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Help to keep domestic and bighorn sheep separated to prevent disease transmission

Keep Bighorn Healthy

Help monitor situations in Nevada where bighorn and domestic sheep are in close proximity with the goal of preventing interaction.

Bulletin Board

 

This online bulletin board allows both the Nevada Division of Wildlife (NDOW) and volunteers to report on the latest happenings regarding the 2,800 domestic sheep lambs on alfalfa fields in Kings River Valley and the small bighorn herd on the Montana Mountains. 

Folks who volunteer and share information with NDOW biologists allow us to post the latest news on domestics in the valley and any location of the bighorn getting close to the domestic sheep.  Also, the bulletin board system will allow those new volunteers driving up to learn where they should go first to monitor, helping plan their days spent keeping track of things.

This online system is an efficient way to crowdsource information about where the domestic sheep and bighorns are in real-time.  Sharing updates through the blog allows us to all work together to stay informed and intervene before any exposure occurs.

NDOW's Nevada Wild Podcast Series

Featured Episode

Map - Fields with domestic sheep and current bighorn GPS collar locations.

What volunteers are asked to do to keep domestics and bighorn separated

Issue

Approximately 2,800 domestic sheep lambs are trucked, off-loaded  and graze on alfalfa fields in the Kings River Valley (KRV) from September 2024 through January 2025 directly below the newly reintroduced bighorn sheep on the Montana Mountains (MM). They are managed by 2-3 herders with guard dogs.  While on a field they are confined by a portable 3-strand electric fence.  Once a field is grazed down, then the lambs are herded to another field in the valley.  Bighorn may become curious and wander down to the fields and check out the domestic sheep.

What Volunteers are Asked to Do:

  1. Sign up on “SignUp Genius” online Calendar  for days to help monitor the sheep 
  2. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4CA5AC29A1F4C43-51160440-keep
  3. Review latest posts on the Bighorn Blog – Keep Bighorn Healthy
  4. Once you drive into KRV, find the alfalfa fields the domestic sheep are currently using, see how they are being contained by herder, dogs, and electric fence; check on them periodically each day. 
  5. Check map on blog of the latest bighorn collar locations closest to the valley and attempt to get visuals on the bighorn sheep which may involve glassing the MM west face.
  6. If domestic lambs wander away from a field, contact herder and get them to collect the lamb(s).
  7. If bighorn sheep wander down off the mountain and are observed in KRV, immediately contact NDOW employee from list below and attempt to keep eyes on it until help arrives.

What You Need to Know:

  • The following NGOs and their members are participating in this effort:  NBU-Reno, NBU- Midas, NBU-Fallon, Nevada Muleys, and Elko Bighorns Unlimited
  • Where to stay/camp –
    • Gravel pit west side of Montana Mountains north of Thacker Pass,
    • Thacker Pond off main road coming down to the valley from the east,  
    • Park your travel trailer on Terry Crawforth’s property in KRV or at Orovada RV park behind the gas station,
    • Motels in Winnemucca (Rocky Inn in Orovada is not open).
  • Translocated bighorn sheep (14 adults in March 2024) all have GPS collars that communicate to satellites and provide locations every day. Uncollared lambs were born in May.
  • Keep in mind Hispanic/Peruvian herders primarily speak Spanish and very little English.
  • Cell coverage in KRV is poor; try on top of Thacker Pass.
  • People are asked to sign up as a NDOW volunteer (if you are not one already) and to track volunteer hours.  For questions on volunteer sign ups and documenting hours please contact Julie Bless (see below).  You have a week after returning home to submit your hours.
  • Volunteers can request compensation for gas to travel up to KRV and back home through your local NGO who you learned from to volunteer for this project.
  • If you have questions, you can contact NDOW staff listed below.   Another good source of information is local KRV resident and ex-NDOW Director, Terry Crawforth. He is the first house in the valley driving down the Thacker Pass Road on your left (south side of road).

Key NDOW Personnel Contact Information

Dalton Kinamon – NDOW Seasonal – 775-420-9794

Ed Partee – NDOW Humboldt County Field Biologist – 775-848-8619

Brittany Partee – NDOW Winnemucca Game Warden – 725-249-4004

Mike Cox – NDOW Bighorn Staff Biologist – 775-240-1335

Cooper Munson – Western Region Game Supervisor - 775-722-5715

NDOW Statewide Law Enforcement Dispatch Office – 775-688-1331

Julie Bless – NDOW Volunteer Coordinator Office #  – 775-688-1406