Opinions regarding sheep dying because of domestics

[WYGriz]

LAST EDITED ON Jul-15-10 AT 09:16AM (MST)[p]I've seen a ton of threads on sheep hunting on MM, as well as wolves (in general), but I was curious to gauge your opinions regarding the biggest proven threat to wild sheep...domestic sheep and the diseases they spread. We've lost nearly 1,000 bighorns in the West due to pneumonia (can only be transmitted by domestics) since last winter, but you hear very little anger about that. Just thought I'd see what you all think.

 

[Zeke]

Any loss of sheep should be alarming to sportsman! The outcry has been about the threat from wolves (which is VERY real) but we all need to sound the alarm even louder (again) because of the domestic problem.
Thanks for keeping this problem out in the open for us all to see.
Zeke

 

[NVBighorn]

My 2 cents

http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/DCForumID5/16433.html#4

 

[Zeke]

Good food for thought NVbighorn!
Zeke

 

[piper]

wolves are not even a blip compared to domestics as far as loss of sheep go, the real loss is all the places that native American bighorns could live if it weren't for domestic old world sheep. Nevada is an example, there are well over a hundred mountain ranges in that state and virtually all of them had bighorn before the domestics came, the real tragedy is the wandering bands of domestic sheep, they will cross over multiple mountain ranges during the year, that means many many millions of acres lost for habitat for natives. Thats a far bigger tragedy than even the premature deaths of wild sheep and all the loss of that hunting opportunity.