Rock Canyon / Provo Canyon Big Horn sheep are gone

[3Toes]

The Rock Canyon herd (Utah) of big horns died off this winter. There are reported to be only 10 or so sheep left, down from 80. From what I have been told a domestic sheep got into the herd and passed on peumonia (sp) which wiped out the herd. So far all of the tested sheep had the same strain of the disease which makes you thing they came from a common single source.

The domestic sheep was reported to be undocked (sp) and young in the Seven Peaks area.

There is also supposed to be a domestic goat running with the wild goats on Timpanogos. Not sure if they are as prone to dieseas as the sheep, but if anyone finds a domestic goat on Timp please call someone.

 

[twister]

would you need a tag for a domestic goat or could any one handle that problem!

 

[tthorpe13]

That is terrible news. I remember growing up as a kid in Springville dreaming of bighorns living in those mountains. Now to hear they have come and are now almost gone. Do you know if the sheep on Timp also died off? Or was it just on the south side of Provo Canyon?

 

[Antlers_Ink]

That aint' good news at all. I haven't heard anything about this problem. Sound like a catastrophic event to me. All that work shot to hell.

 

[3Toes]

From what I have been told the sheep on Timp were not affected by this die off. Provo Canyon has provided an effective border to both herds travel. I have heard that the Nebo group is having trouble with sheep also, so it is just a matter of time. One careless owner is all that it takes !!!!!!!

 

[Avsman]

just an idea but is there any way to vacinate the wild sheep. via mineral blocks ect that could maybe stregthen their immune systems so they could fight off common dieses'.

 

[littlebighorn]

All sheep that are transplanted get vaccinations when they are released. But I don't think the shots are perminent.

Also, I actually helped the DWR a few years ago put out medication pellets for the sheep at the mouth of AF canyon. We mixed the medication with apples and hay. I don't know if it helped or not but I was glad to donate my time to give it a shot.

I think the bottom line is keeping the domestic diseases away from wild sheep is a very difficult proposition, and to my knowledge, no one has come up with a fool proof way to do it, yet.

It is a shame that a few run away domestics can wipe out a great wild sheep herd. Three years ago, my son and I took some awesome pictures of the Provo herd during the rut. There were 50 or so sheep on the mountain that we could see, with 3 killer rams in the bunch, including Carl Malone's ram. It is sad to think that they may never come back!

 

[NVBighorn]

Is there a link to a news story about this? I'd like to send it to someone.

 

[littlebighorn]

NV,
I don't know if there have been any stories published about this die off. I heard about it first from Don Peay, SFW founder at the Utah FNAWS Banquet in march.
Last spring my son and I looked all over the mountain and only saw 3 sheep. Pretty sad for a real promising herd. Those original sheep had genes from Colorado, Montana, and Alberta.

 

[Coyote_chaser]

Another good reason to get the sheep off the mountain. Its stupid that we cater to sheep herders. Graze the sheep on private if they want, keep em off the public.

 

[crimedog]

Sad News

I grew up on the top bench on Squaw Peak and lived there until about 8 years ago. The last couple of years we would have the Big Horns right on the street in the winter and see them as often as the Deer. It was great and I loved seeing them back on the Mountain. I am extremly upset to hear this.

 

[timpram]

'07 was the first year they alowed that herd to be hunted they had one draw tag and Karl Malone bought the other. I was the lucky one to draw the tag this year. It will probably be the last tag given out for quit some time. The herd north of Provo Canyon is not doing very well either. Im still hopeful I can find a good ram. Hunt starts tomorrow, wish me good luck. Could sure use some snow.

 

[Deadheads]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-07-08 AT 05:07PM (MST)[p]I was up looking for sheep today, wasn't expecting to find much but did see 5 sheep,2 rams,2 ewes and one lamb. This herd is all but GONE, one ewe and one 2yr old ram were coughing alot, I don't think they will last long, the ewe looked pretty rough.

 

[silverstatehunter]

That sounds like the same disease that killed an entire herd in Nevada. I believe it is unit 14 (Hays Peak). Around 80 or so Sheep completely wiped out. Nevada Department of Wildlife did a helicopter survey and saw 2 sheep left that were both coughing and two days later found both sheep dead. The bighorns had caught the disease from Domestic sheep as well. It really sucks.