TMA overflight update

[FAAFO]

There is no rebuilding phase currently. Nowhere are the lamb numbers high enough to even maintain much less grow the population.

 

[MBN]

There is no rebuilding phase currently. Nowhere are the lamb numbers high enough to even maintain much less grow the population.

Nowhere?

 

[Mykolaivka887]

...... the Extreme low we have seen was mostly caused by the 2 consecutive winter/spring weather events .....

Based on 60+ years of my personal sheep observations, study, biological and ecological sciences, and climate history, I completely disagree with you. Just sayin' .....

 

[MBN]

Based on 60+ years of my personal sheep observations, study, biological and ecological sciences, and climate history, I completely disagree with you. Just sayin' .....

Completely no issues with your disagreement. Are you saying those to winters/springs didn't have an impact on the populations?

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Are you saying those to winters/springs didn't have an impact on the populations?

Negligible impact, when compared with the overall history of the 30-year decline in North American thinhorn sheep populations, and especially Dall Sheep in Alaska and Yukon Territory.

 

[FAAFO]

Nowhere?

Nowhere

 

[MBN]

Negligible impact, when compared with the overall history of the 30-year decline in North American thinhorn sheep populations, and especially Dall Sheep in Alaska and Yukon Territory.

I will have to disagree with you on that. The change in sheep numbers where I have gone over the past few years after those winters/springs was drastic. From what I have experienced, read, and heard from local biologist it wasn't negligible. I agree that the thin horns have been on decline for a long time but saying that those winters only had a negligible impact doesn't make sense to me. There is an entire age class that is almost non existent in the population that is left (If we are still talking Ak Range/Robertson drainage). It is always good to hear someone else's opinions and I appreciate the conversation. I have a lot less years of experience than you and would like to hear more of your opinion on the subject. I will send a PM.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

I will have to disagree with you on that. The change in sheep numbers where I have gone over the past few years after those winters/springs was drastic. From what I have experienced, read, and heard from local biologist it wasn't negligible. I agree that the thin horns have been on decline for a long time but saying that those winters only had a negligible impact doesn't make sense to me. There is an entire age class that is almost non existent in the population that is left (If we are still talking Ak Range/Robertson drainage). It is always good to hear someone else's opinions and I appreciate the conversation. I have a lot less years of experience than you and would like to hear more of your opinion on the subject. I will send a PM.

Negligible in the aspect of the past thirty-some years, bro.

 

[Nick Muche]

I see Rob Hardy is back!

 

[MBN]

Negligible in the aspect of the past thirty-some years, bro.

The survey count 30 years ago(1994) in Unit 20A was the low point in sheep numbers since the bad winters a few years ago. Ak Fish and Game numbers not mine.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

The survey count 30 years ago(1994) in Unit 20A was the low point in sheep numbers since the bad winters a few years ago. Ak Fish and Game numbers not mine.

Old news ......

 

[MBN]

Old news ......

You brought up the 30 year point, and the past 60 years. I was talking about new news and was told that it was negligible.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

You brought up the 30 year point, and the past 60 years. I was talking about new news and was told that it was negligible.

Neither here nor there in the greater scheme of things.

Bottom line, sheep have been in decline the past three to four decades and are now even beyond low-level equilibrium, and that's not going to change, if ever.

It takes sheep to make sheep and at the rate they're now vanishing, there won't be any sheep to make sheep (lol).

It is what it is. Humans are not capable of reversing the decline, and climate and habitat aren't going reverse themselves, either.

 

[ColeyG]

Neither here nor there in the greater scheme of things.

Bottom line, sheep have been in decline the past three to four decades and are now even beyond low-level equilibrium, and that's not going to change, if ever.

It takes sheep to make sheep and at the rate they're now vanishing, there won't be any sheep to make sheep (lol).

It is what it is. Humans are not capable of reversing the decline, and climate and habitat aren't going reverse themselves, either.

Sad but true.

 

[Bambistew]

I see Rob Hardy is back!

He became an authority on sheep the day he was born.

I don't disagree with him that sheep are in real trouble, but there are some areas that aren't as bad as others. So funny to listen to Rob talk like he's got the inside scope on so much stuff.

It'll be interesting to see how one of my areas faired over the winter. Last August we saw 45 lambs out of 55 ewes. However 12-15 years ago we'd have seen 150-180 ewes in the same areas.

We haven't seen rock bottom yet, and ram harvest will only get worse until we fall off a cliff from the winter of 2021/22.

The winters of 2012 and 2022 had an absolute devastating effect on the sheep in many places.