What can you do to help McCullough Peaks wild horses right now?
The bait & trap gather of this beloved herd is set to start on November 15, 2023 and last until March 2024 (or until the Bureau of Land Management meets its goals). We have to make our voices heard by the thousands if we want to stop this unwarranted gather. Use these tips below to get started!
On November 13, 2023, the Bureau of Land Management put out a press release stating that the McCullough Peaks wild horse bait & trap gather would begin on November 27. You can read the press release here: https://www.blm.gov/press-release/bait-trap-gather-begin-mccullough-peaks-wild-horse-herd-management-area
3. Call the Bureau of Land Management Director, Tracy Stone-Manning, and ask her to stop this roundup of the McCullough Peaks wild horses. Give her the facts and say how important this herd is to you and your family:
• This is an aging herd. 1/3 of the herd is over the age of 15, 22 are over the age of 20. Many will die over the winter, which could bring the numbers well below the low Appropriate Management Level if removed. • Genetic viability of the herd is a real concern. Dr. Gus Cothran states a viable herd needs at least 150 breeding adults. This herd will collapse if all the younger horses are removed and all the older mares are treated with GonaCon. • The remote bait trapping plan is not acceptable and is dangerous for the horses. • This is one of the most beloved wild herds in the country and people from all around the world travel to Cody, WY to visit them. If the herd is gathered, then the American and International public will lose even more faith in the Bureau of Land Management's ability to properly run the Wild Horse and Burro Program. • This herd has been successfully darted with PZP since 2013 with just a 2% growth rate and is a model for a darting program. Tracy Stone Manning: Ph: 202.208.3801 Be polite! Threats and yelling will only hurt the horses chances. Would you do something for someone who yells at you? No, so don't yell at her. We need to be mature and professional in our actions so that we are taken more seriously as wild horse advocates. |
Time is ticking and the wild horses of McCullough Peaks need our voices today. Please don't hesitate, take the actions below immediately.
1. Call your member of the House of Representatives and say: "I am calling Rep. _________ today to ask her/him for an immediate moratorium on all wild horse & burro roundups until Congress can investigate the Bureau of Land Management's wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars and mismanagement of the Wild Horse & Burro Program." Then go to her/his website and email that message to them as well (change it from 'I am calling...' to 'I am writing..." Then call him/her a few days later and ask if the Rep. got the message and if you can provide more information. Use the facts under #3 to the left to give to your Rep. Tell them the is of the upmost importance to you and your family. Don't know who your Rep is? Go here to find out: www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative 2. If you have visited the town of Cody, WY specifically to see the horses, call, send an email & a letter to the Cody Chamber of Commerce today about why you visited Cody and how much money you spent. Tell them you have visited or plan to visit just to see the wild horses of McCullough Peaks. Tell them you won't visit if the Bureau of Land Management reduces the herd to just 70 horses, which is the plan. Tell them the herd is in danger of extinction if the BLM reduces their number to just 70 because of the aging older horses and the use of a permenant sterilant called GonaCon. Cody Chamber of Commerce: info@codychamber.org 836 Sheridan Avenue, Cody, WY 82414 Ph: 307.587.2777 Be polite, mature, and professional in your call/letter/email! Yelling and threats will only hurt the horses chances. Be specific about how much money you spent and what businesses you spend money at. 3. See to the left for number 3 4. Contact media in Wyoming and ask them to print a pro-wild horse article about how much the McCullough Peaks wild horses mean to the American public and how this roundup is a waste of taxpayer dollars. Talk about how much money these horses bring into the state and specifically the town of Cody in tourism dollars. Talk about how if the horses are removed, that less people will visit. Talk about the success of the Pryor Mountain wild horses and how the town of Lovell, WY embraces the herd and understands how the Pryor wild horses bring in much needed tourism dollars. Write a Letter to the Editor and submit it to your local paper. It's so easy and you can use the facts under #3. 5. If you live in Wyoming, contact your local State Representative and Assemblyperson. Tell them you want to the roundup stopped and talk about how much tourism dollars the McCullough Peaks wild horses bring into the state. Give examples of photographers who you know have visited, your friends, and yourself. Tell them the horses are not overpopulated and that the McCullough Peaks range is the healthiest it's ever been. Tell them that the genetic viability of the herd is at risk with so many of the horses at at elderly age. |