Roundup of wild horses in range near Reno concludes

RENO -- Federal land managers have concluded efforts to remove "excess" wild horses from the range near Reno.

Bureau of Land Management spokeswoman Lisa Ross said some 300 horses were gathered from the Flanigan, Dogskin Mountain and Granite Peak herd management areas about 30 miles northeast of Reno.

Of those, she said about 58 mares were released back to the range after receiving a 22-month fertility control vaccine.

The BLM also has ended a roundup of more than 80 mustangs from the Garfield Flat Herd Management Area about 10 miles southeast of Hawthorne. Of those, 23 mares were released back to the range after receiving the same vaccine.

Officials say the purpose of the gathers was to reduce herd populations to within levels that won't harm rangelands and native wildlife.