Letter to BLM by Craig Downer – The Cloud Foundation and The Equine Welfare Alliance
Wild Horse and Burro Division
Bureau of Land Management
Reno, NV
Dear Sirs:
Freedom - (Craig Downer)
I am concerned about the fate of Calico complex wild horses now in captivity north of Fallon as well as those that remain living in the wild in the five HMA’s from which the former where captured. I recently flew over southern and central portions of Black Rock East, Black Rock West, Calico Mountain, and Granite Range HMA’s in a light plane. In this very open area I was only able to observe only 31 wild horses in several bands, while during this same flight I observed 350 cattle. There was a reasonable spring green-up of the landscape and the open treeless character of the terrain permitted a high degree of horse detection.
My concern is this: there appears to be a real dearth of wild horses remaining in the complex after the last helicopter roundups. In light of this, I am requesting that the Calico horses now in captivity not be moved to holding and adoption centers until after the aerial population inventory you are planning for the complex is completed. I understand this is to take place right away. If, in fact, there are far fewer wild horses remaining in the complex than earlier estimated, I would urge you to release a fair number of the wild horses of equal sex ratios in order to bring the herd up to a more adequate level.
Looking forward to your response,
Sincerely,
Craig C. Downer
Craig’s Documented Observations
RETURN FLIGHT OVER CALICO MOUNTAIN WILD HORSE HERD MANAGEMENT AREAS COMPLEX (WINNEMUCCA BLM DISTRICT) AND BUFFALO HILLS WHHMA TO WEST
Date of Flight: Monday, May 3, 2010
Date of Report: Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Pilot: Mr. Shane Gorman (Reno, NV) of Lighthawk organization. Flight arranged through Sharon Stone of Lighthawk. Plane is lightweight acrobatic Citabrio, similar to Piper Cub. 2 passenger. Superior wing.
Passenger and observer/photographer(digital stills) and author of this report: Craig C. Downer, wildlife ecologist
Leave Truckee (Calif.) airport ca. 8:40 AM. Airport located off Hwy 267, SE of I-80 hwy and near town of Truckee, mid elevation Sierra Nevada mtns.
Weather: Sunny, cool, clear. Fly to Winnemucca, central northern Nevada to fuel up.
Land at Winnemucca (Nevada) airport at 10 AM. Fuel up and take off heading NW toward Black Rock Range (BRR) and BRR East Wild Horse Herd Management Area (whhma), spotting for wild horses, cattle and noting range condition and other factors. A strong head wind is encountered blowing from the West
11:15 AM. 50 Black Angus cattle observed SE portion of BRR East. No wild horses in sight. Coming over ridge GPS Coordinates are: 41 deg 33 min N; 118 deg 31 min W.
11:22 AM. Ca. 100 Hereford cattle seen. No wild horses observed. GPS Coordinates: 41 deg 33 min N; 118 deg. 42 min W. One small band of 7 wild horses finally sighted. Band includes bays and sorrels. Flying south another small band of 4 wild horses is spotted to the NW. GPS Coordinates 41 deg 30 min N; 118 deg 48 min W. Several herds of cattle observed, estimated at ca. 80, feeding on spring green up of range. Area has hardly any wild horses. They have been lost to the recent BLM-contracted roundups conducted by Cattoor Livestock Roundup company out of Nephi, Utah.
11:43 AM. Flying just to south of Paiute Meadows Ranch and south of Elephant Mountain, SE of Little Big Mtn. and Big Mtn. Freedom, famous stallion who escaped capture corrals at Paiute Meadows on Jan. 2, 2010, and his band were from this area. The helicopter drove them in from the northern part of Elephant Mtn. Freedom escaped toward Big Mtn. (Photo above.) Lamentably no wild horses are observed during our flight over this vast and spectacular area. Portions of BRR West whhma observed. We decide to turn back toward the SW due to increased turbulence and dark clouds with some sculpted clouds to the north.
11:56 AM. Two wild horse bands spotted, one with 8 wild horses, the other with 7 wild horses. GPS Coordinates 41 deg 04 min N; 119 deg 13 min W toward S end of Calico Hills, Calico Mtn whhma. Another band of 5 wild horses spotted to N. GPS Coordinates: 41 deg 03 min N; 119 deg 15 min W. South of Division Peak.
12:09 PM. GPS Coordinates 40 deg 55 min N; 119 deg 31 min W. N. Granite Range and Granite Range whhma. No wild horses observed. Formerly several wild horse bands frequented here. Proceeding west. Smoke Creek Desert to south. Large dust plumes arising from desert indicates strong gusts. Head wind remains strong. Very sparse vegetation with a few stunted Juniper trees, sparsely distributed. Spring green up noted.
12:13 PM. Use binoculars to carefully inspect W side Granite range from north. No wild horses observed. Digital photos. Many cattle grazing here, est. 120, in diverse locations. These tend to cluster around water sources.
12:16 PM. Pass over reservoir. No wild horses, nor wild horse trails. No dung depots.
Overall conclusion: Portions of Calico Mtn whhma Complex inspected from the air are nearly devoid of wild horses whereas before there was a fair number of wild horses in these areas, evenly distributed in a mosaic formed of wild horse band home ranges.
12:19 PM. One band of 7 wild horses spotted by reservoir and another band of 5 wild horses observed far off. GPS Coordinates: 40 deg 49 min N; 119 deg 43 min W. This is in the Buffalo Hills whhma (not part of Calico Mtn whhma Complex). Snow capped Lassen Peak (and active volcano) visible to NNW.
12:21 PM. One band of 4 wild horses spotted. GPS Coordinates: 40 deg 47 min N; 119 deg 47 min W.
12:22 PM. Flying above a ranch. GPS Coordinates: 40 deg 45 min N; 119 deg 50 min W. 52 cattle congregated around a reservoir. Due to turbulence, we’ll head to Susanville (Calif.) airport to SW. Strong headwind, increasing gusts buffet plane.
12:28 PM. Due south of Warner Mtns. Many cattle observed (not counted). Very sparse vegetation, due in part to volcanic activity from Lassen as well as intense and extensive livestock overgrazing of the public lands here. Wave clouds to north indicate turbulence and high velocity winds.
1:00 PM. Mr. Gorman lands Citabrio at Susanville airport on dirt runway that allows going directly into the strong headwind that is 25 knots and gusting to 35 knots, dangerous for a light plane. Two passes necessary before landing made. Several men have to aid in securing airplane in hangar as high winds would have flipped it. I remained in plane for weight.
2 PM. Return to Truckee via Reno in a rental car.
TOTAL WILD HORSES OBSERVED: 47, OF WHICH 31 OBSERVED IN CALICO MTN COMPLEX OF WHHMA’S.
TOTAL CATTLE OBSERVED: 402 OF WHICH 350 OBSERVED IN CALICO MTN COMPLEX OF WHHMA’S.
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Categories: Horse News, The Force of the Horse, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
thank-you for trying to help the wild horses, we are all so worried about them – it is daily in our thoughts & prayers , & really hope something better can be done for the horses.
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This is why I don’t trust BLM numbers at all, 600 left out there, yeah right, these lucky few hid and refused to come in , only reason they are still out in the wild, I pray daily that something good happens soon for these Calico horses.
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In the last gather done on the Calicos..estimates were off in the other direction..It was discovered that a large group of horses were migrating to the Calif side of the complex-in the surprise valley side in the winter(kind of a ‘palm springs snow bird thing)..I asked dr. kane..given the had that knowledge why they didn’t take that into consideration? My own opinion is that given that we have been having mild winters in recent years they may have not migrated southward in the numbers they did before…and that they did in fact roundup for all intents and purposes..all the calico horses..i was very anxious and interested to hear what he had seen on the california side..because if horses are left..thats where they would be. I am also sad to hear he did not spot freedom the black stallion..as he was seen about a month and 1/2 after the end of the gather-alone on the edge of the complex.
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If the BLM is sincere about doing an actual head count, they should start with the Calico Complex. Basing numbers on mathematical calculations obviously does not reflect the reality on the ground.
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Dear Mr. Downer:
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
We are with you. Please keep trying. All the dead, all the suffering, all the equines…we do not forget, we do not quit, we will not go away.
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You’re welcome. I am very concerned for the future of America’s last wild horses. They are great healers, ecologically, spiritually, etc. but they are being maligned by backward thinking people. They are a returned native in N. Am. and complement rather than detract from the rest of the naturally occurring species.
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Thank you Craig. Your work is extremely important.
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If we could only get more people, especially govt. and environmental orgs to recognize that the horses ARE a native species. This always seems to come up and is a real point of contention. Returned Native Wildlife is much more attractive than “cockroaches.”
I’ll be writing my own letter to the BLM, hoping they will at least read it. Even that would be an improvement.
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I heartily support the idea of sending rational letters to Mr. Seidlitz. I am still hopeful that “many unified voices” will generate a positive result. I am “engaging” (great word RT 🙂 Mr. Seidlitz’s mailbox immediately. Thank you for rational thinking….I personally tend to REact instead of act but I recognize the value of coordinating our efforts. As always Craig is the horses champion.
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Thank you for doing a flyover. This is an excellent report! Did anyone do a flyover of Fallon and/or any of those hidden long term holding ranches? All those places I would love to see good digital photos of the horses.
Perhaps if we can get address or GPS of those places, some of us can hire local services to flyover and photo for us. Very much want to see the condition (and count) of those horses. Many have been hidden from public view for years.
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I was curious about Sheldon and one other HMA (can’t remember the name right now). Has an independent count been done on some of the other areas? Calico and Pryor have been getting alot of attention, but I’m concerned about the other areas as well. They all deserve attention.
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A sobering but necessary report. Thank you so much for sharing it with us, Mr. Downer. With your expertise and experience, if you don’t carry credibility with the BLM then no one does.
We are ALL still here and fighting with you. The BLM will hear from all of us I’m sure. This might be considered a “litmus test” of their sincerity. They surly must know – even if they don’t admit it – that we have NO reason to trust them, and that they need to give us SOMETHING.
If they totally ignore this with “business as usual,” why would we believe they are turning in a “new direction”? To me, it will look like the same old road – the one to Perdition.
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I would certainly like to see a fly over done on all holding facilities esp those not open to the public. I know that we are all concerned that the number of horses that should be there aren’t. This is an excellent report Craig. How sick you must have felt when you saw the TRUE result of the blm devastation done to the Calico herds. I cannot wait to see the numbers blm puts up when they survey the area.
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Craig, thank you for everything that you do. We all benefit so very much from your knowledge and experience. You can and do educate a few others who call themselves wildlife ecologists. You are the “real deal”.
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Absolutely, even if we get no response-letters and petitions become part of the public record, we leave a paper trail that we can later use. Individual letters are better than petiitons
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Thank you so much for all you do, Craig. Your observations are crucial proof that BLM has decimated the wild horse population – a fact which we all knew. Were there burros in these locations who have been zeroed out, as well? Please include them in your next observations as it seems these beautiful individuals have been forgotten.
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If there are only around 31 wild horses left in Calico instead of the 600 BLM insisted they left behind, can’t they be sued for taking more animals than they were supposed to and be forced to return them to the wild?
I wish Craig Downer was the head of the BLM — or the new Secretary of the Interior.
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