Heli-Netters Snare Sheep For Treatment

The pneumonia-like disease that ravaged Asotin County’s bighorn sheep herd in the past two weeks may have run its course.

But the toll has been high.

At least 25 wild sheep died in the field last week before anything could be done. Last weekend, a private company was contracted by the states of Washington, Idaho and Oregon to shoot nets from helicopters and capture and bighorns showing visible symptoms of disease.

The team of New Zealanders netted 58 sick sheep, which were transported to an Idaho Agriculture Department facility for treatment.

As of Wednesday, all of those sheep were still alive.

“That surprises everybody,” said Bill Foreyt, Washington State University veterinarian and bighorn expert. “Nobody could believe it. This is an unprecedented move in wildlife management.”

The next week will be critical for the survival of the sheep. Even if they live, they would have to be quarantined for months before being declared disease-free and released into the wild.

Considering that some sheep probably have died and gone undetected, and knowing that any diseased sheep that show up now probably will have to be euthenized, state officials figure at least half of the 200 bighorns in the Asotin herd will be lost to the disease.

“All in all, we’re lucky,” Foreyt said. “They could have been virtually wiped out.”

Kiwis to the rescue: The New Zealanders who conducted the heli-rodeo to capture the sheep are a crack crew of daredevils who do a dangerous job that state biologists are happy to avoid.

“There’s not an old man among them,” one wildlife officials said.

Roosevelt watch: A diverse group of walleye anglers, businessmen and commissioners from northeastern Washington counties and both political parties have joined to oppose Congressional cuts that would kill the Lake Roosevelt Water Quality Council.

They have sent letters to Rep. George Nethercutt asking for at least $100,000 to maintain an office and an executive director.

Roosevelt, the nation’s sixth-largest reservoir, is important for the tourist economy of rural counties surrounding it. It has attracted 1.5 million visitors so far in 1995.

It also has a reputation as a fine fishing hole - a reputation that could go kaput if pollution is allowed to continue.

The council has been a major player in applying the constant pressure required to get Canadian industries to reduce their toxic waste dumping into the Columbia River.

The waste has been showing up in low levels in fish.

Regional walleye clubs say a minimum of funding to keep the council’s executive director and an office is necessary to keep research projects rolling.

“The Canadians will laugh us out of the water if this folds,” said Bill Miller, Spokane Walleye Club spokesman.

Educated hunters: More than 400 youngsters and adults participated in the seven hunter education classes conducted by certified volunteer instructors from the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council this year.

Continuing education: While exploring a wild portion of Lincoln County a few weeks ago, I came across a hunter who was nearly frantic.

“I think my buddy’s lost,” he said, noting that fog and sleet had begun to collect on the vast landscape, and only about 20 minutes of daylight remained.

“He’s been out there all afternoon and I know he’s wet,” the man said. “I’d have a chance to spot him if he hadn’t taken off his hunter-orange vest. Beyond 100 yards or so, his red-checked coat is just like camouflage in these conditions.”

I helped in the search and, luckily, we found the hunter a little before dark. Indeed, even at 50 yards in those conditions, the wet hunter blended into the twilight and sage.

When I left, the hunters were having a lively discussion about the benefits of wearing hunter orange.

Which reminds me: A few months ago, several hunters called to chastise me for linking the reluctance to wear hunter orange with the right-wing crusade to get the government off our backs.

“This is a hunting issue, not a political issue,” one man said.

But a woman caller had a different perspective.

“Thanks for trying to convince hunters to wear blaze orange,” she said. “Sometimes my husband is so macho, he only worries about what his buddies say. He doesn’t think about his family, and how important it is for him to come home when the hunt is over.”

You can contact Rich Landers by voice mail at 459-5577, extension 5508.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Rich Landers The Spokesman-Review