Feral Horses in Miller Creek

I will be attending as these horses are an icon of the Miller Creek area and do not want them gone!!

I have lived up in miller creek for 20 yrs. Never have we had a problem with this small family of horses. You barely ever see them. Tired of the bees articles saying kids are getting hurt and they are literally everywhere. One child got kicked because they just had a two week old baby and she went to go pet it. Her mother told her to stay away but didn't listen. The horses just mind there business. Maybe put more lights up there and have signs that say SLOW Down for the deer and horses?

I live on Miller Creek and have for many years. I enjoy the horses, as I do the deer. The concern over the possible hazard to drivers from the horses is over blown, I believe. Drive the speed limit and you should not have a problem. They don’t jump out in front of you like the deer do, and I am more than sure there are more accidents and vehicle damage caused by deer / vehicle than horse / vehicle. The deer are over populated and I’m sure the insurance companies as well as many motorists would be happy if their numbers could be reduced to a manageable level.
But this is about horses. Getting the government involved can cause more problems than it solves, it often does. However, a little government over-site of a horse round-up every so often to keep the number of horses manageable might be a workable solution. To my knowledge there is no law against rounding up a feral horse and taking it home if a person in interested. It has been done successfully. Most people, I am sure are familiar with the “wild” horses of Assateague Island in Virginia. To keep from over populating the little horses are rounded up each year and the excess population are sold to those who want to re-home them. The round-up and the proceeds benefit the rural fire department, I believe.
Perhaps we could begin by letting the public know the laws regarding the feral horses.

I live on Miller Creek and have for many years. I enjoy the horses, as I do the deer. The concern over the possible hazard to drivers from the horses is over blown, I believe. Drive the speed limit and you should not have a problem. They don’t jump out in front of you like the deer do, and I am more than sure there are more accidents and vehicle damage caused by deer / vehicle than horse / vehicle. The deer are over populated and I’m sure the insurance companies as well as many motorists would be happy if their numbers could be reduced to a manageable level.

But this is about horses. Getting the government involved can cause more problems than it solves, it often does. However, a little government over-site of a horse round-up every so often to keep the number of horses manageable might be a workable solution. To my knowledge there is no law against rounding up a feral horse and taking it home if a person in interested. It has been done successfully. Most people, I am sure are familiar with the “wild” horses of Assateague Island in Virginia. To keep from over populating the little horses are rounded up each year and the excess population are sold to those who want to re-home them. The round-up and the proceeds benefit the rural fire department, I believe.

Perhaps we could begin by letting the public know the laws regarding the feral horses.

ROUND THEM UP AND SELL AT A HORSE SALE. DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO ROAM. LIVESTOCK SHOULD TAKE CARE OF IT. ROUND THEM UP AND GIVE THEM AWAY.
CONSIDER THE HORSES ON THE FLATHEAD...WHEN THEY ARE OVERPOPULATED THEY ROUND THEM UP AND SELL THEM.
GET RID OF THEM! IF A PERSON HITS THEM WITH THEIR CAR IT WILL INJURY OR KILL THE PERSON. WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER DANGER ON THE ROADS.
PLEASE, GET RID OF THEM. DO THE RIGHT THING!!

These feral horses are left over from the KO Rodeo Ranch herd of bucking horses. Reg Kesler from Alberta was the last owner of the big ranch and he sold it to developers back about 50 years ago. When Reg sold-out he rounded up all his bucking stock except for a few horses he couldn't find. Reg went back to Canada and his kids still run "Kesler Rodeo Stock Contractors" to this day! So, these really aren't wild feral horses. They originally came from Bucking Stock, that's why some of the horses have draft horse qualities. For the last 50 yrs they have been breeding into a large herd of horses. So, these horses really aren't of the Spanish Barb breeding like other wild horses in other parts of the country. They came from really good Bucking Stock from the Kesler Rodeo Company many yrs ago. Some nice-looking horses in this herd that would make good riding and using stock. Also, the stud horses really need to be Gelded, for everyone's safety. They are Beautiful Horses!!!
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There have not been any complaints about the horses as per Ginny Merriam in the last year. This is NOT an emergency. The deer cause way more damage and way more danger. Why not handle the deer problem first? Isn't it about time?

The Miller Creek band has moved lower. Seek ways to move them back up higher. The Miller Creek band is not a growing herd unlike the deer populations. Ask yourself why are you making this an emergency when it simply is not.

How many deer versus vehicle accidents happen in Missoula?? Horse don't even register. Ask yourselves why aren't the deer an emergency.

For now the public just needs to be educated that these are wild animals while we explore, as a community, how to keep the horses safer. Yellowstone continues to have to do this regarding elk and bison. Education and moving the herd that IS NOT growing in number back up the drainage.

Again, this is not an emergency, esp if the deer are not emergency. Thank you.

Anne

Humans have a duty to their livestock. When these horses were loosed years ago that was the first break in the chain. Now, theses horses are becoming a problem for people. (Real or Imagined)

Feral animals are domesticated animals that have returned to an untamed state. Feral horses should be dealt with humanely. Not managing any feral animal sets a dangerous precedent. What about feral dogs? Feral cats?

We are stewards and guardians of domesticated animals. These domesticated horses should have never been loosed and left feral.

Round them up and auction them off. Do not transplant them.

How did this issue get this far to include the County Commissioners? It seems the group of people who have pushed this is the minority. Everyone I have talked with in Miller Creek have enjoyed the horses being here. This summer they spent time in my yard, which I loved. It fills my heart and spirit. It is the first time in forever that I have not had horses. People always stop by when they are lounging in my yard. Some sit out there for a very long time. I have had interesting conversations with people about horses. Cameras seem to be always available. Is this a horse problem or a people problem? It reminds me of the tourists in Yellowstone that don't respect the bison then have issues with them. I heard a child was kicked, but medical intervention was not mentioned. I know, training horses, that when I have been kicked, I totally knew it. I can't imagine a 4 year old actually getting "kicked" with no medical intervention. Again respect and maybe a bit of parenting. Deer kick just as hard. Saying that, I love the deer too! Because I grew up here, I believe in the Montana way. Education would be helpful.

Missoula resident here, Development should back off. The county isn't doing this for the safety of the horses. The land development is breaching further into the wildlife populated areas while the horses are trapped in the Miller Creek area. Wild animals deserve our respect AND space. This can't be what our tax dollars should be spent on at this time. If folks are truly concerned, road crossings and protection should be placed on these beautiful animals. These now wild and free horses have been traveling in the area since the 50's. It's not that difficult to understand that us Montana's are accustomed to the nature around us and we should keep it as such. Maybe folks shouldn't be speeding on the roads or letting their kids play with wildlife. Please reach out to Horsewoman Ramona Holt as she has a true understanding of these horses. Refocus our tax dollars on improving roads and bridges, expanding affordable housing options, and addressing issues like mental health and homelessness.

The horses are part of the character of Montana, Missoula, and the West in general. Leave them be, lower speed limits, and put up signs. If we can coexist with truly wild animals like deer and elk in our yards why not harmless feral animals? Efforts would be better directed towards managing Missoula's rampant feral cat population, which, while less visible, has a much higher impact on the environment, currently uses an inordinate amount of resources from local nonprofits and animal lover, and reproduces out of control in a way horses just don't.

These horses are feral...wild? Yes. Feral? No more than urban deer! Sadly, I the growth in upper Miller Creek has invaded this herds home. I think it's responsible to educate residents about the horses and put a plan together to help keep the horses up higher...but do not move them! Do not harm them. If residents have an issue with them pooping in their yards or eating their trees or trampling flower gardens...they as humans can leave.
Honestly, the city and county has the power to keep these animals safe by limiting building up past Linda Vista Blvd.

Horses are fun to watch, however; I am concerned about them eating lawns that have been heavily fertilized and drinking water that has pooled on the street which can be contaminated with residual oil and gasoline leaked from automobiles. Also, homeowners are not cleaning up the waste from the horses which ruins the look of the neighborhood. I would like to see that they are protected in an area outside of Miller Creek.

They trampled and killed my dog. These are very large wild animals that are in fact dangerous, and yes majestic and beautiful too. We need a common sense management plan that keeps them, us and our pets safe. Walking out my front door in the dark and having a 1000 lb animal "surprise" me is not safe for anyone. I've lived in my house in Miller Creek for 29 years and have been dealing with the horses this whole time. The gene pool is very small, I've seen dead horse carcasses in the mountains behind my house. Some of them die young, maybe due to genetic problems. These horses do suffer.

Please leave those beautiful horses alone! They aren’t hurting anyone. Everyone loves having them around.

I think we've been blessed with an incredibly unique gift. Yes, we need to find a way to manage them safely for all involved, but what a wonderful picture of life in Montana to have wild horses in the neighborhood. There aren't many kids in the US who have the oppportunity to grow up with wild horses visiting their homes. Street signs to remind everyone to watch out for them and other 'wildlife friendly' suggestions from wild horse management experts should be employed to allow us to keep this very special experience

I believe we should let the wild horses remain free. I have walked among them in the streets and park trail in the Maloney Ranch area and they are not the least bit aggressive. They go about eating or watching without much reaction to people. They are beautiful, majestic animals and we should appreciate their presence in our neighborhood.

Leave the horses be. Do not intervene. My daughter loved watching them roam and anyone that approaches them accepts the risk of approaching a large animal.

The great thing about living in Montana is that we have wildlife. Most Montanan's are raised to respect it from a reasonable distance. We look at the deer, fox, elk, and sometimes bears, from our front porches or through the window of our cars, but we have the sense not to walk up to them and try and pet them. Even our neighbors have horses, but we don't walk up to a strange horse without a fence between us and try to touch it. We also know, even if you own a horse and feed it everyday, there's a chance you could get kicked, so you don't hang out behind it. You respect that it's an animal.

Managing this small population of wild horses should be similar to how we manage deer. They seem to be happy to be around us and the majority of us are happy to see them whether we are driving to work, or see them eating our grass in the front yard.

It makes more sense to educate our out of state transplants not to try and touch the wildlife. We shouldn't try to set wildlife policy for the dumbest people in our population. Nor should we try to protect the wildlife like they are our pets. I read that a person was worried about a horse getting hit by a car, but that could happen to any person or animal at anytime. We don't remove the deer, or the people, so why remove the horses?

I'm in favor of a wait and see approach. Stick up a few wildlife crossing signs and wait until the herd is bigger. See if they move on, on their own. I've lived in the Miller Creek area for 20 years, and this is the first year they have been around this much. In prior years we only saw them a handful of times in the summer.

It wouldn't hurt to have the teachers take 10 minutes at the school to talk to the children about not walking up to wildlife, or any animal they don't know for that matter. I know they did that when we were kids. Maybe send a flyer home for the parents as well.

Please use a little common sense. Don't let the concerns from a few ruin it for everyone else.

We have owned our home in the Upper Miller Creek area for 18 years and never saw the wild horses until three years ago. The group of eight horses (five adults and three colts born this spring) walk through our yard about every two to three weeks.

Sometimes they just walk through, and other times they may munch on grass or lay down for a short while. When a colt laid down to rest, its momma always followed suit and laid down right next to her baby.

Three years ago, when they first appeared, the sound of us opening the door onto the deck would spook them and they’d run off. They are less skittish now, but we appreciate the fact that they are wild animals and don’t try to approach them. Rather, we just leave them alone, knowing that they’ll move on shortly.

The horses have done no damage to our property. I use their manure to fertilize my garden and share it with friends for the same purpose.
In my opinion, the deer pose a much larger problem than do the horses. They are over-populated and do destroy our plants, downspouts, and shrubs. In addition, they cross the streets so frequently as to pose a traffic concern. I haven’t counted the number of deer fatalities due to colliding with a motor vehicle on Upper Miller Creek Road, but in my opinion it is a significant issue.

I’m curious as to the size of the range in which the wild horses roam. It must spread to the Bitterroot River and/or Miller Creek, as they need a source of water. Two sources have told me that this small group of horses broke off from a larger herd of wild horses near the MPG Ranch. If that is the case, I imagine that they may roam away from our neighborhood in the near future, especially as the housing development continues to grow beyond the Linda Vista area.

My hope is that the horses are left alone and we all simply monitor their movement for the next year or two.