Bighorn sheep hunting in Montana’s HD 622 is officially off the table after an emergency closure—biologists counted just five sheep in the latest survey.
The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold an emergency public meeting Monday, March 31 to consider closing bighorn sheep hunting for 2025 in hunting district 622.
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.
Meet ‘Snail Horn,’ the legendary Montana bighorn ram with a twisted past, whose battle-scarred horns and resilient spirit now rest as a reminder of life’s rugged beauty at the FWP office in Bozeman. Read more from Montana Grant!