Naches area bighorns to be euthanized due to pneumonia

[boneaddict]

I understand the reasons why but the way they are doing this is bs!  As said make a short draw time ( make money from apps), people get drawn charge us for tags(not the full amount since most likely you wouldn't kill a nice ram), and everyone wins.  Game dept makes more money which is ultimately their goal on anything, hunters score becuz they have a chance at a sheep, and the sheep die!

Normally I would agree, but not this time.   Animals can easily be pushed into other units, namely Clemans in this case.   May happen already but that would be catastrophic versus just aweful.  Second, they stated in the article there may be pockets of animals uneffected, would the general public be able to tell who is sick and who isn't?   Second, if you had a tag, would you be after the huge ram, or the sickly ewe that needed put down.   It would be a cluster versus contained effeciancy.  Thirdly, logistics of a closed hunting area that opens May 1st, due to shed hunting and elk....more mess

[PlateauNDN]

There's at least three big boys on clemans that I wished I'd seen last year tha t I hope don't get affected because they would make very nice mounts.  Tags sounds better than wasting money.

[Pathfinder101]

Sad to hear.  I just covered this subject with my classes last week.  I told them about the Rock Creek Herd in Montana where this happened a few years ago.  I'll have to update when we get back to school next week.

[provider]

Since this is an operation to euthanize sick diseased wild animals... and NOT "hunting"... there is no hunting permits going to be issued... or even considered.  It's best to let the professionals do the euthanizing.

[stevemiller]

Since this is an operation to euthanize sick diseased wild animals... and NOT "hunting"... there is no hunting permits going to be issued... or even considered.  It's best to let the professionals do the euthanizing.

Professional hunters havnt heard that one before at least in the last 200 years anyway

[jackelope]

Since this is an operation to euthanize sick diseased wild animals... and NOT "hunting"... there is no hunting permits going to be issued... or even considered.  It's best to let the professionals do the euthanizing.

Professional hunters havnt heard that one before at least in the last 200 years anyway

Not professional hunters. Shooters.

[adamR]

I'm just guessing that hiring professional hunters is going to cost a fortune... They could do how they do some master hunter hunts and have a hunt coordinator out there helping each hunter and it would probably still be cheaper than hiring shooters.
In regards to shooting a big ram vs a ewe each hunter could be given a specific tag choosing ewe or ram based on a draw and the hunt coordinator could tell them not to shoot that giant unaffected ram... I know it will never happen I just don't like more opportunities being taken away from hunters over something as simple as range sheep.

[winshooter88]

The government shooters will be brought in just like they were when the canyon herd had pneumonia. The WDFW considers it more important to have complete control of what gets shot than is possible by giving out permits to the hunting public. Like boneaddict I agree with it in this instance.

[jackelope]

I'm just guessing that hiring professional hunters is going to cost a fortune... They could do how they do some master hunter hunts and have a hunt coordinator out there helping each hunter and it would probably still be cheaper than hiring shooters.
In regards to shooting a big ram vs a ewe each hunter could be given a specific tag choosing ewe or ram based on a draw and the hunt coordinator could tell them not to shoot that giant unaffected ram... I know it will never happen I just don't like more opportunities being taken away from hunters over something as simple as range sheep.

I'm pretty positive that the shooters and the guys running the show are Fed guys and not WDFW.

[asl20bball]

I'm pretty positive that the shooters and the guys running the show are Fed guys and not WDFW.

I hope its the Feds cause WDFW can't do anything right. 

[norsepeak]

 So far there are NO sick animals on Clemans.  So if they can get the shooters in there quickly and keep the two herds from mingling, they may just be successful in saving the Clemans herd.  As far as the domestic sheep grazing goes, there is a recent development that may be very good for the Bighorns, but I can't say any more until I get the okay from the WDFW.  There is also two options for getting Bighorns back on the mountain after this desaster is done, so be patient and think positive, I think that things are going to work out actually very good for the wild sheep in the long run.  This course of action is going to prove to be the best option.  In a couple years, we'll be looking back saying "that was the right decision", and I think in a couple years we'll be looking at a strong and healthy and LARGER bighorn herd in the Tieton unit.

[bobcat]

There's at least three big boys on clemans that I wished I'd seen last year tha t I hope don't get affected because they would make very nice mounts.  Tags sounds better than wasting money.

Plateau, I wonder if there's any way your tribe could force the state or federal government into NOT alllowing domestic sheep on public lands?

I know the tribes have had lots of influence in fisheries issues, such as requiring the state to remove fish blockages in streams.

I just don't see a future for bighorn sheep if this pattern of them getting sick, and the state killing them all, continues, as long as domestic sheep exist in the same areas.

[h20hunter]

When they are shot what do they do? Let them rot? Autopsy on some? Just curious.

[asl20bball]

just watch...the seattle channels will spin this somehow against "hunters".

[Alan K]

I'd lay down a few grand to harvest a sickly ewe, and more for a ram, even if it were a dinker.  I'm sure many would.  Heck, let the bio name time and place and I'll be there, he can point out the animal of his choice for me to take and I'd do it! 

Unfortunately, never going to happen, even if it did mean a few hundred grand for WDFW.  That money could go towards transplant animals and stuff too.