Pryor Mountain Wild Horses – Wild in the Pryors

2021 Camping Tour Dates

May 26, 2020wildinthepryors

These last few months have been a difficult time for everyone, and here’s hoping the worst is behind us! With that being said, out of consideration for the health and safety of our clients, we decided to cancel our 2020 camping dates.

We are looking forward to 2021. Consider joining us and most all of our 2020 planned guests.

There are still a few spots open for next year (2021) at this year’s price. The 2020 price will be good through January 1, 2021. This will be the last summer that Sandy will be offering these tours.

Sandy has been camping in the Pryors since 2009, spending weeks at a time with the horses, and has been providing camping tours since 2013.

Whether you bring a professional camera, or just a cell phone to take photos, Sandy goes out of her way to make sure you leave the mountain with cherished memories of your once in a life-time camping trip. Sandy is willing to help you position yourself for the best photo opportunities, offer tips on lighting and settings. And if you want to stay up late, she will even offer a bit of night time photography tips in the amazing very big and dark Montana sky.

The many stories that Sandy shares about the horses and the range, make this trip more than just a chance to view them, it makes this a trip more about knowing the horses, giving you a brief glance into the life of the Pryor Mountain Wild Horses.

Experience living with the horses 24 hours a day and in doing so, this can give you a better understanding of what it is like to live wild on the range. You will also be able to experience first light, blue hour, incredible sunsets and dark starry skies with an opportunity to do some night shooting. All tours may include light to moderate hiking.

The camping trips are 4 days/3 nights on the mountain top. This trip includes: comfortable transportation up and down the mountain, all food, snacks, tents, sleeping pad and expert personal guiding. (last night dinner is on your own once we return to Billings). Each tent and sleeping pad will be cleaned and sanitized thoroughly between guests.

Below are the tour dates for the summer of 2021. Cost of the trip is $2125 per person (2020 pricing until January 1, 2021) A deposit of 50% ($1062.50) is due at time of booking. Contact me for payment options, or check out by hitting the PAY NOW button below. (a secure payment that accepts most credit/debit cards throughout the world.)

1. June 25-28    2 Openings
2. July 1-4          2 Openings
3. July 7-10        Full
4. July 13-16      2 Openings
5. July 19-22      2 Openings

All payments are considered non-refundable. Refunds may be made if cancellations can be filled. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS. Please consider purchasing travel insurance on your own!! Here is a link to travel insurance purchase. This insurance is not through Wild In The Pryors. Please explore this link for cost comparisons of several companies. TRIP INSURANCE

2021 Camping Tours

2021 4 Day All Inclusive Camping Tours Deposit

$1,062.50

Contact Sandy with any questions: 406-360-8959
All tours will start and end in Billings, MT.

There are many great hotels in Billings, MT. You will be responsible for making your own arrangements before and after the trip. AirBnb is also a great source to find some lodging. I can pick you up at your hotel the morning of our first day, or you can meet me at my house in Billings. Feel free to contact me for hotel recommendations.Camping trips will be limited to 5 guests. Sandy will have an assistant with her who will assist her and help you with any camping needs. Sandy will personally be doing all of the guiding.For reservations: Contact Sandy
Phone: 406-360-8959
email: wildinthepryors@aol.com

Wild in the Pryors is permitted by the Bureau of Land Management to conduct small group tours within the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range from January to December. Wild in the Pryors is one of a handful of businesses that have the federal permits necessary to guide clients onto this federal property.

2020 Pryor Foal # 4

May 1, 2020wildinthepryors

Pryor Foal # 4 was born to Morgana and Johnston. Morgana is the 2012 daughter of Icara and Merlin. Johnston is the 2009 son of Cascade and Seattle. The foal is a filly and has been named Umatilla.

95436034_3078027632276851_63062227418087424_o — Unity and Umatilla

Thank you so much Brittny for the use of your beautiful photos and the text letting me know of her birth.

95712329_3078115252268089_9139445790320623616_o — Morgana and her beautiful offspring!

95571912_3078027215610226_4136713079880679424_o — Umatilla with Morgana

2020 Pryor Foal # 3

April 30, 2020wildinthepryors

Pryor Foal # 3 was born to Feldspar and Okomi. Feldspar is the 2005 daughter of Rosarita and Starman. Okomi is the 2016 son of Jackson and Firestorm. The foal is a colt and has been named Utah.

Pryor Mountain Management Proposal

April 14, 2020wildinthepryors

Below is the letter I received as an “Interested Party”

In Reply Refer To: 4700 (MTC01)

Dear Interested Party:

United States Department of the Interior

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Billings Field Office
5001 Southgate Drive
Billings, Montana 59101 http://www.blm.gov/montana-dakotas

4/9/2020

The Billings Field Office is initiating public scoping and encouraging input on a Joint Management Area Plan (JMAP) for the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range. The planning area includes public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service which comprise the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range.

Implementation of a Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP) or a Joint Management Area Plan (JMAP) is consistent with the authority provided in 43 CFR 4700 and the 1971 Wild Free- Roaming Horses and Burros Act (WFRHBA). The JMAP is needed to manage wild horses within the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range Joint Management Area to maintain the wild horse herd as a self-sustaining population of healthy animals in balance with other uses and the productive capacity of their habitat and attain the objectives outlined in the Billings Field Office Approved Resource Management Plan.

The Billings Field Office will begin accepting public scoping comments regarding long and short-term management objectives for an updated Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range Joint Management Area Plan (JMAP) through the ePlanning website at http://eplanning.blm.gov . Public comments will be considered in the development of an Environmental Assessment that will be prepared to analyze and recommend a decision regarding long and short-term management actions for the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range

Substantive comments and recommendations should focus on long and short-term herd and habitat management objectives and goals. Please refer to the Preliminary Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range Joint Management Area Plan on the ePlanning website at http://eplanning.blm.gov for the preliminary plan. Examples of substantive input includes comments regarding:

Population control, method and techniques, sex ratios and growth rates.
Removal criteria such as characteristics and age structure.
Achieving appropriate management levels for the attainment of a thriving natural
ecological balance.
Maintenance of existing developments.
Healthy populations of wild horses including her characteristics and age structure.

Electronic comments may only be submitted via e-Planning however, if you prefer to submit hard copy comments you can mail to:

Preliminary Pryor Mountain Joint Management Area Plan can be found at: BLM e-Planning website – https://eplanning.blm.gov
Click “Text Search”

Click “Advanced Search” in the NEPA #: Type DOI-BLM-MT-C010-0004-EA

Click “Search”
Click “Documents”
Click “Comment on Document”

Mail: Billings Field Office 5001 Southgate Drive

Billings, MT 59101-4669

The BLM will consider any substantive comments and include as appropriate. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment, including your personal identifying information, may be publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Comments must be submitted no later than close of business on Friday, May 15, 2020 in order to be considered. If you have questions, please contact Jerrie Bertola at (406) 896-5223.

Sincerely,

David Lefevre
Field Manager Billings Field Office

Here is a link that will take you to the proposal details. Click on BLM

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at my email: wildinthepryors@aol.com.

All comments must be submitted by May 15, 2020. You can submit on line or via mail.

When commenting, please remain courteous and try to back up your comments with educated reasons.

Thank you,

Sandy

2020 Pryor Foal # 2

April 13, 2020wildinthepryors

92564234_1124518011227635_3152818875041579008_n — Phantom and Unity

2020 Pryor Foal # 2 was born to Phantom and Johnston. Phantom is the 2015 daughter of Icara and Fools Crow. Johnston is the 2009 son of Cascade and Seattle.

The foal is a filly and has been named Unity.

93060853_1124485224564247_5697937737835872256_n — Johnston

Thank you Brittny for the use of your beautiful photos.

93418563_1124494554563314_714792367483256832_n — Phantom and Unity

92687483_1124495337896569_1826821737572990976_n — Unity

2020 Name Game, The “U” Year

March 26, 2020wildinthepryors

With the “stay at home” order in many parts of the world right now, due to the Coronavirus, we all have a lot of extra time on our hands. This year we will need that extra time, because the letter U is a tough one, that will need a lot of research and thought! I look forward to your ideas. Have fun!

This will be the 8th year that I have made this post. This is a “fun” only post where any of you can suggest names for the 2019 foals born in the Pryors. Of course, like on all the previous years, I can not guarantee that they will be used, but it will be fun to list them, and I do know that whenever a foal is born, I come to this post to look at all of the suggestions. And if you can, please include the meaning for the name, it would be very helpful to know that.

In 2000, the BLM started using a letter for each year of foals, starting with A. This year is the U year. So please feel free to list your ideas in the comment section of this post. To read more about this system and why we use names, please refer to my Name Game post that I did in 2013. Click on Name Game to go there.

I am looking forward to reading all of your suggestions. If someone else has already posted your name idea, please list it again anyway. It will be fun to see what the most popular name suggestions are!

Please stay healthy and safe!

Sandy

2020 Pryor Foal # 1

March 25, 2020wildinthepryors

The first known Pryor Foal was born to Nova and Hickok. Nova is the 2013 daughter of Kitalpha and Bristol. Hickok is the 2007 son of Belle Starr and Starbuck. The foal is a colt and has been named Uinta.

Thank you Diane Granger for the use of her photos.

Jackson. The Passing of a Legend

January 30, 2020wildinthepryors

I woke up this morning with a message from Sarah and Abbie. Jackson had died. While this was not unexpected, it was still very shocking. I can’t imagine the mountain without Jackson.

Jackson and Moorcroft:wound — Moorcroft licks Jacksons wound, February 2013.

Jackson was born to the mare Broken Bow and stallion Two Boots in 1998. This beautiful coyote dun stallion was a giant force on the mountain. He claimed the largest bands up until he lost his status of a band stallion in May of 2014. While he claimed a mare from time to time for a short while, his days of being a prominent band stallion were over.

For some stallions, they give up the will to live after the loss of their band. But Jackson choose to embrace his next role: caretaker of those in need. He was often spotted with young bachelors teaching them the “ropes”. But perhaps his most important role was that of a caring bachelor stallion. It seemed if any horse on the mountain was alone or need a friend, Jackson was there. Either briefly or for a longer period of time, he stood by those in need. The most significant one was when he spent an entire summer watching over a wounded Mandan. I believe Mandan is a live today because of Jackson.

36292029_931799783666283_6045326521076285440_o — An injured Mandan appeared at our camp during dinner with a caring Jackson keeping watch over him.

Caring was not new to Jackson, when he was still a band stallion, I witnessed many touching moments of closeness with his family. This behavior never ended, as he continued to carry out that role as an older bachelor.

Jackson and Brumby. As Matt Dillion called them: The Brad and Angelina of the mountain. I wish they had been allowed to keep more of their offspring.

Jacksonband1 — Jackson’s Band, 2-17-13 Protecting his band from a snowstorm.

Perhaps one of the funnest moments I shared on the mountain with Jackson, was in July 2014. A few cattle from a nearby ranch, happened to wander on the range. While I am sure this wasn’t the first time he saw cattle, it was amusing to watch his reaction to them. The rancher removed them later that day.

In the winter of 2016-17, he somehow injured his left eye. It appeared that he had lost sight in that eye. Many of us worried he would not make it without vision in both eyes. But once again, he showed us how amazing and strong he was.

I could continue to tell many stories of this amazing stallion. But somehow the words are not coming very easily to me this morning.

83871491_3494368373966766_7795009645285736448_n — Jackson and Brumby with Hayden, 2007. Thank you Terry for your photo.

1559428_244938192352449_1313090805_o — Jackson and his son Maelstrom, February, 2013

To me, Jackson was the most caring and nurturing stallion on the mountain. There will be a giant empty space where this amazing stallion was. He left this earth on his own terms, wild and free. Rest easy Jackson. You changed my life, and I know you changed the life of may others. Thank you.

2019 Pryor Foal # 16

December 11, 2019wildinthepryors

The Sixteenth 2019 Pryor foal was born sometime around November 1 to Jasmine and Doc. Jasmine is the 2009 daughter of Aztec and Cloud. Doc is the 2003 son of Winnemucca and Little Foot.

The foal is a filly and the name that has been chosen is Talulah.

I found that there are three meaning to this name. The first one that came up was: An Online Australian Woman’s Boutique. Surprised by this, I googled it again. This time from Wikipedia:Talulah Jane Riley-Milburn^[1] (born 26 September 1985), known professionally as Talulah Riley, is an English actress. Still thinking that there had to be more, I googled it again and found this: The name Talulah means Leaping Water and is of Native American origin. Talulah is a name that’s been used by parents who are considering baby names for girls. Choctaw.

Okay, I think the last meaning is the one I will think of when I say this name, since the announcement of the name did not include what meaning it was intended for.

Welcome to the Pryors beautiful little filly! These photos were taken by Jack Sterling on December 3 (Thank you Jack for the use of your photos). As you can see, she seems to be doing quite well. Looking forward to seeing this little one!

A Tribute To The Horses That Have Passed in 2019

December 9, 2019December 9, 2019wildinthepryors

The 2019 year is coming to a close soon. For the past several years, I have been publishing this post to honor and remember the horses that died during the year, this year is no exception.

A part of me just wanted to let it slide by, this post is never an easy one to make, but in the end, I realized that I needed to continue this tradition and give these wonderful wild horses one last post of love. The mountain is a special and spiritual place, even though these horses are gone, their spirit continues to touch anyone who visits and takes the time to listen.

The horses below are listed in alphabetical order.

1. Baja. Baja was the 1996 son of Tonapah and Looking Glass. Baja was an incredably strong band stallion. He held on to his band until the fall of 2017. That year he was 21. The average life of a wild stallion on the mountain is 19, and for him to not only out live that, but to continue to hold unto his band until he was 21, was an amazing accomplishment. He was one of the most beautiful stallions on the mountain. He is truly missed. His legend lives on with his beautiful daughter Quahneah and her offspring.

2. Duke. Duke was the 1996 son of Flicka and Bigfoot. Duke was also a strong and consistent band stallion. He too lived to the age of 23, losing his band the winter of 2017-18. His legend lives on with 7 offspring left on the range.

3. Fiero. Fiero was the 2005 son of Sacajawea and Merlin. A beautiful stallion with an amazing bloodline, Fiero died too soon. Unfortunately, he has no known offspring on the range.

boys-of-the-dh-1 — Jemez with his bachelor buddies in 2012. From left to right: Jemez, Hidatsa, Hawk and Issaquah

4. Jemez. Jemez was the 2009 son of Strawberry and Blizzard. Life is tough for these Dryhead stallions. So few filly/mares for these amazing stallions, Jemez’s life was cut short due to an injury. He also has no known offspring on the range.

5. Lobo was the 2011 son of Sapo and Bolder. Lobo was an amazingly beautiful horse. Just coming into his own, he disappeared the winter of 2018-19. I have fond memories of him as a young colt, sparing with his 1/2 brother Killian. He has no known offspring on the range.

57569403_2317402998339322_980854050893332480_o — Tiny with Waif and Kemmerer

6. Tiny. Tiny was the 2019 foal of Waif and Kemmerer. He was first seen by Dennis McCollough in April 2019. He was never seen again. Thank you Dennis for the use of your photos.

57262832_2248862441895729_7354641769344008192_n — Waif and Tiny

7. Warbonnet. Warbonnet was the 1993 daughter of Tonapah and Geranimo. This beautiful mare was very close to Phoenix, you could often see the two of them grooming, napping or grazing together. Her heritage lives on with her daughter Heritage and her son Tecumseh.

Warbonnet with her daughter Kayenta, March 2012

Rest in Peace, Wild Horse Souls. Your spirit lives on, and you will always be remembered.

Sandy

Category: Pryor Mountain Wild Horses

2021 Camping Tour Dates

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