A true Idaho traffic jam Friday morning in Eagle. The sheep are back in the Treasure Valley.
1,700 ewes crossed Highway 55 near Beacon Light. The sheep spent the summer grazing throughout the Boise National Forest and are now making their way back home to rancher Frank Shirts' land in Wilder. Lambs were shipped to market in August from the mountains.
"With the wonderful winter last year, there was a huge amount of feed. With so much water the grass has been fabulous. His lambs were very fat and happy at shipping time," said Steve Stuebner, spokesman for the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission.
Shirts will let the animals graze on alfalfa fields and private farms along the way home to Wilder.
The sheep should make it to the ranch in November.