Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) has introduced legislation to address the growing population of wild horses and burros on federal lands by administering on-range fertility control methods through U.S. military veterans.
The Veterans for Mustangs Act seeks to shift away from helicopter “gathers” and long-term holding pens, which reportedly cost taxpayers tens of millions annually, toward humane, non-surgical fertility management on public rangelands.
Washington's answer to wild horse overpopulation has been to chase them down with helicopters and dump them in government pens, all on the taxpayer's dime.
Our bill, the Veterans for Mustangs Act, does better.
This bill gives veterans the opportunity to serve again, this time… pic.twitter.com/iXVA47Taco
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) June 23, 2026
As of March 1, 2026, the Bureau of Land Management estimates 85,466 wild horses and burros roam BLM-managed lands, far exceeding the national Appropriate Management Level of approximately 25,592.
The Wild Horse Population Challenge
Wild horses and burros, protected under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, have few natural predators on Western rangelands. Without intervention, herds can grow by up to 20% annually, doubling in size every four to five years.
The 1971 law, signed by President Richard Nixon, declared the animals “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West” and tasked the BLM and U.S. Forest Service with managing and protecting them on lands where they roamed in 1971. Populations rebounded after passage but later exceeded sustainable levels, prompting amendments in 1978 and subsequent years to allow removals of excess animals.
By the 2000s and into the 2020s, overpopulation strained public lands, leading to concerns over forage, water resources, and habitat degradation shared with wildlife and livestock.
Previous and Current Management Approaches
Historically, the BLM has used periodic “gathers” — often involving helicopters — to remove excess animals from the range. Removed horses and burros from adoption, sale, or long-term holding programs. In Fiscal Year 2025, the agency removed 7,853 animals and placed 8,080 into private care.
As of May 2026, more than 58,000 animals remain in off-range facilities, with holding costs consuming about two-thirds of the program’s budget. In FY2024, total program expenditures reached $153 million, with off-range holding at $101 million.
The BLM also applies fertility control treatments, such as immunocontraceptive vaccines (PZP and GonaCon), administering 921 treatments in FY2025. These efforts aim to slow growth without full removals.
Proposed Veteran-Led Fertility Control
Mace’s Veterans for Mustangs Act, introduced in April 2025 as H.R. 2864 and advanced via amendment to the Farm Bill in April 2026, focuses on U.S. Forest Service lands and promotes expanded use of reversible, non-surgical fertility controls.
The bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to implement humane on-range immunocontraceptive vaccines and prioritizes training and hiring military veterans to carry out the work, including certification in PZP application. Veterans would receive compensation for training and contracts for management activities.
“For too long, Washington’s answer to wild horses has been a helicopter and a holding pen, on the taxpayer’s dime,” Mace stated in a press release. “This amendment brings common sense and accountability back. It protects our mustangs, stops the waste, and puts veterans to work with real purpose out on the range.”
Cameron Ring, founder of Veterans for Mustangs, added that “Recruiting veterans to humanely manage wild horse populations on our public lands will provide veterans with meaningful work opportunities as well as the chance to harness the healing ability of our wild lands and wild horses.”
Taxpayer Costs and Potential Impacts
Off-range holding remains the largest expense, often exceeding $100 million per year.
Proponents argue that veteran-led on-range fertility control could reduce removals and holding costs over time. Critics of helicopter “gathers” note risks of injury and stress to animals during operations.
For the horses, fertility control offers a non-lethal way to remain on the range in family bands, avoiding removal to holding facilities. Potential drawbacks include the challenge of reaching remote herds for treatment and the need for repeated applications, as vaccines are reversible and temporary.
This approach builds on existing fertility control efforts but expands veteran involvement for implementation.
The bill does not eliminate “gathers” or other tools but prioritizes fertility management where practical. Similar ideas have appeared in past proposals, though overpopulation challenges have persisted for decades despite multiple management strategies.
