HELENA - Up to 85 bighorn sheep could be shipped from Montana to Utah and Washington under a proposal recently endorsed by the state Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission.

Even while agreeing to the proposal, however, commission members questioned why those bighorn sheep - one of Montana's premier big-game species - aren't being used to bolster existing herds in Montana, or to start new herds here.

In particular, Commissioner Willy Doll pointed to the Elkhorn Mountains, where pneumonia recently ran through the bighorn sheep population, causing their numbers to plummet from more than 220 to about 20.

"We've had sheep die-offs in the state and those haven't been resupplied," Doll said. "Can we take some of those and put them back in the Elkhorns?"

Quentin Kujala, FWP wildlife management bureau chief, said while the topic is certainly open for debate, wildlife biologists are careful when adding to existing herds, since they don't want to replace the bighorns only to have the new ones die too.

He said they looked at some areas for augmentation, but none are ready just yet.

"Historically, we haven't done it quickly. We've watched to see what the population does over time," Kujala said. "We have seen some maintain themselves sometimes, so the big question is whether there's some environmental factor or if it's something else."

Kujala added that getting new release sites is an even more complicated process than for existing sites. One of the complicating factors is they can't be near domestic sheep, which can transmit pneumonia to the wild bighorns.

That was what officials think happened to the Elkhorn Mountain sheep.

Doll noted that as a rancher, he loses calves on a regular basis - whether it is from weather, stress or other factors, and he replaces those calves immediately because that's what keeps him in business. He urged the state to use the same tactic.

"Blame it on whatever you want, but when it does happen, go in there and fix it," Doll urged.

The 85 bighorn sheep under consideration for trapping and transplanting would come from three areas, including the Sun River on the Rocky Mountain Front and hunting districts near Deer Lodge.

The states receiving the sheep will pay all the associated costs, which is about $600 per animal to capture, plus lab fees.

They'll go to Utah for a new release in the northeast area of the state, and to southeast Washington to augment an existing bighorn sheep population that suffered from an outbreak of scabies and a wildfire.

Kujala noted that this also gives Montana a chance to continue moving away from California bighorn sheep to Rocky Mountain bighorns. The transplanting probably would take place in January 2010.

Glenn Hockett with the Gallatin Wildlife Association said his group also is concerned with sending the bighorn sheep to other states. His organization has identified numerous sites where the animal populations could be augmented, as well as areas for new populations to inhabit.

"Not that we don't want to share with Utah and Washington, but if they're lining up potential sites, why are we not doing the same?" Hockett wondered aloud. "We are frustrated. This has been going on for years.

"We think there are new release sites available. Granted, you can't do it in this proposal, but we think augmentation can happen right away."

Jim Weatherly, executive director for the Montana Wild Sheep Foundation, also urged the state FWP to figure out why they're having problems with bighorn population levels.

"You need to take a close look at those herds and find out the reason for the die-offs, whether it's habitat, predators or whatever," Weatherly said.

Reporter Eve Byron: 447-4076 or eve.byron@helenair.com