Shooting sheep from a helicopter

[boneaddict]

My wife and I were hiking out of the river around selah butte “ish”when a helicopter came around the bend.  She thought it was cool because we were looking down on it.  The way it was flying I thought they were counting sheep.   Then they started herding them.  I could see the sheep running.  The helicopter acted like a cuttin’ horse herding up this steep cut.  All of a sudden boom.  A rifle shot.   Then the helicopter flew up to a spot where he could hover and a guy bailed out.   Probably 20 minutes went by and the helicopter circled back and landed in a flat area on the ridge.   Awhile later they came to our side of the river and flew by us.  They were obviously looking for more sheep.   I’d like to assume they were collaring them maybe, though I don’t know why per say, or maybe taking samples.   Maybe culling again, I don’t know.   I didn’t think a tranquilizer gun was as loud as a rifle shot. 

[ganghis]

Could have been a net gun.  Guessing collaring.

[carpsniperg2]

Your thoughts are right. Most tranq guns are pretty quiet. Like stated probably a net gun “hopefully” unless the were in fact culling. The guy jumps out and gets samples and puts collars on. They just did that with a bunch of deer around here and other parts of the state.

[KNOPHISH]

Maybe one of these guys know of any studies or relocations?

@Starbailey
@ramslam

[Hilltop123]

Thought I read somewhere, that the state was doing a cull for pneumonia.

[Rainier10]

My guess is net gun.  Hopefully someone will chime in that is in the know.

[mountainman]

Thought I read somewhere, that the state was doing a cull for pneumonia.

The Clemans herd was hit hard this year. I would also assume culling sick animals..

[elkboy]

Sounds like net gun. I thought WDFW was doing capture-and-test for Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, a disease that causes pneumonia in wild sheep.

[Tbar]

@Falcon
@GurrCentral

[Bob33]

https://wdfw.wa.gov/news/cleman-mountain-bighorn-sheep-tests-positive-lethal-bacteria

[jackelope]

Net gun

[boneaddict]

Not Clemans herd.   Umptanum and I suppose Selah Butte.   Pneumonia has been there for years.

[nacheshunter]

From how low they were flying at the base of clemans yesterday in the big draw and right over the elk fence, I'm thinking they were after deer and doing the deer collaring surveys like they usually do this time of year. Some friends said they saw the helicopter and rigs across from waterworks today and yesterday.

[DOUBLELUNG]

Net gun uses a .308 blank

[deerhuntr4885]

I drove up Chinook Pass yesterday and saw a bunch of trucks and a helicopter just west of the Hwy 12 junction.  They were flying Clemens.  Not sure if capturing or shooting.