2018 Wild Horse Warriors Public Reports January-May

Feb, 9, 2018 After giving the Basin a few days to dry up after the last moisture, I ventured out and was able to make a complete circle. The north slope of Lake Draw on 67 was interesting, and I could not get through the north entrance to the 67 Horse Loop. Choose not to try the southern entrance because of the sand. I took 66n up to Yellowcat, drove Yellowcat about ½ way and come back to 67.

I started at the main entrance and drove to the top and across and back out on 75. On all the roads there were a couple of areas that were muddy, but for the most part it was dusty dry. There is water running or standing in most of the washes that cross the roads, but not much. The ice is melting in the ponds that had ice, but there does not appear to be any water running into the ponds. It was 50 degrees in the Basin.

36 Wild Horses on 67

15 Wild Horses at 126/67 Junction

3 Wild Horses at 126E

14 Wild Horses on 66N

7 Wild Horses on YellowCat

10 Wild Horses on 67 by Lookout Mountain

85 Total Wild Horses

1 Jeep on 67

1 Truck at Mile Marker 6

2 Total Vehicles 6 Total Hours

Feb 17th, 2019 My Husband and I drove out to the Basin to check on the Wild Horses on Highway 318 and the conditions in the Basin. We tried to go up 75, but it got too muddy. It was warming up and the roads looked soft on 67 so we did not go into the Basin. We circled around, through Irish Canyon and back across 4 to 13. We saw two bands of WY Wild Horses on Cty Rd 4, but those were the only horses we saw.

Feb 22, 2018

I had heard that the Wild Horses were back on 318 so I made a trip out to the Basin. I found Yellowman along 318 east of the entrance. There was horse sign and hoofprints starting at Nottingham’s and up to the 67 entrance. I did not see any wild horses after the entrance to Sand Wash Basin. I did enter the basin and the roads had lots of vehicle tracks. Because it was late in the day I just went to the base of Monument Hill and turned around.

12 Total Wild Horses

4 Total Hours

Feb 25, 2018

I got into the Basin. It was cold and not suppose to warm up enough to melt the snow. The roads have a slight covering of snow and its pretty easy going until we got up north. We were almost to the very top of 67 about a mile from the junction where 67 turns east across the top, when we hit a snow drift I could not get through. 66N and the second Horse Loop 67 were not passable due to drifting. There was one other set of tracks we were following most of the day, but never saw another vehicle.

Yellowman and 3 bachelors were down by 318. Yellowman east of the main entrance and the 3 bachelors west of the main entrance.

15 Wild Horses on 318

11 Wild Horses on 67 just north of the corrals

2 Wild Horses on 126 just before Sheepherders 

2 Wild Horses on Lookout Mountain

30 Wild Horses on 52

60 Total Wild Horses

No vehicles 9 Hours

March 2018

WHW Report to the BLM

By

Cindy Wright

Foal Count 3-30-18

17 births 2 lost 15 total foals  

There are two sheep camps in the Basin, one close to OutHouse Pond and has been there most of the month. The other one is by Monument Hill and has moved around that area this month.

March 30 we were notified that a foal had been separated from its band. There were several people in the Basin and more went to help look for the foal. March 31 the foal was found dead by a pond. 

While they were looking for the foal, I placed a call to the permit  holder, we had assumed it was his sheepherders that had alerted the girls in the basin about the foal being separated from the band. The sheepherder had actually ridden his horse to find the girls to tell them, but no one that was there spoke Spanish. I was hoping that permit holder or one of his men would be able to contact the sheepherder to give us more information. He call me back and I learned that the sheep in the Basin belong to a different permit holder.

March 5, 2018

I went into the Basin on 67 and traveled up almost to Sheepherders Spring. It was getting muddy and there was no sign on any horses. On our return we found Mateo and his band with a new deceased foal just northwest of Copper Pond. We headed up 52 but turned around after the Rock Pond, as again the road was getting muddy. We also drove up 75 and got almost to the top and the snow drifts stopped us.

It was 36 degrees and very windy.

14 Wild Horses on 67

16 Wild Horses by Copper Pond

44 Wild Horses on 52

15 Wild Horses on 75

March 10, 2018

It was 45 and windy in the Basin. Dirt-bikers are back. I came in on 67 made the 48/80 loop and part way up 52, we turned around on 52 it was too muddy. We turned around at 126E and left the Basin on 67.

6 wild horses on 67

16 wild horses on 48

10 wild horses on 80

25 wild horses on 52

4 wild horses on 126

24 wild horses on 126E

85 Total wild horses

2 Trucks with dirt bikers by the Kiosk

2 vehicles on 126

4 Total vehicles 5 total hours

Mystic with her filly Venus

Foaling Season is in full Swing

Lots of mares looking very ready to foal

March 11, 2018

It was a beautiful day in the Basin, which brought the dirt bikers out in force. There were 12 trucks at the Kiosk with dirt biker/ATV’s

6 wild horses on 67

34 wild horses on 126E

17 wild horses on 126 by Copper Pond

28 wild horses on 67 Horse Loop

85 Total wild horses

12 Total vehicles 6 total hours

March 12, 2018

We found Picasso as we topped Monument Hill. It was the first sighting of him this spring. 

20 wild horses on 67

43 wild horses on 52

24 wild horses on 126E

87 Total wild horses 8 Total hours

0 Vehicles

March 17, 2018

29 wild horses on 75

9 wild horses across the top

38 Total wild horses

1 Total vehicle 4 total hours

March 21, 2018

I entered the Basin on 67. There have been a few people in the Basin when it was pretty muddy and some of the roads are pretty rutted, but there is very little moisture damage from run off. With the amount of traffic in the Basin now the vehicles are wearing down and smoothing out the ruts.

15 wild horses on 67

3 wild horses at Bitter Pond on 67

17 wild horses at the 6/126E junction

18 wild horses on 2051

20 wild horses on 52

7 wild horses on 2076

39 wild horses on 67 Horse Loop

40 wild horses on 66N

159 Total wild horses

2 vehicles on 67

1 vehicle on 66N

1 vehicle on 52

4 Total Vehicles 11 Total Hours

March 22,2018

I took a new visitor to the Basin today. She had come to our meeting but had never been to the Basin. It was a short day the weather was changing. We did see a few wild horses and saw about 100 head of elk across the top. Lookout Mountain is still too muddy to get up, but most of the rest of the roads are dusty dry, with just a few wet spots. We met one other vehicle and they were also first-time visitors. We came in 75 went across the top and left again on 75. We found Bugs with Diva and her foal from last year that was never seen. They are all three out of bounds and looks like Diva will foal again soon.

21 wild horses on 75

18 wild horses across the top

39 Total wild horses

I Total Vehicle 4 Total hours

They are out of bounds on 75.

March 25, 2018

There were 6 dirt-bikers at the Kiosk today. It looked like it could be rainy, but it only spit, but was cold and windy.  There is a sheepherder camped by Monument Hill. 

28 wild horses on 48

20 wild horses on 46

38 wild horses on 52

6 wild horses on 2051

7 wild horses on 126E

15 wild horses on 67 wild horses loop

114 Total Wild Horses

1 Vehicle on 80

1 Vehicle on 48

2 Total Vehicles   11 Total hours

March 26, 2018

I had not been up YellowCat this Spring and decided that since there were several people in the southern area we would go north.

59 wild horses on 126E

25 wild horses on YellowCat

22 wild horses on 52

I wild horses on 48

2 wild horses on 67

110 Total wild horses 8 Total hours

1 vehicle on 67

2 vehicles on 66N 

1 vehicle on 80

4 Total Vehicle

My  May 2018  Report to the

BLM  

By Cindy Wright

May 1, 2018 

Monarch and his sire, Cimarron, having a little chat about life. There is a whole series of shots that tell a story about Cimarron’s son growing up and showing interest in a mare in the band. 

The sheep were leaving the Basin on 75. 

46 Total Wild Horses on 75 

3 Total Hours 

I Tent 

I Camper 

May 5, 2018 

We set up for the Blessing of the Land Service. 

May 6, 2018 

Sunrise for the Blessing of the Land Ceremony 

We had a beautiful morning for our Sunrise Service. After the ceremony I left the Basin and set up for our booth in Maybell. 

May 7, 2018 

We found a herd of about a dozen elk, by OutHouse Pond 

My husband was leaving the Basin and saw Picasso and several of the women that he knew I was friends with. He called to tell me where they were, and my sister-in-law and I left to go see Picasso. We met a very nice young girl from NYC. It was her first time to the Basin and was not sure where to camp. I invited her to set her tent up on 48 where I was camped. After she got her tent set up she came into the camper and we visited. As she was getting ready to leave I asked her if she had a flashlight. She only had her cell phone, so I gave her my lantern to use. As she stepped out of the camper she screamed and came running back in. There was a coiled rattlesnake not 6 feet in front of my camper door. Needless to say she stayed the night with us in the camper. 

18 wild horses on 67 

23 wild horses on 48 

21 wild horses at Picasso Pond on 80 

7 wild horses on 52 

26 wild horses on 2052 

95 Total Wild Horses 

3 campers by the kiosk 

3 vehicles on 67 

2 vehicles on 126 

8 Total Vehicles 7 Total Hours 

May 8, 2018 

29 wild horses on 67 

13 wild horses on 126 

5 wild horse on 2052 

49 wild horses on 75 

96 Total Wild Horses 

5 Total vehicles all on 67 10 Hours 

May 11, 2018  

18 wild horses on 67 

45 wild horses at Lake Pond 

12 wild horses at Bitter Pond 

43 wild horses at 126E 

118 Total Wild Horses 

2 Vehicles on 67 

1 Camper by the Kiosk 

3 Total Vehicles 7 Total Hours 

May 12, 2018 

My husband, sister-in-law and I spent the day on the back side of Lookout Mountain. We found 2 wild horses out of bounds down in the bottom where the two ponds are. The Pond in bounds was dry, but the out of bounds pond has some water in it. We also found a gate at the top of Lookout Mountain open. 

19 wild horses on 67 

3 wild horses on 2047 

16 wild horses on 80 

4 wild horses on 48 

24 wild horses on Lookout Mountain 

50 wild horses at 126E 116 Total Wild Horses 4 vehicles by the Kiosk 

1 vehicle on 2041 

5 Total Vehicles  10 Total Hours 

May 13, 2018 

51 wild horses on 48 

9 wild horse on 52 

26 wild horses came into Sheepherders it was dry, so they moved on 

18 wild horses on 2084 

17 wild horses on 75 

121 Total Wild Horses 

9 Campers at Camper City 

4 campers by the corrals 

1 Vehicle on 2084 

14 total vehicles 9 Total Hours 

May 14, 2018 

A friend has asked me to take her into the basin with another friend. It was the first time for both. They were coming from Baggs, so we were meeting on 127. I had a flat just as I reached to top and had to call Sid, because I did not have a lug nut key for my locked lug nuts. It was a slow start to the day, but we were still able to see several bands. 24 wild horses across the top 

33 wild horses on 67 Horse Loop 

5 wild horse at Copper Pond 

62 Total Wild Horses 

2 vehicles on 67 

1 vehicle on 126 

3 Total Vehicles 9 Total Hours 

May 17, 2018 

I came into the Basin on 67 about 1 and was meeting friends at Clay Buttes. The water is so low at most of the other watering holes in the area there are about 75-10 horses coming into this watering hole daily. A New Friend was there, she has a wealth of information, not all of which I agree with, but still interesting to talk to. There was also a photographer who comes to the Basin often. Unfortunately, both felt that it was OK to get way to close to the water and in the path of the wild horses. Others that were also there were concerned and questioned how close they were to the water and that they were setting in the area the horses had just been running though. 

I had had an interesting conversation with the BLM prior to this trip to the Basin and had very conflicting thoughts about how I should proceed. I choose to leave a flyer on their window and leave the area. 

I am really struggling with the BLM guidelines and their enforcement. I wear two hats when I am in the Basin and for the most part they overlap. Most of what is in my volunteer agreement is the same as the WHW MOU, as far as following the BLM guidelines. Even what I report is basically the same. 

I am a very black and white type and struggle with the non-enforcement of the guidelines. If we have them there is a reason, but if they are not enforced then people just do whatever they want. 

I was told that in the past there has been a sign at Lake Pond that stated, “no vehicles beyond this point”, that sign is gone. We have watering holes that are in the OHV area. There are trails that cross the dams, yet in the HMA we are supposed to stay off the dams, but there are not signs that tell you that. 

We need a stronger presence of BLM personal in the Basin, at the watering holes. Even the unauthorized guided tours show up at the active watering holes, everyone wants the “action shot”, which most often occurs at the watering holes. 

21wild horses on 67 by Lake Pond 

52 wild horses at The Reservoir 

73 Total Wild Horses 

7 vehicles on 67 Total 8 hours 

May 18, 2018 

Last night as I was heading back to my camper, I saw a white truck with a flat bed heading north. It appeared to be some of the sheepherders. This morning I got up to go look at Lake Draw. I knew that the agreement was for the permit holder to take his tanks and turn the spring off when he left the area. I was concerned because we had also been told that as long, as Sheepherders was down, Lake Draw would be left on. When I got to Lake Draw it had been shut off and dismantled. While I was there one of the sheepherders showed up to get his shovel that he had left the night before. There were about 25 horses looking for the water that they were used to getting there. 

I felt sure that there had been a mis-communication, but we needed to get the water back on. Several people knew I was going to check on sheepherders and it didn’t take long for someone to contact SWAT.  

Late in the day after we had left Lake Draw, I was told that I could turn the water back on. 

Friday morning we returned to Lake Draw and removed some T-posts that had been left and we dug a hole to put a 5-gallon, tub in. We had just finished when a band of wild horses came into drink. 

I drove up to Coffeepot to see if the water troughs that were, there could be used, but they would have taken too much work to remove. 

Later that day we were told that we could use the tanks, if there were any from the corrals. I got a call later that night and said there was one tank at the corrals, and we make plans to take it to Lake Draw the next morning. 

3 wild horse on 67 

24 wild horses at Bitter Pond on 67 

8 wild horses at Copper Pong 

30 wild horses at Lake Draw 

19 wild horses at 8X8 

32 wild horses at Twin Buttes on 67 

151 Total Wild Horses 

2 vehicles at Bitter Pond Total 10 hours 

May 19, 2018 

This morning we met at the Corrals and we loaded the tank in the back of my Durango. Others met us at Lake Draw and we got the tank set it place. There was a band that came in right as we finished. I have been back and each time there is a band either at or close to tank in Lake Draw. 

5 wild horses on 75 

26 wild horses at 8X8 on 67 

27 wild horses at Lake Draw 

58 Total wild horses 8 Total Hours 

Spent most of the day working on the water and didn’t see anyone beside those helping May 20, 2018 

By the end of the day Wild Horse Warriors had a donation to cover the full cost of the replacement tanks at Sheepherders. 

3 wild horses by Lake Pond 

25 wild horse by Bitter Pond 

34 wild horses at Copper Pond 

5 wild horses at 8X8 

10 wild horse at Avocet Pond on 2076 

9 wild horses on 126 

86 Total Wild Horses 

6 campers at Camper City 

3 campers by Kiosk 

3 vehicles at Lake Pond 

9 Total Vehicles 8 Total Hours 

May 21, 2018 

The replacement tanks have been ordered and the estimated delivery date is June 4. June 5th WHW had a scheduled day with the BLM in the Basin to look at the water sources. Once we know for sure when the pump is fixed and the delivery date of the troughs WHW’s will schedule a work day and remove the troughs that are there and replace them with the new ones. 

May 22, 2018 

I saw the pump repair folks at Sheepherders, they were testing the pump. They feel like it could have been a lightening strike that shorted it out. They will have to bring the pump truck up to pull the tank. They hope to do that next week. 

13 wild horses at Lake Pond 19 wild horse at Clay Buttes 

29 wild horses at Bitter Pond 

32 wild horses at 8X8 

14 wild horses coming into Sheepherders 

15 wild horses at Copper Pond 

122 Total Wild Horses 

2 vehicles at the Kiosk 

2 vehicles at Lake Pond 

4 Total Vehicles 8 Total hours 

May 24, 2018 

The rain over the last couple of days has helped Lake Pond. It looks a lot better than it did last week. It is the only one that appears to have been affected very much by the rain. 

52 wild horses at Lake Pond 

4 wild horses at the Sheds on 67 

7 wild horses by Copper Pond 

18 wild horses by Lake Draw 

81 Total Wild Horses 

4 Camper with dirt-bikes by the Kiosk 5 Total hours 

May 25, 2018 

A friend form New York City and one from Phoenix arrived in the Basin last night. I met them at Lake Pond and we went to Clay Buttes, on up to Sheepherders and over to Lake Draw. I left them there and headed home.  There were no wild horses there but several bands in the distance. I left and headed to 8x8 there were three cars leaving there and when I got to Twin Buttes I saw that there was a SWAT car there with two other cars. I took a photo of the pond and left. I also run into the Days again, they were on the way to pull the pump and replace it. I returned to the main road and left the basin. 

16 wild horses at Lake Pond 

5 wild horses at Clay Buttes on 67 

24 wild horses at Copper Pond 

18 wild horses above Lake Draw 

7 wild horses at 8x8 on 67 

13 at Twin Buttes on 67 

83 Total Wild Horses 

2 cars at Lake Pond 

4 vehicles at Copper Pond 

1 car at Lake Draw 

3 cars at Twin Buttes 

1 car on 67 

11 Total vehicles 5 total hours 

May 26, 2017 

I was in the Basin only long enough to pick up my camper, from 48, take it to Maybell to dump and fill with water and return to a different location over on 75. 

May 27, 2018 

My husband and came into the basin on 75 the east boundary. We drove up to the Spence Spring and took 66 east to the boundary and back up to 75d. As we returned to our camper we saw three horses. Those are the only wild horses we saw. 

3 wild horses no vehicles 2 hours 

May 28, 2017 

We found a section of fence laying on the ground on a two track that took us by the lowest section of the out of bounds area north of the 66 junction and between the two cattle guards west of 75. We fixed about a mile of fence in that area. 

We drove up 75 to 66 and after DugOut we took a two -track north. We found the fence down and repaired it, then returned to 66 and over to Lake Draw then down to Sheepherders and out of the Basin. 3 wild horses out of bounds on 75 

2 wild horses at Lake Draw 

14 wild horses on Lookout 

8 wild horses at Copper Pond 

2 wild horses at 126E 

10 wild horses by Bitter Pond 

5 wild horses on 67 

3 wild horses at Lake Pond 

47 Total Wild Horse 

3 vehicles on LookOut 

1 Rocky Mountain Youth Corp car on 67 

3 vehicles by the Kiosk 

7 Total Vehicles 4 total hours 

May 29, 2018 

I arrived in the Basin early afternoon and stayed on the East side. I drove a few of the eastern roads looking for some of our wild horses that might be out of bounds. I found 4 bachelors on 75E by the pond. There are least 6 others that we believe are in that same area, but I never found them. 

4 wild horses by Delta Pond 

18 wild horses by Ruby’s pond including one new foal bringing the number to 79 foals born 

22 Total Wild Horses in Bounds 4 out of bounds 

I Moffat County Truck Total 4 hours Total 

Lake Draw 8:30 am. There were 5 bands waiting to get water. They were drinking the tank down faster than it was refilling. There is very little over flow. 

May 30, 2018 

I started the morning on 75 and drove up to 66 then over to Lake Draw. From Lake Draw I went to Sheepherders to check on the water there. The pump is working but the troughs were only about a ¼ full. Two bands came into the troughs and passed them by, one headed to 8x8 and the other down to Copper Pond. I drove down to Copper Pond and then turned around and went up Lookout Mountain. The road graders were working the area around Lookout Mountain. From there I went over to 

CoffeePot. CoffeePot is full but there is no over flow. I drove across the top and back down 75. 

I was very concerned by the lack of vegetation on Lookout Mountain, and lots of dry grasses or weeds. 

6 wild horses on 75 4 out of bounds 

2 wild horses on 66 

56 wild horses at Lake Draw 

17 wild horses at Sheepherders 

9 wild horses at Copper Pond 

42 wild horses at the base of Lookout Mountain 

22 wild horse at CoffeePot 

152 Total Wild Horses 

3 Vehicles on 126 10 total hours 

Lake Pond the back section is now dry, and the front section has mud in the middle showing. Since this photo was taken I have seen photos of just a little water left around the edges. 

May 31, 2018 

I drove 75 down to Ruby’s Pond then back up to 66, over to Lake Draw and then down 67 Horse Loop and out on 67. 

6 wild horses on 75 

5 wild horses by Ruby’s pond.  

This group is a group that had been out of bounds and are now back in bounds. 

8 wild horses by Lake Draw 

48 wild horses at 8X8 

1 wild horse by Lake Pond 

68 Total Wild Horse 5 Total hours 

2 vehicles on 67 

2 vehicles on 126 

5 truck by the kiosk 

9 Total Vehicles 

Foal Count as of 5-31-18 is 80 births, 5 known deaths, 75 live foals in the basin. 

There is one foal, Blizzard, that has been separated from her band and was last seen alone 5-26-18. She has since been seen with another band and appears fine. Her dam is not with her. As of 6-3-18 it now appears that Blizzard is alone and not doing well. 

There is one foal, Belle Starr, that appears sick in Willie Nelson’s band. She is very listless and is breathing very hard, 5-30-18. There are no apparent injuries. She did not show up at the waterhole with her band 6-3-18, so is now assumed deceased. 

There is one foal, Nash, missing, he is two months old so its possible that he has been picked up by another band. He was healthy that last time he was seen. 

Eagle the stallion reported injured about a month ago, appears to have re-injured his leg and it may be a lot more serious this time.