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
Two opinions here:
1-Montana should be left alone. To be the “last best place,” it has to be left alone. People need to be educated that we are not going to change it to fit their needs/wants. The transplants need to change not Montana. Leave the wildlife along and assign someone to assist with the feral horses.
2-Second opinion-Since we have leaders that are dead set on destroying “the last best place” with their overactive money hungry appetites, all that is and was that made Montana a state that others longed to visit will be but a memory. If our towns become cities, we will no longer be special. We will be like everyone else. If that’s the direction we are going then round them up and take them to glue factory. You don’t care anyway.
I live in upper Miller Creek and thoroughly enjoy seeing the horses come through the neighborhood. We never approach them, always give them plenty of space, and do not feed or water them. We understand they are feral animals. If someone has been injured by one of these majestic animals, it is sure due to human ignorance. Yes, having a heard of horses clomp through your yard can do some damage, but it's typically minimal and easily repaired. The tons of deer that run through here leave more waste, do more damage to flower beds and gardens than the horses do. We've watched several colts be born into 2-3 herds of horses, observed them napping on our lawn, visiting tamed horses at the corral - They are beautiful! If anything were to be done, perhaps a well equipped and well trained person could somehow separate the colts from the herd and tame/train them for work or riding .....otherwise LEAVE THEM ALONE! They were here before any of these houses or people. If you want a perfectly manicured lawn and zero wildlife - move to a condo by the mall.
I’d like to see them left alone sure push them back out of your yard. Don’t feed her water them. They aren’t pets. Watch them from the Ridgeline and enjoy them like you would any other wildlife in Montana be respectful of them. So that we may enjoy them in the future. Keep your children a safe distance away as with any wildlife that your responsibility same with your dogs or any other pet. Drive slower so that you don’t encounter an accident with one and that goes for deer or elk or any other wildlife roaming in the area. It’s for your safety as well as theirs that I say that! You move to a state where we enjoy nature of all kinds, whether it be wildlife or land, nature hikes, or just looking at the mountains, sometimes taking a drive in them! It does seem like those new people that are moving here are hell-bent on destroying everything that is good about our area. They just want to develop and grow so that their greed gets fed. They have increased all that is bad in our area from traffic to housing cost to rent pricing application fees so much… But if only the mayor would actually protect the citizens of Missoula, maybe none of this would be even a question or a problem.
We love seeing the horses. They roam quietly through the neighborhoods.
The over population of deer cause a far greater community safety risk than a few horses in Miller Creek. The deer population has exploded over the past 30 years such that mountain lions are actively hunting in Missoula neighborhoods. Anyway, I do support having a volunteer horse management group in the community to fundraise for veterinary care, including neutering mares, and any other 'horse issues' that may arise. I do not support using city funds for their management.
Think the horses should be left alone and the speed on Miller Creek should be better managed. Perhaps community outreach -schools? to educate students proper behavior in proximity to the horses.
First, I appreciate the commissioners being willing to hear this conversation. I’m hopeful that a better & safer situation ( for humans, domestic animals, and the horses) can be reached. The current situation seems unsafe for most citizens, and too risky for motorists, property owners, domestic animals, and the feral horses.
I agree that there needs to be dialogue regarding the feral herd.
These animals have been here long before increased homes were developed in the area. Once again, animals lose out to humans. These animals are beautiful, look healthy and are enjoyed by many residents. I would like an explanation of what is meant by the horses “ spreading disease”.
I don’t feel residents should feed them or approach them, for both the horses and public’s safety. The other concern is managing growth and inbreeding of the herd.
I hope that the options presented are what is best for the horses and not just to pacify a small group of residents that don’t like their presence.
Thank you for allowing resident’s comments before making a decision regarding the feral horses.
This has become an unsafe situation just like the deer, it's that simple.
Leave the horses alone. They are hurting no one and deserve to be free as they have been for 50+ years. Quit building up further and further in Miller Creek! There are only 8 or 10 of them the people that are complaining the Posse of 5 started by Vanessa and Erin are the minority. They may be well intentioned but, if the city gets involved it will end badly for the horses.
The deer in Miller creek are much more destructive than a few feral horses. Leave the horses alone.
The people who own horses and livestock in the neighborhood should be the voices that you all listen to, not people who look at the horses from their kitchen window. I want to hear what experts have to say. I don’t personally have any negative experiences with the horses, but they are moving further and further into the neighborhoods and I wonder if that will continue. In the end, everyone wants what is best for the horses.
We have lived in Miller Creek for 47 years. We have seen the horses from a distance for that long above the house on the open ridges. When hunting in the Woodchuck area and Davis Creek area we would see them also. They didn’t show up on our property until January 2021. We thought it was great but soon realized it was going to be a lot of shoveling so we discouraged them from the yard. It didn’t take long for them to avoid our property. Other neighbors must have did the same because they moved back up to higher ground.
There are several small herds between Missoula and Eight Mile. They are not all escapees from the Kesler's rodeo stock. They tend to stay up in the mountains, but I am guessing that mountain lions, wolves or drought have made some of them come to greener pastures. If residents feed them and give them water and encouragement, they don’t have any reason to go back home. Letting them eat in your yard is the same as feeding them. They will get the hint and go to the open hillsides to eat if they can’t graze in yards.
Feeding deer is illegal in Montana because it can lead to negative health and safety consequences for both the animals and people. It causes artificial concentrations of deer that can increase the spread of diseases, make them more vulnerable to predators, and lead to more vehicle collisions. Additionally, it can create dependency on artificial food sources, cause property damage, and disrupt natural behaviors. They have found deer starved to death with stomachs full of hay which they can’t digest. We have wild turkeys in our area. They stayed up in the mountains to the south of us when we moved out here, but they got fed by a neighbor a while back and now in the spring they are in our yard and other neighbors’ yards. They are very messy! Why not give the same consideration to the horses as the deer. If horses eat too much green grass in the spring it can cause them to founder or get colic.
Please don’t remove them instead put up signs and pass regulations regarding feeding etc.
We enjoy seeing them and look for them when we go to town. Friends from out of town enjoy seeing them. Sharing pictures of them with the grandchildren, friends and neighbors is a great experience.
We live on Rodeo Rd. The horses have only been in our neighborhood for the last 5 years or so. Until then they were occssionally seen along the ridge line, but not in the neighborhoods. Most of the neighbors enjoy the horses. A few people have added fencing so the horses don’t get into portions of their yards or to protect their flowers from the horses, but that’s a good compromise.
My husband and I enjoy the horses, deer, and occassional squirrel or fox. We moved out here for the joy of the natural world around us. Yes, we’ve had to replace a sprinkler head and I've scooped poop several times, but those are minor inconveniences. What we don't appreciate is the person(s) walking down the road throwing rocks at the horses. The rocks end up in our yards. Rocks in the yard- thrown from the lawn mower!?! Now that is dangerous! The horses aren't dangerous. Just treat the big beasts with respect and enjoy their beauty. Don't try to chase them away.
The horses don’t suddenly jump out into the road like deer do.
My husband says, “To the out of state person, they come to Montana thinking of open ranges, deer, elk, and other wildlife. That’s Montana! … We love it! … Land developers, you’re killing Montana!”
I understand the people who want the horses left alone, but that doesn't solve the issue of who is responsible for sick or injured horses. From what I read, there are some ranchers and homeowners who are concerned about the feral horses spreading disease and getting injured, and not having someone to call without footing a vet bill themselves. Just leaving them alone won't help that problem. How about a non-profit group forming, collecting funds, then getting all the horses vaccinated and maybe neutered, and taking care of any future issues with the horses. There needs to be someone to call when a problem arises.
Let’s take a moment to celebrate the incredible beauty of our local wildlife, including our majestic horses! If you’re facing any challenges with them, it might be beneficial to explore alternative locations. It's essential to remember that we share our environment with a diverse array of animals—bears, mountain lions, and coyotes—all integral to our ecosystem. Interestingly, encounters with local transients present greater risks than these awe-inspiring creatures. Let’s commit to living in harmony with nature and embracing the wonders it offers!
The deer far outnumber the horses and cause many more accidents than do the horses. Please address the real problems first: deer, speeding, tailgating, etc.
I live in Miller Creek. People are the problem, not the horses. Drive slower, pay attention to your surroundings and not your phone, keep your dogs on a leash and teach your kids not to approach animals they don’t own and aren’t familiar with. Fence your property if you don’t want animals on it. If your HOA doesn’t allow fences, get together with your neighbors and change your HOA rules.
I live in Miller Creek. I love the wild horses and hope they will be allowed to stay.
I will be attending as these horses are an icon of the Miller Creek area and do not want them gone!!