Private lands bighorn sheep transplants

[Oak]

An informational note folks interested in CO sheep:

The CPW Commission will consider an issue paper at their November 19 meeting to create a mechanism and structure for transplanting bighorn sheep to suitable habitat on private lands in the state. This is coming as an amendment to the Bighorn Sheep Access Program approved by the Commission at the September meeting. Apparently there are some landowners who are interested in having sheep herds on their property with the approval of the new access program.

The addendum will allow CPW to transplant sheep from existing herds on public or private lands to suitable habitat on private lands, either to create a new herd or expand the range of existing herds. When a new population has grown to the size that the herd can be hunted, the first 10 ram licenses will be issued at 1:1 to the public and landowner. After 10 ram licenses have been issued, the landowner will have the option to withdraw from the program or renew in the 2:1 or 3:1 private to public ram license options.

I have attached the issue paper. If you have any comments you may email the Commission at [email protected]​ .

 

[sneakem]

While I am an advocate for establishing new sheep populations, this smells bad. I'm sure they're planning on removing sheep from public lands rather than those that are currently residing on private lands that are nearly unhuntable. It seems to me that landowners got their hand in the cookie jar and now want to eat the whole damn thing...

It won't take them long to get through the 1 to 1 ratio and then up their take. Hell they've had no problem pressuring their buddies in the wildlife commission to increasing to the current proposed ratio, what's to stop them from revising it again and taking a bigger share? It gives them an advantage in bargaining when you have all the sheep... just think... they could have been on public lands and available to all people versus a very select few...Bad deal...