Post by: pat2bear on December 30, 2009, 08:51:13 AM
YAKIMA, Wash. -- Fourteen years ago, a pneumonia outbreak among bighorn sheep in Hells Canyon along the Snake River killed about 300 of the animals, leaving a scene one scientist called "like a war zone ... sheep lying dead everywhere you looked."
Wildlife experts are urgently working to prevent that from happening again in the Yakima River Canyon.
Since the first week of December, about 10 bighorns on the west side of the canyon have died from pneumonia and dozens more have become infected. State wildlife officials are hurriedly developing a strategy to prevent the disease from wiping out not only the 150 or so bighorns on the ridges west of the canyon, but neighboring herds across the Yakima River (roughly 100 animals), on Cleman Mountain (about 200) and in the Tieton area (also about 200).
Because the outbreak is so contagious and fatal, the idea of killing the herd is quickly moving from possible to inevitable -- which would mark the first time the state has tried to control an epidemic among bighorns by killing large numbers.
"We're trying to get a good sense of how widespread the outbreak we have now is, and whether there's anything practical we can do to contain it," said Jeff Tayer, regional director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. "We wouldn't hesitate to eliminate parts of this herd to save the rest if we thought that was practical and would work.
"There's been a number of things tried to contain this disease, but it's very contagious and the animals move around a lot, which is a bad combination."
******
The department first began receiving reports of dead bighorns west of the canyon and north of Umtanum Creek around Dec. 4. Several of the carcasses were taken for testing at Washington State University veterinary laboratories, and a few other bighorns from different herds were collected, killed and then examined to assess the disease's spread.
Over the past three weeks, wildlife biologists have been flown by helicopter into areas near bighorn groups, where they looked for sheep that were coughing, indicating possible pneumonia.
Most of the bighorns north of Umtanum Creek are believed to be infected. The sickness is less prevalent among bighorns south of the creek, though the number of sick animals is growing there as well, according to fish and wildlife biologist Jeff Bernatowicz. None of the bighorns east of the Yakima River is believed to be infected, he said.
Officials don't know how the pneumonia was introduced to the bighorns. Domestic sheep and goats carry parasitic pathogens that are benign to them but can be deadly to wild animals like bighorns. And there are small, sparse numbers of domestic sheep in the Wenas area and in the Kittitas Valley, as well as grazing allotments on Forest Service lands to the west.
"We have no idea where this (pneumonia outbreak) came from," Tayer said. "One thing we do know is these (bighorn) sheep are very wide-ranging, especially the rams. So 10 or 20 miles is not a big distance for them."
The state fish and wildlife department has given itself until mid-January to make a decision on what steps to take to prevent the further spread of the disease.
******
For the winter months, officials aren't concerned of intermingling between the different herds. But in March and April, the ewes begin to move around more in search of a safe place to have their lambs, and by summer the bighorns readily cross the Yakima River, where they could come into contact with the herd on the east side. And by the mating season in early fall, rams will be crossing the river in large numbers in search of fertile ewes, Bernatowicz said.
"If those animals (east of the Yakima River) get infected," he said, "then you have lots of potential for them even getting into the Quilomene." There are roughly 150 bighorns total in the Quilomene, Whisky Dick and Colockum areas.
There's also the distant possibility of infected canyon sheep mixing with bighorns to the west. It's also only about eight miles from the Yakima Canyon to Cleman Mountain, which would not be a long trip for the sheep -- albeit a difficult one, with an elk fence on both sides of the Wenas Valley.
In another ongoing bighorn die-off in the Bitterroot Range of western Montana, only the infected bighorns are being removed; more than 60 have been collected in the past several weeks.
But because of the temporary remoteness -- and de facto quarantine -- of the Yakima Canyon's west-side herd, officials believe removing the entire herd would prevent a worse epidemic later.
******
POSSIBILITIES include having them killed by federal USDA Wildlife Services, by local state wildlife biologists or even issuing permits for hunters -- who would certainly line up in droves and be willing to bid top dollar for the chance.
Using public hunting to remove the infected animals, though, isn't the likeliest solution, Tayer said.
"The terrain is so difficult and, of course, it's wintertime," the regional director said. "So what was really bad terrain becomes impossible for anybody on foot or vehicle.
"If you're trying to protect the herd by removing a segment, you have to remove them all. The success rate for hunters on big game under the best conditions is less than 50 percent, and this is way off the scale in terms of bad conditions."
A public health problem related to the bighorns' pneumonia, though, would not be a deterrent to a permitted-hunting option. The meat of the bighorns isn't affected, and the bacteria that causes the pneumonia, Bernatowicz said, "doesn't affect humans at all."
Post by: WDFW-SUX on December 30, 2009, 08:55:59 AM
Post by: high country on December 30, 2009, 09:02:13 AM
mega bummer for sure. I cringe at the "kill the whole herd"
Post by: NWBREW on December 30, 2009, 09:03:39 AM
Post by: Elkstuffer on December 30, 2009, 10:14:46 AM
Post by: woodywsu on December 30, 2009, 10:29:44 AM
Post by: coachcw on December 30, 2009, 12:27:49 PM
Post by: woodywsu on December 30, 2009, 12:34:56 PM
Post by: billythekidrock on December 30, 2009, 07:02:07 PM
At least give a few of us a chance.
Post by: boneaddict on December 30, 2009, 07:37:32 PM
Post by: huntergreg on December 30, 2009, 07:41:22 PM
Post by: ICEMAN on December 30, 2009, 08:15:55 PM
sorry didnt see it was already posted. :bash:
All better now....
Post by: boneaddict on December 30, 2009, 08:24:10 PM
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Post by: Ridgerunner on December 30, 2009, 08:34:34 PM
Post by: boneaddict on December 30, 2009, 08:42:57 PM
Post by: Buckshot Bill on December 30, 2009, 08:53:55 PM
Post by: sako223 on December 30, 2009, 09:08:10 PM
I will be really shocked if the Indians aren't already lining up. They will end up with the sheep if the WDFW handles it.
Post by: Birdguy on December 30, 2009, 09:16:52 PM
Post by: blacktailer on December 31, 2009, 09:31:45 AM
Post by: boneaddict on December 31, 2009, 09:34:49 AM
Post by: WDFW-SUX on December 31, 2009, 09:38:28 AM
Post by: Rowdy on December 31, 2009, 09:40:12 AM
This indeed really sucks. One option from F & W was to have hunters come in and thin them out as many others on here have suggested. I agree fully and would be the first one to throw my name in the draw. Not to get off track here, but those that were defending the moronic archery guys that shot the elk in Concrete can now kiss this possibility goodbye. Legal is one thing, but ruining future hunts for the rest of us who hunt legally, ethically and morally is another. I cannot imagine F & W would even consider having hunters take care of this problem after the backlash they have received from the elk hunt and the coincidental timing of it all. It would be a PR nightmare!!! My 2 cents
Agree, especially with the road running through the canyon. There would be people and cameras everywhere!
Post by: bobcat on December 31, 2009, 10:30:07 AM
Post by: boneaddict on December 31, 2009, 10:44:11 AM
Quote
I think I would pass on the oppertunity to cull bighorns.. I think its sad as hell. Would you guys like shooting a sick ram?
Not at all but would like a 100 or so folks to be culled out of our point pool, though thats a drop in the bucket. Think about what this means if the whole Yakima basin gets whipped out with this bug. I wasn't kidding about the coughing sheep over in the Clem herd. Even if that cross doesn't happen. The clem herd will be used to translplant the Canyon. Wonder if we can get some of those Rez sheep back.
Post by: WDFW-SUX on December 31, 2009, 10:46:38 AM
Post by: pat2bear on December 31, 2009, 11:11:04 AM
I think I would pass on the oppertunity to cull bighorns.. I think its sad as hell. Would you guys like shooting a sick ram?Or a sick ewe? But there going to have to be killed by someone. And I bet there's a lot of people that would love the opportunity to do it, that would never get the chance otherwise. I really don't care how they do it as long as they can keep this thing contained. Bone, I sure hope the ram you saw was just clearing his throat. That would be the end of the Cleman and the Tieton herd also.
Post by: Rowdy on December 31, 2009, 11:30:56 AM
Earlier this season I was Chukar hunting the Canyon and my pup REALLY likes the smell of those sheep but after an early dose of electricity he no longer chases. He will put a half ass tail waging point on them sometimes, I nick him with the collar and just move on. This one time he was down the ridge aways and I first thought he might be working some birds so I started heading down to him. As I got close he locked up and the tail started wagging, I was already almost to him so I thought I would take a peek over the mound he was next to. I walked up, pulled my camera out, and there was a Ewe (I think that's what they're called) balled up sleeping. What was odd was there were no other sheep around and I was probably 30' from him. When he saw me he slowly stood up and started walking off. He looked sick to me but I couldn't see any wounds or other noticable problems. I thought it best to get the pup and I out of there so we headed back up and I didn't see him again. Odd.
Jake
Post by: yakimarcher on December 31, 2009, 12:24:30 PM
Post by: bearpaw on December 31, 2009, 12:32:49 PM
Post by: andrew_12gauge on December 31, 2009, 01:22:32 PM
I almost forgot about this, not sure if it has anything to do with this illness but it was really odd.
Earlier this season I was Chukar hunting the Canyon and my pup REALLY likes the smell of those sheep but after an early dose of electricity he no longer chases. He will put a half ass tail waging point on them sometimes, I nick him with the collar and just move on. This one time he was down the ridge aways and I first thought he might be working some birds so I started heading down to him. As I got close he locked up and the tail started wagging, I was already almost to him so I thought I would take a peek over the mound he was next to. I walked up, pulled my camera out, and there was a Ewe (I think that's what they're called) balled up sleeping. What was odd was there were no other sheep around and I was probably 30' from him. When he saw me he slowly stood up and started walking off. He looked sick to me but I couldn't see any wounds or other noticable problems. I thought it best to get the pup and I out of there so we headed back up and I didn't see him again. Odd.
Jake
if it was a male they are rams but no matter, on the terminoligy, in response to the story this really sucks as many of you know my dad took a ram out of the umptanum last hunting season, it would suck to lose that herd both for hunting opportunity and i always just enjoyed driving through the canyon and watching sheep as well, hope wdfw handles this, although if jeff bernatowitz is on it that guy knows his sheep and hopefully he can find a solution that will save the herd
Post by: ICEMAN on December 31, 2009, 01:34:48 PM
Post by: 270Shooter on December 31, 2009, 01:44:22 PM
Post by: Buckblaster on December 31, 2009, 01:58:05 PM
good thing you got your sheep when you did. My 14 points may just turn into imaginary points in the future. I takes a long time to create a large enough herd to support hunting. If they die off, might not see sheep permits here again in my lifetime. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Post by: andrew_12gauge on December 31, 2009, 01:58:21 PM
Don't mean to stir the pot guys, but why wouldn't we want nature to take it's course on these herds? Seems that surviving animals would be the ones we want breeding later to avoid falling victim to this disease? It doesnt seem like wildlife is addressing Hoof rot or Blue tongue or ? Why this?
the problem with allowing nature to take its course is that pnemonia in sheep is very contagious it will be passed from one sheep to the next until there are no sheep left in any of the yakima area or quilomene units, effectively wiping out nearly every sheep in the state
Post by: andrew_12gauge on December 31, 2009, 02:00:21 PM
Coach,
good thing you got your sheep when you did. My 14 points may just turn into imaginary points in the future. I takes a long time to create a large enough herd to support hunting. If they die off, might not see sheep permits here again in my lifetime. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
well there will still be lincoln cliffs, manson and mt hull, possibly swakane if the herd there can rally and stop playin in the highway, also rockys down in the blues but it would cut over half of the sheep tags in the state if this were to spread to the surrounding yakima area units
Post by: woodswalker on December 31, 2009, 06:38:01 PM
This indeed really sucks. One option from F & W was to have hunters come in and thin them out as many others on here have suggested. I agree fully and would be the first one to throw my name in the draw. Not to get off track here, but those that were defending the moronic archery guys that shot the elk in Concrete can now kiss this possibility goodbye. Legal is one thing, but ruining future hunts for the rest of us who hunt legally, ethically and morally is another. I cannot imagine F & W would even consider having hunters take care of this problem after the backlash they have received from the elk hunt and the coincidental timing of it all. It would be a PR nightmare!!! My 2 cents
yes, i'm afraid you are right on this one....We need to police our own ranks...NOW or we wont have any ranks left hunting.
Post by: boneaddict on December 31, 2009, 08:26:52 PM
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Post by: WDFW-SUX on December 31, 2009, 08:28:43 PM
Post by: ICEMAN on December 31, 2009, 08:30:14 PM
Post by: coachcw on December 31, 2009, 08:46:27 PM
Post by: THINK_N_ELK on January 01, 2010, 11:12:01 AM
Bone, don't ya get it? This is Obama's Healthcare Plan.
:yeah:
Post by: boneaddict on January 01, 2010, 11:58:13 AM
Post by: bearpaw on January 01, 2010, 12:53:30 PM
I am not too proud to shoot a sheep that's going to die anyway and I am sure there are others who feel the same way. It's unfortunate that $hit happens but the state should make the most of situation by salvaging some revenue from this resource and allowing some of us an opporttunity who want to contribute to the state's wildlife fund for a chance at a sheep. :twocents:
I am certain there would hundreds, if not thousands of hunters who would apply for raffle tags. Revenue could be created by selling raffle tags, auction fees, or a combination. :twocents:
I don't see why any sane person would argue about the WDFW making money off a resource if it must be destroyed anyway. Why throw money away and then have the expense of killing the sheep taking away from other wildlife programs. :dunno:
Post by: blacktailer on January 01, 2010, 05:19:44 PM
Post by: NWBREW on January 01, 2010, 10:50:34 PM
Well said Bearpaw. I agree 100% Funds generated could be set aside for the future rebuilding of the herd
That would be nice but if they did, the funds would probobly go into the states general fund. >:(
Wasn't it 15 or 20 years ago that some mountain goats had to be reduce off of hurricane ridge on the O.P.. Instead of selling raffles or even offering a chance for hunters to reduce the herd they brought in and paid people to have it done? Seems like I remember something like that....really pissed me off. They could have made some money and given the opportunity to hunters.
Post by: pat2bear on January 03, 2010, 11:23:38 AM
What's the source of pneumonia in bighorns?
By SCOTT SANDSBERRY
Yakima Herald-Republic
YAKIMA, Wash. -- For years, die-offs among bighorn sheep have been attributed to pasteurella, a bacterial parasite typically found in the lungs of those pneumonic bighorns.
Now, though, experts are beginning to believe the real culprit may be mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, another bacterium that inhibits the sheep's ability to prevent the otherwise dormant pasteurella bacteria from leading to pneumonia.
That's holding true with the current pneumonia outbreak among Yakima River Canyon bighorns, where each of the infected animals already tested has the mycoplasma.
Bighorns can carry the same toxin as the pasteurella carried by domestic sheep, "and yet a lot of times those (bighorn) herds can live for years without any signs of pneumonia," said Tom Besser, one of the team of Washington State University biologists who first isolated the mycoplasma.
Besser, a professor of veterinary microbiology, said while the mycoplasma itself isn't the likely killer, its introduction predisposes the bighorns to fatal pneumonia.
"Without the mycoplasma," he said, "it seems the sheep can carry these pasteurella bacteria without having epidemics of pneumonia."
Pneumonia outbreaks in Idaho and Montana have killed as many as 70 percent of the bighorns in the infected herd. But even the survivors might carry pathogens that could infect other healthy bighorns.
"In all honesty, I don't know what to do," said Jeff Bernatowicz, a Yakima-based state wildlife biologist who has been monitoring the Yakima River Canyon herd. "We could have them all drop dead, or we might not. We don't know how they're going to react.
"And does this spread to other herds? That's kind of the scary part. That's why folks are talking about doing something drastic, like euthanizing the entire herd that's sick (in order) to contain it."
Post by: luvtohnt on January 03, 2010, 12:12:59 PM
Brandon
Post by: starbailey on January 04, 2010, 02:33:41 PM
To kill just the sheep that travel out of the area to non infected herds would be very difficult to pull off. Think about trying to shoot sheep crossing the hwy in the middle of the night. Plus non infected sheep will try to travel into the infected area so they would have to be shot also. Killing healthy sheep.
If the herds were left to intermingle and nature did the killing that would put us on a 10-15 year reintroduction schedule.(If we could get some from ID,OR,NV,or UT). It seems that is how long it takes for the lamb mortality to come back. Some of the Rocky herds in the Blues still have lamb survival issues stemming from the outbreaks of the 80's-90's! If the game dept is able to effectively kill all the sheep in the Umtanum, then realistically we could be transplanting bighorns back within a year or two. That is if Clemens isn't infected yet as there are some domestic sheep and goats very close to the known bighorn areas. Plus, the Tieton sheep aren't so safe either as there is a group of domestic goats that are being left to free-range(illegally) across the river on hwy 12. How long before those domestics infect either or both bighorn herds? That would effectively end all instate bighorns available for transplant.
I don't know if the game dept can get the "total kill order" passed but I know that is the best solution to this no win situation. IN MY OPPINION!
Bryan
Post by: boneaddict on January 04, 2010, 02:47:24 PM
Post by: andrew_12gauge on January 04, 2010, 10:31:41 PM
I haven't seen a sheep in my last three trips through the canyon looking for them. Badluck, or something is amiss in a very bad way.....either nature has already taken its course, or the dept has started its efforts.
i dont like the sound of that, please keep us posted
Post by: 180-GRAIN on January 05, 2010, 05:47:15 PM
Post by: Elkstuffer on January 06, 2010, 05:34:23 PM
Post by: WDFW-SUX on January 06, 2010, 05:57:14 PM
Post by: coachcw on January 06, 2010, 09:13:33 PM
Post by: robb92 on January 07, 2010, 01:37:26 PM
Very sorry to hear, they might as well sell permits to hunters to do the eradication, that would at least create some revenue.
I agree with that. Don't think it would feel like a real hunt but at least the animal is not suffereing anymore.