Can you water the Virginia Range Horses? Feeding is never allowed by the public, diversionary feeding is only allowed by those authorized to do so.
Contradiction on watering the Virginia Range Horses. In the latest meeting the director of the Nevada Department of Agriculture, JJ Goicoecha stated it was illegal to water the Virginia Range Horses. However, the NDOA fact sheet states otherwise.
In Nevada, watering estray horses is legal, but not recommended by the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) in urban areas due to public safety concerns. It is important to distinguish between watering and feeding, as feeding estray horses is illegal under state law. Additionally, laws regarding horses differ depending on whether they are considered wild, estray, or feral, and whether they are on public or private land.
Watering estray horses
Permitted, but not recommended: The NDA states that watering horses is legal under Nevada Revised Statutes. However, they advise against it, especially near urban areas and major roads, because it can attract animals closer to traffic and people, creating public safety risks. Some local jurisdictions may also have additional restrictions.
Distinction from feeding: Nevada law explicitly prohibits feeding estray or feral livestock and specifies that a second offense is a gross misdemeanor (NRS 569.040). The NDA and other agencies make it clear that while watering is different from feeding, attracting horses closer to populated areas is dangerous.
Wild horses on federal lands
Federal regulations apply: On federal public lands, such as those managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service, it is illegal to feed or water wild horses without authorization.
Unauthorized structures are illegal: You cannot build, place, or maintain water troughs or other water storage structures on National Forest System lands without permission.