Silencing the Stampede
The public locked out and fed up with the Forest Service’s ‘transparency’ promises
By Mary Koncel
It seems like the United States Forest Service (USFS) is having some difficulty understanding the concept of transparency – and for that matter, accountability.
Last October, during the online Motorized Vehicle Hearing for the fall helicopter removal of Devil’s Garden wild horses in the Modoc National Forest (MNF), participants grew increasingly frustrated with the USFS’s reluctance to answer questions about the operation. In response, a MNF official finally insisted that “we’re not trying to hide this from the public.”
The USFS even doubled down in its response in its December Letter to Objectors to the 2024 Territory Management Plan, formally recognizing the public’s concerns about lack of transparency and communication, stating, “The desire for transparency and communication related to the wild horse gathers on the Modoc National Forest were identified during the resolution meeting. The Modoc National Forest will continue consistent communication and provide information related to the wild horse gathers on the Modoc National Forest website.”
Obviously, this hasn’t been the case. Unexpectedly, on January 14th, the USFS announced on its MNF Facebook page that it was planning on resuming last fall’s helicopter and bait-trapping operation of the Devil’s Garden wild horses. Its purpose was to remove about 150 more horses to reach its target of 500 or until the contract with CD Warner Livestock LLC had been completed. There was no such announcement made on the MNF official website.
Although Wild Narrative Project (WNP) submitted questions before the start of the roundup to the MNF Wild Horse & Burro (WH&B) Specialist, it required a complaint to Randy Moore, Chief of the USFS, for us to receive a response – almost one week later.
Communication broke down again when WNP submitted more questions about concerns during the operation. After more than a week, we received an answer from the MNF Supervisor who explained that the new administration directed the USFS “to put a hold on any website posts, social media, and press releases for the time being.”
Then, on February 5th, WNP learned from Janine Dallow, a wild horse photographer and advocate, that the communication freeze was lifted. (WNP received no notification from the MNF.) The MNF WH&B specialist responded to our questions, and an update with minimum information on the roundup appeared on the USFS/MNF Resource Management page.
Get caught up with the ongoing issue at Devil’s Garden here.
A little confusing – especially after all the USFS/MNF’s talk about being more transparent?
You bet.
Here are some of the concerns that WNP brought to the MNF WH&B Specialist, and her answers.
Concern:
Although the limited publicity from the USFS/MNF stated that the roundup was to begin on Tuesday, January 21th, it started three days earlier – on Saturday, January 18th.
Why the difference in the reporting of start dates?
WH&B Specialist’s response: “Helicopter gather operations began on Tuesday, January 21st. The contractors arrived Friday, January 17th to begin bait trapping efforts. As you are aware, bait trapping can be a slower or more unpredictable process as it depends on when horses have been hooked on bait. The first horses caught in that operation were Saturday, January 18th.”
WNP’s response: The USFS/MNF Facebook post announcing the resumed roundup did not make any distinction between the start of the helicopter and the start of the bait-trapping operation; therefore, the agency’s communication was not clear, and, in the past, press releases about the start of a roundup included both helicopter and bait-trapping operations.
Concern:
Despite the operation supposedly lasting 7 to 10 days, the USFS restricted observation to just 2 days – Friday, January 24th and Saturday, January 25th – and to four members of the public. The reason, according to the USFS/MNF Facebook post: limited space in the blind, safety concerns due to road conditions from inclement weather, and minimizing damage to resources.
Why did the MNF limit the days to observe and the number of public observers?
WH&B Specialist’s response: “The MDF limited days and public observers to reduce public safety risks and decrease resource damage. The Devil’s Garden Plateau received a large amount of precipitation during December and early January making road access difficult. Additionally, trap site location is determined on a day-by-day basis. Although Trap 49 was used during the observation days and conditions were dryer, this was not the case across the gather area.”
WNP’s response: According to Monica Ross, Wild Narrative Project’s on-the-ground representative, the blind at the Lauer Reservoir on Friday and Saturday was the same as the one for last fall’s operation and could easily accommodate more than four people. Ross and the other public observers also reported that the roads were in better shape than during October’s operation, and to our knowledge, there had been no road closures in MNF.
Concern:
On Friday, January 24th, Ross and two observers from wild horse groups were registered to attend the operation. But despite the restriction to four observers, the MNF allowed two more to join the group – a member of the Modoc Resource Advisory Committee and his friend.
If observation was limited to four people, why were five allowed to attend?
WH&BS’s response: “Although public viewing was limited to four people, the fourth person signed up with a guest and noted they would be travelling together. Because only 5 people total signed up, and they were travelling together thus reducing resource damage when driving, our public affairs specialist felt it was okay to accommodate all requestors.”
WNP’s response: The USFS/MNF should have clarified in its FB post that the number of vehicles not public observers was restricted to four. Also, the viewing site is always an open area and not a “blind.” Therefore, saying that the “blind” has “limited space” – another reason for limited observation – is ridiculous.
Concern:
While limiting observation to two days was bad enough, that time was cut even shorter. On Saturday, January 25th, no horses were brought in, and the operation was called mid-morning because of high winds. Although Ross texted and emailed requests for an extra day, MNF staff did not respond until several days after she had left.
Because the operation was cut short and ended mid-morning on Saturday, why didn’t the USFS/MNF allow an extra day of observation?
WH&B Specialist’s response: “Our public affairs representative was scheduled for Friday and Saturday and due to a decrease in staffing and a hiring freeze, flexibility was limited.”
WNP’s response: What? On average, past roundups and removals of the Devil’s Garden cost at least $1 million and are paid for by the American public. It’s inexcusable that the MNF can’t pay for and require its public affairs representative to escort public observers who are reporting on the operation to the American public.
Concern:
After the operation was called on both days, Ross and the other observers asked to view the captured horses who were transferred to the nearby Double Devil Wild Horse Corrals for holding and processing. The MNF, however, would not allow access, saying it would be disruptive to the newly transferred horses from the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Muddy Creek Herd Management Area (HMA) and the risk of bringing diseases, such as Bird Flu, into the corrals.
In the past, horses brought in from other Territories or HMAs were always separated from the Devil’s Garden horses, allowing viewing of the former without disrupting the latter. And, if there were concerns about transmission of disease, public observers were required to do a foot bath with disinfectant before entering the corrals. The MNF escort offered no explanation as to the change in protocol..
Why isn’t the MNF following these practices during this operation?
WH&B Specialist’s response: “Corral staff did not state, nor have any concerns regarding the Bird Flu, thus I can’t answer any specifics regarding transmission of the Bird Flu.”
She also added that the current MNF Supervisor supported our experts’ decision to eliminate corral tours to protect and isolate the incoming Murder’s Creek horses, and to allow our staff to focus on the horses and not be distracted by visitors.”
Further, she included a January 27th, email from the Double Devil corral manager to Ross, stating:
Hello ~
Thank you for your email. I’m sorry you didn’t get to see the corrals, but our top priority is horse health.
We are taking in and caring for Murder’s Creek horses, which were gathered as part of an emergency gather due to a Wildfire burning the vegetation in that area. Many of the horses are very thin and we don’t want to risk inducing any unnecessary stress, as not only are many very thin- they are also some of the flightiest horses, I’ve personally had experience with. I truly hope you understand, we only have the best interest of the horses in mind. Our hearts break to see horses in such condition, but we’re confident with a specialized re-feeding program they will be healthy again.
WNP’s response: Protecting and caring for all captured horses traumatized by any roundup and removal should be a top priority of the MNF staff. That said, if the Murder Creek horses were separated and isolated from the Devil’s Garden horses, viewing the latter should not have been a problem.
Further, public observers viewing horses at Double Devil after they have been rounded up are not simply “visitors” who distract the staff. They are there to document the condition of the horses. Given that the MNF is notorious for providing observation sites that offer near zero view of the helicopter chasing the horses into the trap wings, them entering the trap pen or being loaded into trailers and transported, viewing is an important part of a public observer’s job.
Finally, neither Ross nor the other observers had an opportunity to speak to corral staff. Any comments about Bird Flu were made by the MNF escort.
Concern:
While the MNF escort for the public observers was pleasant, she knew little to nothing about the operation and could not answer basic questions about it – as evidenced by the Bird Flu response – even though she is supposed to be the public liaison.
Ross reported to us that observers were given little to no information. “The PAO who escorted us works in a different department within the Forest Service and did not have a lot of the answers for the questions that the observers were asking. The Wild Horse and Burro specialist who would typically answer questions [at the many other roundups I’ve observed] did not come to speak with us either day. From most roundups I've attended, they do make themselves available either the morning of or after the roundup has ended for the day.”
This is a recurring pattern that is not only disrespectful to the observers but also hinders accurate reporting to other Americans who deserve to know how their wild horses and public lands are being managed.
What can be done to remedy this ongoing situation and provide better communication?
WH&B Specialist’s response: “With our limited staffing, current hiring freeze, halt in communication, and increased workload, the MDF wild horse staff are working in a timely manner to fulfill all email requests that come in. Additionally, public affair specialists, or ‘escorts’, are taking time from their assigned duties to assist the gather operations as our wild horse program staff are juggling their busiest time of the year. Please remember, during gather operations our staff are fully committed to field or corral operations. We appreciate your understanding and patience.
As we receive multiple inquiries about the same topics, we suggest an increase in coordination amongst yourselves to decrease wait time.”
WNP’s response: This is the most insulting explanation. On the one hand, both the USFS and the MNF are claiming they want to improve transparency and communication; on the other hand, the MNF is saying it doesn’t have the time or personnel to be responsive to public inquiries about wild horse roundups on public lands paid for by American taxpayers? The job of public affairs specialists, or “escorts,” and wild horse and burro specialists is to be informed and responsive to the public observers before, during, and after the operation.
Also, that the MNF is receiving multiple inquiries about the same topics only shows that the American public is interested in the management of the Devil’s Garden wild horses. It’s not the responsibility of individuals or groups to increase “coordination.” It’s the responsibility of USFS/MNF to keep the American public informed of its activities by, for example, issuing press releases on the MNF News and Events website instead of a single Facebook post.
According to the USFS/MNF Resource Management page, the resumed roundup ended on January 28th when the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Devils Garden Wild Horse Gather contract was completed.
a desolate garden
All told, 407 horses were removed in FY 2024; 341 between 10/28/2024 and 11/30/2024 and then an additional 66 between 1/18/2025 and 1/28/2025 with 49 horses being captured during the communication blackout that started on 1/21/2025.
Dallow also reported that the USFS/MNF told her that it will not be releasing any horses with fertility control and that Double Devil is still taking in wild horses from an emergency roundup and is not offering tours at this time to consider the safety and well-being of the horses. (The public can check back in frequently at sm.fs.modoc_info@usda.gov to make an appointment.)
The result of the 2024 roundup brings the estimated number of wild horses left on the Devil’s Garden Territory to just 316.
While the USFS/MNF promotes this latest operation as a demonstration of “our commitment to effective management of the wild horse population,” questions about transparency and accountability persist. Meanwhile, public funds continue to finance an approach that many Americans oppose for its inhumane, expensive, and unsustainable nature—an issue compounded by limited public access to critical information about the treatment of Devil’s Garden wild horses.
This begs the question. What does “effective” actually mean to the US Forest Service and the Modoc National Forest?