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LIVINGSTON, Mont. (AP) — Montana wildlife officials are considering an emergency closure of bighorn sheep hunting near Gardiner after a number of the sheep died of disease.
Montana's Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet via telephone conference Monday to discuss the proposed closure.
Bighorn Sheep Hunting District 305 near Gardiner has been hit by a pneumonia die-off that began late last year. At least 30 percent of the herd, and 40 percent or more of the mature rams, have died.
FWP spokesman Tom Palmer tells the Livingston Enterprise (http://bit.ly/1HgeQpG ) that the bighorn sheep population around Gardiner ranges between 64 and 90 animals, with an average of 80 animals.
This winter, FWP documented a loss of a minimum of 30 sheep found mostly in the Gardiner and Cinnabar areas.
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Information from: Livingston Enterprise, http://www.livingstonenterprise.com
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