http://www.outdoorchannel.com/article.aspx?id=63063


Link has photo of the ram.



Pending 216-Plus-Inch B&C Record Bighorn Sheep Announced


A nine-year-old, 216-plus-inch ram, recently found on Wild Horse Island in Montana, is currently pending a new world record



By: OSG Digital Staff

MISSOULA, Mont. – A bighorn sheep, that died of natural causes, is the pending new World's Record. The Boone and Crockett Club recently confirmed the official entry score of 216 3/8 points B&C.

The nine-year-old ram lived his entire life on Wild Horse Island, a state park located in Northwest Montana's Flathead Lake. The ram was officially scored at the Club's national headquarters in Missoula, Montana.

The current No. 1 ram was hit by a vehicle on an Alberta highway in the Canadian Rockies in 2010 and has a final score of 209 4/8. This ram edged out the then World's Record, a hunter-taken ram from near Luscar Mountain, Alberta, in 2000 that scores 208 3/8.

"Any animal making our minimum score is a testament to great habitat but potentially the largest sheep ever is something special," said Justin Spring, the Club's director of Big Game Records. "It's significant to sportsmen, wildlife managers, conservationists and anyone who appreciates what nature is capable of. The fact that this iconic species that was once on the brink of extinction exists at all is remarkable. Combine this with the fact that today's wild sheep face ever present human encroachment, disease issues, and very specific habitat requirements, yet are thriving in much of today's West on our public lands; that is conservation in action. Considering we have had the three largest rams in recorded history hold the number-one spot since 2000, I would say the North American model is working."

The 2,160-acre Wild Horse Island was in private ownership until it became a state park in 1979. This was made possible through a collaboration using the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a conservation easement through the Nature Conservancy, the landowner, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Three bighorn sheep were initially transplanted to the island in the late 1940s from a native population of sheep from the Sun River herd found along Montana's Rocky Mountain Front.

The pending world-record ram was found dead of natural causes by FWP officials in the fall of 2016 and kept in storage with two other rams found that year, which have since also been officially scored, entered and accepted by B&C at 205 2/8 and 209 0/8.

"This ram along with three other 200-inch sheep prove that Wild Horse Island State Park has found what is needed when analyzing sheep habitat requirements," added Spring. "Habitat is king for our wild sheep and other wildlife. When it comes to big game, Boone and Crockett score is a measurement of quality habitat, especially in sheep."

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist have determined that the appropriate carrying capacity for the sheep habitat on Wild Horse Island is between 100 and 120 animals. Over the years, Wild Horse bighorns have consequently been a nursery herd for re-establishing sheep populations to many of their historic ranges across the West. In total over 400 rams, ewes, and lambs have been translocated to other tribal lands and states like Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and the Dakotas.

"Wild Horse Island is a unique state park that provides world-class wildlife viewing for the public. We're devoted to preserving this special place, and we look forward to working with conservation partners to perpetuate critical habitat work that maintains this incredible bighorn sheep herd," said David Landstrom, State Parks manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 1.

Managing the island's bighorn sheep population and their habitat has not been without its challenges. Being a state park, no hunting is allowed, therefore the funding that sportsmen pay in licenses, permits and federal excise taxes are unavailable. The island also has a limited number of homes along its shoreline, so fire suppression is a top priority.

"What makes this such an incredible habitat for wild sheep is the Palouse prairie native bunch grass," said Landstrom. "As we all know, trees and brush grow outcompeting these native grasses the sheep depend on. Without natural fires, we have to resort to mechanized habitat stimulation and removal of brush and trees. This costs money and we have to rely on creative funding sources and donations to get the job done. It's a challenge our people freely accept, especially when we can see results like this special animal, and share this special place with people."

Wild Horse Island is a famous hiking and wildlife photography destination open to the public.

"The Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF), now based in Bozeman, Montana is thrilled that our headquarters state is home to the potential World Record bighorn sheep," stated Gray N. Thornton, WSF's president and CEO. "Montana is producing many of the largest bighorns anywhere. Another ram rumored to score 208 3/8 was taken by a young resident on a draw tag this past fall potentially equaling the current hunter record and several additional accepted and potential 200-inch rams being added to the records yearly. It is a testament to the quality of Montana's habitat and the hard work of the professionals at Fish Wildlife and Parks and the many, many volunteers from numerous wild sheep and other advocacy organizations who spend limitless energy raising funds for Montana bighorn restoration and countless hours towards on the ground work. We all have immense pride in this Montana born and raised ram."

The ram's next step is to be certified as a new World's Record. This will be done by a special panel of senior B&C official measures who will verify all the ram's entry score measurements. The panel is scheduled to convene in late February at the Wild Sheep Foundation's World Headquarters.

Wow, looks like he grazed on a nuclear waste site!

Let's see-- No. 1 dies of old age and No.2 is hit by a car. Whoop de damn do. Should these count?

Here is a link with a pic.


http://fwp.mt.gov/default.html

quote:

Originally posted by sharpsguy:
Let's see-- No. 1 dies of old age and No.2 is hit by a car. Whoop de damn do. Should these count?

Absolutely as it ain’t the hunter but the animal
I personally don’t think anything wrong with that.
It is a testament and monument to the animal, not us hunters

quote:

Originally posted by boarkiller:

quote:

Originally posted by sharpsguy:
Let's see-- No. 1 dies of old age and No.2 is hit by a car. Whoop de damn do. Should these count?

Absolutely as it ain’t the hunter but the animal
I personally don’t think anything wrong with that.
It is a testament and monument to the animal, not us hunters

They probably could sell hunting tags for sheep there for $500,000 but that is not right in.their eyes just let them die and rot.These fish and game people are totally against hunting these days .They want wildlife viewing not hunting even though we foot all their Bill !

quote:

Originally posted by dgr416:
They probably could sell hunting tags for sheep there for $500,000 but that is not right in.their eyes just let them die and rot.These fish and game people are totally against hunting these days .They want wildlife viewing not hunting even though we foot all their Bill !

It would be like shooting sheep in a barrel, not a huge island at all. Besides, it's a state park and it's on the Flathead reservation.

quote:

It would be like shooting sheep in a barrel, not a huge island at all. Besides, it's a state park and it's on the Flathead reservation.

Well its not that tiny, it is 2,160 acres that's about 3.4 square miles.

It would be damn easy to have a nice close look at every ram on the island in one easy days hunt. Not exactly a fair chase hunt, or one id like to seen sold to the highest bidder. Buy the governors tag and go hunt the Breaks if you must.

Besides that, can’t hunt even your own land on res
Go figure...

A group of us had the opportunity to view the 205 and 209 sheep a while back. The 216 sheep had not been cleaned up for display yet. We were asked to not post it till FWP made it's official announcement. It is amazing that sheep like that just flourish on Wild Horse Island. And while their population is not huntable they are the incubator used to stock HEALTHY Big Horns all around the state. Fwp takes 50 to 60 per year off of that Island.

I'm not a sheep expert but I've never seen a bighorn or a picture of one with horns flaring out like that one. He's hardly broomed and the mass is incredible. I'm sure all that contributed to the phenomenal score.

If you read the article it says hundreds of sheep from the island have been used to enhance other herds in several states. That means that great rams genes are now in several herds. To me this is far more import than selling one super expensive tag to a hunter.

Mark

Genetics have to be combined with great food/all year good pasture and minerals combination area

quote:

Originally posted by dgr416:
They probably could sell hunting tags for sheep there for $500,000 but that is not right in.their eyes just let them die and rot.These fish and game people are totally against hunting these days .They want wildlife viewing not hunting even though we foot all their Bill !

Actually the FWP team here in northwest Montana is very responsive and very pro hunting. I was nominated and then my nomination was approved by the FWP commissioner to serve on the citizen advisory committee for the past three years (including the big horn sheep sub-committee). FWP has worked to apply essentially EVERY single recommendation that our board made.
P.S. Besides the island being a state park and on the Indian reservation, there are also about 56 private one acre parcels. Its a neat place to visit but not at all feasible to ethically or even safely hunt there.

When I saw this about a month ago, it was the first I heard about the island.

Neat idea.

That island is the source of many Bighorns that are used to stock other areas off the island. If I recall correctly, the tribe and FWP cooperate in the capture and transport.

One for you gentlemen
Few times I swam ( after landing boat on hot summer day ) around the island and got within some of these big rams on the shore
Pretty cool and they don’t rarely look at you as you are in water

http://www.abcfoxmontana.com/s...record-bighorn-sheep

Bozeman celebrates world-record bighorn sheep


By Kate Whittle
Posted: Feb 28, 2018 12:20 PM CST
Updated: Feb 28, 2018 1:09 PM CST


Gov. Bullock will certify a world-record bighorn sheep at the Wild Sheep Foundation in Bozeman on Wednesday.

The bighorn ram made national headlines earlier this month. According to Outdoor Life magazine, A Wild Horse State Park visitor first noticed the ram in 2016 and reported it to park managers. The ram died of natural causes at about 9 years of age. The deadhead was collected and put into storage last winter.

This winter, park staff had the skull cleaned and examined. It weighs a massive 48 pounds and was confirmed at a score of 216 3/8 points by the Boone & Crockett Club. The previous No. 1 record holder has a final score of 209 4/8.

A herd of about 110 bighorn rams live on Wild Sheep Island, according to MTPR.

The Wild Sheep Foundation, Boone & Crockett Club, Montana State Parks and local conservation advocates will be present for the Feb. 28 ceremony with Gov. Bullock. The Wild Sheep Foundation "enhances wild sheep populations, promotes scientific wildlife management, educates the public and youth on sustainable use and the conservation benefits of hunting while promoting the interests of the hunter."