LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Ranchers scanned Red Rock Canyon for the injured mustang they needed to save, but time was running out as brutal blizzard conditions approached.
Two days earlier, on April 5, a group of state officials from the Nevada lieutenant governor’s office toured the Red Rock Canyon area with JP Hoffman, owner of Shiloh Ranch, and his staff to a nearby watering hole for wild mustangs.
JP Hoffman, owner of Shiloh Ranch (KLAS)
During the educational tour, an official saw something strange on a young mustang and called Hoffman over to look: It was a gunshot wound.
“I knew it was bad,” Hoffman said. “I was bleeding a lot and a lot of fluid was coming out.”
The tour ended quickly and Hoffman immediately contacted the Nevada Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to report the mustang’s status.
Officials were already tracking Oakley, an 11-month-old female mustang, because of the importance of her lineage to the small herd, and asked Hoffman to rescue the injured wild horse.
“It was quite Western,” he said.
Hoffman prepared himself with his group and drove back to Red Rock Canyon to find Oakley, but they noticed something in the sky, snow.
Oakley standing in the snow as ranchers try to rescue her (KLAS)
“It was cloudy, very windy and very cold,” Hoffman said. “It was shocking because it was April and we were right next to Las Vegas.”
The group split up upon arriving in search of Oakley, but problems began to arise as the herd dispersed and the group’s meeting points were difficult to manage due to a lack of cell service.
“We lost daylight pretty quickly,” Hoffman said.
The group finished the day’s search and returned to the ranch as Oakley continued to fight, injured in the blizzard.
The following Saturday morning, the group resupplied the trailer and set out again for Red Rock Canyon, but a new obstacle would present a challenge: tourists.
“There were people who came to take pictures and ride ATVs,” Hoffman said. “Which is allowed.”
Eventually, the group spotted Oakley and Hoffman attempted to tie her up for hours, but due to a hand injury that never fully healed, he was unable to capture the injured mustang.
Again, the group returned to the ranch as Oakley’s injuries worsened.
The next morning, the group had better luck as they warned tourists in the area, but just as Hoffman found and attempted to tie up Oakley, a cameraman stopped him.
“He was going crazy on me,” Hoffman said. “Which is the right thing to do, I would have done the same.”
Hoffman wasted two hours explaining to the cameraman the permits he was given by the BLM and the organization they worked with, and now Oakley was miles away.
“We literally rode every inch,” he said. “We were really worried it was out there somewhere.”
When daylight and supplies ran out, one member left to get more supplies, but that’s when she was seen on the side of the road again.
Fortunately, Oakley was not alone, as a male stallion, Venture, stayed by her side as she wandered through the canyon; her records show that he had been trying to influence her.
Venture, fighting another horse to protect Oakley. (KLAS)
Hoffman had one more chance to catch Oakley and his hand was no better.
“I missed the rope twice,” he said. “So I did a little trick that she remembered from when she was a kid and I was able to catch her with the third loop.”
It would be another two hours before Oakley was calm enough to enter the horse trailer, but she was finally safe.
#Whoshotoakly
Doctors and surgeons at the Desert Pines Equine Center went to work tending to Oakley’s gunshot wound, which Hoffman said came from a 9mm bullet still in his shoulder.
“We want to thank Dr. Ivy and García along with surgeon Winchell,” he said.
Hoffman said he unfortunately wasn’t too surprised when he realized the extent of the injury, since gunshot wounds are common.
Oakley’s injury after being shot in Red Rock Canyon.
“We’ve had problems in Red Rock Canyon before,” he said. “Arizona had almost an epidemic there with many of their wild horses day to day, it’s a senseless crime.”
It’s like a needle in a haystack according to Hoffman, who said he believes BLM and authorities are doing the best they can to crack down on people who shoot equine wildlife.
Two months after the initial recovery, Oakley has made an almost full recovery and can be seen bouncing her hooves in her water trough.
“I think she’s part Labrador,” Hoffman said.
Oakley, a mustang who was shot in Red Rock Canyon, arrives at Shiloh Ranch.
Oakley, a mustang that was shot in Red Rock Canyon at Shiloh Ranch.
Oakley, a mustang that was shot in Red Rock Canyon at Shiloh Ranch.
Shiloh Ranch in Sandy Valley, Nevada, has become home to Oakley, who is no longer wild, meaning he cannot return to Red Rock Canyon.
“To the best of our knowledge, this has never been done before,” Hoffman said. “We knew it was difficult, but we were not going to give up on this test.”
The United States lives in Germany.
A major obstacle for the Nevada BLM is the total number of horses, which has been overwhelming for officials, according to Hoffman.
“You typically see a staff of 5,000 people per year in all the western states that have wild mustangs,” Hoffman said. “This year, BLM needed to increase that number to 21,000, it’s a big number.”
Hoffman sees Shiloh Ranch playing a role in horse management with the Nevada BLM and has a plan: training and rehoming.
Shiloh Ranch (KLAS)
“What we’re trying to do is be that guy in the middle that creates the value of the markets here,” he said. “We want to take it to an advanced level of training and then turn it into a business helping BLM with their goals and helping these (horses) get to safe homes where they can afford to be cared for.”
Some Nevada mustangs have already gone through the process and, after training, were sent to Europe, where they were given a home.
“It’s funny, there’s a mustang right next to Red Rock, his name is America and he lives in Germany,” Hoffman said. “It’s literally spreading across Europe.”
Hoffman said his European customers have been asking for a true blue American Mustang from Nevada, and have even asked for an American F-150 and a horse trailer.
“I don’t know if it’s a Western thing in the culture,” he said. “But we’re definitely seeing that momentum.”
JP Hoffman, owner of Shiloh Ranch (KLAS)
Hoffman also said it’s important for people to remind others that Shiloh Ranch is no longer a “horse rescue” like it was when it was owned by Hollywood actors Tony and Jill Curtis.
The horses would be tied to the front posts of the ranch, according to Hoffman, who said he has seen his fair share of discarded horses.
Volunteers and investors looking to help Hoffman and the Shiloh Ranch staff are asked to visit their website where you can learn more about the property and even buy a #whoshotoakley t-shirt.
Keynote USA
For the Latest Local News, Follow Keynote USA Local on Twitter.