Share Feral Horses in Miller Creek on FacebookShare Feral Horses in Miller Creek on TwitterShare Feral Horses in Miller Creek on LinkedinEmail Feral Horses in Miller Creek link
Update 5/27/2026:
The county commissioners will open a hearing on a resolution related to the feral horses during their public hearing meeting at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 11. The hearing is expected to be open for at least 30 days.
The meeting agenda and related documents will be available the prior Friday at missoula.co/bccmeetings. The public is encouraged to provide public comment at the meeting or by using the comment tool on this page.
County commissioners’ public hearing meeting: 2 p.m. Thursday, June 11.
In-person location: 200 W. Broadway, Missoula County Courthouse Annex, Sophie Moiese Room
Virtualoption: 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 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.
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 will open a hearing on a resolution related to the feral horses during their public hearing meeting at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 11. The hearing is expected to be open for at least 30 days.
The meeting agenda and related documents will be available the prior Friday at missoula.co/bccmeetings. The public is encouraged to provide public comment at the meeting or by using the comment tool on this page.
County commissioners’ public hearing meeting: 2 p.m. Thursday, June 11.
In-person location: 200 W. Broadway, Missoula County Courthouse Annex, Sophie Moiese Room
Virtualoption: 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 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.
Let us know what you think by logging in or creating an account and submitting your comment below.
Staff do not respond to comments submitted here. If you have a question you would like answered, submit it on the Questions tab.
You need to be signed in to comment in this Guest Book. Click here to Sign In or Register to get involved
These beautiful horses have lived free many years. Are you going to do this with the in town deer.
I say NO, leave them alone
Jan Krug
6 months ago
Do not remove them!!! They deserve to be free and humans need to understand they are animals. Just like you wouldn’t go pet a deer DON’T go pet them! They’ve done nothing wrong. If we are concerned about wild animals let’s deal with the out of control deer population…not the wild horses
Mendy
6 months ago
Ask the tribe if you can put them on Wild Horse Island
Kevin Davis
6 months ago
Learn the history of of these animals. Then remove them.
Jerrian Jones
6 months ago
The horses were there before the houses and people. However, urban growth in the area is inevitable. A solution that allows the horses to graze the native range and people to coexist is necessary to preserve what has become a cultural icon for Missoula (Wild horses being iconic to the American West in general). I think homeowners need to fence out the horses, as is done in subdivisions where homes are built in grazing allotments. Introduced lawn grasses are not nutritious for horses, but are attractive because they are irrigated and tender. It may be necessary to thin the horse herd for safety and range health. It is also critical that the landowners receive education about the herd and how to behave around feral animals. Lighting the roadway would increase safety in the area, to prevent vehicle/wildlife/horse accidents. An "Adopt A Horse" Program could be started to help with the expenses of both people & herd management. Above all, some agency or committee made up of citizens, organizations, and agencies needs to take on the jurisdiction of the horses. Perhaps a nonprofit?
Susan S.
6 months ago
Leave them alone! They were there first. People should be teaching their kids not to touch them just like bears, lions and other wild animals. My kids knew not to feed the neighbors horses or pet them without permission. Missoula thinks they have to manage everything but they end up managing nothing and just making things more difficult...in this case it will be more difficult for the horses. The people should learn to live with them and enjoy them.
Lisa W
6 months ago
Please ignore the safetyists who are over hyping “dangers” all of the sudden and educate people to pay attention and keep their kids away. The loudest most vocal voices are creating hysteria over these horses who have been here for decades. This is Montana not suburban Waukegon Illinois.
MissoulaKeepTheHorses
6 months ago
Leave the horses alone Montana is open range you don't like them fence them out ...
Kammerer
6 months ago
I half to ask why this is an issue, and I support anyone to enlighten me. The horses aren't harming anything or anyone. The city needs to deal with the deer population before they focus their energy and our tax dollars on eight or nine horses. What are the options, euthanize, tranquilize and relocate? They are wild animals. Good luck getting a 2,500 pound horse into anything if you plan on keeping it alive. Using key words like "risk of spreading disease", "residential livestock" There are two farms on Miller creek that still exist. The rest of the land has been developed and if you read the HOA you're not allowed to have "livestock". So if someone is complaining about their feral chickens like the rooster I saw running up the road this morning. Stop it. What about the fox's, the skunks, etc? If you are concerned for safety, then it is similar to going anywhere else in Montana out of your back door. Don't get close to wild animals. I don't know why people need to get in a stink about this. Just let them be. They will migrate out eventually.
Jcbentz
6 months ago
Leave the horses alone. The one horse that died was hit by a vehicle driven by an inattentive driver. We can deal with horses easier than the crooks out here. Put your energy and time into something that matters. This is a riculous thing to waste your time on. What a waste. Oh and mths any workday at 2 pm is a way to keep the working residents unable to have public input.
6 months ago
The horses have bern the there decades longer than the subdivision. They've only had close encounters with people since the people have become so numerous. Horses dont jump in front of vehicles like deer do. If one gets hit, I blame the driver. Ive seen drivers going way too fast, & not sloeing down at all, plow over young deer that are just standing there. The only safety hazard with the herd is (pardon me, but its true) stupid city people who think theyre all pets (remember the Yellowstone bison?) & dont know & teach their kids how to behave around them. Animals speak volumes with body language. Its not their fault if these city slickers are illiterate. There are few diseases that humans & horses share. While you're contacting experts to weigh in...PLEASE get some genuine horse people of good reputation, including a few rescues. Don't depend on government agencies. They know nothing & their first response is to kill. There is plenty of evidence for that. If you need further proof of the incompetence of the government, do a bit of research on what the BLM is doing to wild horses herds in several areas of the country. Our horses dont deserve that.
CindyCat
6 months ago
These are wild horses that have been here forever! I live in Lower Miller Creek and find this to be part of what makes us Montana!! LEAVE THE HORSES ALONE!! They don’t bother anyone. I agree with everyone else, you have far bigger things to spend your time and our money on than a few harmless horses just trying to live their life in their home that we humans interrupted. Listen to the community for once!!
KevinW
6 months ago
Why not contact tribes such as the Lakota .. Cheyenne...Blackfeet.. etc.and offer them to tribes so they can live freely on reservation lands. The horse is a deeply revered part of their heritage.
Carmen
6 months ago
Leave the horses alone. If you do not like the Montana lifestyle, then leave. The horses were here first and they are not hurting anyone.
Stormynite
6 months ago
Leave the horses alone. Slow down and enjoy Montana. It’s neat that people want to live here. It’s becoming less enjoyable because people are wiping out the authenticity. It is a problem that people think the animals are a problem. It’s a fence out state. Fence them out and have some respect for something other than money and convenience.
EllenB
6 months ago
You might connect with the town of Ruidoso, NM who has a herd of feral horses who have lived there for years. They might have some advice and insight.
Dyggur
6 months ago
Leave the horses alone, they have roamed around before a lot of people were in this area. we have deer and skunks. raccoons. Foxes, Bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and many other animals that come through Miller Creek. Why are these animals needing to be controlled as well? The animals have lived and died here for a long time, maybe even before you were born. Leave the horses and all the other animals alone, or move somewhere else. Please
John T
6 months ago
The horses are awesome and a unique part of living in Miller Creek. Why would the county waste money studying what to do. Leave the horses alone, and save the tax dollars spent on this unnecessary study.
Rachel W.
6 months ago
The folks who actually lived in Miller Creek for decades are saying the obvious: leave the wild horses alone. They’ve been thriving without your “expert” intervention for years. Horse owners may know how to saddle up, but that doesn’t mean they’re qualified to dictate what happens with wild or feral horses. The real issue? A handful of people who can’t grasp boundaries or basic parenting, and somehow that means we should evict the horses? Brilliant idea. Let’s punish the animals for human incompetence. Maybe next we’ll ban trees because someone tripped over a root. Here’s a thought: stop trying to fix what isn’t broken and listen to the people who actually know what they’re talking about.
hobbyhorserider
6 months ago
leave the horses alone they are happy and healthy! they are healthy where as if you catch and move them there is potential for them to not go to a good place. they have been there for so many years. leave them be!
These beautiful horses have lived free many years. Are you going to do this with the in town deer.
I say NO, leave them alone
Do not remove them!!! They deserve to be free and humans need to understand they are animals. Just like you wouldn’t go pet a deer DON’T go pet them! They’ve done nothing wrong. If we are concerned about wild animals let’s deal with the out of control deer population…not the wild horses
Ask the tribe if you can put them on Wild Horse Island
Learn the history of of these animals. Then remove them.
The horses were there before the houses and people. However, urban growth in the area is inevitable. A solution that allows the horses to graze the native range and people to coexist is necessary to preserve what has become a cultural icon for Missoula (Wild horses being iconic to the American West in general). I think homeowners need to fence out the horses, as is done in subdivisions where homes are built in grazing allotments. Introduced lawn grasses are not nutritious for horses, but are attractive because they are irrigated and tender.
It may be necessary to thin the horse herd for safety and range health. It is also critical that the landowners receive education about the herd and how to behave around feral animals.
Lighting the roadway would increase safety in the area, to prevent vehicle/wildlife/horse accidents.
An "Adopt A Horse" Program could be started to help with the expenses of both people & herd management.
Above all, some agency or committee made up of citizens, organizations, and agencies needs to take on the jurisdiction of the horses. Perhaps a nonprofit?
Leave them alone! They were there first. People should be teaching their kids not to touch them just like bears, lions and other wild animals. My kids knew not to feed the neighbors horses or pet them without permission. Missoula thinks they have to manage everything but they end up managing nothing and just making things more difficult...in this case it will be more difficult for the horses. The people should learn to live with them and enjoy them.
Please ignore the safetyists who are over hyping “dangers” all of the sudden and educate people to pay attention and keep their kids away. The loudest most vocal voices are creating hysteria over these horses who have been here for decades. This is Montana not suburban Waukegon Illinois.
Leave the horses alone Montana is open range you don't like them fence them out ...
I half to ask why this is an issue, and I support anyone to enlighten me. The horses aren't harming anything or anyone. The city needs to deal with the deer population before they focus their energy and our tax dollars on eight or nine horses. What are the options, euthanize, tranquilize and relocate? They are wild animals. Good luck getting a 2,500 pound horse into anything if you plan on keeping it alive. Using key words like "risk of spreading disease", "residential livestock" There are two farms on Miller creek that still exist. The rest of the land has been developed and if you read the HOA you're not allowed to have "livestock". So if someone is complaining about their feral chickens like the rooster I saw running up the road this morning. Stop it. What about the fox's, the skunks, etc? If you are concerned for safety, then it is similar to going anywhere else in Montana out of your back door. Don't get close to wild animals. I don't know why people need to get in a stink about this. Just let them be. They will migrate out eventually.
Leave the horses alone. The one horse that died was hit by a vehicle driven by an inattentive driver. We can deal with horses easier than the crooks out here. Put your energy and time into something that matters. This is a riculous thing to waste your time on. What a waste. Oh and mths any workday at 2 pm is a way to keep the working residents unable to have public input.
The horses have bern the there decades longer than the subdivision. They've only had close encounters with people since the people have become so numerous. Horses dont jump in front of vehicles like deer do. If one gets hit, I blame the driver. Ive seen drivers going way too fast, & not sloeing down at all, plow over young deer that are just standing there. The only safety hazard with the herd is (pardon me, but its true) stupid city people who think theyre all pets (remember the Yellowstone bison?) & dont know & teach their kids how to behave around them. Animals speak volumes with body language. Its not their fault if these city slickers are illiterate. There are few diseases that humans & horses share. While you're contacting experts to weigh in...PLEASE get some genuine horse people of good reputation, including a few rescues. Don't depend on government agencies. They know nothing & their first response is to kill. There is plenty of evidence for that. If you need further proof of the incompetence of the government, do a bit of research on what the BLM is doing to wild horses herds in several areas of the country. Our horses dont deserve that.
These are wild horses that have been here forever! I live in Lower Miller Creek and find this to be part of what makes us Montana!! LEAVE THE HORSES ALONE!! They don’t bother anyone. I agree with everyone else, you have far bigger things to spend your time and our money on than a few harmless horses just trying to live their life in their home that we humans interrupted. Listen to the community for once!!
Why not contact tribes such as the Lakota .. Cheyenne...Blackfeet.. etc.and offer them to tribes so they can live freely on reservation lands. The horse is a deeply revered part of their heritage.
Leave the horses alone. If you do not like the Montana lifestyle, then leave. The horses were here first and they are not hurting anyone.
Leave the horses alone. Slow down and enjoy Montana. It’s neat that people want to live here. It’s becoming less enjoyable because people are wiping out the authenticity. It is a problem that people think the animals are a problem.
It’s a fence out state. Fence them out and have some respect for something other than money and convenience.
You might connect with the town of Ruidoso, NM who has a herd of feral horses who have lived there for years. They might have some advice and insight.
Leave the horses alone, they have roamed around before a lot of people were in this area. we have deer and skunks. raccoons. Foxes, Bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and many other animals that come through Miller Creek. Why are these animals needing to be controlled as well? The animals have lived and died here for a long time, maybe even before you were born. Leave the horses and all the other animals alone, or move somewhere else. Please
The horses are awesome and a unique part of living in Miller Creek. Why would the county waste money studying what to do. Leave the horses alone, and save the tax dollars spent on this unnecessary study.
The folks who actually lived in Miller Creek for decades are saying the obvious: leave the wild horses alone. They’ve been thriving without your “expert” intervention for years. Horse owners may know how to saddle up, but that doesn’t mean they’re qualified to dictate what happens with wild or feral horses. The real issue? A handful of people who can’t grasp boundaries or basic parenting, and somehow that means we should evict the horses? Brilliant idea. Let’s punish the animals for human incompetence. Maybe next we’ll ban trees because someone tripped over a root. Here’s a thought: stop trying to fix what isn’t broken and listen to the people who actually know what they’re talking about.
leave the horses alone they are happy and healthy! they are healthy where as if you catch and move them there is potential for them to not go to a good place. they have been there for so many years. leave them be!