Full Breakdown
Potential Wild Horse Roundups Planned for September Across the Western United States
9/8/2026, 12:48:15 AM
Planned Gather Operations in September
The American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) organization posted a map identifying seven Herd Management Areas (HMAs) where federal roundups—also called gathers—could occur in September. The locations listed are Nut Mountain HMA (Sept. 1), Bitner HMA (Sept. 1), Massacre Lakes (Sept. 1), Challis HMA (Sept. 9), Sand Wash Basin (Sept. 17), Fifteenmile (Sept. 15) and Jackson Mountains HMA (Sept. 20). AWHC described the month as a “critical window” for documenting actions, demanding accountability, and promoting humane alternatives.
Federal Rationale and Management Strategy
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) states that gathers are intended to protect both wild horses and public rangelands. The agency argues that, without natural predators, herds can double in size within four to five years, potentially exceeding the land’s capacity for food, water, wildlife, livestock and other authorized uses. Management tools include removing animals through roundups and, in some areas, applying fertility-control measures to slow growth.
Advocacy Groups’ Concerns and State Opposition
Return to Freedom characterizes helicopter roundups as dangerous, noting that horses may be driven long distances over rough terrain and separated from family groups. AWHC adds that helicopter pursuits can leave horses stressed, exhausted, injured or dead, and that roundups impose substantial taxpayer costs while disrupting social structures.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Representative Joe Neguse wrote a September 3 letter urging the BLM to pause Colorado roundups. They cited a recent operation in the Piceance-East Douglas HMA that captured roughly 800 horses, resulting in six deaths, and warned that a planned Sand Wash Basin roundup would cut that herd by more than 60 percent. While acknowledging the need for sustainable herd sizes, they called helicopter roundups “inhumane and unnecessary” and asked for evidence that helicopters are more effective than “more humane” alternatives such as fertility control.
Specific Locations and Scheduled Actions
A May 15 BLM schedule indicates a Wyoming operation slated to begin on or after September 15, targeting the Fifteenmile HMA and aiming to remove approximately 286 animals. The AWHC-identified sites span multiple states, reflecting a coordinated federal effort to address herd growth during the September window.
Outlook and Alternatives
Advocacy groups continue to push for expanded fertility-control programs as a less disruptive means of managing wild horse populations. State officials in Colorado have formally requested a pause on helicopter roundups pending further review. The coming weeks will determine whether the BLM proceeds with the planned September gathers or adopts alternative, non-lethal strategies.
