Sand Wash Basin advocates get ’er done

20 09 2016

091816swbgreystallionmoon1

This handsome hunky stallion is Star, and he lives with his family in Sand Wash Basin, in northwestern Colorado. He posed extremely considerately Sunday morning with the setting full moon.

This past weekend, Michelle Sander, Aleta Wolf, Stella Trueblood and others with Great Escape Mustang Sanctuary and Sand Wash Advocate Team, along with Gina Robison with BLM’s Little Snake Field Office in Craig, hosted about 50 people who came from near and far (including Texas, Missouri and Toronto, Canada) to help with work projects that directly and indirectly benefit those gorgeous mustangs.

SWAT members are directly responsible for the successful PZP program in Sand Wash Basin. In place for just about three years now, it’s having a direct impact on slowing the population growth of this popular herd. BLM plans a bait-trapping operation there later this fall, with which SWAT and GEMS will be intimately involved. BLM plans to remove 50 horses. They’ll go to Cañon City for “processing” (brands, vaccinations, gelding, etc.), then to GEMS, in northeastern Colorado, to be gentled and offered for adoption through GEMS’ partnership with BLM as a TIP storefront.

Read more about the great weekend of camaraderie, work projects and MUSTANGS in this Craig Daily Press article.

SWAT and GEMS and all the folks associated with these groups are doing phenomenal work for this beautiful herd. Any chance you get, please send out your thanks to these ladies and gents. They are compassionate and passionate, considerate, caring and vastly knowledgeable.

In short: They rock. 🙂





Black is beauty

17 08 2016

Raven

Pretty Raven in the secret forest.

Many readers know that Raven was born and raised in Sand Wash Basin and came here in 2008 with Mona and Kootenai to help boost our genetics. Because Spring Creek Basin’s appropriate management level currently is just 35 to 65 adult horses, BLM periodically introduces horses in order to help keep our herd’s genetics viable, per a recommendation by equine geneticist Dr. Gus Cothran (at my alma mater, Texas A&M University).

An EA has recently been released for a bait-trapping operation in Sand Wash Basin. Information about where to send your comments by the Sept. 4 deadline may be found here, in a news brief in the Craig Daily Press.

“The BLM seeks comment on the Environmental Assessment of this gather plan, available at the Little Snake Field Office at 455 Emerson St., Craig, CO 81625 and online at: 1.usa.gov/23gjg6w. Public comments will be most helpful to the BLM if received by Sept. 4. Written comments can be mailed to the Little Snake Field Office or submitted via email to blm_co_sandwash_hma@blm.gov.”

(Note that the website indicated in the press release leads to an error page.)

Of note in the very positive category, Great Escape Mustang Sanctuary and Sand Wash Advocate Team are specifically mentioned for their partnership with BLM in managing this herd: “Our partnership with SWAT and GEMS has been vital to meeting our goal of maintaining the health of the Sand Wash wild horses and the lands they depend upon,” BLM Northwest District Manager Joe Meyer said in a news release.

Also: “While confined in a corral, BLM employees and Sand Wash Advocacy Team members would identify mares, that would be treated with a contraceptive called PZP, which delays fertilization, before being released back to the range. Up to 50 young wild horses would be removed for placement in the Great Escape Mustang Sanctuary training and adoption program.”

Please take a look at the EA and send comments. SWAT volunteers are currently using fertility control in Sand Wash Basin, and they need support in order to continue their efforts to manage this herd well.





Some gold

30 07 2016

Chromesrainbow

A few days ago, American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign alerted wild horse and burro advocates to some good news: BLM Colorado doing good things for our wild horses.

“Please sign the petition below to THANK BLM Colorado for leading the way in humane management that Keeps Wild Horses Wild! Your signatures will be hand delivered by our friends and wonderful wild horse advocates TJ Holmes and Kat Wilder, along with a thank-you card to the BLM. 

“Let’s give credit where credit is due and support the BLM when it takes important steps in the right direction! Hopefully, the ongoing success of the humane management programs in Colorado will encourage other BLM districts across the West to implement similar programs.”

Also:

“On Aug. 4, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Colorado will hold its annual public hearing on the use of motorized vehicles in wild horse management. While we are usually critical of the BLM’s wild horse policies, this hearing provides a rare opportunity for us to SUPPORT the progress that the BLM in Colorado has made toward implementing humane management of wild horses in that state.”

Please consider signing the petition – click here to go to AWHPC’s site – to let BLM Colorado know that you’re aware of the good things happening with mustang management in our state, and that you’d like to see these good things continue – and spread to other states and other herd management areas. At that meeting, Kat Wilder and I will present BLM with the thank-you card that honors all that BLM has done and all that BLM is doing to support our wild horses staying wild on their home ranges.

We have come a long way with BLM managers who are willing and committed to working with volunteers to ensure “thriving natural ecological balance” on the rangelands our Colorado mustangs call home. We will always work to ensure the best management for our wild ones.





Down goes the pony

3 05 2016

Kwana

Here’s a chuckle for your morning commute.

The appeal of the soft-silt dry bed of a pond (still carrying some water in the deepest part) was too alluring for Kwana to worry about a crazy ol’ human, so he laid down and rolled – right in front of me! Then he performed a quick equine yoga move before he got back to his feet to continue playing with his pals.

**********************************************************************

In serious good news (and our mustangs need every bit they can get these days), the second “Mustang Tales” column by Kat Wilder went up on the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign website yesterday. This one is called “Happy Trails,” and its chief message is an incredible and heartfelt tribute to Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick.





‘PZP: Where hope, science and mustangs meet’

6 01 2016

Thanks to Kat Wilder for her Writers on the Range op-ed in High Country News. 🙂

It’s getting harder and harder to deny PZP and its success!

Houdini

This is Houdini, who, at best guess, is somewhere north of 25 years old. She shows her age but otherwise looks great. She has contributed her genetics to Spring Creek Basin and has daughters and granddaughters and grandsons (at least) still wild in Spring Creek Basin.

I’ve known at least two elder mares that have had foals in the spring and died that fall, leaving their weanlings as orphans. Houdini has contributed her genetics and deserves a long, healthy life  as the wild, wise mustang mare she is, adding her knowledge to the whole herd.

PZP makes that possible.





Rest in peace well deserved, Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick

19 12 2015

Winona

From American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign:

“It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the passing of Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick, a true pioneer in the field of humane wildlife management. Dr. Kirkpatrick, the founder of the Science and Conservation Center, passed away earlier this week from a brief but serious illness. He will be greatly missed.

“His passing is a terrible loss for the wild horse community. Our deepest condolences go to his wife and his colleagues at the Science and Conservation Center who are like family to AWHPC, as Dr. Kirkpatrick was.

“Jay was a rare ‘scientist with a heart’ and he dedicated his life to reducing the suffering of wild animals by developing a humane alternative to lethal management practices. The PZP fertility control vaccine that he developed and perfected (as affirmed by 30 years of published science) has kept countless wild animals – from wild horses to deer to bison and even elephants – wild and free by protecting them from capture and killing.

“‘I’m not a bunny hugger, but I’ll never attend another gather as long as I live. They’re flat-out inhumane,’ he told National Geographic in 2009 describing BLM wild horse roundups. ‘There are three reasons why these gathers are an unsatisfactory solution to the problem of numbers. Firstly, it’s genetically irresponsible to be constantly pulling off young horses whose genes will never get expressed; secondly, every time you pull horses out, the reproductive efficiency of the horses that remain increases. And thirdly, the behavioral consequences for the horses are profound.’

“Jay was a visionary, a humanitarian and a shining example of what one person can accomplish in his lifetime. We are so proud to have called him a friend and a colleague. Measures have been taken by the Science and Conservation Center to prepare for this transition and the seamless continuation of the work that he was dedicated to for 45 years.”

Godspeed, Dr. Jay. You trained many angels, and we honor you and your legacy to preserve mustangs and wild burros with every dart we fire.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.





NMA/CO fundraiser

13 07 2015

The Colorado chapter of the National Mustang Association held a fundraiser Friday night to benefit wild horses in Southwest Colorado. Held at the Sunflower Theatre in Cortez, the event featured a silent auction and the film “Roaming Wild,” after which, people could ask questions about PZP, bait trapping and other wild-horse-and-burro issues.

The place was packed. On behalf of Spring Creek Basin’s mustangs and other wild horses, on behalf of the NMA/CO board, who did an enormous amount of work for this event (in particular, executive director Tif Rodriguez), thank you to all of our wonderful donors and ticket buyers! You made our night a huge success, and you made our work for the horses easier.

NMA/CO fundraiser

NMA/CO executive director Tif Rodriguez and president David Temple welcomed people to the fundraiser event.

NMA/CO fundraiser

People started to fill the theater even before 5:30 p.m. This was a great time to catch up with old friends and make new ones. We are so thankful to everyone who attended to support our mustangs!

NMA/CO fundraiser

Many locals donated items for the silent auction. The donations were excellent, and we thank all the donors for their generosity!

Kathe Hayes arranges food at the NMA/CO fundraiser at the Sunflower Theatre in Cortez.

Kathe Hayes was in charge of food and did a fantastic job. She made some and picked some up from local eateries. She didn’t seem to have much to pack up at the end of the night!

Again, thank you so much. Our mustangs thank you! 🙂





NMA/CO fundraiser reminder

9 07 2015

The Colorado chapter of the National Mustang Association plans to host a fundraiser from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, July 10, with the film “Roaming Wild” at the center of the event. Funds raised from ticket sales and the silent auction will benefit Spring Creek Basin mustangs and other wild horses in Southwest Colorado (potentially those in Mesa Verde National Park).

Find more information and buy tickets on NMA/CO’s website.

According to promotional material provided by the film, “Roaming  Wild offers an insider’s look at an  invisible battle unfolding in the American West over wild horses  on public lands. Wild  horses find themselves at the center of an age-defining  controversy  where the demands of modern  development are colliding with the needs of the wild. A fiery activist rescues horses from slaughter, a cattle rancher struggles to keep his way of life viable in the modern era, and an unlikely hero invents new possibilities. Each searching for a solution to the pressure on their own disappearing ways of life in the West, they can agree on one thing – the current ‘bandaid’ solution is failing them all.”

Among other things, this film addresses the benefits of fertility-control vaccine PZP, which has been used in Spring Creek Basin for four years. By slowing the population growth of the herd, at least one roundup has been prevented, a trend we hope to continue.

Sunflower Theatre in Cortez will provide the venue. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for the silent auction, with appetizers and a cash bar available. The film will start at 6:30 p.m. Afterward, NMA/CO board members will be available for a question-and-answer session about issues challenging wild horses and burros, their advocates and managers.

We hope to see “old” friends and meet new ones interested in our mustangs!





NMA/CO fundraiser

23 06 2015

Attention locals: The Colorado chapter of the National Mustang Association plans to host a fundraiser from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, July 10, with the film “Roaming Wild” at the center of the event. Funds raised from ticket sales and the silent auction will benefit Spring Creek Basin mustangs and other wild horses in Southwest Colorado (potentially those in Mesa Verde National Park).

Find more information and buy tickets on NMA/CO’s website.

According to promotional material provided by the film, “Roaming  Wild offers an insider’s look at an  invisible battle unfolding in the American West over wild horses  on public lands. Wild  horses find themselves at the center of an age-defining  controversy  where the demands of modern  development are colliding with the needs of the wild. A fiery activist rescues horses from slaughter, a cattle rancher struggles to keep his way of life viable in the modern era, and an unlikely hero invents new possibilities. Each searching for a solution to the pressure on their own disappearing ways of life in the West, they can agree on one thing – the current ‘bandaid’ solution is failing them all.”

Among other things, this film addresses the benefits of fertility-control vaccine PZP, which has been used in Spring Creek Basin for four years. By slowing the population growth of the herd, at least one roundup has been prevented, a trend we hope to continue.

Sunflower Theatre in Cortez will provide the venue. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for the silent auction, with appetizers and a cash bar available. The film will start at 6:30 p.m. Afterward, NMA/CO board members will be available for a question-and-answer session about issues challenging wild horses and burros, their advocates and managers.

We hope to see “old” friends and meet new ones interested in our mustangs!





Special visitors

31 05 2015
Katie and Ben Masters in Spring Creek Basin with Chrome's band.

Katie and Ben Masters in Spring Creek Basin.

The “Unbranded” crew may not have ridden through Colorado, but ahead of Telluride’s Mountainfilm festival last weekend, Ben Masters and his very lovely wife, Katie, came to Spring Creek Basin to see our “beautiful” mustangs.

We talked about wild horses and wild burros and public lands and challenges and solutions. As you might imagine, Ben’s mustangs, partners in his and friends’ trip of a lifetime, have made him a mustang advocate. “Unbranded” has catapulted him into a unique position of being respected by a variety of disparate interests.

Ben Masters checks out the NMA/CO sign on the water catchment in Spring Creek Basin with wife Katie. Chrome's band is beyond.

Ben checks out the NMA/CO sign on the water catchment in Spring Creek Basin with Katie.

One does not travel from Mexico to Canada with mustangs and friends alone. It requires preparation and support from numerous people along the way. When traveling across public lands with a pack string and a camera man (at least one), one needs permits from the government: the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service. Observant travelers notice the tread of others on those lands, and Ben and Ben and Thomas and Jonny were no different. To say they made the most of their observations and appreciation of America’s remarkable public lands is a huge understatement.

Katie and Ben Masters in Spring Creek Basin's east pocket with Comanche's, Aspen's and Hollywood's bands.

Katie and Ben enjoy a wonderful visit with beautiful mustangs in the basin.

“Unbranded” is a journey story, and like all good journeys, it includes challenges and obstacles and perseverance and education. While their physical journey may have ended at the Canada border, their education is ongoing, and their search for solutions for America’s wild horses and burros likewise is ongoing.

Ben Masters with Chrome's band in Spring Creek Basin.

Ben was pretty stoked by his visit with our mustangs!

Not surprisingly to the sold-out crowds fortunate enough to see “Unbranded” in Telluride (350 people in line were turned away from the Saturday showing after the theater filled), the film won the Audience Award.

This was the second film festival for “Unbranded”; it was the second Audience Award. Ahhhhhhhhhh-mazing!

When you get the chance to see “Unbranded,” see it. It’s not the typical mustang film. It will leave you wanting more – more mustangs, more conservation of public lands, more involvement, more “what can I do.”

Ben Masters with Chrome's band in Spring Creek Basin.

Ben … mustangs … a wide-open place.

We were so fortunate to meet Ben and Katie Masters and some of the rest of the “Unbranded” crew. What an amazing film. They’re carrying an important message, as Ben says, to show the worth of America’s mustangs.