gapertimmy Posted June 14, 2003 Share Posted June 14, 2003 Sisters Wilderness may receive mountain goats Published: June 14, 2003 By Keith Ridler The Bulletin A herd of 15 to 20 Rocky Mountain goats could be released in the Three Sisters Wilderness Area as early as the next few years if the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's draft Bighorn Sheep and Rocky Mountain Goat Management Plan is approved. "We've done some looking at summer range and winter range habitat and it's our feeling that they should survive their fine," said Steven George, a Bend-based biologist with the ODFW. A public meeting to comment on the plan, which includes other Rocky Mountain goat release sites in the Cascades as well as plans for bighorn sheep throughout the state, is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday in the main drill room of the Bend Armory, 875 SW Simpson Ave. A copy of the 81-page plan is available for viewing at the ODFW's Web site (www.dfw.state.or.us). A copy can also be obtained by first calling the Bend office of the ODFW (388-6363) and then picking the copy up at 61374 Parrell Road. After gathering public comments in Bend and other areas of the state, the plan with public comments will be sent to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission in early August. The Commission will then vote later that month on whether to approve the plan or make changes to the plan. If the plan is approved with the inclusion of releasing mountain goats in the Three Sisters Wilderness Area, George said the release would likely happen within two to three years. Rocky Mountain goats are believed to have been present in the Cascades at one time. According to the draft management plan, mountain goats were extirpated from Oregon at or before European settlement, with possible causes being overharvest by hunters, climatic changes, and impacts of severe weather on isolated populations. "We have evidence that shows that they used to be there (in the Cascades)," said George. "Native American records and there is also some pretty old stuff from diaries that indicate that goats were in the Cascades. Lewis and Clark ... have reference to goats in the Cascades." Currently, transplant efforts dating back to 1950 have helped establish a population of about 400 mountain goats in northeast Oregon. The draft management plan also has a change in strategy concerning California bighorn sheep. Instead of putting sheep in new areas, the ODFW plans to concentrate its efforts on releasing sheep in already established herds. "Supplementing and increasing genetic diversity in existing herds at this point," said Corey Heath, an ODFW biologist based in Bend. "That's probably the major change with California bighorns." Transplanting of California bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, and Rocky Mountain goats is paid for mostly by fees collected from hunters through license sales, and donations by hunting organizations, including the Oregon Hunters' Association and the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthumbs Posted June 15, 2003 Share Posted June 15, 2003 baaaaaa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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