The historic Montgomery Pass wild horse herd needs to be saved from elimination 

The Montgomery Pass Wild Horse Territory/Herd Management Area herd is jointly managed by the Inyo National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management, both with offices in Bishop, Calif. The herd occupies portions of California and Nevada. 

This herd has been a wonderful part of my life since I was a boy. It is one of the most studied herds in the nation. Nearly three decades of research have been conducted by wildlife ecologist John Turner, and others, that prove this herd to be generally self-stabilizing, due to the prevalence of mountain lions in the area, as well as their stable social units established over many generations, although recent altitude shifts in the majority of horses has led to an increase in the population. (See John W. Turner’s study in the Journal of Natural History.) The herd has been the subject of field courses for many years at various universities.  

Based on years of observation, photography, and management plan and study review, I’ve determined these mustangs’ basic legal rights are being overlooked by authorities, both Inyo National Forest and BLM. 

The herd is being subjected to a clever “squeeze play” influenced by long-term detractors who fail to consider the big picture regarding the herd, and its intrinsic value and needs, despite its naturally adapted and healthily sized population. These equids make substantial contributions to the ecosystem, including wildfire prevention. Officials shirk their duty when they ignore the former; they should promote the herd’s genetic viability and resilience and allow it to fill its ecological role within a variously contained habitat according to the sound principles of “reserve design.” To obey the true spirit of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (WFHBA), they should identify alternatives to what is being planned—which is a near-total population removal. They should not seize on recent changes in their distribution to serve as an excuse to nearly eliminate this herd. There are excellent, common-sense alternatives to what they are proposing. 

During the harsh winter of 2022-’23, many of these wild horses were forced to seek grass and water near and along the shores of Mono Lake, including the unique tufa formation area. I traveled to Mono Lake in late February 2023 and observed the snow piled with drifts 15 to 20 feet high. I had to divert to the east in order to proceed south. The past two winters have not been as extreme; the wild horses have not been occupying the Mono Lake area to the degree they did before. Officials should defend this herd by implementing solutions such as log-and-pole fences to keep the horses away from key springs and bird-nesting habitats, and lower speed limits posted along Highway 120. 

Back in the mid-1980s, there was a plan by Inyo National Forest officials to totally eliminate this legal herd. Along with several others, I strongly protested this, and this outrageous proposal was cancelled. Today, a similar proposal is being enacted.  

Authorities have shifted attention away from serious problems with lax law enforcement regarding human-caused impacts, such as climbing on tufa mounds and going off-trail to disturb habitats, animals and plants. Our public officials should adhere to the true spirit and intent of the WFHBA. Instead, the BLM issued the “Removal of Wild Horses Outside the Montgomery Pass Wild Horse Territory.” It was prepared by the Bishop BLM office and signed by Sherri Lisius, the Bishop field manager. The decision is to remove around 624 horses from the total herd population of around 694 horses, leaving a cripplingly low herd number of around 70 mustangs.  

This would be far below genetic viability. This gutting of the herd would make it extremely vulnerable to mounting hardships like severe storms, diseases, predation by mountain lions, harassment by people (including ORV chasing), global warming, manipulation of forage and water accessibility by fences and other means, etc.  

It’s high time we humans come clean when it comes to these magnificent presences—and do what’s right! 

Craig C. Downer is a wildlife ecologist, author, fourth-generation Nevadan and leader of the Wild Horse and Burro Fund/Andean Tapir Fund. He lives in Minden.