Feral Horses in Miller Creek

I live on Lower Miller Creek Rd. Otherwise known as the Missoula autobahn for those without mufflers and otherwise exceedingly obnoxious vehicles and drivers. I’ve lived next to freeways that were safer than this. Sidewalk is just for looks, folks. It won’t save you from the dudes in trucks down here. Apparently the road is just a suggestion. You’d think the deer would keep them in check but they seem content pooping literally everywhere instead. I digress, the horses are great but they come too far down now. It’s not safe for them or the people that live here. Just letting them be isn’t realistic or a viable solution. I’d love it if people all had vehicles that didn’t break the noise limit, didn’t slam into the sidewalk at 3am and then race off before getting caught and didn’t luge down the road here at 60mph like they’re speed racer but it’s an imperfect world. People haven’t figured out that honking at our aggressive vermin like deer population on this road doesn’t work. I highly doubt they are going to learn to use their brains now because of the horses. I’m amazed that parents of kids at JRE haven’t spoken up. The horses are there constantly and it’s easy to tell. Piles everywhere, kids not allowed outside because the horses are on the property. It’s going to hit a breaking point soon if nothing is done. Someone will get hurt and then a solution will be much more drastic. I don’t know the fix but “just letting them be” isn’t it.

I have lived in Miller creek for 23 years, and the horses have never been an issue. If people don't want them in their yard, they fence it off. But, people keep moving here, Missoula continues to add homes and apts to accommodate them, so the horses are competing for the area they once roamed. For instance, Jeff drive. The increase in traffic and people not understanding there are deer, elk, and horses is now putting them at risk. As you are aware, two have been hit.
I am hoping a small group of people will come forward to help when another horse is hit, and needs to be put out of it's misery. This is a problem, and an animal should not suffer. But I do not see any issues that require your assistance. Perhaps stop building everywhere, because, as you should be aware by now, it causes problems. We need open space. You are pushing locals out, and animals. Please prioritize what needs to be addressed. This is not the horses.

WHILE I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THE HORSES, I DO FEEL THEY NEED TO BE CONTROLLED IN THEIR NUMBERS. SO, I AM IN FAVOR OF GELDING THE STALLIONS.

WHILE I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THE HORSES, I DO FEEL THEIR NUMBERS NEED TO BE KEPT IN CHECK. I WOULD WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT GELDING THE STALLIONS.
THANK YOU FOR CREATING THIS SITE FOR INPUT.
JACK CHAMBERS

As someone who lives on Miller Creek Rd.
Miller Creek horses has always been A treasured part of this area. This is Montana.
I always love the Wildness part of it. I have been seeing less of it because of over building this area with homes.
I found the traffic increase.
The 35 miles a hour is creating alot of problems being a neighborhood of many homes. 35 miles a hour means to people 55 miles an hour.
It has beome
A freeway.
I can not cross the road to get my mail without worrying i will. Be
struck down by traffic.
Residents have to walk fast or run Across the road.
It's time to slow down the speed.
Slowing down helps people to pay more attention .
And at this point this area has become to dense of overwhelming growth.
It needs to be slowed down with the speed of traffic.
Please for the sake of people and the wildlife slow down on destroying.Missoula Montana.

I live in Miller Creek.
And I am surrounded with deer, foxes, raccoons, and beautiful wild horses.
And I prefer it this way. I live in Montana. I don't expect less. I don't want to have or have the state turn into a metropolitan city. Which brings alot of problems with it.
A mistake would be to round up this small herd of horses unless they can be sent to a sanctuary.
Where they can live there lives out.
Or leave them be.
And control there births with The PZP vaccine This vaccine is generally only effective for 1-2 years, after which an annual booster is required to keep it working. It can be darted.
I really hope that it can be worked out
For the survival of these horses. It's a big part of Montana’s valued asset.

I have heard of sightings of wild horses as far up as the top of Holloman Creek on Forest Service lands. I would be interested in some data about how large an area they occupy and where exactly they are present, including seasonal usage, and encourage proactive collaboration with major landowners

Leave them alone they aren't hurting anything or one of people want to keep them off their property that's what fencing is for, if your fencing isn't keeping them out maybe you need better higher fencing. The oldest article I have found about these horses actually say they have been here in miller creek since the 1940s or 50s. From what I have seen the woman Ramona Holt is an expert on the herd. I don't get why all of a sudden the story behind them has changed. My grandfather used to stock car race up here in the 50s and 60s and told stories of the horses that joined an already present wild herd when they escaped the rodeo stockyard. If the city was concerned about these horses at all they wouldn't keep letting more housing go up in the area when the horses have been here long before most the people and def before the ones who are complaining.

A proactive management plan with government oversight is just one concern. The horses are not a concern. They’ve managed themselves for 30 years. The residents and horses live together in harmony.

The second concern is developing more lands, the loss of open space, and new residents who don’t respect the long-standing cultural values of the neighborhood. The new residents drive too fast, have an expectation of pristine, water consuming yards and foliage, and unrealistic ideals about living in the area. The horses don’t require management, the humans do.

Have you ever taken a dog to training classes? The classes aren’t meant for the dog, they’re meant for the human.

The Miller Creek horse herd has been a part of the landscape for many decades. It isn't reasonable for people to move into the area, for the landscape and its features, and then remove key features, which vastly degrade the beauty, culture and heritage of the area.

I say deal with the aggressive deer. You can put up signage and some flashy light in blind spot areas warning people. Educate the people to leave them alone and fine them if they don’t.

I believe it is important that the public learn to coexist with wildlife--elk, bears, horses, etc. Regardless of FWP's classification, Missoula County should develop its own management plan/policy for the wild horses that begins with focused a public information and education campaign. People need to understand these these animals are wild, they should not be fed, or approached within 25 yards, etc. There also should be signs warning drivers about the horses (and other wildlife) and other steps should be taken to reduce speeding, especially as development in the area continues. A more proactive management effort in certain circumstances should include hazing horses (and other wildlife) away from the most densely populated areas so they don't linger too long and cause property damage. Perhaps a volunteer organization could be formed for this purpose.

Overall, I'd like to encourage the public to continue to coexist with these animals which have lived in the area for many decades. The Miller Creek wild horse herd has a unique history and we're fortunate to have them living here. I've noticed that Missoula County and their experts are intentionally (possibly strategically) referring to them as "feral," but that term is misleading and seems to suggests that these were someone's pets that escaped. Not only have wild horses been living in the Miller Creek drainage for over half a century, Salish horses likely ranged in the Sapphire mountains for hundreds of years. As far as this herd goes, a cursory review of historical newspapers shows that horses were turned loose in the drainage as early as the 1950s by rodeo organizers. Rodeo rodeo stock at the time were wild mustangs rounded up from other areas of Montana, Alberta, etc. The rodeo organizers captured wild horses and released them in Miller Creek because wild horse herds were being diminished elsewhere in Montana and Alberta. In other words, it is unlikely that these horses were ever domesticated. They were relocated wild horses and their offspring have survived as wild horses in Miller Creek for 70-plus years. I'm also curious if they may be genetically connected to Salish horses that remained in the Sapphires. I mention this because the history of the horses matters. Again, calling them feral suggests that they're recent escapees. These wild horses are similar to other wild horses elsewhere in North America.

The horses have obviously been here for decades. Sorry the area is getting overgrown with houses. We need to learn to live with nature and other animals ESPECIALLY the darned deer. Do something about that before we try to tackle another "problem" the horses, which they are not. They are at our area, upper Miller often and I see people out walking their dogs not on leash and the people let their dogs chase them. Makes me sad to see that. Fine the owners of those dogs. Fine people for trying to feed the deer and horses. I'd pay extra in taxes to have additional organizations policing this. We pay for open space, so let's protect what THAT is and WHAT lives wild and free in this beautiful city of ours. I don't want someone in New York City hearing about this and come and make a big stink when it's none of their business. Protect the horses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have never seen a horse jump out in front of an auto and all adults should be aware of the danger of approaching a non pet creature like horses and deer. We preach to our children and grandchildren that important lesson.
We have been forced to put up a yard fence not because of the horses but the deer. So start with controlling the deer.

Can we have some wild horse x-ing signs?

When they get North of the second junction of Upper and Lower Miller creek (the gravel pit) they are clearly hazardous.

The horses are frequently in my neighborhood. They are nice to watch but they are damaging public and private property. They are spending much time in the Maloney Ranch Park and the adjacent elementary school playground. The horses leave behind ample deposits of manure. The area that the horses range has increased significantly over the past few years.

Let’s stop the development in miller creek and let the horses reclaim the land.

These horses have been here for decades. To say they are a nuisance is absurd, we're the issue.

We're the ones expanding further and further up Miller Creek. For years they've roamed freely mostly unseen in residential areas until like 3 years ago.

Individuals are also feeding them like pets, drawing them down further into town. The real issue we need to address is the community feeding wildlife and not using common sense. This is why there are so many deer in town. Where's the petition to manage our "deer and squirrel epidemic," while we're at it? They are wild/ non-domesticated animals, just like all of our cats/bears/elk/ moose/Bison/ect.. But sure, let's go pet that Bison and cry when it's horns gore you.

Please! Just slow down and be a defensive driver. It's no different than needing to be alert for any other wildlife. Whether it's deer in the middle of downtown or the south hills, raccoons crossing Russell, elk running through Huson or Buttler Creek, Moose on 12. Just pay attention! Establishing a fencing boundary could be beneficial like at the Bison Range, and a shelter/center for BLM management.

Furthermore, the Wild and Free-Roaming Horse and Burros Protection Act of 1971 (16 USC Chapter 30) defined wild horses to mean all unbranded and unclaimed horses. I do believe this herd classifies as "unbranded and unclaimed." They deserve our protection. How lucky are we to have the Bison Range and these "Living symbols of the West," right in our backyard.

The County Commissioners are not doing nothing. They have gathered experts from various areas and are having a meeting to discuss a management plan this next week. They are taking everyone's opinions and perspectives into consideration. The laws that are being used against these horses have been on the books since before the 1930's. Right now these two bands of horses have limited protection and no one has jurisdiction over these horses. The status quo is not working anymore sadly due to the two auto accidents and the child being hurt. These incidents were human caused sadly and with the land development in that area these horses are now in trouble. They could be shot as nuisance animals. They could be rounded up as well. They want a management plan to have clear jurisdiction over the horses with tools on how to manage them. Ideally a rancher taking them in would be ideal. Does anyone know a rancher with land large enough because these herds roam a great distance. I don't know how they would react to being in a new area or neighborhood if they were relocated. It is my hope that no one wants them slaughtered just redomesticated for their own wellbeing. I know they have lived there since the 50s and 60s and us humans have taken up the land they roam. None of this is fair, just, or right. I have been loosing sleep over this myself. We all got to think what is best for these horses given what is happening in our growing community right now. My last thought is if we remove these two bands of horses then more will come to this area because it is a haven area for them. We solve the feral horses temporarily but more will come in hence a management plan is needed. I trust our County Commissioners and these experts to do the right thing by these horses and our community.