A recently captured bighorn ewe receives a health assessment from ODFW and NDOW biologists.
Idaho's Jacks Creek California bighorn sheep herd got a much-needed boost thanks to a major translocation effort completed in January 2026 through a broad partnership of state agencies, conservation organizations, tribes, and private supporters.
Over the course of four days, wildlife professionals and volunteers captured 30 California bighorn sheep from a healthy source population along Oregon's lower John Day River and transported them more than 400 miles to the Jacks Creek area in Owyhee County, Idaho. The effort was led by Idaho Fish & Game in coordination with the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, Idaho Wild Sheep Foundation, Oregon Wild Sheep Foundation, Bureau of Land Management, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla, and the Wild Sheep Foundation.
An aerial view of Little Jacks Creek.
While wildlife translocations are never simple, this operation presented an especially large logistical challenge. Crews conducted two days of helicopter captures in rugged winter conditions before beginning the long journey to south-west Idaho. Once in Idaho, the sheep were released over two additional days into historic habitat occupied by an isolated herd that has experienced declining performance in recent years.
Biologists believe low genetic diversity has played a role in reduced reproductive success and overall herd productivity in the Jacks Creek population. By augmenting the herd with sheep from a robust Oregon population, managers hope to improve genetic diversity, strengthen resilience to environmental pressures and disease, and help restore long-term herd stability.
Bighorn sheep are susceptible to overheating during captures. Water baths, blindfolds, and quick transport all help reduce risk and stress on the animals.
One of the most significant aspects of the operation was the use of new disease-testing technology in the field. During transport, biologists utilized the Biomeme PCR Field Test for Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovi), the bacteria associated with pneumonia events in wild sheep populations across the West. Traditionally, disease testing can require samples to be sent to a laboratory, with results taking days to return. The Biomeme system allowed crews to complete testing while the sheep were already in transit, ensuring the animals were disease-free prior to release without delaying the operation.
Agency biologists and members of the Oregon and Idaho Wild Sheep Foundations wait in anticipation as sheep will soon be released into Jacks Creek.
The translocation is part of the larger ION Partnership project, a multi-year conservation initiative spanning Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada. The partnership focuses on coordinated management actions designed to restore and sustain California bighorn sheep populations across priority landscapes in the region. Those efforts include population augmentation, disease surveillance, habitat improvement, and long-term monitoring.
The Wild Sheep Foundation and its funding partners have played a major role in supporting the initiative. Over the past five years, WSF, alongside Idaho WSF, Bass Pro Shops/Cabela's Outdoor Fund, CampFire Club of America Conservation Fund, Eastern Chapter WSF, and the McElevey Family Foundation, has invested nearly $730,000 into the ION Partnership project.
A pair of young rams parade into their new home in Southwest Idaho.
For partners involved in the Jacks Creek effort, the project represents more than a single translocation. It is part of a long-term strategy to rebuild resilient wild sheep populations through collaboration, applied science, and sustained investment in conservation.
If the augmentation performs as expected, wildlife managers hope the Jacks Creek herd can once again become a productive and stable California bighorn sheep population.
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Photos Courtesy of Silverline Films
Tags: CA Bighorn Sheep