Feral Horses in Miller Creek

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!!

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!!