LAST EDITED ON Feb-24-10 AT 09:29AM (MST)[p]I have to chip in my $0.02 on this one. As far as hunting deer is concerned, I can't see a biological basis for that proposed hunt. The coyotes and environmental factors seem to be keeping deer populations in check. The "need" for a deer hunt is social/political/economic. The proposed bighorn hunts on the other hand would be a very good thing from a biological standpoint.
If Antelope Island serves as a nursery herd for bighorns, we want to keep that herd healthy, and as productive as possible. If more lambs hit the ground each year that equals more sheep that can be transplanted and more sheep herds that can be bolstered or started. We want there to be lots of ewes getting bred every year and having lambs. When the state transplants sheep they move primarily females and young rams. It makes sense to take females and young animals because the females will have babies helping the new herd, and young animals will live longer. Most importantly, young rams are less likely to wander and come into contact with domestics and contract diseases. Transplanting older rams is asking for trouble. They almost always wander long distances, and this really increases the likelihood for disease contraction.
Right now we are loosing the Goslin Mtn. sheep herd to disease. This year would have been the first ram hunt on that unit, but because of disease those sheep are practically gone. I just hope that it doesn't spread to Bare Top and Sheep Creek. Even when things are done right, bighorns are highly susceptible to disease. If things aren't done right, like transplanting older age rams, it is almost a guarantee that the transplant will fail.
To keep the Antelope Island herd productive, we want to have enough mature rams to ensure the breeding of the ewes, but we don't want a surplus of rams out there. If we can't successfully move older rams when we have transplants, then soon the proportion of males in the population gets bigger and bigger, and the population gets less and less productive.
I see removing a few older age class rams from the island each year with hunters as something that will help the Antelope Island herd better accomplish it's objective of being a nursery herd. It will increase productivity in the herd, and will help wildlife managers that don't have any other options for dealing with a surplus of mature rams.
This is just my take on the biological side of things, I am not going to touch any of the other issues that would certainly arise if there were a hunt on a state park island. It is definitely a very complicated issue, I agree with that, but I just wanted to make the point that harvesting some mature rams could provide a biological benefit.
Just my personal opinion.
Dax