Hunter takes New World Record Bighorn

52 Rocky Mountain Bighorns were turned loose in Utah recently, thanks to the state of Montana having an abundance of sheep, and their willingness to share them with Utah!!! I am sure the FNAWS funding and FNAWS member efforts is part of the reason there was a surplus of sheep.

But what does it really take for some hunter in 2015 to take a great animal? The anatomy of a Transplant so hunters may hunt sheep:

Utah FNAWS and SFW members have spent a tremendous amount of time and money building the political capitol to overcome the old resistance and rules of buying domestic sheep AUMs and converting the public land use to wild sheep.

Some 12 years ago, after much negotiation, and several ten hour drives, and plane flights to St. George by Pete Cimmellaro, then President of National FNAWS and Ray Lee, then Arizona Game and Fish Manager, and Don Peay and Lee Howard of Utah FNAWS an agreement was made to buy out a domestic sheep allotment for $60,000 on the Beaver Damn Wash. Shortly thereafter Arizona Game and Fish provided some 25 Desert Bighorns to the State of Utah (once again a surplus in part due to FNAWS funding).

In 2002, The Utah Wildlife Commission – Chaired by Lifetime FNAWS member Dr. Max Morgan, and vice Chairman Collin Allan – Both avid FNAWS supporters and Grand Slam sheep hunters, allocated the first Beaver Damn permit to Utah FNAWS for auction, and the permit sold for $57,000 by Howard and Peggy Barnett. Peggy took a tremendous 174 inch ram, the new Utah State Record!!

The day after Greg Bird called to report Peggy’s success, a domestic sheep rancher called and said “For $50,000 I will sell you my Mt. Nebo domestic sheep grazing permit.” Utah FNAWS just happened to have $50,000 (Howard and Peggys) in the bank, and the deal was signed two days later.

It then took a year to go through the management plans with the Forest Service and Utah Wildlife Commission to get a bighorn re-introduction approval for Mt. Nebo. 

SFW – a FNAWS partner and political powerhouse then fought and won the predator control war – and over 45 lions were removed from the winter range and summer range of Mt. Nebo. 

Last fall, Howard Barnett died suddenly from a heart attack, two days prior to coming to Utah to hunt elk. The Barnetts were aware where their money went, and this project was in the works. When I phoned Peggy to tell her 18 Rocky Mountain Bighorns were running loose on Mt. Timpanogas she cried tears of joy, knowing that Howard had left this earth, making it a better place for many people.

On the other side of the state, after two years of negotiating, another domestic sheep allotment had been purchased by Utah FNAWS for $125,000, the money coming from many generous donors. This cleared the way to bring Bighorns back into the eastern side of Utah’s High Uinta’s wilderness area and the awesome side canyons of the Green River below Flaming Gorge Damn. Two years ago, a major fire burned the old Pinion Juniper along the river corridor, making for some excellent Sheep habitat – just waiting for Bighorns to be returned. With Federal funds tight, thanks to some excellent work by Walt Donaldson and Charlie Greenwood of Utah DWR, FNAWS put some $30,000 in seed on the ground to restore the old burn. Lion control was also implemented, and many serioius FNAWS members ( Shawn and Ken Labrum, and Boyd Palleson) spent time removing lions from this rugged and isolated spot.

As only Lee Howard, past president of Utah FNAWS, can do, what was thought maybe 30 sheep turned into 52 sheep captured. Thanks also to James Innes of Helicopter wildlife management inc as well.

Jim Karpowtiz a seasoned wildlife professional was working all the issues with blood testing and state veterinarian clearances, supported strongly by his State Director Miles Morretti.

After working hard all day at the capture site in Montana – another $35,000 check by FNAWS to cover Helicopter capture costs, Ross and Todd Messerly, two avid FNAWS supporters and Grand Slam sheep hunters, drove all night long across icy roads and delivered 34 Bighorns to the release sight along the Green River.

So in total, some $240,000 of FNAWS members money, and five years of working, negotiating, preparing the soil with seed, controlling predators, fighting political fights over land use change and predator control, the state of Utah was able to start two new Rocky Mountain Bighorn herds. Money for these projects have come from National FNAWS, and the Chapters of Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin and Utah FNAWS, and SFW.

In almost every instance in Utah, and in many western states, when a hunter draws that once in a lifetime tag to pursue the mighty bighorn, I hope that they realize and appreciate that the opportunity was created many, many years before, by a relative small group of people, a handful of dedicated wildlife professionals and lots of private money.

If some of the bueracrats wonder why FNAWS is so adamant that transplants are given every opportunity to succeed, just think of all the effort, time and money, and risking of peoples lives it took to put sheep on the mountain. Now lets make sure they stay on the mountain for many, many generations to come. Interestingly enough, a Bighorn transplant on Nebo in 1980 failed – two probable reasons, domestic sheep and lions. With FNAWS, the track record says this time, it will be a success.

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