Bounty offered for info on killings of wild burro, horses

The Bureau of Land Management is offering a $10,000 bounty for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person behind the harassment and shooting of a 6-year-old wild burro late last year near the Last Chance Mountain Range just north of Pahrump.

Shot to death

According to a BLM news release, a local resident contacted the BLM Southern Nevada District Nov. 28, 2022, after discovering a dead adult female burro on his property.

An examination revealed the burro had presumably been shot as many as three days before it finally succumbed to its injuries.

“The BLM is asking for the public’s help for information on this tragic situation and ultimately lead us to those responsible,” said BLM Special Agent Brady Blasdell.

The Last Chance Mountain Range lies immediately north of Pahrump, west of Highway 160.

Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call the BLM crime hotline at 775-861-6550.

Gruesome discovery

On a similar note, the Bureau of Land Management’s reward for information regarding the shooting deaths of five wild horses in eastern Nevada is now $25,000, courtesy of a $5,000 donation from Wild Horse Education.

The BLM’s original award of $5,000 was matched last September by another group’s commitment and matched again a month later by another organization.

The incident occurred in late 2021.

“It is our hope that adding to the reward will bring the subject back into the public eye and lead to information that can resolve this disturbing matter,” said Laura Leigh, president of Wild Horse Education.

Additional information sought

The BLM continues the investigation into the incident which occurred in mid-November 2021 in Jakes Valley, about 30 miles west of Ely.

BLM Criminal Investigator Michael Mortensen said, the BLM investigates and prosecutes the killings of wild horses as part of the agency’s enforcement of the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971.

“Our investigation is seeking additional information from the public to identify further leads and ultimately the person(s) responsible,” according toMortensen. “Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact us by calling the BLM crime hotline.”

Additionally, on Nov. 16, 2021, the BLM was contacted by a member of the public who had discovered five wild horses that were shot and killed in Jakes Valley, approximately two miles south of U.S. Highway 50.

The remains were located within 600 yards of each other.

“An aborted fetus was attached to one of the dead animals,” a BLM official said. “One horse was still alive but wounded so severely that it had to be humanely euthanized. A necropsy revealed that the animals ranged in age from about 18 months to six years. The horses were killed on or about the day they were reported.”

Anyone with information about that incident is encouraged to call the BLM crime hotline at 775-861-6550.

Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes