Protected wild stallion found shot to death near Dugway

DUGWAY — A young palomino stallion was found shot to death Sunday in the Onaqui Herd Management Area, around 10 miles south of Dugway, according to the Onaqui Catalogue Foundation.

The horse named Pyrite was one of over 300 wild horses, according to a February count, found in the Onaqui herd of wild horses that were introduced by early settlers and cavalry in the late 1800s.

Pyrite, also known as Goldie or Glory, was “an eye-catching young palomino stallion who was a favorite of many who visited the range,” a post from the Onaqui Catalogue Foundation said. His death follows the death of two other protected Onaqui stallions: Jasper, a blue-eyed colt, and a bay stallion found shot near Simpson Springs Mountain Road in March 2023.

At the time, the Bureau of Land Management and other organizations joined in offering a $37,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the killing of the two horses.

“Harassing, capturing or killing wild horses is illegal and punishable by up to a year in prison and/or a fine,” said BLM West Desert District Manager Mike Gates in a 2023 statement.

No details were released about where Pyrite was found in the herd management area — about 240,000 acres of BLM, federal, state, and private land extending from Johnsons Pass south to Look Out Pass.

The Wild Beauty Foundation, a wildlife protection nonprofit, has pledged $2,500 for “information leading to the identification and conviction of those responsible for the fatal shooting” of Pyrite, according to a press release.

“The Onaqui herd symbolizes the enduring spirit of the American West,” Ashley Avis, founder of the Wild Beauty Foundation, said, “and we will continue to advocate fiercely for their safety and welfare.”