Wild Mustangs. Myth or truth?

“Does anyone know if there is a place where it is possible to see wild mustangs? I don't mean a ranch, where they are kept and bred. Is there such a place, where they still live free? Or do wild mustangs only exist in the movies?”

“somewhere out west - i think either Wyoming or MOntana they do a roundup every year of wild horses. I've seen a documentary about it - but they are true, wild horses. You'd be lucky to find them though - they cover a lot of ground.”

“Mustangs are feral. The only wild horse left is Przewalski's Horse or "Asian Wild Horse". They can be found in Mongolia
last edited: 4/09/07 2:21:07 PM”

“Wyoming hosts the second largest population of wild horses in the United States, second only to Nevada, with an estimated 7000 head. The horses range primarily in the mid-south to southwest portion of the state near the population centers of Rawlins and Rock Springs. Other herds can be seen more centrally near Lander or in the north near Worland and Cody. Interstate 80 bisects the primary horse range and is a good starting point to begin your search for these “icons of the old west.” By definition, a wild horse is an unbranded and unclaimed free-roaming horse living on public land. They are the descendents of horses released by or escaped from Spanish explorers, Indian tribes, settlers, ranchers, prospectors, and the U.S. Cavalry from as early as the 1600's to recent times. By an act of Congress(P. L. 92-195, The Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971) the BLM is responsible for the protection, management, and control of wild horses.

http://www.naturescapes.net/112005/dl1105.htm

http://www.naturescapes.net/112005/Mwhrs1030C.jpg”

“They are the descendents of horses released by or escaped from Spanish explorers, Indian tribes, settlers, ranchers, prospectors, and the U.S. Cavalry from as early as the 1600's to recent times

therefore/ergo/sum - Feral”

“No no, I don't mean wild horses in Magnolia. I realy mean mustangs - mythe, icon or feral - just free mustangs. Not talking about the car either.
Has anybody here ever seen some on a backpacking trip in Wyoming or Nevada?”

“Try Google.

Wild Mustang Tours & Photos
Rates: $24 Adults | $21 Children

PRYOR MOUNTAIN WILD MUSTANG CENTER

Years ago I saw some on Dugway Proving Ground land in Utah.
last edited: 4/09/07 2:46:31 PM”

“Mustang, by definition, is free roaming North American feral horse.

Therefore/ergo/sum "Free Mustang" is redundant.

Wild horse, like any wild animal, can not have come from domesticated stock.”

“ok, ok, but Mustangs that are kept and bred on a ranch are neither free, wild nor feral, correct?”

“Assateague / Chincoteague Virginia

http://www.nps.gov/asis/naturescience/horses.htm”

“he's looking for the horses that are running free on the open range in WY.

bearmagnet's gettin all technical and stuff. He must need a drink!”

“LOL! Good idea, Roam! It's 5 O'clock somewhere in our hemisphere, right?”

“http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/cloudslegacy/index.html

Nevada has mustangs too.”

“Truth, I've seen them myself. As mentioned previously, there are a few herds in Wyoming. One is just east and north of Cody in the McCullough Peaks, another near Cody is North in the Pryor Mountains of Wyoming and Montana. Another that I've seen is in Southern Wyoming between Wamsutter and Jeffrey City.

The funny thing about wild horses is how they 'poop'. You'll be driving down a dirt raod and you wil come across a huge pile of it. They all 'poop' in the same spot.”

“that must be their attempt at LNT.”

“We have lots of feral horses; some of them even have antlers.”

“As a non-native introduce species, they should probably be rounded up and or eliminated.....”

“there is a wild horse area just north of Rock Springs Wyoming on the west side of Hwy 191.

Also, there is another near Dad Wyoming to the east of Hwy 789, (Crescent Junction Rd).”

“The funny thing about wild horses is how they 'poop'. You'll be driving down a dirt raod and you wil come across a huge pile of it. They all 'poop' in the same spot.”
Chief
That is a territorial marking thing of stallions. So they do not use the same spot as a herd just the dominate stallion.
last edited: 4/10/07 3:44:17 AM”

“As a non-native introduce species, they should probably be rounded up and or eliminated.....”
bearmagnet
4:29:51 PM

You don't intent to apply this policy to all 'non-natives', do you???”

“BM is forgetting that his race is non-native 8)”

“Utah, Wyoming, Nevada all have herds of wild horses. They are very very shy. Good luck getting very close. When they round them up for sale every few years to thin the herd, it's usually done from a helicopter with a ton of cowboys on the ground.”

“San Rafael Swell in Utah. I've seen them everytime I've driven back in there on my way to a hike. That and seeing the antelope make you feel like you're still in the wild wild west.”

“I am generally against the elimination of 'non-natives'. I beliefe it is cruel and inhumane. If it is neccessary to round 'em up, they should be sold or given to adoption.”

“There are feral horses on the sand bank islands of Nova Scotia, Canada, too, eh?”

“We have them here--about 50 miles south of Billings. The BLM rounds them up once in awhile and you can adopt one--to ride not eat!”

“there are a few in CA....

I have seen wild burros too.”

“Adopting Lost Ponies Organization”

“Cumberland Island National Seashore, off the southeast coast of Georgia. It's true there, too, about the huge piles of poop. I don't know that they are "mustangs" as you might think of mustangs...






And just to point out its presence -- yes, it is a ranch, but YES, wild horses run throughout great open spaces and scenery (plus rock art... plus an Indian sun dance site still used today... the mythical Cheyenne River running in all four directions, which makes it a holy spot... plus the set used for the Indian village in 'Hidalgo'), go to the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, south of Hot Springs, SD.

I'd highly recommend it. (I mean, I'm outdoorsy, hate a lot of beaten tourist traps and I loved it)
http://www.gwtc.net/~iram/index.html

Here's a photo I took there (yes, a big bus took our group of visitors into the horse herd, so yes, they somewhat accustomed to this. Then again, you ARE SEEING the horses; it's not a guess)


Also fun to see are the wild burros at Custer State Park in South Dakota. Yes, you can find them. Yes, they expect it.
”

“Zebra Mussles
Snakehead
Lake Trout
Asian long-horned beetle
Asian Tiger Mosquito
Wild Boar
Japanese Beetle
Chestnut plight
Dutch Elm Disease
Starling
Dog Strangling Vine”

“Dog Strangling Vine - is that like kudzu?”

“Kudzu! Nice!

I think it might be similar. At the least it's a perennial vine-like toxic choker from hell. It's coming down from Canada and is everywhere in upstate NY. Maybe it'll do to the North what Kudzu did to the South?”

“btw - we are not an invasive species. Unless you want to go back before the Bering Land Bridge/s of the the Pleistocene ice ages?”

“Blame Canada, eh?

I've never heard of 'dog strangling vine' and I live just north of the NYS border and spend all my leisure time in the Adirondacks.

Lake trout (I assume you mean Salvelinus namaycush) an invasive spacies?”

“It goes by another name, Gremlin. Relatively new, methinks.

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/field/news/croptalk/2006/ct_0306a7.htm

Also known as "swallow-wort". US Invasion:

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/news/08054E551DR_news.shtml

Lake Trout were illegaly introduced to the Yellowstone and are out competing native trout:

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/upload/laketrout2.pdf

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/fishingexotics.htm
last edited: 4/10/07 10:09:52 AM”

“The nurseries around here are now carrying elm trees that are immune to Dutch elm disease.”

“This one's pretty dang wild...

”

“Another 'icon of the wild wild west' is an introduced, non-native to the America: tumbleweed. It's a russian!”

“yes. they should go. Kentucky Bluegrass is also an introduced species.”

“I thought Kentucky Bluegrass is a local wiskey, not another species?”

“it's grass. from Europe/Asia.

Kentucky Bourbon, perhaps?”

“cheers!”

“So how do you say 'fumbling along with the stumbling bumbleweeds' in Russian?

http://www.thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/thread/11532,4.php#1551876”

“Is Kentucky Bluegrass good for smoking?”

“Russian Thistle or Salsola tragus

Never tried smoking it.”

“There are a lot of wild horses along the CDT in the Great Basin in Wyoming. We saw them several times a day - including one herd of about 50. There is also a herd of wild horses along the AT in the Grayson Highlands in Virginia.”

“Shouldn't we be hunting these wild animals? I mean, surely they have no major predators and we don't want them starving to death, right?”

“I saw them while hiking in Theodore Roosevelt NP South Park.Medora, ND
http://www.nps.gov/thro/”