Oh My Head Is So Heavy! - a photo on Flickriver

One of these cozy mares felt she needed to rest her head for a few moments, what better place than her patient friend's rump?

On-site signage, with an important update at the end:

McCullough Peaks Wild Horse Herd Management Area
You are standing in the southern corner of the McCullough Peaks Wild Horse Herd Management Area (HMA). This area is home to the McCullough Peaks mustangs. The HMA covers more than 110,000 acres of sagebrush prairie and some of the most pristine Wyoming badlands in northwestern Wyoming. The McCullough Peaks mustangs are noted for the diversity of coat colors and the pinto or “paint” horses. Typical colors include bay, brown, black, sorrel, chestnut, buckskin, grey, palomino, and road. The animals tend to be moderate-to-large-sized and habitat conditions are such that the horses are in very good condition. The combination of size, conformation, coat colors and patterns, and excellent physical condition has become a draw for photographers and sightseers and a matter of reputation for the McCullough Peaks mustangs.

Herd Behavior and Dynamics
The McCullough Peaks mustangs live in communities consisting of several different harems. A harem, or band, usually consists of a stallion and several mares with their offspring. Somewhat unique to the McCullough Peaks HMA is that some of the harems contain two dominant stallions with the mares and their offspring.

Young bachelors will often play in preparation for one day defending their own bands. Young stallions, ranging from 2 to 10 years old, tend to travel n bachelor bands. These bachelors live in and around communities, waiting for their opportunities to steal mares and establish their own harems.
Where to Find Mustangs
The mustangs may be spotted in the sagebrush parks or the open Gardner’s salt bush flats that are scattered throughout the HMA, such as the area to the east of where you are standing. When looking for the mustangs, be on the lookout for “stud piles” — mounds of manure left by a stallion marking his territory.

More mustangs may be spotted from the Whistle Creek Road (BLM Road 1213) located 2 miles to the east at mile marker #74 on U.S. Highway 14/16/20.

Adoption
Federal protection and a lack of natural predators have resulted in mustang populations that increase each year. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) monitors rangeland to determine the number of animals the land can support. Each year the BLM gathers excess mustangs from various herd areas in the 12 western states. Once gathered these mustangs are available for adoption. Adopting a mustang is a unique opportunity to care for and train a living symbol of our American history.

Information about adopting a mustang can be found at 866-4MUSTANGS (866-468-7826) or at www.blm.gov.
AS IT HAPPENS, AS I TYPE THIS ON NOVEMBER 30, 2023, THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT “GATHERING”–TO USE THE BLM’S EUPHEMISM FOR BAITING AND ROUNDING UP – ABOUT 40 MEMBERS OF THIS WILD HERD TO REDUCE THE POPULATION ON THE VAST MCCULLOUGH PEAKS LANDSCAPE. AS OPPONENTS OF THIS MOVE POINT OUT, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE APPROXIMATELY 180 TOTAL WILD HORSES HAVE EXCEEDED THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF 110,000+ ACRES. THERE IS SERIOUS CONCERN THAT RANDOM REMOVAL OF INDIVIDUALS WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE HEALTH OF THE HAREMS/BANDS, THE AGE STRUCTURE OF THE POPULATION, AND POSSIBLY DISRUPT THE GENETIC DIVERSITY OF THE HERD. PUBLIC PROTESTS HAVE FALLEN ON DEAF EARS.

Taken on: September 14, 2023

Tags:

McCullough Peaks Wlid Horse Herd

Cody Wyoming

Bay horse

chestnut horse

mustang

Bureau of Land Management « less

Sets appears in: • 2023-Sept 14-17 Wyoming & Montana

Groups appears in: • Feral Horses • ~Wyoming Photography Pool--all your Wyoming photos~

Camera: Sony ILCE-7M4, f/22.0, 1/500 sec, 600mm, ISO 1600 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Sony ILCE-7M4
Lens:	FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
Aperture:	f/22.0
Exposure Time:	0.002 sec (1/500)
Focal Length:	600mm
ISO:	1600
Exposure Bias:	+0.3 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Average
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Adobe Photoshop 23.3 (Windows)
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