Feral Horses in Miller Creek

While the horses have been around for years, they have not been wandering the neighborhoods as they are now. There are
now 10 (?) horses and the numbers will only increase. At what point, if not now, will the numbers reach a tipping point? We can’t have 25-30 horses wandering around? Or can we? How about 40-45? At some point this issue will need to be addressed. I would suggest that a pro-active approach is best.
Thank you to you all
for addressing this issue.

First, thank you for consistently referring to these horses as feral, which should not be confused with wild. Native wild animals, like deer, elk, and moose, have evolved with the ecosystems they live in to achieve a dynamic semblance of balance. Our local ecosystems are under enough stress these days with climate change and development that we do not need to exacerbate the problem with feral species. In parts of Nevada and Arizona where feral horse populations haver grown quite large, they've caused significant damage to native flora and are replacing native fauna. We need to do whatever we can to ensure this herd remains relatively small and that we prioritize native wildlife over feral species, regardless of how charasmatic they may be.

Missoulians have long loved these wild horses. They have been here longer than the homes up Miller Creek-- surely we can find a way to "manage"/coexist with them. Thousands of folks living in the area have petitioned to keep them free. Please listen to those voices. Practical solutions can be found and implemented to address people's concerns. As a 5th generation Montana, it is quite difficult to see people prioritize their tidy neighborhood -- or even their backyard shrubs -- over the wildness that makes this state so unique and beautiful. We are one of few places left with any true wildness. Please, allow these beautiful animals to remain free. Stop trying to domesticate Western Montana.

They have long been up on the mountain and would occasionally come down. Figure out what has pushed them lower to safety. Is it the wolves? As for complainers- they are implants to this state and should leave if they don’t like them. As with all wild animals- Montanans learn safety and respect for them. It’s a teachable moment. Maybe let the out of starters know too that this isn’t the time of year to jump in the river!!

I don't live up Miller Creek, but ther is little enough left of Missoula "wildness". Wild horses are present in other locales in Montana, so ther is obviously a way to deal with them. We spend plenty of money on development, some might say too much. We could spend some to keep this iconic part of the west.
Any large animal (elk, moose, deer, etc.) could cause damage to vehicles or humans. Just had a bear in the driveway last week and we all know the deer are problem all over town.
C'mon, find a way to do something for the natural world with the tax money instead of giving it to developers and banks.

The herd situation is most certainly a difficult one. I like seeing them, however; it is not my home and yard where they are going, and obviously a herd is going to cause damage, and could threaten someone's safety.

I belive the herd needs to be managed to some extent. If that area is Free Range there will be more than one incident with a vehicle and the person who owns the vehicle is going to have a significant expense. The animal will either die in the accident, or be put down due to injuries.

The wild horse herd of Miller Creek has been living in the area for longer than my grandparents have been alive. They play a vital part of the local ecology, filling part of the Ruminant role left behind by historic grazing species in the area. Their presence not only does not disturb other native wildlife like the elk herds or deer, but help keep open grassy area available. With the continued expansion of housing projects further into the miller creek area, which diminishes the herds historic grazing areas, it not surprising to see the herd exploring neighborhoods. They have always grazed in what was once open grass hills, but they spend much of there time in the mountains, not disturbing people or livestock. With the loss of their graze area to housing, it is most like they will return higher up in underdeveloped areas, maintaining their long history of minimum human interaction.

As for safety concerns, consider that there is only one safety incident noted in the information above. Compare the one incident to the countless deer incidents in the Miller Creek area. Local elk out number the wild horse herd, are roughly the same size, and follow similar mannerisms. Elk pose a larger safety hazard then the herd but elk incident remains low if not non-existent in the area. The road safety concern of the wild horse herd is negligible. Deer and elk in the area pose more of a safety risk to people than these Wildhorses every will. They have been a part of the valley long before anyone reading this has been. Any actions to remove them would be an utter disgrace to the history, ecology, and beauty of Miller Creek.

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I recently had twins and 4 kids overall so I’m not sure I will make it physically to the hearing but I am here today to ask that we protect and preserve the feral wild horses of Missoula. As a resident of Lower Miller Creek, these horses are more than animals living on the land and most the time on my actual lawn— they are a symbol of freedom, resilience, and the natural beauty that makes this community special.

For many families, children, and residents, seeing these horses brings wonder, connection, and respect for the world around us. Once they are gone, we cannot bring back what was lost. We have a responsibility to seek compassionate, thoughtful solutions that value both safety and preservation rather than removal or destruction.

A community is remembered not only for how it grows, but for what it chooses to protect. I urge the council to consider humane conservation efforts, partnerships, and long-term solutions that allow these horses to remain part of the landscape while responsibly addressing concerns.

Please choose compassion. Please choose preservation. Future generations deserve the chance to witness the beauty of these wild horses and understand that in Missoula, we protected something truly irreplaceable. Thank you.

I live in Upper Linda Vista and while the horses are fun to see, they are hazardous. And petty as this is, I don’t care for the horse shit throughout the neighborhood, especially at the playgrounds. I don’t think it’s safe for the horses or humans if they remain in Miller Creek.

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We love the horses. Yes we need to educate the children and adults that these are wild animals and can be dangerous but that is true of the deer and other animals in our neighborhood. I have witnessed individuals intentionally walking up to our herd here in the Miller Creek area. That is not acceptable on any level, we don’t want the horses to become accustom to people contact.
I believe deer control is more important but that said I agree with one of the other comments that the herd should be managed and kept within the ten or eleven we see now.

I have a domestic horse, which is a mare (female) down in Miller Creek. I have a deep love for horses, but wild horses cause a huge threat. The stallion(s) have jumped my fence to get to my mare, as well as my mare jumping the fence to get to them. Stallions and mares are difficult to be around each other, not just for mating purposes. Stallions are very aggressive untrained, resulting in kicking, biting, and ultimately fighting which can lead to serious injury and sometimes death. In the interactions with my mare, she has been kicked and bit resulting in vet visits. Not even to mention the illness that these wild horses may carry due to them being unvaccinated to various diseases. The public that simply gets to enjoy the view of the horses, simply does not understand the true risk these horses hold to the community devoting their lives to their own horses. Although I don’t think these horses should be euthanized, it is very hard to accommodate horses and put the burden onto someone else. Ultimately, these horses should be removed and either taken to a trainer, a rescue, or somewhere they can be safely away from domesticated horses if left untouched.

I am strongly in favor of leaving the horses alone! Having grown up in Missoula, riding my own horse to many a Zumwalt rodeo and supporting mustang sanctuaries, these animals are wild and deserve to remoan wild. If population control is an issue, i remember BLM darting mares w birth control medications. Objections to the horses presence is typically driven by cattle interests. I recognize encroaching development starts to restrict the horses to residential lawns for grazing. But please leave wild alone!

I love the horses in Miller Creek where I live. The truck that got totaled was speeding. The horses are docile. They meander around. People are fools to approach any animal unless it's yours. Common sense. IF you want to address any "wildlife" or "feral" animals DO something about the deer population in Miller Creek!! One crash with a horse and hundreds if not thousands with deer! They kill small pets, destroy landscaping and the young bucks are territorial to say the least. Leave the horses alone....if there are too many horses then remove a few to keep the population stable. I see the deck is stacked with "agency representatives", hopefully some community members from the actual area show up...as usual the meetings are scheduled when regular working people can't show....

These horses, as beautiful as they are, are causing so much damage to properties. Breaking trees due to rubbing up against them, breaking sprinkler lines, putting large holes in yards, which can cause people to become injured, etc. I have also been informed that at least one, if not more of them, have what appears to be warts, and we do not know if those can be transferred to domestic animals/live stock. Since these horses cannot be monitored for health, who knows what can be going on with them and then transferred.
Coming around corners and not being able to see them in the road until you are right up on them is more dangerous than coming up on a deer. These horses can not only total a vehicle, but could cause death to humans. Adults and kids riding their bikes through the neighborhood and also not seeing them in time due to coming around a blind corner could cause death to humans.
People need to not put their own selfish wants (being able to see them and some, pet them) ahead of reality. Some people think this is just the cost of living where we live and it is just like the deer in the area. But in reality, these are much more of a risk to not only humans, but to other animals. I really hope something can be figured out and I wish I had the answer, but keeping them feral is not the answer.

Stop all this nonsense. We've all been over this before. There was over 2400 signatures on the petition about this that wanted the horses left alone. Why are you still bringing this up?

To the Missoula County Commissioners:

I live in Lower Miller Creek. The horses live in my backyard. They trample the trees and shrubs I just put in. They walk up onto my porch and knock my chairs around. They poop on my driveway. My daughter, my wife, and I love them anyway. Our families look forward to the photos and videos we share with them (which your online portal should support - media file uploads - it’s 2026 guys, get with the times).

That’s the comment. That’s the whole thing. The people in this neighborhood who actually live with these horses every day know exactly what they are and what they cost us, and most of us still want them here. So before this hearing turns into a referendum run by people who don’t live in the drainage, I want my voice on the record.

I’m not a casual observer on this. In 2017, I wrote my master’s thesis at the University of Montana, through the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research, on how to assess the character of place in Montana communities. The work came directly out of the state’s 2007 Tourism and Recreation Charter, which committed Montana to sustaining and enhancing the character of the places its people call home. That commitment has never been seriously operationalized.

The core finding: the character of a place is made up of its built environment, its natural landscape, and its social fabric, and residents are remarkably clear about which specific features, if lost, would change who they are. Those features are what you monitor. Those features are what you protect.

The Miller Creek horses are one of those features. Your own background document confirms they have been part of this landscape since the early 1900s, with roundups in 1991, 2003, 2012, and 2023. That is not a nuisance population. That is a continuous, living piece of the our character that distinguishes this part of the county. Residents value them. Visitors notice them. They are part of why Miller Creek feels like Miller Creek and not a subdivision off an interstate exit.

Now - about the management concerns. I’m not going to pretend these horses are easy neighbors. They’re not. I have the receipts, in plant damage and porch furniture. The collision in September 2025 was serious. Disease risk to domestic horses is real. None of that is in dispute. What I think you already know, these are management problems with management answers: You can refine them over time. You cannot un-remove a herd.

What is in dispute is whether this county is willing to apply its own stated values consistently. We approved a church complex going up along the river in this same drainage. We approve subdivision after subdivision, pushing into the range that used to be open. Development pressure is shrinking the horses’ habitat - your own materials say so - and now we’re going to hold a hearing about whether the horses are the problem? The horses are not encroaching on the community. The community is encroaching on the horses. Be honest about which direction the pressure is actually running.

If the county is serious about the character-of-place language in the state’s own charter, the path forward is not removal. It is:

1. Formal documentation and monitoring of the existing bands — population, range, health.
2. Targeted public-safety mitigation in the corridors where collisions have occurred.
3. Voluntary coordination with private landowners on disease and damage concerns, with real resources behind it.
4. A clear, public commitment that removal is a last resort with defined criteria, not the default option whenever someone files a complaint.

The loudest voices against the horses are not the people whose driveways they actually walk across. I’m one of the people whose driveway they actually walk across, and I’m telling you: keep them. Manage the real problems. Don’t trade a century of this drainage’s character for a tidier neighborhood.

Thank you for opening this to comment. I am available to talk to any commissioner or staff member directly.

Evan T
Lower Miller Creek landowner

We've been over this already!!! Over 2200 people signed the petition to leave the horses alone. I think some people on this board are tone deaf. No need for any action on the horses.