When it rains...

[----]

It pours.

The lower Rock Creek herd of bighorns now has pneumonia as well.
Unbelievable.
Probably the two best trophy sheep units west of the divide are going to be decimated, what a shame.

http://missoulian.com/news/local/article_28cee718-0ad2-11df-b5b9-001cc4c03286.html

 

[BuzzH]

Just all kinds of good news about MT sheep these days.

 

[----]

Any of the -ologists on here, does it make any sense at all that this would happen to three different isolated herds, in the same region, in this short of a span?
Just blows my mind that we could skate by for so long with no problems, than have it blow up in out face like this.

 

[Drake4]

I blame it on the wolves.

 

[BuzzH]

I think it could be just too many sheep in the herds...MTFWP is way stingy with permits.

 

[MattK]

Could have something to do with the proximity all of these herds are to domestic sheep. The sheep in Bonner have expanded their range across the interstate onto the backside of MT Sentinel and the state has put domestic sheep on Mount Sentinel (M) and mount Jumbo (L) to get rid of some noxious weeds. I don't know if these domestic sheep have come into contact with the wild sheep but it's very possible. Like buzzh said...too many wild sheep and they have expanded their range too far.

 

[JohnCushman]

it's Obama's fault....lol

 

[Dinkshooter]

I'll still help out and take a tag. The least I can do to help you guys out.

They using sheep or goats for the weeds?

 

[----]

Sheep. They haven't done it for two(?) years now though.

 

[1_pointer]

Not saying the didn't or couldn't get it from domestics, but it does occur naturally and I would guess that high pop density would make it even more likely.

PS- Depending on the "weed" sheep can be very effective biological control agents. I'm using them to kill sagebrush...really.

 

[shoots-straight]

1-pointer, when did sagebrush become a weed? The Dept. went up the East Fork of the Bitterroot, and took samples of the domestic sheep that live the closest to the herds up there. I hope they can figure something out.

 

[1_pointer]

Any plant can be a weed. A weeds just a plant that is where you don't want it or in the case of the sagebrush there is way too much of it. By thinning/killing some of the sagebrush we've allowed more of the grasses and forbs to grow.
Too much sagebrush:

Similar area either after a treatment or fire:

Hopefully they get the issue with the bighorns figured out. I don't know if it's still on going, but a few years back the Univ. of Idaho Vet school was looking transmission pathways and possible vaccinations.

 

[bow hunter]

same is going on in eastern nevada in the ruby mountains. they estimated we will lose 80%. sad deal for sure

 

[mconway951]

This was gonna be y first year putting in for a pref point for bighorns in WY wonder if I will ever get to hunt them.

 

[brymoore]

I'm sure the sage grouse appreciated the removal of the sage.

 

[1_pointer]

I'm sure the sage grouse appreciated the removal of the sage.

They sure did! IMO, much of the increase in sage grouse in this area (2008 was a historic high count) is due to the treatments that have been performed. Doing them in strips or in many smaller areas creates lots of edge which the birds seem to prefer.

These two came from less than 1/2 mile from the last picture along the edge of the same fire rehab project.

 

[brymoore]

Nice piece of sage behind the post.

 

[1_pointer]

Yep I'm pretty familiar with that that is. And your point?

 

[----]

More...

http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_18235262-a5a7-11df-8c34-001cc4c002e0.html

Could you imagine being one of the tagholders this year?
Hopefully they get it taken care of before it spreads to the rest of the herd.

 

[Oak]

Anaconda is next...

http://fwp.mt.gov/news/article.html?action=getArticle&id=9533