By John Grant Emeigh of The Montana Standard – 01/12/2010
A motorist drove his pickup truck through a herd of bighorn sheep on Highway 1, about 7 miles west of Anaconda, MT late Monday morning, killing at least eight animals, according to the Montana Highway Patrol.
The driver, of Anaconda, wasn’t injured or identified, said trooper Tom Gill.
Montana wildlife personnel were looking for other sheep Monday afternoon that left the crash scene after being injured. More sheep deaths are expected, Gill said.
Two of the dead animals were trophy rams, according to state wildlife biologist Ray Vinkey.
The driver, an adult male, was cited with a misdemeanor traffic ticket. Alcohol wasn’t a factor in the incident, the patrol said.
Gill said the driver was westbound toward Georgetown Lake when the collision occurred.
“He was not paying attention to the large signs saying
watch out for sheep on the road,’ and didn’t slow down,” Gill said.
The driver claimed the sun was in his eyes and he didn’t see the sheep in the roadway, according to Gill. The herd was hit about 11:45 a.m.
The driver was cited with failure to obey a traffic signal. Two, large electronic signs on the eastbound and westbound sides of the highway warn motorists to be award of bighorn sheep on the road.
The sheep often gather on that stretch of roadway to lick salt, which is put there by road crews to melt ice.
Gill said the driver’s truck incurred light damage.
The photo below shows four bighorn sheep killed by a vehicle west of Anaconda late Monday morning. Eight sheep n including two trophy rams — died after being hit by a driver who claimed the sun was in his eyes. The sheep were on the roadway licking salt.
The sun is pretty high in the sky at that time. 
