Little Belt Bighorn Transplant

[BigHornRam]

Good job to those who volunteered!

Volunteers help relocate bighorn sheep to Little Belt Mountains

GREAT FALLS - Volunteers and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks relocated bighorn sheep into the Little Belt Mountains.

www.khq.com

 

[Ben Sellers]

That is awesome!

 

[Sytes]

The volunteers were a part of three separate organizations: The Montana Bowhunters Association, SCI of Great Falls and Montana Wild Sheep.

Best of success for this transplant. Kuddos to the organizations who volunteered their time.

 

[sneakypete]

Great news! I hope they keep putting more sheep in the mountains!

 

[Jay Kolbe]

Should add that Kuiu and Kennetrek also contributed time and money to the effort. MT and National Wild Sheep Fdn. helped buy the collars (which was huge). Lots of volunteers and landowners pitched in. As of today, nearly all 50 sheep are on public land. Sheep restoration will be a long and uncertain project in the Little Belts, but so far, I'm really encouraged.

I have photos from the '20s of elk being trucked into the same area to reestablish herds. It's pretty cool that sportsmen are still enabling similar conservation work 100 years later.

 

[Philippides]

Great that companies like Kennetrek get involved in this.

 

[ida homer]

This is gonna look dope on the gram.

3 photographers, a go pro and 2 iPhones, idk why that’s so hilarious to me . Whippersnappers...

 

[SaskHunter]

This is gonna look dope on the gram.

3 photographers, a go pro and 2 iPhones, idk why that’s so hilarious to me . Whippersnappers...

I've always been the "enjoy it with my own eyes type" but sometimes I wish I'd taken more pictures in my earlier days...

Also on subject, conservation for the win!!!

 

[TheTone]

This is gonna look dope on the gram.

3 photographers, a go pro and 2 iPhones, idk why that’s so hilarious to me . Whippersnappers...

It’s at its worst when you’re there working and others are just hanging out for a photo op

I wish these sheep all the best. I’m very unfamiliar with the range, does anyone have known info on potential conflicts with domestics for this reintro?

 

[OpenCountry]

Good work to those organizations and volunteers involved. Pretty dang cool. Hope they do well.

 

[El Jason]

It’s at its worst when you’re there working and others are just hanging out for a photo op

I wish these sheep all the best. I’m very unfamiliar with the range, does anyone have known info on potential conflicts with domestics for this reintro?

There certainly is potential. Reading the EIS, the few producers where conflict could/would occur were on board with the project.

 

[BigHornRam]

Brett French article highlights some details involved with this transplant. Good article.

FWP transplants bighorn sheep into Little Belt Mountains

After scattering like wildfire in a gust of wind, 49 bighorn sheep have settled in to their new home in the Little Belt Mountains.

billingsgazette.com

 

[Oak]

Brett French article highlights some details involved with this transplant. Good article.

FWP transplants bighorn sheep into Little Belt Mountains

After scattering like wildfire in a gust of wind, 49 bighorn sheep have settled in to their new home in the Little Belt Mountains.

billingsgazette.com

"The disease die-offs prompted concerns that domestic sheep may be transferring viruses to wild sheep. More recent research has discounted that theory, but winning over livestock producers prior to bighorn sheep relocations is still important to FWP."

LOL, what?

 

[BigHornRam]

LOL, what?

Brett is probably referring to research conducted by Bob Garrett that he wrote about a couple years ago.

Study looks at why Montana's bighorn sheep are still plagued by die-offs

Considering the steep, rocky terrain they occupy, bighorn sheep seem to be a delicate species.

billingsgazette.com

 

[Oak]

Brett is probably referring to research conducted by Bob Garrett that he wrote about a couple years ago.

Study looks at why Montana's bighorn sheep are still plagued by die-offs

Considering the steep, rocky terrain they occupy, bighorn sheep seem to be a delicate species.

billingsgazette.com

That may be true, but the stand-alone comment is misleading at best. It implies that domestic sheep are not a risk to wild sheep. If anything, Dr. Garrett's work highlights the potential long-term impacts of a single interaction between wild and domestic sheep.

 

[BigHornRam]

That may be true, but the stand-alone comment is misleading at best. It implies that domestic sheep are not a risk to wild sheep. If anything, Dr. Garrett's work highlights the potential long-term impacts of a single interaction between wild and domestic sheep.

Won't be the first misleading statement by a news reporter and won't be the last.

 

[Oak]

Pneumonia found in bighorn sheep in Little Belt Mountains

"Nine bighorn sheep from a group that were recently reintroduced into the Little Belt Mountains have died from pneumonia this spring. Several other live bighorn sheep in the same herd have also exhibited symptoms of respiratory disease.