37+ bighorn sheep have died in a pneumonia outbreak at Montana's National Bison Range
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406LIFE
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This is beyond disappointing.
mtmander
Active member
sad
Rob Allen
Member
Get domestic sheep out of the mountains!!!!
Bambistew
Well-known member
Sounds like they need more governors tags.
Sad deal.
As more and more people populate areas near wild sheep, more and more idiots will have sheep/goats as pets. Its only going to get worse. People with domestics couldn't care less... The WSF is pushing for double fences, registration, and separation of wild sheep from domestics in Alaska. The sheep owners came ungluded...
Sad deal.
As more and more people populate areas near wild sheep, more and more idiots will have sheep/goats as pets. Its only going to get worse. People with domestics couldn't care less... The WSF is pushing for double fences, registration, and separation of wild sheep from domestics in Alaska. The sheep owners came ungluded...
I'm not really much for telling people what they can and cannot do on their own private land, but we've come to a consensus in this country that it is acceptable that you need the King's permission and a permit to add on to your deck. If that is tolerable and not an infringement, certainly some kind of law about where domestic sheep can and can't be kept is permissible. I suppose zoning regs could cover that, but that will never happen.
Seven bighorns have been killed so far this year in Colorado after coming into contact with domestic sheep (6 by CPW, 1 by a landowner). Three were on a permitted BLM grazing allotment during the grazing season, two were on a permitted USFS allotment after the grazing season and came into contact with stray domestics left behind, and two contacted hobby flocks at residences.
I have another photo of a handful of bighorns grazing within 50 yards of 8 domestic strays left on a USFS allotment after the grazing season. Those were not reported in a timely manner, and two later flights did not relocate the stray sheep.
There are plenty of hazards on the landscape for bighorns. The only solution is effective separation, but that is very hard to achieve. The young ram killed by the landowner last month had previously been collared. He traveled 42 straight line miles from the last location received from his collar, including crossing the Colorado River and I-70.
I have another photo of a handful of bighorns grazing within 50 yards of 8 domestic strays left on a USFS allotment after the grazing season. Those were not reported in a timely manner, and two later flights did not relocate the stray sheep.
There are plenty of hazards on the landscape for bighorns. The only solution is effective separation, but that is very hard to achieve. The young ram killed by the landowner last month had previously been collared. He traveled 42 straight line miles from the last location received from his collar, including crossing the Colorado River and I-70.
Little Big Man MT Chris
Well-known member
42 miles 
i had no idea they covered that type of ground, sad to hear about this loss of life
i had no idea they covered that type of ground, sad to hear about this loss of life
Schaaf
Well-known member
I believe the general public and the general hunting population for that matter has a long ways to go on being educated about the problems Bighorn Sheep have with domestics. When I was just out of high school I turned up Bighorn sheep in some badlands around Glendive, MT. One group north of Glendive on the West side of the Yellowstone and another group east of Glendive about 10 miles. Both of these small groups of Rams were either 80 miles from a herd FWP is aware of SE of Miles City or possibly 80 miles from the shee in the badlands of North Dakota. When I told people who I assumed were educated on the subject more than I was the general consensus was to keep quiet in hopes a new herd would become established. I was told if I told FWP they would just go shoot them.
I don't believe any of the people I told about the Rams were aware of the repercussions of what could happen if those Rams were to return to their home range.
I don't believe any of the people I told about the Rams were aware of the repercussions of what could happen if those Rams were to return to their home range.
troydave
Member
The wife and I were at the Bison range in early October. It was sad to see these rams so weak they couldn't stand up without shaking. These two were in the same exact spot when we drove by them four times over two days. I stopped at the visitor center and asked what was wrong with the sheep and they said they were not aware of anything. Total BS after reading the news release.
Rob Allen
Member
never mind I have nothing nice to say about sheep ranching. so I won't say anything
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I think that western states should modify the laws that many states have concerning feral hogs and apply them to domestic sheep and goats. It would be illegal to intentionally release a sheep or goat outside of a suitable barrier. If one escapes or is unintentionally left behind at the end of a grazing season there would be a short amount of time for the owner to capture it or the animal would be considered feral and fair game for anyone to shoot.
I'm not sure how grazing laws and contracts work up there, but I think that there should be off-limits areas where domestics could be shot on sight.
I'm not sure how grazing laws and contracts work up there, but I think that there should be off-limits areas where domestics could be shot on sight.
Dinkshooter
Well-known member
the biggest question here is who even eats domestic sheep? lamb chops, mutton? I'm 45 years old and I've never eaten either, where is this market?
Meanwhile old hunters die without ever drawing a sheep tag.............................
Meanwhile old hunters die without ever drawing a sheep tag.............................
Busyfarmin
Well-known member
I believe most sheep meat is eaten by different ethnic groups onreligious holiday's and alot also goes to the east coast.
Rob Allen
Member
A little different take on it.. I think that sheep farmers should recognize that what they are doing is evil, yes evil. Stealing is evil, and choose by conscience to stop doing it of their own accord.
This. It's hard to keep separation when you literally have no idea where one half of the equation will show up.
Oak- Have you or your group looked at historical data comparing wild and domestic sheep numbers? Curious if there are any decent records of historic wild sheep numbers? We know there are fewer domestic sheep in fewer places now than probably ever before, particularly on public lands. Should that not lead to there being more wild sheep today if disease transmission is a major cause of population declines? If not, why?
Hunting Wife
Well-known member
On the other hand, perhaps wildlife officials should recognize that a postage stamp piece of land surrounded by private ranches on a reservation may not be the best place to maintain a semi-captive herd of bighorn. Yes, they are fun to see and the public loves them but if you can't keep the things within the fence this is the predictable outcome. Regulating what livestock people can keep on their private land is a non-starter.
Totally agree that domestic sheep don't belong on public grazing allotments in bighorn country, but NBR is a much different situation.
406LIFE
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FWIW to all the posters I am not aware of any sheep near the Bison Range. And with the fencing around, I am fairly certain these guys did not roam out of the range. I haven't seen any studies about transference or humans bring in the pathogen to a herd. If that were true, I would think there would be no hope to be able to right this ship before all the sheep are gone.
We visit a couple times a year and the sheep are always the highlight for me. So cool to be 30 yards from an 8 year old ram and just look at each other.
We visit a couple times a year and the sheep are always the highlight for me. So cool to be 30 yards from an 8 year old ram and just look at each other.
Hunting Wife
Well-known member
I'll do my disease nerd thing here....
The organism that is generally implicated in bighorn pneumonia (Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae) is susceptible to sunlight, heat, desiccation and disinfectants; it does not survive long outside of the body, so transmission via vehicles or people travelling to the refuge is highly unlikely. The most common mode of transmission is direct animal to animal contact.
Don't let the fence fool you. The primary function of that fence is to keep the bison in. It is not designed, nor really intended, to keep other things in or out. Bighorn sheep (and deer) crossing the fence is a known issue, and the risk of disease incursion has been on the radar for years. Here's an article from a cull last year to illustrate:
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/sheep-that-escaped-bison-range-killed/article_947cabbb-e019-53d1-af2d-53f52067e2f7.html
That article mentioned a sheep operation within a mile of the refuge - that jives with my recollection from the area. I thought there used to be another sheep operation 3 or 4 miles west or northwest of the refuge IIRC - not sure on that one though. I remember seeing bighorns several times along Hwy 200 west of the refuge feeding out in the fields.
I spent many hours watching bighorns up there - sad day indeed to see them go like this.
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