Nevada Sheep Struggles

littlebighorn · Mar 5, 2014

No doubt many of you have heard about the disease event that has hit parts of Nevada. If not, and you are not "up for a downer", skip this post.
My son sent this article link to me yesterday and now I am passing my depression along. I love wild sheep but man they are fragile.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/pneumonia-outbreak-now-called-worst-case-scenario-bighorn-sheep

Zeke · Mar 6, 2014

That make me about as sick as anything I've read lately.
Those darn things are not healthy when they get infected by the woolys!
My day, week, month, year, is worse off for hearing the news!
Zeke

PleaseDear · Mar 6, 2014

I read that via our WSF newsletter Email and man how depressing...

If they decide to wipe them out----issue a bunch of tags and let the hunters fill the tags.

Robb

Zeke · Mar 7, 2014

>I read that via our WSF
>newsletter Email and man how
>depressing...
>
>If they decide to wipe them
>out----issue a bunch of tags
>and let the hunters fill
>the tags.
>
>Robb

Correct Robb!
They should never use hired guns to nuke the herd. Fill some lucky guy's permit if they need some wiped out! They would make money rather than pay money to accomplish the same thing. Seems simple but others might not look at it the same way.
Zeke

PleaseDear · Mar 7, 2014

Me and Da Warden were over @ Flaming Gorge the week they came in and shot out the whole freaking disease Montana Sheep Tran$plant flock/herd in Goslin/North Slope Daggett because of the disease gig----

I sat there above the rifle range out of Dutch John and filmed them----

How many Hunter tag$$$$ could they/DWR issued for harvest??? to do the same damn 'KILL' thing?

What would a 4 week apply/draw/you drew/pay up $$$ resy & non-ressy income take on a 'dieing' flock/herd of sheep??

100+ Ram and ewe tags------for hell sakes!

Robb

Trammer · Mar 8, 2014

Isn't the River Mountains a continuation of Black Mountain and the Muddys? Were the 50 sheep that were moved to Utah 2 months ago tested for the bacteria? Moving sheep around from near infected areas is a little spooky.

Zeke · Mar 8, 2014

Trammer, I hope like Hell they checked them all first! That's too close for comfort.
Robb, stupidest damn thing I ever heard! It made me puke when I heard about the damn dumb stunt. Hunters would have stood on their damn Heads and paid big money for a tag. Hell's sakes, the ewe tags would have sold out too. I'd even take one of those stinking things to hang next to my rams!
It all makes me wonder sometimes!!! Yikes, we have some damn dumb educated folks around!
Now I'm worked up again,
Zeke

PleaseDear · Mar 8, 2014

Heck yes---I would have taken a ewe tag for sure!

Robb

deerslayer88 · Mar 9, 2014

I would take any sheep tag I could get. Let me take some out. I would enjoy every minute of it, heck what a way to get people out of the hunting pools right there.

scottyboy · Mar 9, 2014

How is this going to affect you guys in the applications?

I always put in for the units around Henderson, BC, and the lake!! From the sounds of the article I might be wasting my time now.

Zeke · Mar 9, 2014

Might make getting a tag easier...at least for this year.
If the game dept was smart they'd sell off permits while the sheep are still standing....or at least while they can keep their heads up!
It's a tragic turn of events and one that could affect us all for decades.
That's certainly the primary reason why we can't have lots of sheep. Darn things, darn diseases!
Zeke

littlebighorn · Mar 9, 2014

In response to Trammer's question, I was told there has been no sign of disease in the Muddies herd. I also talked to a biologist that felt the Muddies sheep were far enough away from the infected sheep that they would probably be OK. But one never knows with these things.
So hopefully those Nevada sheep that came to Utah were healthy. I also believe the DWR's policy is to have vets on all transplants to take blood samples and make sure the sheep are healthy.
I know they did at the one I was involved in this year.
Anyway, it's a bad deal for any who love sheep, to witness these events. Hopefully it will not be as bad as it appears.

greyghost · Mar 9, 2014

I understand the want for a hunt if the sheep are dying and are certainly going to die. Think about this. If you are not positive and probably couldn't be that the sheep you are going to shoot was not fatally ill, may contribute to the herd regeneration if not for you killing it. How could you justify it? I would have a hard time contributing to the death of the herd not knowing for certain the faith of the sheep in my sights. Its a bad deal any way we look at it. I'm sure we wish we all could help. It sucks for sure.

Zeke · Mar 10, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Mar-10-14 AT 01:39PM (MST)[p]>I understand the want for a
>hunt if the sheep are
>dying and are certainly going
>to die. Think about this.
>If you are not positive
>and probably couldn't be that
>the sheep you are going
>to shoot was not fatally
>ill, may contribute to the
>herd regeneration if not for
>you killing it. How could
>you justify it? I would
>have a hard time contributing
>to the death of the
>herd not knowing for certain
>the faith of the sheep
>in my sights. Its a
>bad deal any way we
>look at it. I'm sure
>we wish we all could
>help. It sucks for sure.
>

I certainly understand how you feel and where you thought-process is coming from.
Reality is that even the ones who survive will be carriers and continue to pass the disease on to the lambs and they will continue to die every year. The heard will not build back but continue to sputter along with low sheep densities and zero tags in the unit for many decades, most likely. No supplemental transplants (in or out) can be made because the "new" sheep will become infected too.
In most cases it would be better to wipe out the herd and start over.
We're just saying that IF they decide upon the "nuke" option it would only make sense to use hunters and make money and make hunters happy rather than spend money on "professional" killers.
Zeke

greyghost · Mar 10, 2014

If that is the case, I wonder why NDOW recently augmented the herd of Rockies in the East Humbolts and Rubies. I dont believe that herd was a total die off but I could be wrong. I'm certainly not a biologist and not trying to argue with you Zeke, but if you are correct than NDOW messed up adding sheep in the Rubies and East Humbolts.

deerslayer88 · Mar 10, 2014

The philosophy is to kill the whole heard to rid them of the disease. If you are killing off the entire heard let hunters take them is our argument. I am not saying its the best way (killing them all) but if thats what they choose don't let professional hunters do it. for instance Utah has killed a crap ton of sheep because of disease and letting a hunter in the draw take them is in reality the best option because if there is a need for professional hunters the sale of the tags will help fund it.

Zeke · Mar 10, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Mar-10-14 AT 08:53PM (MST)[p]There's no argument here!
I don't have the knowledge or the training to make the decisions.
My statement was fill with lots of "if's".
Our hope is that the folks with the training will make the right choices for the sheep, short turn and long turn!
I'm just whining about a sad turn of events.
Zeke

greatwestern · Mar 10, 2014

Government agencies brothers, government agencies...sound logic don't necessarily apply to them

Way too many similar examples to even go into, but maybe the pontificator or his piggybacker will feel compelled to come on here and regurgitate otherwise

Anyway, yet another sorry tale in the annals of our beloved wild sheep...

Cheers'

Adam

Trammer · Mar 11, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Mar-11-14 AT 08:59PM (MST)[p]my bad on my prior post thankfully River Mountain Sheep did not go to Utah in 2013 but in 2012.

Trammer · Mar 11, 2014

Thank You for correcting me Adam.

greatwestern · Mar 11, 2014

^Sorry Trammer bud, I have no idea what you're talking about.

But perhaps it is a different Adam to whom you are referring.

Cheers'

Adam Simms

mevertsen · Apr 1, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Apr-01-14 AT 08:53AM (MST)[p]>If that is the case, I
>wonder why NDOW recently augmented
>the herd of Rockies in
>the East Humbolts and Rubies.
>I dont believe that herd
>was a total die off
>but I could be wrong.
>I'm certainly not a biologist
>and not trying to argue
>with you Zeke, but if
>you are correct than NDOW
>messed up adding sheep in
>the Rubies and East Humbolts.
>

I believe these sheep were all from the same herd anyway. I was on the disease event in the Rubies in 2009. Actually helped the biologists do tranqs, and then test live and sample dead sheep. Several in the two days I was there. The two ranges are so close that they are basically the same range. When I talked to the biologist about the augmentation, they were taking the few sheep that were left in the East Humboldts and putting them with the sheep in the Rubies. They are far enough away that they would not directly mingle, but they are isolated far enough from other herds that it doesn't matter.

That is my understanding of it.

And trust me, you do not want to be anywhere near one of those sick sheep, stinky and disgusting. I sure wouldn't want a tag!

EDIT TO ADD - Maybe I misread your post? I was not aware of sheep coming from out of state, I just heard of taking the East Humboldts sheep and putting them in Lamoille.