Just got off the phone with my parents who live near Clinton Montana, 25 or so miles east of Missoula, on lower Rock Creek to be exact.
Monday morning they were having breakfast in the town of Bonner. Sitting at the booth next to them were 2 FWP officers talking about the sheep situation around that area. So my Dad ask whats up since they have quite a fair amount of sheep that are around there place on the lower creek, in fact, they were on their deck while they were over here at Christmas time.
Anyway, the report from these 2 FWP officers is that the herd that resides just north of Bonner and east of the Blackfoot River is in it's final stages of complete removal of all animals due to pneumonia. The lower Rock Creek herd has numerous cases of the cough and these animals are being selectively taken right now but they are anticipating that a total herd elimination may be inevitable here too. FWP agents have been seen every day by my parents this week now watching herd's in the fields of Rock Creek and the hills above looking and listening for the cough.
As of right now, the upper Rock Creek herd that resides near the Willow Creek and Squaw Creek area has not been diagnosed with pneumonia. Some good news, at least.
Dad also said that there was a herd in the upper Bitterroot, he can't remember where but the thinks it was the East Fork area, that had to be completely eliminated due to pneumonia also.
Sad!!!
Just thought I'd throw this out there for those thinking of applying for these areas. I'll see if I can find a link at FWP or in the Missoulian that discusses this.
Dad has said that he's going to stop and chat with them to keep tabs on what's going on, particularly with their lower and upper Rock Creek herd's.
