Nevada horse breeders search for suspect in Mustang shooting

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Ranchers scanned Red Rock Canyon for the injured mustang they were tasked with saving, but time is running out as brutal blizzard conditions take hold.

Two days prior, on April 5, a group of state officials from the Nevada Lieutenant Governor's Office toured the Red Rock Canyon area with Shiloh Ranch owner JP Hoffman and his team to a point nearby water for wild mustangs.

During the educational tour, a manager saw something strange on a young mustang and called Hoffman to examine it: it was a gunshot wound.

“I knew it was bad,” Hoffman said. “He was bleeding a lot and a lot of fluid was coming out.”

The tour quickly ended and Hoffman immediately contacted the Nevada Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to report the mustang's condition.

Authorities were already tracking the 11-month-old female mustang, Oakley, because of the importance of her lineage to the small herd, and asked Hoffman to rescue the injured wild horse.

“He was completely western,” he said.

Hoffman geared up with his group and returned to Red Rock Canyon to find Oakley but they noticed something in the sky, snow.

“It was cloudy, very windy and freezing cold,” Hoffman said. “It was shocking because it was April and we’re right next to Las Vegas.”

The group split up upon arrival 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 the lack of cell service.

“We lost daylight pretty quickly,” Hoffman said.

The group ended their day's search and returned to the ranch as Oakley continued to struggle, injured in the blizzard.

The following Saturday morning, the group resupplied the trailer and headed back toward Red Rock Canyon, but a new obstacle presented a challenge: tourists.

“There were people coming to take pictures and ride ATVs,” Hoffman said. “What 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 failed to capture the injured mustang.

Once again, the group returned to the ranch as Oakley's injuries worsened.

The next morning, the group had better luck warning tourists in the area, but just as Hoffman found and attempted to tie up Oakley, a videographer arrested him.

“He was picking on me,” Hoffman said. “Which is the good thing, I would have done the same thing.”

Hoffman wasted two hours explaining to the videographer the permissions they had been granted by BLM and the organization they were working with, and Oakley was now miles away.

“We covered literally every inch,” he said. “We were really worried she was out there somewhere.”

As daylight and supplies dwindled, a member left to get more supplies, but that's when she was spotted again on the side of the road.

Luckily, Oakley wasn't alone as a male stallion, Venture, stayed by her side as she trekked through the canyon – records show he tried to influence her.

Hoffman still had a chance to capture Oakley and his hand was no better.

“I failed twice with the rope,” he said. “So, I did a little trick that I remembered from when I was a kid, and I managed to catch up with her on the third loop.”

It would be another two hours before Oakley was calm enough to get into the horse trailer, but ultimately, she was safe.

#Whoshotoakly

Doctors and surgeons at Desert Pines Equine Center went to work treating Oakley's gunshot wound that Hoffman said came from a 9mm bullet that was still in his shoulder.

“We would like to thank Dr. Ivy and Dr. Garcia and Surgeon Winchell,” he said.

Hoffman said unfortunately he wasn't too surprised when he realized the extent of the injury because gunshot wounds are common.

“We’ve had problems before at Red Rock Canyon,” he said. “Arizona has had almost an epidemic there with a lot of wild horses on a daily basis, it’s a senseless crime.”

It's like a needle in a haystack according to Hoffman who said he believes BLM and law enforcement are doing their best to crack down on people who kill wildlife.

Two months after the initial recovery, Oakley has almost completely recovered and can be seen bouncing with her hooves in her water bowl.

“I think she’s part Labrador,” Hoffman said.

Shiloh Ranch in Sandy Valley, Nevada, has become home to Oakley who is no longer wild, meaning she cannot return to Red Rock Canyon.

“From our understanding, this has never been done before,” Hoffman said. “We knew it was difficult, but we weren’t going to give up on this test.”

America lives in Germany

A major obstacle for the Nevada BLM is the overall number of horses which has been overwhelming for officials, according to Hoffman.

“Typically, we look at a population of 5,000 per year in all Western states that have wild mustangs,” Hoffman said. “This year BLM was expected to increase that number to 21,000, that’s a significant number.”

Hoffman sees Shiloh Ranch playing a role in horse handling with the Nevada BLM, and he has a plan: training and rehousing.

“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 training to an advanced level and then turn it into a business by helping BLM achieve their goals and helping BLM achieve their goals.” [horses] get into safe homes where they can afford to be cared for.

Some Nevada mustangs have already gone through the process and, after training, were shipped to Europe, where they are given homes.

“It’s funny, there’s a mustang right next to Red Rock, his name is America and he lives in Germany,” Hoffman said. “This is literally spreading across Europe. »

Hoffman said his European customers have come clamoring for real blue American Mustang from Nevada, even asking for an American F-150 and a horse trailer to boot.

“I don’t know if it’s the Western side of the culture,” he said. “But we’re definitely seeing that surge.”

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 left tied to the front posts of the ranch, according to Hoffman, who said he has seen his fair share of horses kept aside.

Volunteers and investors looking to help Hoffman and the Shiloh Ranch staff are encouraged to visit their website where they can learn more about the property and even purchase a #whoshotoakley t-shirt.