PRICE — The Bureau of Land Management will remove excess wild horses from the Muddy Creek Management Area in Emery County starting on Tuesday, Sept. 11, due to continued drought and overpopulation.

Approximately 149 animals will be removed in order to reach the agency’s appropriate management level of 75-125 animals. Once that number is achieved, fertility control will be administered to in order to help reduce population increases in the area.

The Muddy Creek area, located approximately 20 miles south of Ferron in the San Rafael Swell, consists of approximately 283,400 acres of public and state lands.

Opportunities will be available for the public to observe daily operations through BLM-escorted tours so long as conditions remain safe for both the animals and participants. Observers must provide their own transportation, water and food. No public restrooms will be available. The BLM recommends weather-appropriate footwear and neutral-colored clothing. Binoculars and four-wheel drive or other high-clearance vehicles are also strongly recommended.

Participants can meet at two locations for daily tours: the Gas-n-Go, 970 W. Main, Green River, and the kiosk on the south side of I-70 Exit 131, the Temple Mountain Road. The tours will leave at 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., respectively.

Gather and tour information may change daily and will be posted each evening on the BLM Utah gather hotline at 801-539-4050.

Visitors and observers should be aware that low-flying helicopters will be used as part of the operation. Unmanned aerial vehicles near the San Rafael Swell region south of I-70 from the McKay Flat area west to the Cathedral Valley scenic byway will be prohibited. Traffic may also be stopped for short intervals to allow for safe movement of horses.

Horses removed from the range will be transported to the Delta Wild Horse Facility, which will be closed when the horses are unloaded and for a period following, to allow the horses to settle before being prepped for the adoption and sale program.