Recently the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Neil Thagard visited with numerous policy-makers in Washington, D.C. regarding the conflicts between domestic sheep grazing on Federal Lands within suitable historic wild sheep habitats.

Thagard provided briefings on the issue to other conservation partners as well, such as the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and Safari Club International asking them for their assistance in combating the issues between the two species. Scientific evidence irrefutably proves that domestic sheep impose serious health threats to the well-being of wild sheep. However, professional opinions made up of poor information have led to bad policy being created. A few professionals that have provided their opinions have never had their information posted for peer review; much less having this information published. In other words, proven science has not been utilized to provide prudent policy that will ensure the health of wild sheep populations.

Appointments where made by Thagard with wildlife and range management divisions of both Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the United States Forest Service (USFS), Chief Abigail Kimbell – USFS, and several senate offices.

The discussions revolved around the history of wild sheep in North America and the cause of declines. The recent decisions that have been made regarding domestic sheep grazing that hinders wild sheep management was discussed at great length, while referencing a number of Forest and BLM land management plans that are currently under severe scrutiny due to the incompatibility between wild sheep and their domestic cousins not being addressed in the management plans.

In recent years, the Sierra Nevada bighorn sub-species has received an Federal listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and is now managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services, yet domestic sheep grazing is still going on around, and near the habitat of the bighorns creating a severe threat of a disease outbreak. As of mid-April, an environmental group filed a 60-day intent to sue directed at the USFS and BLM. The same is happening in Montana where the USFS neglected to provide for the viability of bighorn sheep in its recent land management plan.

This issue came to a head in the State of Idaho specifically regarding the 2003 appeal of the Payette National Forest (USFS) plan where federal land domestic sheep allotments were allowed to sustain their status for continued grazing of domestic sheep. This plan continues to have an adverse impact; not only on Idaho’s bighorn sheep populations, but Oregon and Washington populations that reside in the Hells Canyon corridor are being severely impacted as well. Some in the domestic sheep industry continue to contend that there has been no contact between the domestics and wild sheep – that the wild sheep are dying from their own diseases. This is not true. We have plenty of telemetry data that proves bighorns have been sharing their range with domestic sheep; and published science that links deadly bacteria to domestic sheep.

However, it was the domestic sheep industry that was able to get the podium in front of the Idaho Legislature and provided non-scientific based information that created the infamous bill known as SB1232 that basically gives the domestic sheep producers a “get out of jail free card” if there is a die-off of bighorns linked back to the domestic sheep. Idaho’s bighorn sheep trend-data shows a decline of more than 50% statewide in the past 20 years due primarily to disease. Even worse, a core-native herd in the Salmon River Area has declined 70% during that time and may become a candidate for special listing under ESA rules – therefore, removing the management of bighorn sheep from the State of Idaho and turning it over to the Federal Government. This would most likely result in domestic sheep producers being removed from the range to allow for bighorn recovery; putting domestic sheep producers out of business.

Thagard asked policy-makers with the USFS and BLM to work together to find alternative grazing allotments outside of suitable historic bighorn habitat in an effort to allow the producers to continue there operations while allowing for recovery of bighorn sheep.

Thagard also provided the USFS and BLM with economic information of domestic sheep and wildlife in western states where the two species exist as well as a map regarding a survey recently completed by all of the western game agencies which presented their concerns for wild sheep management – the threats posed by domestic sheep and goats is a top priority needing addressed by 14 of the western states, provinces, and territories.

The economics was somewhat challenged in the discussion; for example – in Idaho, the domestic sheep industry generates about $17 million annually in gross receipts to the States economy (USDA 2008 Ag. Statistics) while wildlife related activities produced more than $800 million (USFWS 2006 Wildlife Related Activities). The contention came as the wildlife related numbers were not specific to wild sheep – however, Thagard was able to provide more localized examples such as Hells Canyon (on the border of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington), stating that the 2007 numbers showed that more than 30,000 people toured the Canyon and spent more than $140 per day, per person in the local economy (Washington Department of Tourism). Also, local citizens who operate commercial tours in the Canyon provide the USFS more than $90,000 per year for use fees, while the domestic sheep producers provide about $17,000 for their Federal Land use fees which equates to about $1.35 per month for every 10 domestic sheep; however, it cost U.S. taxpayers nearly $5.00 per month to administer each 10 domestic sheep. The people who toured Hells Canyon were there to see 3 things according to Thagard,
1) The Canyon itself.
2) Native American history.
3) Wildlife – which is predominately bighorn sheep.




Discussions also took place around the use of the best available science to determine domestic sheep grazing management while ensuring the viability of bighorn sheep. Thagard provided some bighorn sheep population trend data as an example of how many populations are declining due to disease. A statement to Thagard was made, “We have heard that a number of bighorn die-offs have occurred where there is no contact between domestic and wild sheep.” Thagard countered by saying, “No, there was no known contact, a big difference. In populations where there is absolutely no domestic sheep grazing, such as places within Alberta, Canada, we have not experienced these massive, all-aged die-offs.”

Thagard also stated to the USFS and BLM, “The science utilized in decisions around domestic and wild sheep need to be peer reviewed and published science; not just someone’s opinion such as that given in Idaho by Dr. Marie Bulgin who has never published anything on this issue – yet the state of Idaho has made bad policy around her bad information. Her so-called science is being utilized throughout the west when there is irrefutable published science that links the trail of death of bighorns to domestic sheep.”

Additional discussions took place with a number of Senate offices regarding the need to find federal funding in three areas of this complex issue:
1)    Domestic sheep grazing allotment alternatives or retirements where producers are impacted by bighorn sheep recovery efforts.
2)    Continued disease research.
3)    Continued bighorn sheep monitoring.

In conclusion, Thagard encouraged the USFS and BLM to utilize the best available published science for decision making while searching for alternative grazing allotments outside of suitable historic bighorn habitat for the domestic sheep producers that may be affected by the needed change. “If we do not take a ‘no contact’ approach, our legacy may be that we ended the existence of a great icon known as the bighorn sheep; I don’t think any of us want that label,” Thagard said.

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