Lahontan HMA Wild Horse Roundup Reports

Welcome to our roundup reporting page for the Lahontan Herd Management Area in western Nevada, where you will find daily eyewitness reports, photographs, and videos from the field as the Bureau of Land Management carries out a sweeping helicopter roundup.

From July 20 through July 30, the BLM plans to capture and remove up to 700 wild horses from Lahontan. The operation is expected to reduce the herd to approximately seven to ten horses, removing nearly the entire wild population from the public lands they call home. Captured horses will be separated from their family bands and transported to government holding facilities.

These daily reports document what is happening on the ground as it happens. Our field observers will attend the operation whenever access is provided to witness helicopter drives, monitor horse welfare, record roundup conditions, and provide the public with transparent, independent reporting.

This page will serve as a living record of the Lahontan roundup. Throughout the operation, we will publish photographs, videos, daily totals, and firsthand observations so the public can follow the removal as it unfolds.

We hope these reports bring urgently needed visibility to what is happening at Lahontan, inspire greater public awareness, and strengthen the call for humane, science-based management that protects viable wild horse populations and keeps America’s wild horses where they belong: free on the range.

Roundup concluded 7/26/26

Totals:
Animals Gathered: 703 Wild Horses (291 Stallions, 333 Mares, and 79 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 698 Wild Horses (288 Stallions, 331 Mares, and 79 Foals)
Animals Released:
1 Wild Horses (1 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 4
-Sudden / Acute: 3
-Pre-existing / Chronic: 1

BLM was notified of four domestic horses that had gotten loose in the area. Two were recovered during operations.

07/26/2026

Animals Gathered: 16 (6 Stallions, 9 Mares, and 1 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 155 (64 Stallions, 77 Mares, and 14 Foals)
Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 3
- Sudden / Acute: 2
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 1
2 y/o, bay, stud, acute/unexpected, fractured neck
2 y/o, pinto, mare, acute/sudden, fractured leg
2 y/o, bay, stud, chronic, club foot

07/25/2026

Animals Gathered: 111 (43 Stallions, 54 Mares, and 14 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 3 (0 Stallions, *2 Mares, and *1 Foals)
*domestics shipped to their owner
Animals Released: 0 (0 Stallions, 0 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0
- Sudden / Acute: 0
- Pre-existing / Chronic: 0

No AWHC observers on site today.

07/24/2026

Animals captured: 7 (3 Stallions, 4 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 37 (0 Stallions, 26 Mares, and 11 Foals)
Deaths: 0
Euthanasia: 0
Sudden / Acute: 0

Our observer was the only one attending today, arriving at the observation site with BLM staff at 5:30am. The pilot was in the air about 15 minutes later.

There were two runs today made before the decision was made to stop and move the trap. Due to the heat predicted and some helicopter maintenance, they ended the operation for the day.

The first run brought 7 into the trap. The second run came in with 9, however the horses balked at the mouth of the trap and ran back out. Multiple attempts to turn them back toward the trap were unsuccessful.

It appears that the roundup will be completed in the next couple of days.

07/23/2026

Animals captured: 102 (39 Stallions, 52 Mares, and 11 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 114 (25 Stallions, 71 Mares, and 18 Foals)
Deaths: 0
Euthanasia: 0
Sudden / Acute: 0

Our observer was again the only one attending today, arriving at the observation site with BLM staff at 5:39. The pilot was in the air at 5:49am.

Saddle horses were again used to help move horses out of the tree cover. During a couple of runs, horses were breaking off into smaller groups. The pilot brought those smaller groups in separately.

One horse again broke off and escaped the wings.

07/22/2026

Animals captured: 151 (61 Stallions, 72 Mares, and 18 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 123 (60 Stallions, 48 Mares, and 15 Foals)
Deaths: 1
Euthanasia: 0
Sudden / Acute: 1, 3 y/o bay mare, died: neck fracture

Our observer was the only one attending today, arriving at the observation site at 5:30am. The pilot was in the air at approximately 5:39am.

After the first run, the contractor took saddle horses out to help move horses out of the tree cover.

There were 8 runs made bringing in varying numbers of horses. A band of horses trotted single file through the meadow behind observation in the opposite direction of where they were gathering. Likely the saddle horses spooked them in the opposite direction. As the 7th run of horses came close to the mouth of the trap, a stallion jumped the jute wing and ran away. He paused briefly looking back before disappearing.

07/21/2026

Animals captured: 146 (69 Stallions, 62 Mares, and 15 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 143 (90 Stallions, 53 Mares, and 0 Foals)
Deaths: 0
Euthanasia: 0
Sudden / Acute: 0

There were initially four observers today, but three left after the third run and were allowed to be escorted back to the highway. Observers arrived at the observation site again at 5:40am. The helicopter was in the air 15 minutes later. It was the same observation site and view, approximately 1 mile from the trap.

The pilot made five runs. The last two runs were good sized groups and they kept trying to scatter in different directions. The pilot worked to keep bringing the bands back together and continued to turn them back toward the trap.

As the last group of the day went into the trap, a single dark stallion in the back stopped and turned back. The pilot pushed him forward again, but again he turned and challenged the helicopter and ran out. The pilot pushed the rest of the group in and then went to turn him around. After repeatedly trying to turn him back, and the stallion repeatedly running past in the opposite direction, he let him go.

Due to temporary holding at the trap site having solid tarps on the panels making visibility almost zero, and the horses being shipped right away (meaning it would be several hours before anyone would be allowed there), we did not request to see temporary holding again today. As our observer left, a semi-load was pulling onto the highway headed to Palomino Valley WHB Center.

07/20/2026

Animals captured: 170 (70 Stallions, 80 Mares, and 20 Foals)
Animals Shipped: 123 (49 Stallions, 54 Mares, and 20 Foals)
Deaths: 0
Euthanasia: 0
Sudden / Acute: 0

There were five observers today, and arrived at the observation site at approximately 5:40am. Sampson Livestock LLC is the contractor

Observers did not have a view of where the horses were started due to several tree lines and hills, but could see them as they came over a low ridge until they entered the wings and into the trap. The trap and temp holding are the same location. The rest of the holding pens and loading was not visible from observation.

At 6:15 the helicopter was seen over near the reservoir, but at 6:54 was still hovering. The first run finally came into the trap at 7:27am. They horses could be seen repeatedly turning back and the helicopter would circle and turn them back around.

The second run brought in a large group and about ten broke away. The pilot stayed with the main group and moved them into the trap. The next run brought in a smaller group that appeared visibly sweaty. There were two more runs and nearly every group tried to turn back a couple of times.

The pilot was done by 10:45. Two large semis and several smaller trailers were loaded and shipped to Palomino Valley WHB Center. Observers were then allowed to see the trap/temp holding where there were two pens - one with stallions and one with dry mares. The contractor stated they would be shipping them out in the morning.