Page 56 - Flathead Beacon // 3.5.14

56 | MARCH 5, 2014 FLATHEADBEACON.COM

OUTDOORS

FLIGHT

RAMS
of the

Crews capture and relocate bighorn sheep to

help conserve Wild Horse Island while aiding

dwindling populations elsewhere

A helicopter crew transports
captured bighorn sheep from
Wild Horse Island to Big Arm
State Park during a relocation
process last week.

GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON

T
By DILLON TABISH of the Beacon
bighorn populations are historically suf- and the sheep.
fering from disease outbreaks and dis- The island’s namesake is rooted in
VISIT FLATHEADBEACON.COM FOR
he appearance of blindfold-
appearing habitat. Wild Horse Island is the early era before white settlers ar- MORE ON THIS STORY

ed bighorn sheep dangling considered a vital breeding ground that rived in the valley, when Montana Indi-
from the belly of a helicop- can supplement other herds across the cies’ condition, including checking for an tribes swam ponies to the safe haven
ter and being ferried across West, wildlife oicials say.
pneumonia complex diseases that are to avoid being stolen by other tribes.
Flathead Lake has become Beginning in the cold, early hours of plaguing other sheep populations across As for the sheep, the story goes that
a peculiar yet common oc- Feb. 26, a private helicopter crew that the country. Then after a few minutes, Louis Penwell planted the irst bighorns
currence in the late winter.
specializes in wildlife captures began they were individually carried into a on the island in the 1930s, and the herd
Last week the curious ritual took wrangling three to ive animals at a time horse trailer and untied, set to be trans- ballooned immediately thanks to ide-
place for the irst time in two years. State on the island and airlifting them a few ported to another range.
al conditions as a protected sanctuary

and tribal agencies captured 61 sheep, minutes away to Big Arm State Park. This latest group stayed in-state, go- with plenty of food sources. At one point
including several mature rams weigh- The chopper delicately placed the ny- ing to the Kootenai Wildlife Manage- it was reported to be the largest un-
ing nearly 200 pounds and bearing im- lon bags that held each sheep onto the ment Area near Libby, which received fenced herd in the U.S.
mense, curling horns, from Wild Horse ground, handing over the calm cargo to 26 rams and six ewes, and Berray Moun- R. Bourke MacDonald, a former
Island of the western shore.
biologists with Montana Fish, Wildlife tain in the Bull River drainage north of Butte lumberman, bought the island
The relocations, occurring every and Parks and the Confederated Sal- Noxon, which got 11 rams, 15 ewes and from timber heirs in 1961 for $240,000.
year or two, are part of a twofold conser- ish and Kootenai Tribes. The animals one male lamb.
He quickly began rallying support to

vation strategy. The 2,160-acre island is were not sedated during the transfer “It’s a pretty unique project and op- preserve its wild identity and roaming
a natural refuge that nurtures a healthy and remained calm, for the most part, eration,” said Bruce Sterling, FWP area herds, particularly from the University
population of sheep. The latest survey throughout the process.
biologist in Thompson Falls who leads of Montana. He developed a program
conducted last month found as many as One ram escaped while crews were the capture-relocation operation.
that would allow public access amid
155, well above the island’s carrying ca- putting it in the trailer and another was The island, described as an idyllic private development, including several
pacity of roughly 100, according to Mon- injured during capture and was eutha- wildlife paradise for its lack of preda- properties that existed.
tana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
nized. The CSKT will harvest the meat tors, lourishing grasslands and isolated Seeing the skyrocketing value of
Yet the island’s abundant supply of for local food banks.
forest of old growth Ponderosa pine, has lakefront real estate as a threat to Wild

massive rams stands in stark contrast The biologists performed health fostered a diverse population of wildlife, Horse Island, MacDonald’s family bro-
to other parts of the Western U.S., where
tests and took samples to check the spe-
including six horses, bands of mule deer
kered a deal with the state of Montana to