Yea we were out there last year trying to help a friends buddy fill a tag, and heard from a guide that there was barely any sheep compared to what it used to be.
Until California chooses to exercise sound predator management, specifically lions, the sheep are going to have trouble growing herd size. Three years ago DFG was going to kill some lions to protect sheep and a DFG biologist, involved in the sheep program, took that info. to the Sierra Club and HSUS who put enough political pressure on DFG to have the lion management stopped. Environmental organizations in the state believe that nature should be left alone to manage itself but somehow fail to realize that man has his hand in the cookie jar and all species need to be managed. The upper management of DFG, now DFW, has very nearly become puppets for these organizations and the majority of DFW commissioners are non-hunters with ties to environmental organizations. Science based wildlife management has left the building in California. Wait until we get wolves then we'll really see how bad it gets.
I don't agree with most poisons. they indiscriminately kill non-target species. The cyanide capsules in sheep collars are effective for wolves and I support their use. Traps I support completely, they are effective and humane if checked regularly. I'm not trying to start an argument but why don't you support the use of these?
That remark appeared to be from a California hunter, and I happen to agree with him. This may be a California specific point of view, but with DFG/DFW enforcing "no lead" zones because a condor might possibly ingest lead from a bullet; prohibition on Mountain Lion hunting because some think they are "cute"; bear hunting with dogs outlawed because it is "cruel"; and current discussions to protect wolves that are not even present in the state, as of yet; it seems disingenuous to resort to poisons and traps to control predator populations that could be controlled much more efficiently by hunting, without the "by kill". More important, those methods cost money, and deprive the citizens in the hunting areas of important funds generated by the hunting community. I understand the situation is different in the less populated western states, and different methods are necessary.
