FWP Seeking Applicants for Bighorn Sheep Advisory Group

[bigsky2]

Haven’t seen this posted here. Hopefully some from the HT crowd throw their names in.

“Restoration projects for bighorn sheep face many challenges, especially in areas dominated by private land. To help identify these challenges and potential solutions Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is creating the Bighorn Sheep Restoration Advisory Panel.  

“Many private lands around the state offer excellent habitat potential for bighorn sheep and can provide important restoration opportunities,” said Quentin Kujala, FWP’s chief of conservation policy. “We’re looking for a diverse group of passionate individuals to help us create ways to evaluate private land restoration projects and solve challenges we may encounter.”

We’re always talking about how demand for sheep tags is increasing while available tags are continually decreasing over time. There’s a decent amount of suitable sheep habitat in eastern MT and I hope this means FWP is going to take a serious look at possible introductions in places like the lower Yellowstone River breaks.

FWP accepting applications for a bighorn sheep advisoryâ¯panelâ¯â¯

content.govdelivery.com

 

[antlerradar]

I can think of several places that would be great for sheep in eastern MT, but Domestics are going to be an issue is some places. The quote below does kind of get my radar up. Hate to cynical, but with the GG administration sometimes it is just being prepared. Sure hope there is not a Rams for Billionaires thread in HT's future. Plenty of places with good public access where I would look first.

“Restoration projects for bighorn sheep face many challenges, especially in areas dominated by private land. To help identify these challenges and potential solutions Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is creating the Bighorn Sheep Restoration Advisory Panel.  

“Many private lands around the state offer excellent habitat potential for bighorn sheep and can provide important restoration opportunities,” said Quentin Kujala, FWP’s chief of conservation policy. “We’re looking for a diverse group of passionate individuals to help us create ways to evaluate private land restoration projects and solve challenges we may encounter.”

FWP accepting applications for a bighorn sheep advisoryâ¯panelâ¯â¯

content.govdelivery.com

 

[DFS]

Haven’t seen this posted here. Hopefully some from the HT crowd throw their names in.

“Restoration projects for bighorn sheep face many challenges, especially in areas dominated by private land. To help identify these challenges and potential solutions Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is creating the Bighorn Sheep Restoration Advisory Panel.  

“Many private lands around the state offer excellent habitat potential for bighorn sheep and can provide important restoration opportunities,” said Quentin Kujala, FWP’s chief of conservation policy. “We’re looking for a diverse group of passionate individuals to help us create ways to evaluate private land restoration projects and solve challenges we may encounter.”

We’re always talking about how demand for sheep tags is increasing while available tags are continually decreasing over time. There’s a decent amount of suitable sheep habitat in eastern MT and I hope this means FWP is going to take a serious look at possible introductions in places like the lower Yellowstone River breaks.

FWP accepting applications for a bighorn sheep advisoryâ¯panelâ¯â¯

content.govdelivery.com

Domestics need to go. All of them.

Sheep live there in spite of us.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I can think of several places that would be great for sheep in eastern MT, but Domestics are going to be an issue is some places. The quote below does kind of get my radar up. Hate to cynical, but with the GG administration sometimes it is just being prepared. Sure hope there is not a Rams for Billionaires thread in HT's future. Plenty of places with good public access where I would look first.

Domestics limit location significantly, as do other concerns. Talking with some FWP Bios, some have said they're short on public land that can host them for translocation, or that disease issues complicate augmentation of existing herds, etc. The politics of sheep make things more difficult as well: In 2013, SB83 was a response to a proposed sheep transplant. It was caused by a proposed transplant where one adjacent landowner was unhappy with the proposal, so he asked his legislator to do something about it. That something would have effectively strangled the agency's ability to do any transplants. In 2016, MTWSF and The MT Woolgrowers signed their cooperative agreement that helps qwell some of those concerns. I do think it makes sense to get a protocol in place for private land transplants so that a process is well delinated and everybody understands what is expected of them in terms of obligations, etc.

As far as rams for richies, I don't see that happening for a few reasons:

1.) That takes statutory changes to provide for the tag, and honestly I don't see the political will of the people nor the votes in the legislature for a 454 style program for sheep, goats or moose and I don't think that changes with a new governor in 2029.

2.) The people who you are worried about can afford to purchase any of the transferable auction or raffle tags out there. If it's just about killing a sheep, those folks have those tools at their disposal as well as many other states to achieve this goal.

3.) The amount of time it takes to grow a herd to the point where hunters will have an opportunity is measured in 5-10 year spans rather than 1-2 year spans. That's playing an incredibly long game for something they have the ability to purchase already.

I hope folks from HT apply. This could be a significant improvement in sheep numbers and some solid representation from the public land hunting community would be needed to help keep the process well rounded.