Winter Range Sheepherder

H2ajobs; Vernal (UT); On-site; USD 17,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employer-provided housing

Three meals daily provided

Transportation to work site

Job summary

H2ajobs is seeking a ranch hand to care for sheep on Utah's winter range. The role requires spending most workdays on the range, tending to ewes, guarding dogs and horses, and maintaining remote housing and fences. Seasonal winter work involves cold weather and variable conditions.

Experience on range livestock is preferred; housing and meals are employer-provided, with transportation to the site. Live and work remotely in isolated areas for extended periods is expected.

Qualifications

• 6 months of relevant experience on a sheep range.
• Must be able to spend the majority of workdays on the range.
• Ability to operate tractors and ATVs safely.
• Willingness to work outdoors in all weather conditions.
• Able to live and work in isolated areas for extended periods.

Responsibilities

• Attend to pregnant ewes in cold winter temperatures and monitor their condition.
• Break ice over frozen water sources and haul water as needed.
• Provide emergency minor medical care to sick/injured ewes.
• Guard and tend to dogs and horses; protect against predators.
• Maintain fences and facilities to ensure animal safety and forage health.

Skills

Animal husbandry

Livestock handling

Cold weather work

Predator guarding

Tools

Tractors

ATVs

Fences and facilities

Job description

Required to be available up to 24 hours per day, 7 days a week and spend the majority of workdays on the range. All job duties are closely and directly related to the production of sheep.

Perform any combination of the following tasks to attend to sheep on the range during the winter season: administer emergency minor medical care to sick/injured pregnant ewes using roping methods to gently immobilize animal without causing undue stress; assist with hauling water when winter and drought conditions eliminate natural sources of water for sheep; assist with supplemental feeding (when weather or quality of forage precludes use of range forage); attend to pregnant ewes in cold winter temperatures; break ice over frozen water sources; detect direction from which the wind or prevailing storms are coming to keep ewes gathered and safe; detect through winter tracking methods where other rancher(s)' livestock has been to avoid overgrazing of forage; feed, water and tend to the dogs (both guard and working dogs) and horses; guard against predators prevalent during the winter months using appropriate tracking, trapping, and hunting methods ; herd sheep to appropriate grazing areas using winter trailing methods to avoid undue stress; intensely monitor and treat sheep vulnerable to the colder temperatures and sickness; maintain and set up supply wagon in appropriate direction to provide wind

break/shelter/protection for horses & dogs; make sufficient water from snow for horses/dogs at camp; move pregnant ewes at a pace sufficient to ensure they receive ample water/forage during daylight hours before bedding down at night; operate camp stove appropriately to provide/conserve heat in extreme cold/high winds; properly hobble camp horses; properly use/store food supplies for herder/horses/dogs; repair and/or maintain fence and facilities to ensure the safety and health of animals and forage; report to employer dehydration & other indicators of deterioration in animal body condition/behavioral changes indicating malnutrition or disease; report to rancher on

water/forage/weather conditions; use proper animal husbandry skill to prevent hypothermia/abortion/death.

Perform any combination of the following tasks to attend to sheep on the ranch during the winter season: administer emergency minor medical care to sick/injured pregnant ewes using roping methods to gently immobilize animal without causing undue stress; assist in the maintenance of tools, equipment and handling facilities necessary to production; attend to pregnant ewes in cold winter temperatures; break ice over frozen water sources; feed, water and tend to the dogs (both guard and working dogs) and horses; intensely monitor and treat sheep vulnerable to the colder temperatures and sickness; repair and/or maintain fence and facilities to ensure the safety and health of animals and forage; report to employer dehydration & other indicators of deterioration in animal body condition/behavioral changes indicating malnutrition or disease; use proper animal husbandry skill to prevent hypothermia/abortion/death.

Housing:

Employer-provided (including mobile or range)

Meals:

The employer will provide, without charge or deposit, three sufficient meals a day, or free and convenient cooking facilities with adequate provision of food to prepare meals. At least 4.5 gallons of potable water, per day, per worker, for drinking and cooking, delivered on a regular basis, and additional water (may be nonpotable) sufficient to meet the worker's laundry and bathing needs.

Transport:

Transportation to the place of employment (inbound):The employer will provide or pay for commercial bus or airline service to workers, or permit workers to select any means of transportation they choose and reimburse workers at no less than the most economical and reasonable common carrier transportation charges for the distance involved. Upon completion of 50% of the work contract period, the employer will reimburse worker for reasonable costs incurred by the worker for transportation and daily

Experience wanted:

6 months

Required to:

perform tasks capably and efficiently without close supervision, spend the majority of work days on the range, live and work singly or in small groups of workers in isolated areas for extended periods of time, to operate equipment and machinery required to perform job duties indicated in a safe and responsible manner, work outdoors in all types of weather and may experience occasional exposure to hazards such as poisonous snakes and large game animals, biting insects and extreme temperature, attend animals during all hours of the day as required for their safety and well-being, maintain and manage remote housing locations in a safe and responsible manner, work with and around farm machinery such as tractors for haying and supplemental feeding purposes and ATVs for irrigating and the movement of livestock.