Dear Troy,
Please accept my thanks for the outstanding work accomplished by you and your crew during our 1997 Piceance Wild Horse Removal. Your experience and skills were obvious to all of us who worked the project with you as well as to our assorted observers. I am pleased to report that media coverage of this removal project was the most positive and supportive of any I have seen to date. Part of the reason for this support was the apparent ease and care with which each of you completed your various tasks. Observers recognized you as professionals in your field, a true compliment in light of the controversy that Colorado removals have caused in the recent past.
The expertise exhibited by your pilot Jim Hicks throughout the gather portion of the project did not go unnoticed. The Piceance country can admittedly be rough to navigate and the wild horses have some helicopter savvy. Jim’s patience and diligence are to be commended.
While preparation of wild horses for adoption is not usually part of a removal contract, in Colorado our horse specialists are also responsible for this facet of management. Processing wild horses demands hands-on skill with wild animals; my crew had nothing but praise for those of you who helped process animals at our corrals.
Finally, we do appreciate your critique of our Yellow Creek Holding Facility. Your suggestions of corral and chute design improvements are being considered and will most likely be completed prior to our next removal. Hopefully you will be able to test these improvements yourself next time you work in our resource area.
Again, all of us thank you for a project well accomplished. Please extend our appreciation to Jim Hicks and to your ground crew. We look forward to working with you in the future.
Sincerely,
John J. Mehlhoff Area Manager
