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Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is asking the public to report a missing hybrid bighorn ewe believed to have escaped from a facility owned by Jack Schubarth. Officials say contact with wild sheep could create a disease-transmission risk; whether the ewe is still at large or was moved elsewhere is not known.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is asking the public to help locate a hybrid bighorn ewe reportedly missing from a private livestock facility near Vaughn since early September. The department says the animal could encounter wild bighorn sheep, creating concern about disease transmission; the facility is owned by Jack Schubarth, who was convicted in a separate federal case involving illegally cloned and bred sheep.
In a September 18 public notice, FWP described the ewe as weighing about 120 pounds, primarily white, and wearing a red ear tag. The department said it was seeking public reports because of the possibility that the animal could come into contact with wild sheep in the area. Officials have not said that such contact has occurred.
According to Cascade County court charging documents cited in the source report, Schubarth was charged by FWP with failing to report the escape of an animal from his permitted commercial wildlife operation. The facility’s permit requires owners to report an escape within 48 hours to FWP and the Montana Department of Livestock. FWP public information officer Dave Hagengruber said wardens learned about the reported escape the week after it happened and spoke with Schubarth in mid-September.
Hagengruber said Schubarth told wardens the ewe may have escaped through a gate left open or over a fence damaged by a windstorm. Those explanations have not been independently established. The source report says Schubarth’s farm is within dozens of miles of several wild bighorn areas, including the Birdtail Hills and a herd near Cascade.
Montana • Wildlife Alert • September 2026
How a Runaway Hybrid Bighorn Sheep Could Threaten Wild Herds’ Survival
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking reports of a missing hybrid ewe after it was reportedly unaccounted for at a private facility near Vaughn. Officials warn that contact with wild bighorns could create a disease-transmission risk. No contact or infection has been reported.
01 / The animal
What officials want the public to spot
The ewe was reportedly missing from a permitted commercial wildlife operation near Vaughn, Montana. FWP says public reports could help establish its location and assess possible proximity to wild sheep.
Field identification
- TypeHybrid bighorn ewe
- BuildAbout 120 pounds
- AppearancePrimarily white
- MarkerRed ear tag
- Last reported areaFacility near Vaughn
- OwnerJack Schubarth
“According to our records, the ewe in question reportedly escaped on Sept. 2, and our game wardens heard about it the next week.”Dave Hagengruber · FWP public information officer
02 / Why it matters
A precaution rooted in geography
Domestic and hybrid sheep can pose pathogen exposure risks to wild bighorns. FWP calls the possibility significant, while emphasizing that no contact or infection has been established.
Contact is the concern
If the ewe encounters wild sheep, pathogens carried by domestic or hybrid animals could expose vulnerable populations. No specific disease has been identified in this ewe.
Risk is not proof
FWP’s warning describes a potential transmission risk. Officials have not reported a sighting, wild-herd contact, or disease finding linked to the animal.
Reduce uncertainty
Finding the ewe would let officials assess its status and determine whether it is near wild sheep habitat.
Approximate distances from the facility · reported by FWP’s Dave Hagengruber
Bars show relative distance on a 0–70 mile scale. The source report says the ewe’s sex may make wide-ranging movement less likely than a ram; this does not establish where it went.
03 / Separate federal case
The facility’s history—and its limits
The owner’s prior conviction explains why the facility draws attention. It does not establish that this missing ewe was involved in the conduct underlying that case.
Jack Schubarth pleaded guilty in 2024 to a Lacey Act violation involving genetic material from Marco Polo argali sheep, a species native to Central Asia. The source report says that material was used to clone a ram and breed its offspring with captive bighorn ewes.
Schubarth produced a cloned Marco Polo ram called the Montana Mountain King in 2017, according to the report. The federal case concerned the illegal importation and use of genetic material—not a finding that the missing ewe infected or endangered wild sheep.
The report also says outfitter John Lewton was sentenced the week before publication for supplying genetic material. His sentence included a fine, probation, and a one-year restriction on guiding and outfitting.
Reported timeline
Cloned Marco Polo ram called the Montana Mountain King was produced, according to the report.
Schubarth pleaded guilty to a Lacey Act violation in the separate breeding operation case.
The ewe was reportedly missing from the Vaughn-area facility, according to FWP records.
FWP issued a public notice seeking reports about the animal.
04 / What remains unverified
The whereabouts are still unknown
The available report does not confirm whether the ewe escaped, where it may have gone, or whether it is still in Montana.
How it may have left
Schubarth reportedly told wardens it may have gone through an open gate or over a fence damaged by a windstorm. The explanation has not been independently established.
Possible transfer
Anonymous sources speculated the ewe could have been sold to an out-of-state game farm. The report provides no confirmation of a sale or transfer.
No known contact
Officials have not reported a sighting, contact with wild sheep, or a disease finding connected to the animal.
Escape reporting charge
FWP charged Schubarth with failing to report the alleged escape. The facility permit requires escape reports within 48 hours to FWP and the Montana Department of Livestock.
Traceability / What happens next
From public report to wildlife assessment
Quick answers
What is known so far
The next confirmed developments would be an official sighting or recovery, information about whether the ewe left the facility, or evidence about possible contact with wild herds.
What animal are officials seeking?
A hybrid bighorn ewe described as about 120 pounds, primarily white, and marked with a red ear tag.
Where was it reportedly missing from?
A private alternative livestock facility near Vaughn, Montana, owned by Jack Schubarth. It was reportedly missing on September 2.
Has it been found or linked to disease?
The supplied report does not say it has been found, contacted wild sheep, or carries a pathogen. FWP describes a potential risk if it encounters wild bighorns.
Why is Schubarth’s federal case mentioned?
He pleaded guilty in 2024 to a Lacey Act violation involving Marco Polo argali genetic material and a cloning and breeding operation. The report does not establish that this ewe was part of that conduct.
See an animal matching the description? Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is asking the public to report sightings so officials can establish its location and assess potential proximity to wild sheep.
Report to FWPDisease Risks Near Wild Herds
The immediate concern is not that the ewe has been shown to carry an infection, but that contact between domestic or hybrid sheep and wild bighorns can expose wild populations to pathogens. The FWP notice specifically cited that risk as the reason for seeking sightings. The source material does not identify a disease detected in this animal.
The geography matters because wild sheep live in the broader region. Hagengruber told the publication that Cascade is about 30 miles from the farm, the Birdtail Hills are 20 to 25 miles west, and the Rocky Mountain Front is 60 to 70 miles away. He said the ewe’s sex makes wide-ranging movement less likely than it would be for a ram, but characterized disease transmission as a significant concern. That is an official assessment of potential risk, not evidence that a wild herd has been exposed.
Wild bighorn populations can be vulnerable to pathogens carried by domestic sheep, according to the FWP warning described in the report. Locating the ewe would let officials assess its status and reduce uncertainty about possible contact. Until then, the key public-health and wildlife-management issue is the potential for an animal from a captive facility to reach wild sheep habitat.
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Schubarth’s Sheep-Breeding Case
The missing ewe comes from the facility owned by Schubarth, whose earlier breeding operation drew federal attention. He pleaded guilty in 2024 to violating the Lacey Act in a scheme involving genetic material from Marco Polo argali sheep, a species native to Central Asia. The source report says the material was used to clone a ram and breed its offspring with captive bighorn ewes.
Schubarth produced a cloned Marco Polo ram called the Montana Mountain King in 2017, according to the report. Federal authorities’ case concerned the illegal importation and use of genetic material, rather than a finding that the missing ewe has infected or endangered wild sheep. The source also reports that Montana outfitter John Lewton was sentenced in federal court the week before publication for his role in supplying genetic material; his sentence included a fine and a year of probation, with a one-year restriction on guiding and outfitting.
FWP’s public notice initially referred to the source as a private “alternative livestock facility.” The report identifies it as Schubarth’s operation. That connection explains why the missing animal is receiving attention, but it does not establish that the ewe itself was involved in the conduct underlying the federal conviction.
““According to our records, the ewe in question reportedly escaped on Sept. 2, and our game wardens heard about it the next week.””
— Dave Hagengruber, FWP public information officer in Great Falls
The Ewe’s Whereabouts Remain Unknown
It is not clear whether the ewe actually escaped, where it may have gone, or whether it remains in Montana. Sources who spoke to the publication anonymously speculated that it could have been sold to an out-of-state game farm, but the report provides no confirmation of a sale or transfer. That possibility should not be treated as established fact.
Officials also have not reported a sighting, contact with wild sheep, or a disease finding linked to the animal. Schubarth’s account of a damaged fence or an open gate is reported as what he told wardens; the cause and circumstances of the ewe’s disappearance remain unverified in the source material.
Public Reports and Wildlife Checks
FWP is asking anyone who sees an animal matching the description to contact the department. A sighting could help officials establish the ewe’s location and determine whether it is near wild sheep. The supplied report does not give a recovery deadline, a public update schedule, or details of any planned search operation.
The department’s charge over the alleged failure to report the escape is a separate matter from the public search. The next confirmed developments would be an official sighting or recovery, an update on whether the ewe left the facility, or new information about its possible contact with wild herds. Until officials provide such information, the disease concern remains a precaution based on potential exposure, not a reported outbreak.
Key Questions
What animal are Montana officials trying to find?
FWP is seeking a hybrid bighorn ewe described as about 120 pounds, primarily white, and marked with a red ear tag.
Where did the ewe reportedly go missing?
The ewe was reportedly missing from a private alternative livestock facility near Vaughn, Montana, owned by Jack Schubarth. The source report says it was reported to have escaped on September 2.
Has the ewe been found or linked to a disease outbreak?
The supplied report does not say that the ewe has been found, that it contacted wild sheep, or that it carries a pathogen. The concern described by FWP is a potential risk if it encounters wild bighorns.
Why is the animal connected to Jack Schubarth’s federal case?
The facility is owned by Schubarth, who pleaded guilty in 2024 to a Lacey Act violation involving genetic material from Marco Polo argali sheep and a cloning and breeding operation. The report does not establish that the missing ewe itself was part of the conduct charged in that case.
Source: outdoorlife.com
