(Lee Vining, CA, May 29, 2026) – The Inyo National Forest will hold a virtual public hearing on June 8 to receive public input on the proposed use of helicopters and other motorized vehicles to gather and remove excess wild horses from areas outside the Montgomery Pass Wild Horse Territory this year. The virtual meeting will take place from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. PST on Microsoft Teams.
The Montgomery Pass Wild Horse Territory is managed for a wild horse population between 138 to 230 animals under the 2019 Inyo National Forest Land Management Plan. A 2024 aerial survey estimated 699 horses in surrounding areas, with most roaming outside the designated territory.
The forest plans to conduct a gather later this year to remove excess wild horses from high‑priority areas outside the territory. Horses that stray from designated areas may be removed to reduce conflicts with natural and cultural resources, public safety concerns, and private property, in accordance with the Wild Free‑Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. Animals removed will be transported to Forest Service off‑range corrals, evaluated by a veterinarian, and prepared for adoption or sale. Specific gather details will be shared when finalized.
How to Submit Public Input
Public input regarding motorized vehicle use for this gather may be submitted in two ways:
· During the virtual public hearing (up to two minutes per speaker)
Date: June 8, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Microsoft Teams link: Inyo National Forest Virtual Public Hearing on Motorized Vehicle Use for Wild Horse Management
Call‑in: +1 323-886-7051
Phone Conference ID: 587 943 366#
Meeting ID: 261 092 777 717 410
· In writing, via email by June 8 at 4:30 p.m. PST: [email protected]
The hearing is not a question‑and‑answer session. Most questions can be answered in advance by visiting the wild horse page on the Inyo National Forest website. A recording and transcript will be posted online after the hearing.
The Forest Service does not respond to comments received during this hearing in the same manner as those submitted as part of a National Environmental Policy Act process. However, all input on motorized vehicle use is valued and helps inform the agency’s management practices.
For information about Forest Service wild horse and burro programs, territories, and adoption opportunities, visit our website.
About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has, for more than 100 years, brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology — and rooted in communities — the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live
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