Now we learn that the Zion DBHS herd in Utah, the largest herd in the state, has now been infected with M.Ovi, the pneumonia virus they get from domestic sheep and which is deadly to wild sheep.
Damn!
As has been said before, the gloves need to come off with this issue...
It sucks for sure as this will take away like 2-3 Non-Ressy tags...….
Damn the luck, Robb
So has anybody added up the income from domestic sheep leases and compared that income to the income from the hunting of wild sheep? Does Utah get the domestic sheep lease money or does it go to the feds? Hopefully someone smarter than me can figure out a way to convince lawmakers/policymakers about how the domestic sheep are causing financial losses to the state.
Our Legislative Affairs Committee has gone to DC several times over the past few years where we've met with (mostly) western states Senators and Congressmen and women to working with us to create 'separation' so that BLM and USFS domestic sheep grazing allotments which are near wild sheep herds are moved far enough away so that 'contact' between them will be highly unlikely.
As you might expect, the commercial domestic sheep industry objects, despite the overwhelming scientific evidence that when domestic sheep come into contact with wild sheep, wild sheep die.
The domestic sheep growers have, unfortunately, tremendous political influence with some of the 'sheep state' governors (Idaho in particular), and to a lesser degree, with their Senators and Congressmen and women.
Within the past few months, M. Ovi has been discovered in caribou in the Yukon and in Moose in Alaska.
There are no comercial woolgrowers in those places, but there are 'hobby herds,' 4H herds, etc.
The Yukon is particularly concerned, as wildlife and hunting is a YUGE financial resource for them.
Lately, even some of the 'bunny hugger' eco-organizations are joining us in the fight.
