The Bureau of Land Management holds wild horses in a permanent corral at Sand Wash Basin in mid November. The mares that were captured were given birth control and released back into the basin. The young horses were removed from Sand Wash and will be up for adoption next year. Craig Daily Press photo.
As published by Craig Daily Press
Craig — The wild horse bait-and-trap operation underway in Sand Wash Basin, about 45 miles west of Craig, is off to a slow start.
A delay in completing a service contract postponed the operation until early November when it was expected to start in October.
Trapping has also been slowed by recent winter weather conditions.
Contractors Cattoor Livestock Roundup Company have managed to trap 55 horses for the Bureau of Land Management in the first 22 days of the operation.
Of the horses captured, 10 young horses were removed to BLM’s wild horse holding facility in Cañon City, seven mares have been treated with the birth control drug PZP and released back to the wild and seven young horses are currently held in the permanent corrals in Sand Wash Basin awaiting transport to Cañon City, said BLM Public Affairs Specialist David Boyd.
BLM’s original plan was to capture about 200 horses in the corrals so they can give birth control to mares that will be released after they’re treated. They also planned to remove 50 young horses in about 30 days. However, that process will now take longer.
“(Young) horses removed from Sand Wash Basin are expected to be available for adoption direct from the BLM mid to late January,” said Colorado Wild Horse and Burrow Off Range Lead Stephen Leonard, who manages the Cañon City Facility.
The young horses that are not adopted in January will be available for adoption through the Great Escape Mustang Sanctuary in Deer Trail. They expect to have basic training completed for some horses by late spring or early next summer.
A BLM video about the bait and trap may be viewed on BLM’s You Tube channel.
More information about adoption Sand Wash Basin horses is available from the Sand Wash Basin Advocacy Team’s Facebook page.