Idaho Governor Hopes to Revive Sheep Dispute Talks
Otter seeks solution to the issue of domestic grazing in areas occupied by bighorns.
Idaho Gov. (C.L.) Butch Otter is trying to revive his collaboration on bighorn and domestic sheep months after the effort blew up following a controversial law approved by the Idaho Legislature.
Otter's spokesman Jon Hanion said Otter has been making calls to the former participants trying to get them back to the table.
"We are and have been trying to get those folks to re-engage," he said. "We will be inviting them back formally and informally."
Last year, Otter invited parties to a long-running dispute about grazing domestic sheep in areas occupied by wild bighorns to participate in a collaborative effort looking for a solution to the controversial issue. Most wildlife biologists believe bighorn sheep are susceptible to contracting pneumonia when they come in contact with domestic sheep. There have been numerous cases throughout the West where bighorn herds have become infected with disease resulting in all-age die-offs.
