Get ready for a possible OTC Sheep free-for-all in Montana

[jm1607]

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdoors/2015/jun/15/hunters-may-be-tapped-kill-montana-bighorn-herd/

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

I am down.

 

[colonel00]

julierl • 9 minutes ago
Too bad we have no wolves in the area to do this job.

Yikes

 

[realunlucky]

Sad situation

 

[bbrown]

Yikes

^^^^ Was thinking the same thing - Cant fix stupid...

 

[mt100gr.]

I saw this a few days ago, sounds like a circus....didn't even want to post about it because it seems like a really strange way to handle such a sought after animal. I think this kind of pressure in a disease area will push infected animals into places we don't want them.

 

[tipsntails7]

For guys that would probably never get a shot at a bighorn, may be time to cash in the PTO. That's going to be an absolute circus though. No way they have enough time to implement that this year though, right?

I'd be ok with them making that a resident only draw hunt as well. Opening it up to non res, there's gonna be no room left on the mountain to put a tent.

 

[trdhunter]

Wow, too bad.

 

[DaveC]

For guys that would probably never get a shot at a bighorn, may be time to cash in the PTO. That's going to be an absolute circus though. No way they have enough time to implement that this year though, right?

Pretty sure it's going to happen this fall. FWP hasn't been messing around ticking all the boxes on this.

Recent survey data suggests there's only ~30 sheep in the unit, and very few rams. I think it will be like the unlimited hunts; plenty of folks talking about doing it, not so many actually out on the mountain.

 

[BackcountryMT]

For guys that would probably never get a shot at a bighorn, may be time to cash in the PTO. That's going to be an absolute circus though. No way they have enough time to implement that this year though, right?

I'd be ok with them making that a resident only draw hunt as well. Opening it up to non res, there's gonna be no room left on the mountain to put a tent.

The unit isn't going to be open to anyone who wants to hunt sheep and then close once the quota is met. You still have to be one of the lucky 30-40 to buy a tag prior to the hunt.

I think it's a great idea. Instead of the state paying for federal employees to kill the sheep we can generate conservation money to pay for the recovery effort when sheep are transferred down from Wild Horse Island.

 

[mt100gr.]

Everything I have read says this fall. Tag sales in August and they imagine it taking a couple years to get a complete "kill" of the target population....now I feel like I am talking about spraying noxious weeds....

 

[mt100gr.]

The unit isn't going to be open to anyone who wants to hunt sheep and then close once the quota is met. You still have to be one of the lucky 30-40 to buy a tag prior to the hunt.

I think it's a great idea. Instead of the state paying for federal employees to kill the sheep we can generate conservation money to pay for the recovery effort when sheep are transferred down from Wild Horse Island.

I hadn't heard of limited tag sales. If that's the case it should be a lottery, IMO. I don't feel that the competitive first-come sales should be used for something like this. Unless they go old-school and you have to camp outside the box office and get in line.

 

[BackcountryMT]

I hadn't heard of limited tag sales. If that's the case it should be a lottery, IMO. I don't feel that the competitive first-come sales should be used for something like this. Unless they go old-school and you have to camp outside the box office and get in line.

I think a special lottery is the only "right" option. But, FWP has fooled us before with fantastic ideas

 

[Travis Bertrand]

It would be tempting if there were more sheep in there and a draw.

 

[mt100gr.]

I think a special lottery is the only "right" option. But, FWP has fooled us before with fantastic ideas

Indeed.

 

[tipsntails7]

The unit isn't going to be open to anyone who wants to hunt sheep and then close once the quota is met. You still have to be one of the lucky 30-40 to buy a tag prior to the hunt.

I think it's a great idea. Instead of the state paying for federal employees to kill the sheep we can generate conservation money to pay for the recovery effort when sheep are transferred down from Wild Horse Island.

That's not how I read it. I assumed it is OTC, for example bear in Cali. Anyone who has 50 bucks can get a tag, the season closes when the quota is reached, it's your responsibility to check to make sure the quota has not been met. Is that not like how the other unlimited sheep units are in Montana?

 

[Mad Mountain Mike]

The way I read it is no quota, but a complete kill off. Isn't the bacteria that causes pneumonia in wild sheep airborne and comes from domestic sheep? If this is the case I would think separating the herds farther apart before introducing new bighorns would be beneficial.

 

[slick]

The way I read it is no quota, but a complete kill off. Isn't the bacteria that causes pneumonia in wild sheep airborne and comes from domestic sheep? If this is the case I would think separating the herds farther apart before introducing new bighorns would be beneficial.

I've helped with some of the captures testing for the disease in herds that are being monitored by FWP, and healthy herds that have been translocated. I am by no means an expert, but I have never heard of it being airborne. -It is from domestic sheep. Most Wild sheep don't have the immunity to it, some do, or are able to fight it off, but of the ones that can and do successfully fight it doesn't mean they are immune. There's 7-9 different strains of the virus, and all are tweaked slightly different, just like influenza of sorts.

 

[mt100gr.]

I've helped with some of the captures testing for the disease in herds that are being monitored by FWP, and healthy herds that have been translocated. I am by no means an expert, but I have never heard of it being airborne. -It is from domestic sheep. Most Wild sheep don't have the immunity to it, some do, or are able to fight it off, but of the ones that can and do successfully fight it doesn't mean they are immune. There's 7-9 different strains of the virus, and all are tweaked slightly different, just like influenza of sorts.

Sheep disease question: this pneumonia that's showing up is different from the lungworm outbreaks that affected northern herds as well as some in BC, correct? I believe I remember that being a result of heavy grazing in areas of high fecal concentration....not to derail this discussion.

 

[DaveC]

Everything I've read suggests standard "unlimited" district rules. OTC tags, mandatory phone reporting of all kills, mandatory plugging of any rams 1/2 curl or more, mandatory 7 year wait to apply if you get one 3/4 curl or bigger.

I'm tempted.