Big Horn Sheep

[Dave]

The wife and I took a Sunday drive. Not your normal Sunday drive as we did it on quads. We went out the back of the property on to the BLM. Looped around and down Cave Creek which is about 8 miles. Had to ford the Burnt River and then headed back down the canyon toward the house. About 5 miles up the canyon we ran into a group of sheep. About 10 ewes with 8 rams. 2 of the rams were full curls. I think there was a hot ewe in the bunch. They didn't run but they didn't stick around either. About half a mile down the canyon we ran into the biggest band of sheep I have ever seen. There must have been 50 head. Only 2 rams and they were a little smaller. About 3/4 curl. But these all lined up to pose for us. The wife asked where is the camera? I replied, at the house. I can pack that thing for a month and never see anything worth taking a picture. Leave it at home one day and things line up for a picture.

 

[Stocker Steve]

You don't have the die offs from respiratory infections?

 

[Dave]

You don't have the die offs from respiratory infections?

I guess not. I know the Game Dept watch these like a hawk. I know they worry about mixing domestic sheep and the bighorns. There aren't any flocks of domestic sheep using the range land. The only flock of sheep in the area are about 6 or 7 miles down the valley from me and they live in an irrigated pasture.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Idaho had big issues w/ the wild sheep a few years ago -- lost a lot of them. Not sure how or if that was ever figured out or resolved.

 

[Bright Raven]

Idaho had big issues w/ the wild sheep a few years ago -- lost a lot of them. Not sure how or if that was ever figured out or resolved.

When I was living in Montana, they lost half the herd to lung flukes.

 

[Nesikep]

Meh, I'm sure darned glad I don't have any around here.. have enough deer.. just one more pest.

 

[Turkeybird]

Wasn't sky or someone raising a few dall in va.?