The U.S. Sheep Experiment Station, headquartered in Dubois, is under scrutiny. Just about everybody, from state government wildlife agencies to BLM to environmental groups, wants the station closed.
The main issues are concerns for grizzly, wolf, and bighorn sheep habitat. For some scientific reason, the sheep station, right in the middle of prime grizzly territory, is allegedly to blame as an impediment to grizzlies moving further west.
Wait, do we want grizzlies moving further west?
Personally, I don't. But leaving my opinion aside, how do sheep prevent grizzlies from expanding their range? I'm befuddled at that thought. The Experiment Station runs 3,000 sheep on 47,000 total acres of land - land that is, admittedly, grizzly land.
But really? Are the grizzlies scared of sheep? Do they feel the need to circle a wide swath around the little wooly creatures, and run back to last year's cave for safety? Or maybe the grizzlies don't move west because they have plenty of free lamb chops where they're at, and hear that the eatin' ain't so good out west. Yes, that must be it.
The Station has only put down one problem grizzly in recent years. And yet, bears do eat sheep from time to time. Both grizzlies and black bears. So far I'm on the side of the sheep Station. If they don't mind the threat of bears, then neither do I. It's not as if the sheep are eating up all the bears' forage and habitat. No, the sheep are free meals at worst (and how bad can that be?).
Environmentalists, if you want to do the best thing for the bears, let them stay put and feast on fresh lamb. If you don't think that's best for them, just ask them. Grizzlies have recovered nicely, thank you, and the closer we keep them to tourists in Yellowstone, the better.
I hunt the Centennial Mountains for elk and deer. And personally, I think it would be nice to not have to carry bear spray with me while doing so. Further, I wish my kids could dance under the moon, deep in the Centennial Mountain forests, all by their lonesomes, without any fear of safety. It seems I should be able to talk some of the real environmentalists into that side of the argument.
But of course there is the accompanying concern for the wolves. Please. Wolves and sheep are getting along just fine. I can think of many applicable fairy tales to insert here, but I'll just state that the argument that wolves are being held up in any way by a herd of 3,000 sheep is high lore.
Bighorn sheep? Sheep and Bighorns don't get along well. Well, actually they do. They get along a little too well, but the problem is that the contact between the two appear to be fatal for the bighorns. Simple solution: don't plant bighorns where sheep have historically grazed. If wildlife agencies would stop moving animals, half the problem would be solved. I know my argument is simplistic, and not universal. To be fair - the bighorn sheep concern is the most legit.
But lest you think this diatribe is the equivalent of a protest sign saying, "Save the Station," let me assure you that it is not. The station has been around since 1926, with the purpose of doing research on grazing. I'm sure that it provides some valuable data to other agencies, such as the BLM, when they are drafting grazing allotments of their own. But I doubt that the industry or other government agencies couldn't live without their research. It would seem that 80 years of research should be sufficient for now.
I'm sure there is a private sheepherder out there who would jump on the opportunity to graze where the Station is now.
For a less biased article, go here.
~ J. Bunch
