Comment in Support of Bighorn Sheep project in the Madison Range

[MTGomer]

Montana FWP is hoping to move forward with the second phase of its translocation project of Bighorn Sheep in the Madison Mountains.

In the coming years, FWP would like to capture and translocate Bighorns from their winter range near Quake Lake, to the Bear Creek Wildlife Management area, further north in the Madison Mountain Range.


Currently there is thought to habitat capacity and winter range through the Madisons to support over 1,000 sheep. This would be around 4x more than exist today between the herd in the Hilgards and the herd in the Spanish Peaks.

The goal of this project is to introduce sheep to additional and more suitable, but currently unoccupied winter range with the goal of expanding the sheep population across the available range.

FWP is currently taking public comment for the EA until June 26th. Please consider taking a moment to let them know that you support restoring Bighorn s in the Madisons.

Link to EA: Madison Ph 2 EA
emails to: [email protected]




Photo from Ph 1:


Thank you for your support!

 

[Gerald Martin]

Thanks for the heads up. I will definitely support this.

 

[Forkyfinder]

@MTGomer thanks for the heads up.

 

[Schaaf]

Got a sneak peak of that at this years banquet. Awesome stuff.

 

[Hem]

Comment supporting plan sent.

 

[Undomesticated]

Will do.

Anyone have more information on this? I’ve hunted elk in there and didn’t see any sheep. Kinda strange given the expanse and habitat. Were they extirpated and never reintroduced? Seems odd. Or did the reintroductions falter?

 

[Bambistew]

Curious if the Californian that lives at the mouth of Indian Creek will be as vocal against this as she was last time.

There isn't a ton of good sheep habitat in this area, IMO. Sure there is some steep hills, but there are very few cliffs/escape terrain near good winter habitat that can support any amount of sheep. The sheep currently in the range are "coincidently" congregated in the areas with the best winter/escape terrain. A few very small pockets of cliffy terrain between Indian and Jack creeks mostly in lower Cedar and Indian Creeks, otherwise its isolated cliffs here and there with little to no winter habitat or in a sea of trees. Lots of summer habitat though, but it gets way too much snow or is easily accessible by predators during winter. TBH, if there was quality sheep habitat in this area, they'd be there by now Its only 10-12 miles from two distinct herds. I think it's cool they are trying, and wish them success.

 

[Nameless Range]

Last day to write in support.

 

[Big Sky Guy]

Last day to write in support.

Done, thanks for the reminder.

 

[MTGomer]

Curious if the Californian that lives at the mouth of Indian Creek will be as vocal against this as she was last time.

There isn't a ton of good sheep habitat in this area, IMO. Sure there is some steep hills, but there are very few cliffs/escape terrain near good winter habitat that can support any amount of sheep. The sheep currently in the range are "coincidently" congregated in the areas with the best winter/escape terrain. A few very small pockets of cliffy terrain between Indian and Jack creeks mostly in lower Cedar and Indian Creeks, otherwise its isolated cliffs here and there with little to no winter habitat or in a sea of trees. Lots of summer habitat though, but it gets way too much snow or is easily accessible by predators during winter. TBH, if there was quality sheep habitat in this area, they'd be there by now Its only 10-12 miles from two distinct herds. I think it's cool they are trying, and wish them success.

The bio reported at the time I posted this that landowners were either supportive or indifferent. It will be interesting to see if that has
or does change.

 

[Oak]

There isn't a ton of good sheep habitat in this area, IMO. Sure there is some steep hills, but there are very few cliffs/escape terrain near good winter habitat that can support any amount of sheep. The sheep currently in the range are "coincidently" congregated in the areas with the best winter/escape terrain. A few very small pockets of cliffy terrain between Indian and Jack creeks mostly in lower Cedar and Indian Creeks, otherwise its isolated cliffs here and there with little to no winter habitat or in a sea of trees. Lots of summer habitat though, but it gets way too much snow or is easily accessible by predators during winter. TBH, if there was quality sheep habitat in this area, they'd be there by now Its only 10-12 miles from two distinct herds. I think it's cool they are trying, and wish them success.

Unscientific opinion: our understanding of what constitutes good sheep habitat is influenced by the characteristics of the rugged, remote places where bighorns persisted 125 years ago despite market hunting, subsistence hunting, and respiratory disease epizootics caused by domestic livestock. The vast majority of herds in the west have not recovered to a point where they would expand into more moderate habitat that was likely occupied 200 years ago. Predation on a herd of 1,000 bighorns would not have a population-level effect like it could on a population of 80 bighorns.

 

[Deleted member 16864]

Unscientific opinion: our understanding of what constitutes good sheep habitat is influenced by the characteristics of the rugged, remote places where bighorns persisted 125 years ago despite market hunting, subsistence hunting, and respiratory disease epizootics caused by domestic livestock. The vast majority of herds in the west have not recovered to a point where they would expand into more moderate habitat that was likely occupied 200 years ago. Predation on a herd of 1,000 bighorns would not have a population-level effect like it could on a population of 80 bighorns.

Quite a lot of sheep lived in the gravellies pre European conquest.

 

[Deleted member 16864]

Curious if the Californian that lives at the mouth of Indian Creek will be as vocal against this as she was last time.

You still boycotting their beef?

 

[Brad]

Not sure how anyone could appose this - great sheep habitat, as the Tukudika (Sheepeater) Indians that once inhabited the area knew. It's impossible to roam that country without finding reminders of their presence.

 

[Huntkook]

As hunters and conservationist we should all support a program that one would expand a species territory and two create more hunting opportunities in the future, but our number one concern should be for the wildlife involved. Anything that would help the sheep population thrive and grow is an all in for me.