Feral Horses in Miller Creek
Missoula County is currently exploring options to address concerns around feral horses that roam between the Miller Creek area of Missoula and south into the Bitterroot Valley. This specific band of horses, believed to be descended from rodeo stock from a former ranch that existed in Miller Creek in the 1970s, have become increasingly present in densely populated residential areas over the last few years.
Residents have raised concerns about these horses related to public safety, spread of disease, their impact on area livestock, and increased habituation to people and human food sources. The County has also heard from residents who enjoy the feral horses' presence in their neighborhoods.
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 met in December and discussed the following considerations:
Background
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 equine herpes, 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.
- Relevant Montana Code Annotated sections:
- Abandoned Horses: MCA § 81-4-5
- Estray Horses: MCA § 81-4-6
- Herd Districts: MCA § 81-4-3
- Additional legal framework: Title 81, Livestock
Community Perspectives
- 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.
This group will continue to explore potential options for managing the feral horses and provide staff with their recommendations.
The County will engage the public on any potential recommendations sometime in the next few months, which will include a public open house highlighting the recommendations and providing residents with a chance to bring any questions or concerns to staff. The County is looking to hold the open house sometime in February or early March. Many considerations go into planning a public event, including participant schedules and venue availability.
The county commissioners would then consider adopting the recommendations at one of their public meetings, which take place most Thursdays at 2 p.m. Information on future meetings will also be posted on this page.
Click the subscribe button to the right to receive updates on next steps when they are determined.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are the people in the advisory group being paid?
A: No, they are volunteering their time and expertise or are participating as part of their regular job duties.
Q: Are county staff meeting with individual residents for their input outside of the group with subject matter expertise?
A: No, staff have not met with individuals who are not part of the advisory group. Some individuals have provided public comment to the commissioners at public meetings, which take place regularly and are open to anyone.
Q: Aren't these horses protected under federal law?
A: No, the federal Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 does not apply to these horses. The band of Miller Creek horses, and the larger herd that roams between Upper Miller Creek and Florence, occupy a mix of private and state land. The 1971 Act only protects mustangs and burros on land owned by the Bureau of Land Management or the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Equines protected under this federal law are relegated to federal herd management areas. Miller Creek and the Bitterroot/Sapphire region are not herd management areas. Free-roaming horses that are not part of these federal herds fall under the jurisdiction of state law.
Q: Can residents petition to have the horses removed?
A: Yes, there is a process to petition the commissioners under a state law first enacted in 1925: MCA 81-4-503. The commissioners have received no such petition. Missoula County’s goal is to avoid this scenario by exploring a proactive management plan.
Q: Why doesn’t the County do something about the urban deer in the area instead?
A: Deer are considered wildlife and fall under the jurisdiction of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Also, much of residential area impacted by urban deer is within Missoula city limits. The City of Missoula is in discussions with FWP about how to address chronic wasting disease and other concerns around urban deer.
Who's Listening
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Phone 406-258-3293
Please find here, a petition asking the County Commissioners to see the over 1100 signatures we have gathered for protection of the horses in Miller Creek
https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/preserve-the-freedom-of-feral-wild-horses-in-miller-creek?source=facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawOrmXhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR4j6gzOPx5xQXetOrpJv7LsCclOtm0M6D49QnrcbFauFHzqVTZsXg9XSIob3Q_aem_iVqNjNbSYAkpigJO8nHB-A
Please find here, a petition asking the County Commissioners to see the over 1100 signatues we have gathered for protection of the horses in Miller Creek
https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/preserve-the-freedom-of-feral-wild-horses-in-miller-creek?source=facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawOrmXhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR4j6gzOPx5xQXetOrpJv7LsCclOtm0M6D49QnrcbFauFHzqVTZsXg9XSIob3Q_aem_iVqNjNbSYAkpigJO8nHB-A
Save the horses
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.