Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has reduced the bighorn sheep license quota in hunting district (HD) 622 for the upcoming license year. Both the either-sex and ewe license have been reduced to one for the 2025 season. This proactive decision is based on population decline, which may be linked to a disease outbreak.
The changes to sheep licenses for HD 622 are reflected in the 2025 hunting regulations. FWP staff can make quota adjustments to licenses and permits if they are within the quota range approved by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission. FWP biologists are working this spring to assess populations numbers of several species and may make more in-range quota adjustments as necessary.
Hunters first reported unhealthy sheep in HD 622 in September of 2024, and the five 2024 ram license holders reported seeing 80 percent fewer sheep than sheep hunters have reported in the past. In addition, other observations by area landowners and FWP staff have also noted fewer sheep.
Bighorn sheep in the Missouri Breaks HD 622 have had a history of being healthy and in good condition and are considered a coveted license in Montana. In 2017-2018, 40 live bighorn sheep were sampled to look for the presence of important sheep pathogens. Test results indicated the herd was relatively healthy, and notably lacked presence of Mycoplasma Ovipneumoniae and Mannheimia Haemolytica, which are often associated with respiratory disease in sheep.
From 2018-2023, sheep numbers declined to levels below objective, and FWP responded by reducing both ram and ewe licenses. Samples provided by hunters from harvested sheep during that period did not indicate presence of any additional respiratory pathogens.
During the 2024 hunting season, FWP collected samples from several hunter-harvested sheep, and lungs of two of those sheep showed signs of respiratory disease and heavy loads of lungworm. However, FWP veterinary staff have still not detected any new respiratory pathogens. Additional samples are currently pending. If people see sick bighorn sheep or sheep that have recently died, they can report them to area biologists Thomas Sutton (Malta) at 406-417-1270 or Aaron O’Harra (Glasgow) at 406-594-9918. FWP will look to sample dead or sick sheep for indications of disease.
FWP biologists plan to conduct aerial surveys as soon as conditions allow to further assess the bighorn sheep population in HD 622 and will report those findings as soon as they are available. The application deadline for bighorn sheep is May 1.
