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act as legal authority.
What the gather covers and why
The Spring Mountains Complex includes three Herd Management Areas and about 616,912 acres total. BLM officials state the combined animal count—approximately 749 wild horses and 1,048 wild burros (excluding 2026 foals)—exceeds the Appropriate Management Levels (AMLs) and is causing rangeland degradation and public-safety concerns.
Johnnie HMA
Acreage: about 179,368 acres total (177,237 acres BLM; 2,131 acres private/other public). AML: 65–108 wild burros. BLM does not manage Johnnie for wild horses.
Red Rock HMA
Acreage: about 161,969 acres total (157,443 acres BLM; 4,526 acres private/other public). AML: 16–27 wild horses and 29–49 wild burros.
Wheeler Pass HMA
Acreage: about 275,575 acres total (273,898 acres BLM; 1,677 acres private/other). AML: 47–66 wild horses and 20–35 wild burros.
“The agency’s stated objectives are to prevent undue or unnecessary degradation of public lands, restore a thriving natural ecological balance, protect rangeland health and native wildlife habitat, and reduce safety hazards from animals on highways and private property.”
Gather methods, safety and restrictions
This gather uses temporary corral panels baited with water and forage to attract animals into traps. No helicopters will be used. Traps are staffed only by essential personnel because wild horses and burros tend to avoid areas with heavy human activity.
For public safety, BLM will institute temporary closures around trap sites and post signs restricting access to prevent interference and reduce risk. Removed animals will be transported to Palomino Valley Off-Range Corrals in Reno for veterinary checks and placement in the BLM Adoption/Sales Program.
Timeline and status
As of the gather start, BLM reported no animals had yet been gathered, shipped, released or found deceased. The Red Rock HMA was last gathered in 2024; Johnnie HMA in 2023. BLM gather reports and updates will be posted to the agency’s gather website and the National NEPA Register.
Media and public contacts for the operation: Allison Meaney, Wild Horse and Burro Specialist, at (702) 515-5000, and Heather O’Hanlon, media, at (775) 623-1567.
Broader Nevada context and related operations
This gather is part of a larger wave of removals planned or underway across Nevada, including complexes such as Caliente, Antelope, Triple B and Pancake. Independent trackers and advocacy groups have noted thousands of animals may be removed statewide and continue to debate scale, alternatives and long-term management tools like fertility control.
Independent reporting and analysis include pieces from Wild Narrative Project and Return to Freedom, which catalog gatherings statewide and analyze removal numbers.
Questions on scale, alternatives and public input
Common concerns raised by critics include whether non-lethal alternatives—such as expanded fertility control—have been fully exhausted, how animals are selected for removal, the welfare outcomes for foals and mares, and the long-term costs of off-range holding. BLM maintains the gather follows an environmental assessment and NEPA review; those materials are posted on the BLM announcement and the National NEPA Register for public review.
BLM’s placement tools: the agency points to its Adoption/Sales Program and veterinary checks at Palomino Valley corrals as pathways for animal placement; advocates call for more fertility control and adoption outreach to reduce long-term removals.
Public safety and infrastructure concerns
BLM lists public safety—animals on highways, damage to private fences, water lines and vegetation—as a direct reason for the gather. Local residents and motorists in rural corridors report encounters with loose horses and burros that can cause accidents and property damage.
The agency states reducing excess animals helps protect native wildlife habitat (including mule deer and sage grouse) and reduces conflicts with ranching and recreational uses.
Implications for The High Desert, California
Economic and property impacts:
- Highway safety: fewer free-roaming animals near state routes could reduce collision risk for commuters, commercial haulers and emergency services between the High Desert and Las Vegas.
- Cross-border effects: reducing herd sizes in nearby Nevada may ease pressure on fences and water systems in northeast San Bernardino County and other border areas.
Political and community consequences:
- Local sentiment: emphasis on rangeland health and highway safety may resonate with residents who prioritize property rights and sensible land use, though many will seek assurances the removals are humane and cost-effective.
- Accountability: residents may request clear reporting on costs, animal outcomes and alternatives; BLM’s gather reports and NEPA materials provide an online trail for oversight.
Practical takeaways for High Desert residents
- Awareness: motorists and recreationists should remain alert during the gather period and respect temporary closures posted by BLM near trap sites.
- Reporting: report encounters with animals on roads or private property to local law enforcement and BLM contacts: Allison Meaney at (702) 515-5000 or media inquiries to Heather O’Hanlon at (775) 623-1567.
For more information and source documents
- BLM announcement
- BLM gather program page
- Wild Narrative Project, “BLM announces a wave of wild horse gathers”
- Return to Freedom, “BLM plans to begin capturing 2,500 wild horses & burros in Nevada”
Reporting: Reporting by High Desert News Online. For technical questions about the gather, contact Allison Meaney, Wild Horse and Burro Specialist, at (702) 515-5000; media inquiries to Heather O’Hanlon at (775) 623-1567.
