Are There Really Wild Horses in the Old West?
http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...al.html?cat=16

Where Feral Horses Came From
http://ezinearticles.com/?Wild-Musta...est&id=1496190

Groups push to slaughter horses for meat, possibly starting in Oregon:
http://advocatesforag.blogspot.com/2...-at-horse.html

Feral horses overcrowd rangeland:
http://www.oregonlive.com/environmen...ten_to_ov.html

BLM Feral Horses Website: http://www.blm.gov/education/Learnin...wildhorse.html

Feral Horses and Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex
http://www.onda.org/enforcing-conser...6-30-08%29.pdf

Oregon's horse population outpaces ability to care for them
http://www.democraticunderground.com...ess=115x169025

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index...ion_outpa.html

OHA Quote:

Feral horses overrun Murderers Creek The feral horse population in Murderers Creek Management Area is out of control. The resulting habitat destruction and resource damage is tremendous. The Malheur National Forest’s Murderers Creek Wild Horse Territory/Herd Management Area Management Plan states 436 horses were counted in 2006. A BLM report titled Oregon BLM Wild Horse and Burro Population Data (June 17, 2008) estimated the Murderers Creek population at 628 horses. The Forest Service gathered 134 animals in 2008. With the 20 percent recruitment rate indicated in the plan, the population of 494 animals would be back to 592 in 2009. The management plan set the Appropriate Management Level (AML) for Murderers Creek’s wild horses at 50 to 140 horses. The plan requires wild horses to be managed within the AML range. Once the population reaches or exceeds 140, the excess animals will be removed down to 50 horses. With the population exceeding the maximum by 450 animals, the Forest Service must remove 540 horses to be in compliance with its management plan. The management plan states “When the herd was around the 200 head level (1979), significant use (and damage) occurred at Vester Meadows and the South Fork of Murderers Creek, while at 100 head few areas of concentrated use were found and no areas of damage were found.” Just imagine the damage with the herd at 500 to 600 horses. Murderers Creek Herd Management Area is not alone in having out of control feral horse populations in Oregon. Of 19 wild horse areas listed by BLM, only nine are in compliance with their AML. According to the 2008 BLM report, the total estimated population for the 19 areas was 3,730 horses. The total number of horses allowed by the AML high level is 2,855. That is 875 over the maximum allowed. To bring the total population in compliance with management plans would require removing more than 2,000 horses. To deal with the rapid population expansion, the 1971 wild horse act was amended in 2005 to require the sale of horses over 10 years old or those offered unsuccessfully for adoption three times. The proceeds from selling excess animals are to be used by BLM for costs relating to marketing and adoption of wild horses. Oregon Hunters Association, led by its Redmond Chapter, has invested many thousands of dollars and volunteer hours in habitat improvement in the Murderers Creek area. Over 100,000 shrubs were planted and several miles of fence built or repaired. With a 20 percent recruitment rate, the rapidly expanding feral horse population could destroy all that investment in a few years. Wild horse herds have the potential to double every four to five years. Murderers Creek was selected by ODFW to be one of the first five units in the Mule Deer Initiative. There are many problems to overcome in the recovery of Oregon’s mule deer herds. Competition and habitat damage by feral horses are a significant detriment to the mule deer of Murderers Creek. The Forest Service and BLM must bring the herds into compliance with their management plans.