I also posted this under the montana state thread.
From Here: Http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/wildlife/article_f975e3e6-677e-11e3-ae53-001a4bcf887a.html
Here's the article:
Madison Valley landowner opposes wild sheep transplant Story Comments Print Create a hardcopy of this page Font Size: Default font size Larger font size Posted: Wednesday, December 18, 2013 12:15 am LAURA LUNDQUIST, Chronicle Staff Writer One of two proposed locations is no longer an option for transplanting bighorn sheep in the Madison Range. When the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission approved a plan last week to transplant up to 150 wild sheep from the Taylor-Hilgard area to a region farther north in the Madison Range, two transplant sites were still under consideration: Indian Creek and Wolf Creek. The wild sheep are being transplanted from a herd that has outgrown what the southern area can probably support, increasing the possibility of disease, especially in winter. Wolf Creek is now the project site after Indian Creek-area landowners Kate and Eric Roberts refused to allow FWP to cross their property to access the national forest. The Robertses have owned the 6,500-acre CB Cattle and Guest Ranch for more than four decades and provide access from the valley to the Indian Creek trailhead. They keep around 100 head of Angus cattle, and Kate Roberts said she was concerned about the wild sheep coming down to graze her property and eat her hay. One of the reasons for the southern herd's growth was that a local man was feeding them hay, Roberts said. ?I'm a big animal lover ? I love horses, dogs, cats, you name it. So I hate that I'm fighting these bighorn sheep,? Roberts said. ?We've had significant issues with elk, wolves and grizzly bears. (FWP) has not done a good job from my perspective of managing those animals. When they sat down with us in July and said they want to introduce another animal, we said, ?No, we don't trust you.'? When FWP published the wild sheep environmental assessment in September, the Indian Creek site was still under consideration and was the preferred site because it is farther ? around 19 miles - from the herd's origin. In September, biologist Julie Cunningham said one of two landowners still opposed the Indian Creek project. The supportive landowners are a California family who own the Wonder Ranch, east of the CB Ranch. The Robertses allow the family to use a CB Ranch road to access their property during the few weeks that they visit, but the CB Ranch 1971 deed includes no easement for the owners of the Wonder Ranch. The attorney for the owners of the 88-acre Wonder Ranch sent an email to FWP in support of the wild sheep transplant, Roberts said, but the Wonder Ranch does not have the authority to grant access to FWP through the CB Ranch. Roberts said she didn't comment on the environmental assessment. The Wolf Creek site, east of the Sun Ranch and the Rising Sun Estates subdivision, is around 11 miles from the herd's origin. ?Those people have open arms. We were opposed to it,? Roberts said. FWP Region 3 Supervisor Pat Flowers confirmed that Indian Creek is off the table just as biologists are preparing to begin capture operations this week. ?Both sites were still options but (the Robertses) won't grant us permission to enter their property. So we'll use Wolf Creek,? Flowers said.
I urge you all to do something.... I sent them an email through there ranch web page....
Tallbuck1
From Here: Http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/wildlife/article_f975e3e6-677e-11e3-ae53-001a4bcf887a.html
Here's the article:
Madison Valley landowner opposes wild sheep transplant Story Comments Print Create a hardcopy of this page Font Size: Default font size Larger font size Posted: Wednesday, December 18, 2013 12:15 am LAURA LUNDQUIST, Chronicle Staff Writer One of two proposed locations is no longer an option for transplanting bighorn sheep in the Madison Range. When the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission approved a plan last week to transplant up to 150 wild sheep from the Taylor-Hilgard area to a region farther north in the Madison Range, two transplant sites were still under consideration: Indian Creek and Wolf Creek. The wild sheep are being transplanted from a herd that has outgrown what the southern area can probably support, increasing the possibility of disease, especially in winter. Wolf Creek is now the project site after Indian Creek-area landowners Kate and Eric Roberts refused to allow FWP to cross their property to access the national forest. The Robertses have owned the 6,500-acre CB Cattle and Guest Ranch for more than four decades and provide access from the valley to the Indian Creek trailhead. They keep around 100 head of Angus cattle, and Kate Roberts said she was concerned about the wild sheep coming down to graze her property and eat her hay. One of the reasons for the southern herd's growth was that a local man was feeding them hay, Roberts said. ?I'm a big animal lover ? I love horses, dogs, cats, you name it. So I hate that I'm fighting these bighorn sheep,? Roberts said. ?We've had significant issues with elk, wolves and grizzly bears. (FWP) has not done a good job from my perspective of managing those animals. When they sat down with us in July and said they want to introduce another animal, we said, ?No, we don't trust you.'? When FWP published the wild sheep environmental assessment in September, the Indian Creek site was still under consideration and was the preferred site because it is farther ? around 19 miles - from the herd's origin. In September, biologist Julie Cunningham said one of two landowners still opposed the Indian Creek project. The supportive landowners are a California family who own the Wonder Ranch, east of the CB Ranch. The Robertses allow the family to use a CB Ranch road to access their property during the few weeks that they visit, but the CB Ranch 1971 deed includes no easement for the owners of the Wonder Ranch. The attorney for the owners of the 88-acre Wonder Ranch sent an email to FWP in support of the wild sheep transplant, Roberts said, but the Wonder Ranch does not have the authority to grant access to FWP through the CB Ranch. Roberts said she didn't comment on the environmental assessment. The Wolf Creek site, east of the Sun Ranch and the Rising Sun Estates subdivision, is around 11 miles from the herd's origin. ?Those people have open arms. We were opposed to it,? Roberts said. FWP Region 3 Supervisor Pat Flowers confirmed that Indian Creek is off the table just as biologists are preparing to begin capture operations this week. ?Both sites were still options but (the Robertses) won't grant us permission to enter their property. So we'll use Wolf Creek,? Flowers said.
I urge you all to do something.... I sent them an email through there ranch web page....
Tallbuck1
