Dogs cause problems on Wild Horse Island
Photo courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife and ParksAn unidentified dog that was reported chasing bighorn sheep on Flathead Lake's Wild Horse Island was photographed with this ram backed up against the water. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is cracking down on a heavy increase in dogs roaming loose on Wild Horse Island State Park, where pets are prohibited.
The photograph shows a perky white dog, looking down on a full-curl bighorn ram that is backed against the waterline. The photograph shows an apparently growing problem on Flathead Lake's Wild Horse Island.
The photo recently came to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks after a contact through the department's anonymous tip line, TIP-MONT.
"This was such a dramatic photograph and such an emblematic example of what the problem is," said Dave Landstrom, regional parks manager. "It appears that there has been a higher instance of dog issues there than there have been in the past."
The person who provided the photo said the dog, possibly a Samoyed, was chasing bighorn sheep around the park. Dogs are strictly prohibited on the 2,100-acre state park, considered a primitive park with remarkable wildlife populations.
Those include about 425 bighorn sheep, a large mule deer population, a variety of small mammals, and three name-sake wild horses that remain on the island.
Landstrom said that this year there have been up to 50 dog sightings on state park lands on the island, which also has about 56 privately owned shoreline lots, all of them an acre or less.
"It's everything from a distant dog being spotted on the island on up to people with a dog on the island being contacted by our people," Landstrom said.
Landstrom worked on the island from 1997 through 1999, and "during that period, I did not encounter that many dog problems on the island," he said, referring to this year's tally of dog trouble.
Landstrom said the private lot owners on the island are within their rights to have dogs on their property, but once those pets go onto park lands, they are violating regulations.
The island property owners "are generally very familiar with park rules and regulations," he said, noting that its difficult to know if most of the trespassing dogs come from property owners or visitors arriving with pets on boats.
"Generally speaking, it's visitors to the island who are more likely because they aren't aware of that restriction," Landstrom said.
In the case of the photographed white dog, Warden Captain Lee Anderson is seeking information about the dog and its owner. Anybody with information are asked to contact Anderson at 752-5501 or at TIP-MONT.
Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com