Stansbury Sheep Die Off

[Wes]

Looks like they've contracted pneumonia. Took a hike yesterday. These were found in one canyon. We know where there's a bunch more. DWR is aware of this. Not looking good for this herd. Same thing happened in the Ruby Mountains , wiped out the entire herd
Wes

 

[elkassassin]

You Take any of the Dead-Heads Home with You?





[font color="blue"]"I Don't get No Sleep!I Don't get No Peace!"

Hey Founder?

Did You get Permission From shotgun1 before you made your Last
Post?
[/font]

 

[coues52]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-07-16 AT 09:33AM (MST)[p]very sad to here about this..Danny

 

[treedagain]

In a way this herd has beem doomed....DWR will not handle the predator situation. They would rather have lions than sheep. I would not be suprised if these were lion kills

 

[tallbuck1]

This sucks like no other.... Any statement or additional news on what exactly was the cause?

All that hard work and money and time... heart breaking.


Tallbuck1

 

[littlebighorn]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-07-16 AT 04:32PM (MST)[p]The die off is not lions, although they always take more than their share. (Treed, the DWR conducted a study of lion kills with this herd right after it was first introduced. The study determined that lions took some sheep, but not enough to inhibit the herd from growing and thriving.)

While helping a guy on his hunt last fall we saw a sick ram, that appeared to be on his last leg. We went back up a month later to see if he made it and found several dead sheep. We contacted the CO and the biologist with photos and gps data on where the sheep were. The DWR was already aware of the problem and they swabbed some noses for pneumonia. The carcasses of the sheep we saw (and the photos here) are way too intact to be a result of predators. For what it is worth, I have also seen the government trapper out there trying to catch lions.

Disease is the only thing that takes down a herd this fast. It only takes a little intermingling of a domestic sheep to infect the whole group. I am curious if the corsican ram that was found on that mountain earlier this year was the culprit.

Regardless, it is sad indeed. We had lots of fun watching that group grow and I had high hopes for their success.

 

[treedagain]

LB i appreciate the responce. My input is that the goverment trapper and tag holders are restricted from harvesting collared lions. I know of at least two big toms that are in witness protection on that range and take more than a few sheep. I recall ridgeline? I think...bringing up the predation a few years ago

 

[littlebighorn]

Treed,
Perhaps the protected lions are the ones that are/were part of the study I mentioned?
I know that lions have killed plenty of sheep on that mountain, but I'm pretty confident they are not the cause of the latest disaster.
Given your MM handle I'm guessing you know way more about cats than me, and I'm all for controlling predators, especially where sheep are involved. They already have the disease thing hanging around their necks, so they don't need more grief. I also know just from observation, there are plenty of yotes out there as well. Regardless, it's a sad deal.

 

[goofyelk]

Pictures clearly show those are not lion kills.
And,
I was also told last week by some folks out in Carbon
county the Nine mile sheep may have the same problem.

 

[Zeke]

It's enough to make a grown man cry!
Zeke

 

[treedagain]

From my observations from my brothers hunt and dicussions with those in the know in the 9mile/rattlesnake area the herd is in bad shape. I did not see a lamb in 5 days of glassing along with real low sheep densitys. Felt like a desert hunt small bands spread way out. We did harvest 2 good rams so i can't complain.

The study is a long term deal. The DWR flat out told me the study was worth more than a sheep. WTH?

As a houndsman i feel lions are not as big a stumbling block for deer or elk herds as most people make them out to be. SHEEP? I don't think they should be anywhere near a sheep herd. Zero tolerance for them killing something as special as a bighorn.

This is the 1st year that the restrction has been lifted

LB. Thanks for the responce and thoughts.

We can all agree that sheep are just walking around looking for a way to die and don't need a long tail kitty helpong them go to a greener pasture

 

[ridgetops]

This event really breaks my heart.

 

[fullcry]

Not to High Jack this thread but,The CAT is out of the bag!!! [Pun intended!!!]
The Range Creek/Rattlesnake units are almost wiped out!!
I know the guys in charge knew this going into the Drawings.
How mad would you be if you were the guy who spent $83,000 on a Tag at the Sheep Banquet and nobody told you about the die off...
So now they got to decide. Kill off the entire Green River herds or try to let them recover.
Remember there is a Desert Sheep herd right across the valley...