UT and CO swap Moose for Sheep

AGCHAWK · Post by **AGCHAWK** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:48 pm

HUNTSVILLE, Utah - It was a rough day to be a moose. Several were stalked by helicopter, captured with a net, blindfolded and then airlifted to trailers for a six-hour drive. The moose woke up in Utah on Friday but were going to sleep in Colorado.

The strategy helps Utah cure a moose overpopulation while raising the number in Colorado. In return, Utah will get big horn sheep.

"I equate this to alien abduction. It's got to be that traumatic," said Dean Riggs, area wildlife manager with the Colorado Wildlife Division.

Wildlife officers hope to catch 25 moose through Saturday in northern Utah and transplant them to western Colorado.

Though Utah's overall moose population of 4,100 is on target, there are about 400 too many about 40 miles northeast of Salt Lake City, said Justin Dolling, a wildlife manager with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

Too many moose can mean a loss of habitat, which leads to weakened animals or ones wandering in populated areas trying to find food.

On Friday, wranglers in a helicopter shot nets over the moose. A person called a "mugger" tied the animals' legs and put a blind over their eyes and cotton in their ears.

"I've never mugged a moose, but I guess they're pretty wimpy once they're on the ground," Dolling said.

The moose were then released from the net and wrapped in a large canvas sack to be airlifted to a staging area where veterinarians examined them and gave them antibiotics.

The moose got radio collars and a quick exam to check for disease before crews of eight to 10 people put them into horse trailers.

As the trailers headed to Grand Mesa National Forest, east of Grand Junction, Colo., Riggs said his agency was baiting sheep to give to Utah.

About 20 sheep are expected to be released in the Rock Canyon and Mount Timpanogos areas in Utah County.

Such interstate swaps are common in the region.

"If it's not moose or sheep, it's fish and fish eggs," Riggs said. "If all goes well, in a couple of months, we'll be shipping sheep back."

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bigbuck92 · Post by **bigbuck92** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 2:02 am

i got a better i dea how bout they give us some of there colorado bucks instead of bighorn sheep.

. just kiddin...maybe.haha

chet · Post by **chet** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:12 pm

having already drawn a my moose tag, and working on drawing a RMBH tag, I approve of this trade!

Im sure alot of others are unhappy tho

Post by **MuleyMadness** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:49 pm

It's a good thing, you 'scratch my back, I'll scratch yours' kind of a policy.

Good job DWR, keep up the good work.

Post by **killerbee** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:21 pm

out of the two of them i would preferr the big horns but i'm not from utah so who cares what i think.

Post by **MuleyMadness** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:23 pm

but i'm not from utah so who cares what i think.

I care what you think.

Post by **Hiker** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 7:05 pm

Thankfully our sheep have been doing really well and we can spare a few. Thanks Utah for giving us some of your Moose. That Grand Mesa area is perfect Moose habitat and hopefully they'll do well there.

AGCHAWK · Post by **AGCHAWK** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:59 pm

Yea, I thought this was a pretty cool way to help out both states. Glad to see that the various state Wildlife agencies are working together to make sure that both states have healthy heards!

sheephunter · Post by **sheephunter** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:58 pm

One of these days I'm going to take a ride up there on Grand Mesa and look for those moose, as I can be up in that area in about 45 minutes. I understand the moose that have been put there already are doing pretty well.

Post by **Hiker** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:11 pm

sheephunter, It would sure be worth the trip. That is some beautiful country, great views and if I lived 45 minutes away, it would be a regular trip for me. The last time I was up there I saw a monster muley, hiding in a patch of quakies. I really do hope the moose establish themselves up there.