If you applied for Hunting District 622, expect to be contacted by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP). The agency recently closed HD 622 to bighorn sheep hunting following an emergency meeting held on Monday after biologists only counted five sheep during their spring survey, according to a news release.

Bighorn sheep populations have been steadily declining in the hunting district with biologists and hunters both reporting fewer sheep over the past two years. 

“Hunters and landowners alike expect us to respond immediately when we see situations like this within our wildlife herds,” said FWP Director Christy Clark. “Our staff is working hard to investigate the situation so we can determine how to best move forward.”

HD 622 is located on the north side of the Missouri River Breaks in northeast Montana.

To date, about 2,000 hunters have applied for a bighorn sheep license in HD 622, meaning that FWP will be contacting hunters and issuing refunds and/or giving them the opportunity to select a different hunting district before the May 1 deadline to apply.