Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revision - Packgoats

[Taffy]

This is the map I received from the FS plan biologist.  It shows the Bighorn source habitat and the 16 mile buffer around the source habitat that they are proposing.  The buffer area, according to their studies, is the furthest distance Bighorns travel from their source habitat.  If you weren't concerned before - you should be now.  It pretty much precludes packgoats from the majority of forest lands.

   

[Nanno]

Yikes! I hope they'll consider your input from the meeting and work with you guys instead of just banning goats. There are definitely things we can do to prevent contact between our animals and the wildlife!

[Taffy]

Packgoats will be allowed in areas that are not source or buffer lands. That doesn't leave much land.

[IdahoNancy]

Yep, I decided to waste some time and money and get my goats tested for the mycoplasm called MOVI that is now the known causative agent for the Bighorn sheep die offs. Called WADDL and got instructions on what they needed. Went to the dog vet and beg them to do the test (goat vet was busy). Sent it off to WADDL and got told the machine they do the test on is down currently. They recommend anyone planning on doing the test call before sending samples.
I doubt very seriously knowing our packgoats are negative for MOVI will sway the decision of the forest revision plan team. Reality is if my packgoats are negative and I can keep them negative I can rest assured they will never cause a bighorn sheep die off.
A far fetched idea is to eradicate MOVI then bighorn sheep would be fine. Isn't that what we are trying to do with scrapie? Why can't we do the same thing here.
Decision makers need to find a treatment for this mycoplasm, maybe all this could go away in 10 or 15 years.

[nebs]

We have two barriers to protect wild sheep and mountain goats. 1). Keep our animals clean with lab samples to prove it. 2). Use tactics that scare and keep the wild sheep away. I know Without a doubt my goats will never interact with wild sheep butt hey will probably ban them anyway.

[IdahoNancy]

One thing mentioned in the meeting was keeping curious bighorn sheep away from our packgoats. It never occurred to me that a bighorn would approach a packgoat near humans, even at night, but someone there thought this was a possibility. Seems far fetched to me. It would be of no risk if our packgoats were MOVI negative.