Take Action Bighorn Project

The State of Idaho is in the process of drafting a management plan for bighorn sheep that would limit bighorn to their current habitat areas that are significantly smaller than their historical habitat. At the same time, the plan would allow for continued domestic sheep grazing in bighorn habitat, which has been shown to pass mortal disease to bighorn. For more details on this entire bighorn/domestic sheep topic, see our Bighorn page.

We describe this plan as a "Bighorn Killing Plan" because it would effectively keep the bighorn sheep in designated areas with lethal means, and at the same time would continue to introduce mortal disease into their herds.

If you live in Idaho, please contact Idaho Governor Butch Otter and express your displeasure with Idaho's
INTERIM STRATEGY FOR MANAGING SEPARATION BETWEEN BIGHORN SHEEP AND DOMESTIC SHEEP IN IDAHO. (pdf)

If you live in Oregon or Washington, please write Governor Kulongoski or Gregoire and ask them to pressure Idaho to stop this nonsense. Anything Idaho does to their bighorn will have a profound impact on Oregon and Washington bighorn, because the herds intermingle and cross state borders frequently. Disease introduced into Idaho bighorn herds will also be introduced into Oregon and Washington herds.

Butch Otter
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720
Phone: (208) 334-2100
E-mail: governor@gov.idaho.gov
Website: http://gov.idaho.gov/

Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski
160 State Capitol, 900 Court St.
Salem, Oregon 97301-4047
Phone: (503)378-4582
Website: http://www.governor.oregon.gov
E-mail: Contact Via Web Form.

Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire
PO Box 40002
Olympia, Washington 98504-0002
Phone: (360) 902-4111
Fax: (360) 753-4110
E-mail: Contact Via Web Form.
Website: http://www.governor.wa.gov