Shane contemplates the sunset basin from her perch on a ridge in the east.
Both rims of Spring Creek canyon are visible at middle-ground right.
Looking over the world
19 12 2019Comments : 3 Comments »
Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs
Mane a’flying!
18 12 2019
Madison seems to be trailing her band – “wait for me!” But in truth, she was leading the way to water!
Except that they bypassed the pond (frozen) and ended up near another band, peacefully grazing along in the snow. 🙂
As you can see, we didn’t get a LOT of snow, but we did get SOME.
Comments : 2 Comments »
Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs
We know magic
17 12 2019
Don’t miss the mustangs for the mountains. 🙂
Hint: They’re just inside the line of shade at middle-left in the photo. In the middle-ground of the photo is the north rim of Spring Creek canyon. The farthest “point” forms part of Spring Creek Basin’s western boundary.
Disappointment Valley got a varying amount of snow – about an inch in the basin.
Comments : 4 Comments »
Categories : Disappointment Valley, La Sal Mountains, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs
A little white
16 12 2019
Part 1: I kinda forgot to do a blog post last night for this morning.
Part 2: Disappointment Valley woke up to a dusting of snow, and I didn’t really have a pic to fit the scene.
The above photo shows sunset a couple of evenings ago over the La Sal Mountains, to our northwest. The south rim of Spring Creek canyon can be seen in the foreground. We didn’t get nearly the moisture from this system that was a) forecast or b) expected by those of us always wishing and hoping for moisture forecasts to be true.
It’s a very dry snow, so not much moisture, but it’s pretty, and if it lasts long enough, I won’t forget a pic for tomorrow’s post! Well, I won’t forget in either case!
Comments : 4 Comments »
Categories : Disappointment Valley, La Sal Mountains, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area
The napper and the protector
15 12 2019
Comanche stands with his best girl, Kestrel, as she naps under a grand old juniper tree in Spring Creek Basin. She didn’t have much shade, but sometimes you don’t need a big reason for a nap. 🙂
Our forecast moisture hasn’t materialized yet, but as I type this Saturday night, the weather gurus still are calling for about an 80 percent chance of snow. So fingers are crossed to wake up to a white morning!
Comments : 3 Comments »
Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs
Framed
14 12 2019
In the far places of Spring Creek Basin, mud still is deep and damp – still *mud*.
We have more moisture in the forecast. So while it’s still pretty brown out there, we’re feeling blessed this early in the season. 🙂
Comments : 4 Comments »
Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs
Those ears!
13 12 2019
She’s the cutest! 🙂
Comments : 3 Comments »
Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs
That boy!
12 12 2019
Mr. Stout – aka Skywalker – was grazing along on top of a hill between his band of bachelor bros and another band. When he split from his buddies, I lost track of them, too, and didn’t see them again.
We had cloudy skies, but the day ended with that delicious light just before the sun set. We have more rain in our forecast – and maybe some snow!
Comments : 4 Comments »
Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs
Survivor
11 12 2019
When I first saw this handsome boy, he was on the Spring Creek Basin side of the fence along Disappointment Road.
He was courting this very lovely lady.
The basin is to the left in the pic above. After moseying through the trees along the fence, they jumped it, and he’s behind her, about to follow her across the road.
Mostly, he kept her on the move, but he did stop to give me a pose.
Spectacular!
Comments : 7 Comments »
Categories : Disappointment Valley, Mule deer, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Wildlife
More rain, frost, fog, sunshine!
10 12 2019
The fog wasn’t nearly as heavy or as long-lasting this time as it was last time.
Also like last time, I couldn’t find a single cooperative pony to photograph!
**********
In other news:
The Bureau of Land Management seeks public comment on wild horse fertility control study.
Article about it in the Las Vegas Sun.
I’m not really sure what to think about this, let alone what to say about it. While BLM continues to search for and research various ways to limit or stop reproduction in wild horses and burros, the fact remains that PZP is a tried and true vaccine (with more than 30 years of research and use) to limit reproduction in horses and burros. PZP works where it’s used. When it’s used, PZP works. Why not use it? Why keep complaining that there’s nothing to do but round up and remove? Why wait to use what exists and works??
Yes, please: Continue to research other, *humane* ways of reducing fertility in wild horses and burros, ways that work longer and are “easier” to deploy (than native PZP).
But in the meantime, PZP WORKS. USE IT.
A very good, very effective tool exists. When it’s used, it works. When it’s not used, it’s difficult to listen to the complaints about the consequences of its lack of use.
I would love to offer support to another tool in the goal to reduce reproduction – in turn reducing the need for roundups and removals – and I really hope PZP would get the support and use our wild horses and burros deserve.
Disclaimer: We have used PZP in Spring Creek Basin since the roundup in 2011. We haven’t had a roundup since 2011, and no roundups are planned. Reason? PZP, plain and simple.
From BLM’s release at the link above:
A 15-day public comment period on the preliminary environmental assessment is set for December 5 – 19, 2019. The public is encouraged to review DOI-BLM-NV-0000-2020-001-EA (Oocyte Growth Factor Vaccine Study), located at: https://go.usa.gov/xpEvc and provide comments or concerns, prior to 4:30 p.m. (PST) on December 19, 2019. Comments and concerns may be emailed to blm_nv_nvso_research@blm.gov or sent in writing to the BLM Nevada State Office, Attention: Ruth Thompson, Wild Horse and Burro Project Coordinator, 1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno, NV 89502.
If you’re moved to comment, I would encourage readers to offer respectful comments that support continued research of humane fertility-control options. I also would encourage readers to point to the long-known success of PZP and encourage BLM to make use of it.
Comments : 3 Comments »
Categories : Advocacy, Brumley Point, Fertility control, McKenna Peak, Mustangs, Partnership, PZP, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Temple Butte, Wild horses in the news
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 