Key Events Timeline

Homeowners on 37,400 acres north of Virginia City formed what is now the Virginia Range Wildlife Protection Association (VRWPA) to  preserve and protect the range and wildlife

 Round table meetings started with State Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Land Management, VRWPA and other interest groups to discuss the possibility of a Tri-County Virginia Range Estray Horse Management group. First range study completed and horse count performed by fixed wing aircraft. No one could agree and group dissolved.

 A Cooperative Agreement between the State of Nevada, Department of Agriculture and Storey County was signed, January 10^th, with support and assistance from Joe Dini allowing for Storey County to act on behalf of it’s own estray horses.

The IRS granted VRWPA’s request for 501c3 nonprofit status.

Storey County Wild Horse Commission disbanded and Storey County asked the VRWPA to help with the estray horses. Three nuisance  horses were successfully trapped, processed and placed into good homes to ensure complete and adequate processes were in place.

Round table meetings started between State Department of Agriculture, Storey County and VRWPA to formulate a Virginia Range Estray Horse Management Plan. Memorandum of Understanding to remove horses created by the State Department of Agriculture for Counties effected by estrays was reviewed by VRWPA and  recommended it not be signed by Storey County Commissioners. Storey  County did not sign and the State agreed to allow Storey County to continue functioning under their original Cooperative Agreement.

At the request of Storey County, the VRWPA agreed to act in ‘wild’ horse  management activities County wide. Virginia Range Horse Range  Area identified. VRWPA paid for a joint aerial count to establish and  agree on the number of horses currently present. Virginia Range Horse Management Area identified.

34 horses were slaughtered in Storey County. VRWPA was asked by the County to coordinate calls and administer the $35,000 reward fund.

IRS approves permanent 501c3 nonprofit status for VRWPA

The State Department of Agriculture opened the holding facility for nuisance horses removed from the range at the Northern Nevada Correctional  Center. VRWPA helped to adopt horses out as agent for Storey County under the original Cooperative Agreement with the State. USDA National Resource Conservation Services was selected to perform range study on management area only (85,000) acres to obtain a scientific opinion on the condition of the range and make a recommendation for capacity. VRWPA paid their share of $5,000 and Storey County’s quarter $2,500. The State Department of Agriculture paid their quarter of the cost $2,500.

Range study was completed and capacity number agreed upon. Press release held to inform the public of findings and future plan to reduce number of horses on the range 550. Comstock Wild Horse Gentling program created by the State Department of Agriculture at Warm Springs Medium Security Prison.

VRWPA was asked to administer the “Inmate Scholarship Fund” and donations for equipment and supplies for the program.  VRWPA was appointed feeding agent for the State Department of Agriculture to set up a winter  test-feeding program in the VC Highlands.