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Update 5/27/2026:
The county commissioners opened a public hearing on a draft resolution related to the feral horses at their June 11 public hearing meeting, and also took public comment. Click here to view the meeting recording.
The draft resolution is not final and could be updated based on resident feedback and other information.
The hearing is expected to be open for at least 30 days. Residents are invited to submit public comment on this draft resolution using the comment tool below. When another meeting is set, project followers will be notified of this meeting date. Follow this project page at the right-hand side of this page.
Residents are welcome to come to the next public hearing meeting on Thursday, July 23.
In-person location: Sophie Moiese Room, Missoula County Courthouse Annex, 200 West Broadway, Missoula
Virtual option: Residents can attend the meeting via Microsoft Teams. To join the call on your phone, call 406-272-4824, Conference ID 467 457 758#. To join the meeting on your device, follow the links on the agenda that will be published at http://missoula.co/bccmeetings
Project Background
It is not clear under state law which agency, if any, has jurisdiction to manage feral horses in Montana. After discussing the issue with the Montana Department of Livestock, Missoula County convened the following agency representatives with subject matter expertise in land and livestock management, ecology and law enforcement:
Dan Bugni, Lindsey Simon, Dustin Datisman, Jay Bodner, Tahnee Szymanski – Montana Department of Livestock
Chuck Casper – MPG Ranch
Natalie Sullivan – MSU Extension Office
Randy Arnold – Missoula County Lands, Culture and Recreation
Chris Lounsbury – Missoula County Commissioners’ Office
Paul Pfau – Montana Highway Patrol
Jeremiah Petersen – Missoula County Sheriff’s Office
Bryce Christians – Missoula County Ecology and Extension
Chet Crowser – Missoula County Office of Lands and Communities
Bart Morris – Oxbow Cattle Co.
The group discussed the following considerations:
History & Biology
Feral horses have been part of the Missoula County landscape for more than a century, with historical accounts dating back to the early 1900s. Private landowners have periodically conducted roundups of feral horses on their properties, The roundups most recently occurred in 1991, 2003, 2012 and 2023 (in the most recent roundup, the horses were sold to buyers interested in their rodeo stock lineage). Horses continue to remain in the area today, and a smaller band has moved closer to residential areas, raising new questions about safety and management.
Horses require about 35 acres per head for sustainable grazing, based on the Animal Unit Month (AUM) standard.
Development pressures are reducing available range.
Populations can double every 4 to 5 years, and gestation lasts about 11 months.
Several bands exist in the Miller Creek and surrounding areas, with some groups consistently in residential subdivisions.
Health Concerns
Feral horses pose limited risk to other species, but domestic horses can be affected.
Diseases of concern include EHV-1, influenza, equine infectious anemia, salmonella, pigeon fever and equine piroplasmosis (which can remain undetected for long periods).
The spread of disease can impact the livelihood of landowners in the area who depend on domestic horses to conduct business.
Vaccines exist for some diseases but are not fully preventative. There are also logistical considerations around how to contain and vaccinate the feral horses.
Public Safety
A documented vehicle collision occurred in September 2025, resulting in the death of one of the feral stallions.
Horses can weigh up to 1,500 lbs., creating significant hazards on roadways.
Stallions may be aggressive and territorial, especially near homes.
Horse bites are extremely strong — capable of crushing bone without breaking the skin.
Dogs and horses do not mix well; protective instincts around foals increase risk to both animals.
Legal and Jurisdiction Considerations
Horses are considered abandoned livestock, not wildlife. This differs from urban deer and other wildlife, which fall the authority under Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Jurisdiction primarily falls to private landowners, county and state entities, not federal. The horses primarily being on private property is the main complicating factor; if they were on public land, government agencies would have clearer jurisdiction.
Many residents value the horses and want to see them documented and monitored.
Others express concerns about safety, property damage, and disease transmission.
Local agricultural producers worry about the spread of disease and other impacts on domestic horses and business operations.
Update 5/27/2026:
The county commissioners opened a public hearing on a draft resolution related to the feral horses at their June 11 public hearing meeting, and also took public comment. Click here to view the meeting recording.
The draft resolution is not final and could be updated based on resident feedback and other information.
The hearing is expected to be open for at least 30 days. Residents are invited to submit public comment on this draft resolution using the comment tool below. When another meeting is set, project followers will be notified of this meeting date. Follow this project page at the right-hand side of this page.
Residents are welcome to come to the next public hearing meeting on Thursday, July 23.
In-person location: Sophie Moiese Room, Missoula County Courthouse Annex, 200 West Broadway, Missoula
Virtual option: Residents can attend the meeting via Microsoft Teams. To join the call on your phone, call 406-272-4824, Conference ID 467 457 758#. To join the meeting on your device, follow the links on the agenda that will be published at http://missoula.co/bccmeetings
Project Background
It is not clear under state law which agency, if any, has jurisdiction to manage feral horses in Montana. After discussing the issue with the Montana Department of Livestock, Missoula County convened the following agency representatives with subject matter expertise in land and livestock management, ecology and law enforcement:
Dan Bugni, Lindsey Simon, Dustin Datisman, Jay Bodner, Tahnee Szymanski – Montana Department of Livestock
Chuck Casper – MPG Ranch
Natalie Sullivan – MSU Extension Office
Randy Arnold – Missoula County Lands, Culture and Recreation
Chris Lounsbury – Missoula County Commissioners’ Office
Paul Pfau – Montana Highway Patrol
Jeremiah Petersen – Missoula County Sheriff’s Office
Bryce Christians – Missoula County Ecology and Extension
Chet Crowser – Missoula County Office of Lands and Communities
Bart Morris – Oxbow Cattle Co.
The group discussed the following considerations:
History & Biology
Feral horses have been part of the Missoula County landscape for more than a century, with historical accounts dating back to the early 1900s. Private landowners have periodically conducted roundups of feral horses on their properties, The roundups most recently occurred in 1991, 2003, 2012 and 2023 (in the most recent roundup, the horses were sold to buyers interested in their rodeo stock lineage). Horses continue to remain in the area today, and a smaller band has moved closer to residential areas, raising new questions about safety and management.
Horses require about 35 acres per head for sustainable grazing, based on the Animal Unit Month (AUM) standard.
Development pressures are reducing available range.
Populations can double every 4 to 5 years, and gestation lasts about 11 months.
Several bands exist in the Miller Creek and surrounding areas, with some groups consistently in residential subdivisions.
Health Concerns
Feral horses pose limited risk to other species, but domestic horses can be affected.
Diseases of concern include EHV-1, influenza, equine infectious anemia, salmonella, pigeon fever and equine piroplasmosis (which can remain undetected for long periods).
The spread of disease can impact the livelihood of landowners in the area who depend on domestic horses to conduct business.
Vaccines exist for some diseases but are not fully preventative. There are also logistical considerations around how to contain and vaccinate the feral horses.
Public Safety
A documented vehicle collision occurred in September 2025, resulting in the death of one of the feral stallions.
Horses can weigh up to 1,500 lbs., creating significant hazards on roadways.
Stallions may be aggressive and territorial, especially near homes.
Horse bites are extremely strong — capable of crushing bone without breaking the skin.
Dogs and horses do not mix well; protective instincts around foals increase risk to both animals.
Legal and Jurisdiction Considerations
Horses are considered abandoned livestock, not wildlife. This differs from urban deer and other wildlife, which fall the authority under Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Jurisdiction primarily falls to private landowners, county and state entities, not federal. The horses primarily being on private property is the main complicating factor; if they were on public land, government agencies would have clearer jurisdiction.
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We wanted to participate in the discussion about the wild horses of Miller Creek. We live in Upper Miller Creek. The horses are often seen in this area and have peacefully grazed along our street many times, including on our front lawn.
We acknowledge at this late stage of the process that some policy response is likely to emerge. The pending resolution misses the mark disproportionately in favor of private property rights, such as large landowners with the means and wherewithal to cause removal of the herds entirely. Let us propose the following:
1. Leave the wild horses alone. Practically indigenous, they were here long before any of us. History need not repeat. Our home sites and nearby open space have been the horses’ public lands for decades. There is ample room to co-exist. They are peaceful and nomadic. Many ask why single out the wild horses? Deer are a far more invasive presence throughout Linda Vista. Declare the herds a protected species, which trumps private landowners’ worries.
2. Establish “Wildlife Crossing” zones, with appropriate signage and road surface markings, along Upper and Lower Miller Creek Roads and perhaps on other major roads in Linda Vista (similar to the “Moose Crossing” zones present on Highway 12 west of Lolo, etc). There’s a small “Child Crossing” sign on Upper Miller Creek Road just above the traffic circle, but we’ve never seen a child (or the horses) crossing that major artery.
3. Impose responsible speed limits in such wildlife crossing zones, with regular periodic enforcement, such that motorists aren’t lawfully traveling at unsafe speeds and are able to safely brake before colliding with crossing animals. This would address concerns about cars hitting the horses, and also respond to deer strike incidents throughout Linda Vista.
4. Install appropriate signage throughout the development instructing people to stay away from and not to feed wildlife in the development, including the wild horse herds.
5. Public Education. Adults and children (at local schools) should be regularly reminded to avoid close contact with the herds. We do this with bears and other large wildlife now.
6. Fencing. The draft resolution focuses not on purported concerns about public safety but appeals narrowly to private property owners. As for those, a common feature defeating unwelcome wildlife visitations across the development is private fencing. We recommend this alternative for concerned homeowners.
The wild horses of Miller Creek have no agency in this debate. We’ve never felt threatened by them nor been at personal risk. They are passive and always just moving through. They’re a community treasure, part of what sets Montana apart. We don’t feel the situation is broken nor does it need fixing. Thank you.
Regards, Matt Joseph Julia Joseph Roberta Duggan
Matt Joseph
About 1 hour ago
Proposed Miller Creek Abandoned Horses Resolution
Thank you for your efforts to protect the Miller Creek free-roaming horses. Coexisting with them including a management plan is this community’s goal.
The proposed resolution appears to address landowner concerns, public health, and safety of the horses. Before we finalize it, we need transparency: How many documented complaints/problems exist? We should have access to that data. The 2025 vehicle accident with a stallion cited at the June 11th City Council meeting was attributed to speeding and human error, not the horses. Nothing in the current draft addresses that cause.
I appreciate that the resolution requires lawful steps before roundups, which protects horses from arbitrary action. However, it reads as a process for landowners only. As one commenter said: “I’m glad the county is trying to create a lawful and humane process, but I hope this becomes a coordinated management plan rather than just a mechanism for individual landowners.”
To advocate for both horses and community, I recommend:
1. Adopt Conduct Standards that model language after the Currituck County, NC Corolla Wild Horses Ordinance. It prohibits harmful public behavior toward horses and protects landowners, public health, and the horse's safety.
2. Fix Statutory Definitions: Clarify the conflict between “abandoned horses” MCA 81-4-501(1), which applies only to horses 1+ years, and “estray horses,” which covers all ages. Miller Creek bands include foals under 1. Current Section 2(2) excluding estrays would exclude most Miller Creek horses, contrary to intent.
3. Create a Management Plan via interlocal agreement with MT Dept. of Livestock MCA 7-11-104. Include a community nonprofit — the Miller Creek Horse Alliance — with residents AND an equine veterinarian to advise on horse welfare.We understand the Sheriff’s Department and Missoula Police Department will provide enforcement so we seek clarification as to which County Official or Department will be the contact for information moving forward.
4. Expand Section 6 disposition options and clarify who decides: landowner or horse advocate.
These horses are living symbols of frontier history, resilience, and independence. They deserve a voice and protections for coexistence in a community that cherishes their beauty and magnificent spirit. They truly are part of what creates a special and unique Missoula.
Just to point out that the four roundups have not mitigated the horses presence in Miller Creek. To me that seems like more reasoning in support of a comprehensive management plan. A win win scenario for landowners, public health, and the horse's safety.
Thank you for your consideration. We ask you give us more time to properly respond to this improved resolution. We appreciate your efforts.
Tammy Staat
Tammy S
About 13 hours ago
Thank you for your efforts to protect the Miller Creek, free roaming horses, as coexisting with the horses is my wish, wanted outcome, and reason for writing. In reading the proposed resolution, it appears to only address one problem and that seems to be the problem of the landowners up Miller Creek with the horses. How many documented complaints/problems have there been? It would be really interesting to have access to what the documented problems are before we make comments on the resolution. The 2025 documented vehicle accident with a stallion seems to be caused by human error, speeding, which was shared at the City Council Meeting on June 11th by the daughter in law of the speeding motorist. Nothing in the resolution proposes anything to address this particular issue and cause of the accident. I feel, the proposed resolution provides guidelines so roundups can’t just happen without lawful steps (which at least slows the process down on behalf of the horses and someone can’t do a roundup on a whim), but it seems to only give the landowner procedural steps. In reading comments, I like this one best, “I’m glad the county is trying to create a lawful and humane process, but I hope this becomes a coordinated management plan rather than just a mechanism for individual landowners to deal with horses once they become a problem.” Another person noted the horses could leave the landowner’s property before these steps might be able to be followed. Then what? Another comment was that not all parties are represented on the drafting of the resolution. Besides the proposed and needed Miller Creek resident, I feel we need to have a spokesperson for the horses. Someone knowledgeable like an equine veterinarian. Section 6. the “approved disposition methods”, seems to have only four approved possibilities. Who gets to pick the option? Does the landowner have the final say or a person representing the horse’s best interest? What if more options than four become available? I am taking part in the community efforts that are being done to be proactive in the managed care of the horses and education of the public. I hope you give this committee, (which is not officially named yet but maybe the Miller Creek Horses Alliance) a chance to work on issues and come up with a united effort to tackle such issues as responding to public and horse needs, education, dealing with excrement, fund raising for the horses’ aid, researching other bands of these horses and their answers to community plus horse needs, opportunity to consult with experts on the realities of disease and spread plus population management/care. I feel this committee needs to have access to information to know all the documented issues. I truly feel these horses grace us with their presence and deserve protection under the law. Horses, in general, have helped humans in war dying beside them, transportation, agriculture, sport, recreation and therapy. I feel it is an honor to live side by side with these wild horses in Montana. I want someone that cares about them to be their voice. It would be great if everyone felt that they are “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West”. Thank you for listening! Diane Gray Upper Miller Creek Resident
DGray
About 24 hours ago
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Gladly fennell
2 days ago
Removed by moderator.
emailjade12
3 days ago
Removed by moderator.
emailjade12
3 days ago
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emailjade12
3 days ago
Removed by moderator.
emailjade12
3 days ago
The second draft abandoned horses resolution reflects an excellent improvement from the first one. I have some suggestions to make the final resolution better and avoid some complicates legal issues.
First, please the Currituck County, North Carolina Corolla horses ordinance in this link:
It contains very specific provisions prohibiting unacceptable people's behavior towards the horses which Missoula should adopt in the interest of landowners, public health and safety and the horses.
Second, please clear up the statutory definitional confusion between abandoned horses in MCA Section 81-4-501(1), which applies only to horses 1 year old and older; and estray horses, which apparently applies to all Miller Creek abandoned horses regardless of age. The Miller Creek horse band always includes foals under 1-year old. The draft ordinance language Section 2(2) disclaiming application to estrays effectively excludes application to almost all abandoned horses contrary to ordinance intent.
Third, I strongly suggest Missoula County seek an interlocal agreement with the Montana Livestock Department pursuant to MCA 7-11-104 to clear up the above definitional ambiguity problem involving abandoned and estray horses, perhaps by treating abandoned horses as estrays but allowing the County to handle them for the state, pursuant to MCA Title 81, Chapter 4, Part 6. Alternatively, an interlocal agreement could specify the state's explicit approval of how abandoned horses found in Missoula County may be treated by the County.
I hope these suggestions are helpful. Thanks for considering them.
David Aronofsky
4 days ago
Removed by moderator.
Lakethia
4 days ago
I’m glad the county is trying to create a lawful and humane process, but I hope this becomes a coordinated management plan rather than just a mechanism for individual landowners to deal with horses once they become a problem.
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5 days ago
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DAVID SUTTER
6 days ago
Removed by moderator.
DAVID SUTTER
7 days ago
Removed by moderator.
anna cassidy
7 days ago
Please listen to the overwhelming number of comments here in support of leaving these horses alone. They have been part of the Miller Creek landscape for decades and are a cherished part of what makes this area special. For many of us who live here, seeing them is a genuine joy and a reminder that we still share this place with wildlife. Based on the comments here, I am clearly not alone in feeling that way.
From a public safety standpoint, we should be encouraging people to respect wildlife, including these horses, rather than treating the horses themselves as the problem. Parents should teach their children to observe them from a distance, just as we do with deer, moose, bears, and other wildlife. Living in Montana means accepting some responsibility for safely coexisting with wild animals.
Concerns about vehicle collisions also seem misplaced. If safety is truly the priority, then slowing traffic in the neighborhood would do far more to protect people, pets, and wildlife than removing a small band of horses. Speeding has long been a concern in Miller Creek, and deer are a much more common source of vehicle collisions than these horses.
Most of us moved into this neighborhood long after these horses were already here. We chose to live in a place where wildlife is part of everyday life, and for many of us, these horses contribute to the character and sense of place that makes Miller Creek unique.
I struggle to understand why the County is treating this as a pressing issue when there are much larger challenges facing our community. If resources are going to be devoted to improving life in Miller Creek, I would much rather see attention given to issues like traffic safety and the cumulative impacts of continued residential development, including concerns about emergency access and evacuation. Those are issues that affect everyone who lives here every day.
wildriver
8 days ago
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benitawilliams
11 days ago
I'm a Miller Creek resident who is such a fan of this herd of horses. When they pay us a visit, they mind their own business and have no interest in bothering humans. They move much slower and are much easier to spot on the road. They just want to co-exist and share space. After all, the space was theirs first. Please do not round them up and put them up for auction. Please do not euthanize them. They have the most gentle presence and it's so grounding. When I'm surprised to go outside and find them nearby, it is such a grounding force. With no exaggeration, it truly makes my day. They help my mental health, which is always a struggle. Why can we not protect them as we protect other wildlife in Montana? Isn't that why we live in Montana? Stop driving them out of their own home. It's baby deer season, and you have to keep a much more careful eye out for them on the road, but nobody's petitioning to try to remove them. We love them. And I've never seen the horses anywhere near a busy road. They bring magic to the neighborhood, and I feel so lucky to co-exist in this space with them. Can we not try other things first, like decreasing and enforcing speed limits, putting signs on the roads, teaching children in school how to respect them, coming up with a coalition of people who want to contribute their time, expertise, and money. I was present at the hearing on June 11th, and it was so powerful to have a room full of people who feel similarly. I'll never forget the story told by the daughter-in-law of the man who had the road collision with one of the horses; she said she was there, that her father-in-law is a menace on the road and was surpassing the speed limit by a lot and was also on his phone. She said she'll never let her kids ride in a car with him anymore, and that he and his wife moved across the country. It was such a brave story to share, and really helped paint a vivid and painful story. None of that was the horse's fault. Can we not assign a group of some kind to be responsible for the horses if something like that were to happen again? I haven't lived in this neighborhood very long, and I've still felt heartbroken that the best neighbors I've ever had might be removed. Please listen to the people. We want to help, and we want to protect the horses and their home. They bring such beauty and wonder and awe and are more than welcome near my home. I've lived all over, but Montana is the only place I've ever been able to call home. I feel grateful every day for the nature surrounding us and the wildlife living amongst us. And whenever I say wildlife, I'm including the horses, even if it's insisted they be called feral and not wild. Thank you for listening and taking us seriously.
rainbowdark
12 days ago
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16 days ago
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We wanted to participate in the discussion about the wild horses of Miller Creek. We live in Upper Miller Creek. The horses are often seen in this area and have peacefully grazed along our street many times, including on our front lawn.
We acknowledge at this late stage of the process that some policy response is likely to emerge. The pending resolution misses the mark disproportionately in favor of private property rights, such as large landowners with the means and wherewithal to cause removal of the herds entirely. Let us propose the following:
1. Leave the wild horses alone. Practically indigenous, they were here long before any of us. History need not repeat. Our home sites and nearby open space have been the horses’ public lands for decades. There is ample room to co-exist. They are peaceful and nomadic. Many ask why single out the wild horses? Deer are a far more invasive presence throughout Linda Vista. Declare the herds a protected species, which trumps private landowners’ worries.
2. Establish “Wildlife Crossing” zones, with appropriate signage and road surface markings, along Upper and Lower Miller Creek Roads and perhaps on other major roads in Linda Vista (similar to the “Moose Crossing” zones present on Highway 12 west of Lolo, etc). There’s a small “Child Crossing” sign on Upper Miller Creek Road just above the traffic circle, but we’ve never seen a child (or the horses) crossing that major artery.
3. Impose responsible speed limits in such wildlife crossing zones, with regular periodic enforcement, such that motorists aren’t lawfully traveling at unsafe speeds and are able to safely brake before colliding with crossing animals. This would address concerns about cars hitting the horses, and also respond to deer strike incidents throughout Linda Vista.
4. Install appropriate signage throughout the development instructing people to stay away from and not to feed wildlife in the development, including the wild horse herds.
5. Public Education. Adults and children (at local schools) should be regularly reminded to avoid close contact with the herds. We do this with bears and other large wildlife now.
6. Fencing. The draft resolution focuses not on purported concerns about public safety but appeals narrowly to private property owners. As for those, a common feature defeating unwelcome wildlife visitations across the development is private fencing. We recommend this alternative for concerned homeowners.
The wild horses of Miller Creek have no agency in this debate. We’ve never felt threatened by them nor been at personal risk. They are passive and always just moving through. They’re a community treasure, part of what sets Montana apart. We don’t feel the situation is broken nor does it need fixing. Thank you.
Regards,
Matt Joseph
Julia Joseph
Roberta Duggan
Proposed Miller Creek Abandoned Horses Resolution
Thank you for your efforts to protect the Miller Creek free-roaming horses. Coexisting with them including a management plan is this community’s goal.
The proposed resolution appears to address landowner concerns, public health, and safety of the horses. Before we finalize it, we need transparency: How many documented complaints/problems exist? We should have access to that data. The 2025 vehicle accident with a stallion cited at the June 11th City Council meeting was attributed to speeding and human error, not the horses. Nothing in the current draft addresses that cause.
I appreciate that the resolution requires lawful steps before roundups, which protects horses from arbitrary action. However, it reads as a process for landowners only. As one commenter said: “I’m glad the county is trying to create a lawful and humane process, but I hope this becomes a coordinated management plan rather than just a mechanism for individual landowners.”
To advocate for both horses and community, I recommend:
1. Adopt Conduct Standards that model language after the Currituck County, NC Corolla Wild Horses Ordinance. It prohibits harmful public behavior toward horses and protects landowners, public health, and the horse's safety.
2. Fix Statutory Definitions: Clarify the conflict between “abandoned horses” MCA 81-4-501(1), which applies only to horses 1+ years, and “estray horses,” which covers all ages. Miller Creek bands include foals under 1. Current Section 2(2) excluding estrays would exclude most Miller Creek horses, contrary to intent.
3. Create a Management Plan via interlocal agreement with MT Dept. of Livestock MCA 7-11-104. Include a community nonprofit — the Miller Creek Horse Alliance — with residents AND an equine veterinarian to advise on horse welfare.We understand the Sheriff’s Department and Missoula Police Department will provide enforcement so we seek clarification as to which County Official or Department will be the contact for information moving forward.
4. Expand Section 6 disposition options and clarify who decides: landowner or horse advocate.
These horses are living symbols of frontier history, resilience, and independence. They deserve a voice and protections for coexistence in a community that cherishes their beauty and magnificent spirit. They truly are part of what creates a special and unique Missoula.
Just to point out that the four roundups have not mitigated the horses presence in Miller Creek. To me that seems like more reasoning in support of a comprehensive management plan. A win win scenario for landowners, public health, and the horse's safety.
Thank you for your consideration. We ask you give us more time to properly respond to this improved resolution. We appreciate your efforts.
Tammy Staat
Thank you for your efforts to protect the Miller Creek, free roaming horses, as coexisting with the horses is my wish, wanted outcome, and reason for writing. In reading the proposed resolution, it appears to only address one problem and that seems to be the problem of the landowners up Miller Creek with the horses. How many documented complaints/problems have there been? It would be really interesting to have access to what the documented problems are before we make comments on the resolution. The 2025 documented vehicle accident with a stallion seems to be caused by human error, speeding, which was shared at the City Council Meeting on June 11th by the daughter in law of the speeding motorist. Nothing in the resolution proposes anything to address this particular issue and cause of the accident.
I feel, the proposed resolution provides guidelines so roundups can’t just happen without lawful steps (which at least slows the process down on behalf of the horses and someone can’t do a roundup on a whim), but it seems to only give the landowner procedural steps. In reading comments, I like this one best, “I’m glad the county is trying to create a lawful and humane process, but I hope this becomes a coordinated management plan rather than just a mechanism for individual landowners to deal with horses once they become a problem.” Another person noted the horses could leave the landowner’s property before these steps might be able to be followed. Then what? Another comment was that not all parties are represented on the drafting of the resolution. Besides the proposed and needed Miller Creek resident, I feel we need to have a spokesperson for the horses. Someone knowledgeable like an equine veterinarian. Section 6. the “approved disposition methods”, seems to have only four approved possibilities. Who gets to pick the option? Does the landowner have the final say or a person representing the horse’s best interest? What if more options than four become available?
I am taking part in the community efforts that are being done to be proactive in the managed care of the horses and education of the public. I hope you give this committee, (which is not officially named yet but maybe the Miller Creek Horses Alliance) a chance to work on issues and come up with a united effort to tackle such issues as responding to public and horse needs, education, dealing with excrement, fund raising for the horses’ aid, researching other bands of these horses and their answers to community plus horse needs, opportunity to consult with experts on the realities of disease and spread plus population management/care. I feel this committee needs to have access to information to know all the documented issues.
I truly feel these horses grace us with their presence and deserve protection under the law. Horses, in general, have helped humans in war dying beside them, transportation, agriculture, sport, recreation and therapy. I feel it is an honor to live side by side with these wild horses in Montana. I want someone that cares about them to be their voice. It would be great if everyone felt that they are “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West”.
Thank you for listening!
Diane Gray
Upper Miller Creek Resident
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The second draft abandoned horses resolution reflects an excellent improvement from the first one. I have some suggestions to make the final resolution better and avoid some complicates legal issues.
First, please the Currituck County, North Carolina Corolla horses ordinance in this link:
https://www.corollawildhorses.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/no-domestic-horses.pdf
It contains very specific provisions prohibiting unacceptable people's behavior towards the horses which Missoula should adopt in the interest of landowners, public health and safety and the horses.
Second, please clear up the statutory definitional confusion between abandoned horses in MCA Section 81-4-501(1), which applies only to horses 1 year old and older; and estray horses, which apparently applies to all Miller Creek abandoned horses regardless of age. The Miller Creek horse band always includes foals under 1-year old. The draft ordinance language Section 2(2) disclaiming application to estrays effectively excludes application to almost all abandoned horses contrary to ordinance intent.
Third, I strongly suggest Missoula County seek an interlocal agreement with the Montana Livestock Department pursuant to MCA 7-11-104 to clear up the above definitional ambiguity problem involving abandoned and estray horses, perhaps by treating abandoned horses as estrays but allowing the County to handle them for the state, pursuant to MCA Title 81, Chapter 4, Part 6. Alternatively, an interlocal agreement could specify the state's explicit approval of how abandoned horses found in Missoula County may be treated by the County.
I hope these suggestions are helpful. Thanks for considering them.
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I’m glad the county is trying to create a lawful and humane process, but I hope this becomes a coordinated management plan rather than just a mechanism for individual landowners to deal with horses once they become a problem.
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Please listen to the overwhelming number of comments here in support of leaving these horses alone. They have been part of the Miller Creek landscape for decades and are a cherished part of what makes this area special. For many of us who live here, seeing them is a genuine joy and a reminder that we still share this place with wildlife. Based on the comments here, I am clearly not alone in feeling that way.
From a public safety standpoint, we should be encouraging people to respect wildlife, including these horses, rather than treating the horses themselves as the problem. Parents should teach their children to observe them from a distance, just as we do with deer, moose, bears, and other wildlife. Living in Montana means accepting some responsibility for safely coexisting with wild animals.
Concerns about vehicle collisions also seem misplaced. If safety is truly the priority, then slowing traffic in the neighborhood would do far more to protect people, pets, and wildlife than removing a small band of horses. Speeding has long been a concern in Miller Creek, and deer are a much more common source of vehicle collisions than these horses.
Most of us moved into this neighborhood long after these horses were already here. We chose to live in a place where wildlife is part of everyday life, and for many of us, these horses contribute to the character and sense of place that makes Miller Creek unique.
I struggle to understand why the County is treating this as a pressing issue when there are much larger challenges facing our community. If resources are going to be devoted to improving life in Miller Creek, I would much rather see attention given to issues like traffic safety and the cumulative impacts of continued residential development, including concerns about emergency access and evacuation. Those are issues that affect everyone who lives here every day.
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I'm a Miller Creek resident who is such a fan of this herd of horses. When they pay us a visit, they mind their own business and have no interest in bothering humans. They move much slower and are much easier to spot on the road. They just want to co-exist and share space. After all, the space was theirs first. Please do not round them up and put them up for auction. Please do not euthanize them. They have the most gentle presence and it's so grounding. When I'm surprised to go outside and find them nearby, it is such a grounding force. With no exaggeration, it truly makes my day. They help my mental health, which is always a struggle. Why can we not protect them as we protect other wildlife in Montana? Isn't that why we live in Montana? Stop driving them out of their own home. It's baby deer season, and you have to keep a much more careful eye out for them on the road, but nobody's petitioning to try to remove them. We love them. And I've never seen the horses anywhere near a busy road. They bring magic to the neighborhood, and I feel so lucky to co-exist in this space with them. Can we not try other things first, like decreasing and enforcing speed limits, putting signs on the roads, teaching children in school how to respect them, coming up with a coalition of people who want to contribute their time, expertise, and money. I was present at the hearing on June 11th, and it was so powerful to have a room full of people who feel similarly. I'll never forget the story told by the daughter-in-law of the man who had the road collision with one of the horses; she said she was there, that her father-in-law is a menace on the road and was surpassing the speed limit by a lot and was also on his phone. She said she'll never let her kids ride in a car with him anymore, and that he and his wife moved across the country. It was such a brave story to share, and really helped paint a vivid and painful story. None of that was the horse's fault. Can we not assign a group of some kind to be responsible for the horses if something like that were to happen again? I haven't lived in this neighborhood very long, and I've still felt heartbroken that the best neighbors I've ever had might be removed. Please listen to the people. We want to help, and we want to protect the horses and their home. They bring such beauty and wonder and awe and are more than welcome near my home. I've lived all over, but Montana is the only place I've ever been able to call home. I feel grateful every day for the nature surrounding us and the wildlife living amongst us. And whenever I say wildlife, I'm including the horses, even if it's insisted they be called feral and not wild. Thank you for listening and taking us seriously.
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