Winter Range Sheepherder

This job was posted by https://idahoworks.gov : For more information, please see: https://idahoworks.gov/jobs/2613965 Dates of Need: 12/1/2026-10/01/2027 Basic Job Requirements: - 3 months experience with 800 - 1000 head flocks of sheep. - Must be able to provide one reference. - Must be able to lift 50 lbs. - Must be able to work in conditions that involve exposure to extreme temperatures. Job Description: The Winter Range Sheepherder is responsible for the care, protection, movement, and management of sheep on open range and pasture. The employee must have experience working in extreme winter conditions and be able to identify approaching storms and take precautions to prevent sheep from drifting against fence lines, becoming trapped in deep snow, or suffering injury or death from exposure and freezing temperatures. The herder will monitor snow levels, provide access to unfrozen water, maintain water troughs and water lines, haul water when necessary, monitor the nutritional condition of sheep throughout the winter, and provide supplemental or emergency feed when range forage is insufficient. The position requires knowledge of range management and proper grazing practices to prevent overgrazing, avoid poisonous plants, maintain healthy rangeland, reduce wildland fire fuels, and prevent sheep from dispersing over large open areas. The herder will attend sheep grazing on range or pasture, herd and round up strays using trained dogs, and herd sheep while riding horseback, operating ATVs, or traveling on foot. Duties include bedding down sheep near evening campsites, protecting sheep from predators, moving portable fencing and corrals, moving sheep between grazing areas and seasonal range, and assisting with the movement of camps and equipment using horses and pack mules in high-country terrain. The herder will monitor sheep for signs of illness, injury, malnutrition, prolapse, mastitis, and other health concerns and may administer vaccines, medications, insecticides, and drenches according to instructions. Seasonal duties include moving pregnant ewes to lambing grounds, identifying signs of labor and potential complications, assisting with difficult births, safely restraining ewes, grafting orphan lambs, providing water and supplemental feed, protecting vulnerable ewes and lambs from predators, dispersing sheep to reduce overcrowding and promote successful mother-lamb bonding, and assisting with branding, castrating, vaccinating, tagging, worming, docking, and shearing. The employee must be able to safely catch lambs with a hook and move ewes and lambs to summer range grounds. The position may involve working around farm and ranch machinery, including tractors used for supplemental feeding, as well as other ranch equipment. More than 51% of the work will be performed on the range. The employee is expected to practice good animal husbandry and provide proper care, nutrition, water, and protection to all sheep entrusted to their care. Employees who abuse, neglect, or abandon animals may be terminated for cause, and employees whose negligent or abusive actions result in the injury or death of animals or harm to another person may be held accountable. The employee may be on call for up to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, depending on weather conditions, lambing, emergencies, and the needs of the sheep. Multiple worksites in Canyon, Washington, Ada, Gem and Adams County Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon will be used. Worksite locations varies depending on season, weather and grazing rotation.