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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.
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They haven’t hurt anyone and they’ve been around WAY before any of these new developments were. Leave em be.
Leavethehorsesalone
6 months ago
Let them be, they were their first we just happen to take their land
Kohgccb
6 months ago
Leave them alone. Otherwise just pave the entire county over and shoot all the wild animals so no one is inconvenienced. Spend your time solving traffic and budget issues that actually matter!
Loganpass
6 months ago
I appreciate Missoula County communicating openly about the Miller Creek horses. I’ve lived here for seven years, and these horses have wandered through my yard more than once. I have three kids, and we’ve always felt completely safe around them. For many of us, they’re not a nuisance, they’re a unique part of what makes this part of Missoula feel like Missoula.
I understand the concerns around safety and habituation, but removing the horses feels like the most extreme option, not the starting point. Before we talk about getting rid of them, we should be discussing mitigation, education, traffic-calming, and partnerships with wildlife and equine experts who can help the County manage them humanely while allowing them to remain part of the landscape.
Missoula has always balanced growth with preserving the character of this place. These horses are part of that character. I hope the County’s upcoming process includes real community input, transparent options, and a priority on non-removal solutions that respect both resident safety and the animals’ long-standing place in our neighborhoods.
Colin Hickey
6 months ago
Let them be.
JP Sullivan
6 months ago
The deer are WAY bigger of. Problem. Leave them alone. They aren’t hurting anything. They are on our property 50% of the time in the summer. Does it suck to clean up the poop or replace a sprinkler if they damage one - yes. But they are fine. Why does the County think they need to control everything, it’s getting ridiculous!
HF
6 months ago
Leave them alone. They are not a problem. They are part of living in Montana.
Uppermillercreekresident
6 months ago
Been there for FIFTY PLUS years! And SUDDENLY, this is an issue? STOP letting the FEW determine what the MAJORITY are fine with! It's 100% OUTSIDERS complaining about this! Us LOCALS are tired of decisions like this being made by OUTSIDERS
GOGRIZ
6 months ago
Given the multitude of issues in Missoula County I believe our city and county government representatives have much more pressing matters than sorting out how to manage a dozen horses roaming Miller Creek. Please…focus on the ‘feral’ homeless transient population, our drug infested neighborhoods, affordable housing, reducing taxes, the list goes on and on. These horses have got to be near the bottom of the priority list when it comes to governing Missoula County.
I’m a 20+ year resident of Missoula and have lived in the Lower Miller Creek neighborhood for 8 years. My family didn’t even know the horses existed until the last 2-3 years when they remarkably showed up in our neighborhood. Since then we’ve encountered the horses a handful of times and our family values every experience with them. I would love to hear feedback from Miller Creek residents because I promise you the vast majority of us believe the wild horses belong in our neighborhood just as much as those of us that have chosen to live here.
Post signs to create awareness. Inform the public to keep their distance. But let’s not continue California-izing the state of Montana or city of Missoula with unnecessary government intervention where it’s not needed.
#saveourmillercreekhorses
JLP
6 months ago
For years, I've been witness to the roundups by the BLM. Many horses are injured, mares and their foals separated, and many foals dying. After the horses have been corralled, many are transported to the kill pens, waiting for the trailers to take them to slaughter. Leave the damn horses alone! Please!
Granma_makes_pasta
6 months ago
These are wild horses, not feral. They do not deserve unfair treatment just because someone decided to build cookie cutter suburban neighborhoods in their ranging area. They are beautiful and a magic part of being a Miller Creek resident. Teach your children that like all things wild, stay away and do not pet, feed or mess with them. The driver who hit the horse was speeding. These animals are not like deer, darting out in from the waist high grass. They are slower, bigger animals. It is not hard to see them. Besides, anyone going over 35 in Miller Creek is asking for it. Just put up signs .
Theywerehere1st
6 months ago
I live in Lower Miller Creek and urge you to leave the wild horses alone and focus on larger issues affecting Missoulians.
Topher
6 months ago
Leave the horses alone. They are nice to see in our front yard. They do way less damage than the deer, and it makes people smile. There aren't enough of them that it's a problem. This is the first year they've been around so much. We may not see them as much next year.
Jennifer
6 months ago
People, the difference between FERAL and WILD is huge especially in this case, these are FERAL and don’t fall under any federal jurisdiction not BLM they belong to Missoula City and County, no one wants to eradicate or get rid of, just quietly manage, you can read my opinion down below. Sincerely Paula F.
Paula Fisher
6 months ago
Obviously leaving the heard is instrumental to their culture and ours, foals at weaning (6 months) can be caught and adopted in a silent sale, individually stalled where prospective owners could view them indoors at a horse facility or the fairgrounds indoors like in a building like the old dairy barn, open air stalls would scare them terribly definitely put a min. bid of $700 or higher to weed out people who want a cheap horse and horse traders, with the money being put in horse account for future needs for them. All the horses that appeared on the news, were exceptionally well built and straight legged, and because they are half tame, quietly capturing the offspring in small spots and with just a few horses around would be the easiest and less trauma for all involved, I would love to have that buckskin mare, she looks like a blooded QH, and her color was excellent, but I’m too old now unfortunately, Missoula has a very unique opportunity to not only manage the animals but create bidding wars (I always paid good money for nice looking and well built animals such as these, eventually you could swap stallions out with another quality stallion! You could make this a real draw for buyers and those who just love horses, pictures of foals would spread like wildfire, the sky is the limit with them ( like the wild horses in Europe each fall, they are rounded up foals weaned and sold privately in sealed bids. They even sell yearlings… Keep us posted on how it progresses. Sincerely Paula F.
Paula Fisher
6 months ago
A very simplistic question to a not so simple answer. Asking out of curiosity. Can some be adopted?
Curious
6 months ago
The horses should be captured and transported to either wildhorse island or the Pryor mountains. The provide a significant safety risk to themselves and to residents and it would not be fair for them to be involved in a fatal accident when it can be avoided.
Kevin
6 months ago
The horses are a part of Missoula, why would we want to get rid of them? If people dont know to leave wild animals alone, why are they in Montana? As far as livestock, there are many ways to deter the horses and avoid relocation or culling. This is their home just as much as it is ours. So i say leave them!
Isabelle Christina
6 months ago
Leave the wild horses alone they arent harming anyone. As a resident for my whole life here in the Missoula area they are peaceful animals. That out of towners / staters should just leave alone. These animals should be protected from the public.
B. G
6 months ago
The wild horses have survived for years. Humans should leave them alone to survive. They live with all the changes we create and have the right to live free. Please leave alone
They haven’t hurt anyone and they’ve been around WAY before any of these new developments were. Leave em be.
Let them be, they were their first we just happen to take their land
Leave them alone. Otherwise just pave the entire county over and shoot all the wild animals so no one is inconvenienced. Spend your time solving traffic and budget issues that actually matter!
I appreciate Missoula County communicating openly about the Miller Creek horses. I’ve lived here for seven years, and these horses have wandered through my yard more than once. I have three kids, and we’ve always felt completely safe around them. For many of us, they’re not a nuisance, they’re a unique part of what makes this part of Missoula feel like Missoula.
I understand the concerns around safety and habituation, but removing the horses feels like the most extreme option, not the starting point. Before we talk about getting rid of them, we should be discussing mitigation, education, traffic-calming, and partnerships with wildlife and equine experts who can help the County manage them humanely while allowing them to remain part of the landscape.
Missoula has always balanced growth with preserving the character of this place. These horses are part of that character. I hope the County’s upcoming process includes real community input, transparent options, and a priority on non-removal solutions that respect both resident safety and the animals’ long-standing place in our neighborhoods.
Let them be.
The deer are WAY bigger of. Problem. Leave them alone. They aren’t hurting anything. They are on our property 50% of the time in the summer. Does it suck to clean up the poop or replace a sprinkler if they damage one - yes. But they are fine. Why does the County think they need to control everything, it’s getting ridiculous!
Leave them alone. They are not a problem. They are part of living in Montana.
Been there for FIFTY PLUS years! And SUDDENLY, this is an issue? STOP letting the FEW determine what the MAJORITY are fine with! It's 100% OUTSIDERS complaining about this! Us LOCALS are tired of decisions like this being made by OUTSIDERS
Given the multitude of issues in Missoula County I believe our city and county government representatives have much more pressing matters than sorting out how to manage a dozen horses roaming Miller Creek. Please…focus on the ‘feral’ homeless transient population, our drug infested neighborhoods, affordable housing, reducing taxes, the list goes on and on. These horses have got to be near the bottom of the priority list when it comes to governing Missoula County.
I’m a 20+ year resident of Missoula and have lived in the Lower Miller Creek neighborhood for 8 years. My family didn’t even know the horses existed until the last 2-3 years when they remarkably showed up in our neighborhood. Since then we’ve encountered the horses a handful of times and our family values every experience with them. I would love to hear feedback from Miller Creek residents because I promise you the vast majority of us believe the wild horses belong in our neighborhood just as much as those of us that have chosen to live here.
Post signs to create awareness. Inform the public to keep their distance. But let’s not continue California-izing the state of Montana or city of Missoula with unnecessary government intervention where it’s not needed.
#saveourmillercreekhorses
For years, I've been witness to the roundups by the BLM. Many horses are injured, mares and their foals separated, and many foals dying. After the horses have been corralled, many are transported to the kill pens, waiting for the trailers to take them to slaughter.
Leave the damn horses alone! Please!
These are wild horses, not feral. They do not deserve unfair treatment just because someone decided to build cookie cutter suburban neighborhoods in their ranging area. They are beautiful and a magic part of being a Miller Creek resident. Teach your children that like all things wild, stay away and do not pet, feed or mess with them. The driver who hit the horse was speeding. These animals are not like deer, darting out in from the waist high grass. They are slower, bigger animals. It is not hard to see them. Besides, anyone going over 35 in Miller Creek is asking for it. Just put up signs .
I live in Lower Miller Creek and urge you to leave the wild horses alone and focus on larger issues affecting Missoulians.
Leave the horses alone. They are nice to see in our front yard. They do way less damage than the deer, and it makes people smile. There aren't enough of them that it's a problem. This is the first year they've been around so much. We may not see them as much next year.
People, the difference between FERAL and WILD is huge especially in this case, these are FERAL and don’t fall under any federal jurisdiction not BLM they belong to Missoula City and County, no one wants to eradicate or get rid of, just quietly manage, you can read my opinion down below.
Sincerely
Paula F.
Obviously leaving the heard is instrumental to their culture and ours, foals at weaning (6 months) can be caught and adopted in a silent sale, individually stalled where prospective owners could view them indoors at a horse facility or the fairgrounds indoors like in a building like the old dairy barn, open air stalls would scare them terribly definitely put a min. bid of $700 or higher to weed out people who want a cheap horse and horse traders, with the money being put in horse account for future needs for them. All the horses that appeared on the news, were exceptionally well built and straight legged, and because they are half tame, quietly capturing the offspring in small spots and with just a few horses around would be the easiest and less trauma for all involved, I would love to have that buckskin mare, she looks like a blooded QH, and her color was excellent, but I’m too old now unfortunately, Missoula has a very unique opportunity to not only manage the animals but create bidding wars (I always paid good money for nice looking and well built animals such as these, eventually you could swap stallions out with another quality stallion! You could make this a real draw for buyers and those who just love horses, pictures of foals would spread like wildfire, the sky is the limit with them ( like the wild horses in Europe each fall, they are rounded up foals weaned and sold privately in sealed bids. They even sell yearlings…
Keep us posted on how it progresses.
Sincerely
Paula F.
A very simplistic question to a not so simple answer.
Asking out of curiosity.
Can some be adopted?
The horses should be captured and transported to either wildhorse island or the Pryor mountains. The provide a significant safety risk to themselves and to residents and it would not be fair for them to be involved in a fatal accident when it can be avoided.
The horses are a part of Missoula, why would we want to get rid of them? If people dont know to leave wild animals alone, why are they in Montana? As far as livestock, there are many ways to deter the horses and avoid relocation or culling. This is their home just as much as it is ours. So i say leave them!
Leave the wild horses alone they arent harming anyone. As a resident for my whole life here in the Missoula area they are peaceful animals. That out of towners / staters should just leave alone. These animals should be protected from the public.
The wild horses have survived for years. Humans should leave them alone to survive. They live with all the changes we create and have the right to live free. Please leave alone