The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Elko and Winnemucca Districts concluded the Owyhee Complex wild horse gather on Jan. 16. The BLM successfully removed 871 wild horses from the herd management areas (HMAs) in the complex; 140 horses were released back to the range within the Owyhee HMA and fertility control vaccine was applied to 46 mares prior to release.

The gather began on Nov. 26, 2012, and concluded on Jan. 16. An Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service veterinarian was on site daily to evaluate animal conditions and provide recommendations to the on-site BLM wild horse and burro specialist for care and treatment. The gather was suspended Dec. 20, 2012, for the holidays and resumed Jan. 4. The gather was again suspended on Jan. 5 due to the filing of a temporary restraining order which was lifted Jan. 11.

Of 1,011 wild horses gathered, there were only two gather-related deaths (0.2% of the gather total) while eleven horses were euthanized for preexisting conditions or deformities (1% of those gathered).

BLM staff utilized the Henneke body condition scale to classify gathered wild horses. On a scale from one to nine (one being poor condition and nine being extremely fat), Owyhee Complex horses were generally a body condition score of three to four, with a few wild horses observed to be higher or lower