Bighorn sheep hunt on Antelope Island

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kinzysdad
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Bighorn sheep hunt on Antelope Island

Post by kinzysdad » Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:01 am

ANTELOPE ISLAND, Utah (AP) -- Utah State Parks and Recreation officials are considering a proposal to allow the limited hunting of bighorn sheep on Antelope Island.

Jim Karpowitz, director of the Division of Wildlife Resources, says allowing the hunting of four or five older rams a year would help to thin the island's herd, which has reached 160.

Karpowitz said Thursday that overpopulation can make wildlife more susceptible to disease.

Nearly 40 bighorn sheep were introduced to the island that lies in the Great Salt Lake in 1998. The herd grew and 160 sheep were transplanted to other parks.

Karpowitz says issuing hunting permits for four rams would generate about $150,000 a year for the park.

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Information from: Standard-Examiner

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=6257983


IMO, I think this is great for the state. Unless I win the powerball I'll never be able to afford the tag. Great revenue for the DWR non the less.
when the crow dips, you have luck sometimes maybe.

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MuleyMadness
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Re: Bighorn sheep hunt on Antelope Island

Post by MuleyMadness » Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:54 am

I think it's a good idea. Only problem I see with this proposal is now people will want to hunt Mule Deer out there etc. But I'm not for a fan of opening it up to other species. We already had good hunts for deer, antelope, buffalo, etc.

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Re: Bighorn sheep hunt on Antelope Island

Post by proutdoors » Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:23 pm

I doubt it will go through, and I hope it doesn't. Antelope Island is what it is because the animals can flourish there. Utah has 2 sheep herds that came from transplants from the island that are thriving, I think we should either keep adding to these herds or start more herds in new areas instead of shooting animals on an island where it is NOT a hunt.
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Re: Bighorn sheep hunt on Antelope Island

Post by NONYA » Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:42 pm

If they have too many sheep there why did MT just send down 40 more?
http://fwp.mt.gov/news/article_7611.aspx

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hound_hunter
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Re: Bighorn sheep hunt on Antelope Island

Post by hound_hunter » Fri Apr 24, 2009 7:01 pm

From what I can tell those sheep didn't go to the island Nonya. I could be wrong about where it's at, but I'm pretty sure Duchesne is about 2 hours or more from Antelope island. Thanks for the link though, I hadn't heard we got 60 sheep from Montana.

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Re: Bighorn sheep hunt on Antelope Island

Post by killerbee » Fri Apr 24, 2009 7:21 pm

how big is "antelope island"?

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Re: Bighorn sheep hunt on Antelope Island

Post by NONYA » Fri Apr 24, 2009 7:34 pm

I meant if they have too may sheep on their island breeding ground that they need to cull some why did we just send down more,why didnt they transplant their own sheep?

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Re: Bighorn sheep hunt on Antelope Island

Post by proutdoors » Fri Apr 24, 2009 8:42 pm

NONYA wrote:I meant if they have too may sheep on their island breeding ground that they need to cull some why did we just send down more,why didnt they transplant their own sheep?
The sheep on the island are California Bighorns and they enjoy terrain more akin to desert sheep that Rocky's. The sheep placed out by Vernal are Rocky's as that is the type of terrain over there. The difference is like the difference between Roosevelt elk and Rocky Mountain elk, same critter but they like different habitats.
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Re: Bighorn sheep hunt on Antelope Island

Post by proutdoors » Fri Apr 24, 2009 8:44 pm

killerbee wrote:how big is "antelope island"?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antelope_Island
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