Montana bighorn sheep find new home in Utah

Utah once had herds of bighorn sheep roaming the rugged mountains and deserts. Old fossils and early rock painting confirm their presence.

Hunting and disease reduced their numbers, with the Rocky Mountain bighorn near extinction as recently as the 1970s.

Since that time, sportsmen's groups and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources have been working to rebuild populations.

There are now several thousand sheep roaming some of Utah's prime sheep habitat, including California bighorn on Antelope Island, desert bighorn to the south and Rocky Mountain sheep to the north.

Several years ago, Utah approached Montana about getting a few of its Rocky Mountain bighorns. Three years ago, Montana sent some sheep to Utah.

Then, last month, Jim Karpowitz, big game manager for the DWR, heard Montana was planning another thinning.

"I called and told them we were interested in more sheep. They put us on the list and last month called and gave us the OK," he said.

Two days after Christmas, Charlie Greenwood, a biologist with the DWR in the Northeastern Region, drove to Missoula, Mont., to pick up a live cargo of 52 sheep.

With him went four representatives from the Foundation of North American Wild Sheep. Bighorn sheep are not cheap. A helicopter capture runs about $650 per animal.

When it came time to settle up, Ryan Foutz, president of the Utah Chapter of FNAWS, wrote a check for $33,500.

"It was well worth the price. These animals came out of the Rock Creek area, which is noted for (the) genetics (of its bighorn sheep). They should be a great addition to the Utah herds."

Walt Donaldson, region supervisor, called the sheep "some of the biggest, healthiest bighorns I've ever seen."

Upon their arrival, 34 sheep — three rams and 31 ewes and lambs — were released near Little Hole on the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam. The remaining 18 sheep were released on Mount Nebo.

Early studies, explained Karpowitz, identified the Green River corridor between the town of Green River and Flaming Gorge as some of the best bighorn sheep habitat within the state.

"The Flaming Gorge-Green River reintroduction began in 1983 and 1984 when 36 bighorn sheep were released on Bare Top," Greenwood said. "The Sheep Creek release followed in 1989, Carter Creek in 2000 and Red Canyon in 2001. We estimate the total population of our herds is about 200.