With 2 Dozen Sheep Dead, Sanpete County Rancher Hopes Shootings Can Be Solved

EPHRAIM, Utah – It began earlier in the week when a worker noticed a couple of sheep that were limping.

Soon, the man made more gruesome discoveries — lambs, some just a couple weeks old, apparently shot to death on the lands where they were supposed to graze.

With at least two dozen sheep having now been found dead, rancher Tom Lund said Thursday he still didn’t have any answers for the crimes, which he believed likely happened sometime Sunday into Monday.

“Somebody who would do something like this is obviously sick and they probably need some help,” Lund said.

Though Lund’s land is private, he said neighboring lands were not, raising questions as to whether the shooter or shooters came from nearby canyon areas.

“I don’t know if someone was hunting and just decided to go and do this,” the rancher questioned.

He said this has not been the first attack on animals on his property.

“We’ve had ewe lambs that were bedded down that were just run over at night,” Lund said. “We’ve had cows shot. It’s just happening all the time — and not just me.”

He said the area could use more patrolling and public safety attention.

“At night, when we come over to check our sheep at three in the morning, there’s lights all over,” Lund said. “It’s a law enforcement issue, and it’s been addressed with our county commissioners. I’ve attempted with the county commissioners to see what we could do about locking up some of this and, sadly, we’ve got a little help but mostly it’s been lip service.”

Lund said the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office was investigating the sheep deaths.

The department had not responded to a request for comment as of late Thursday night.

Lund hoped somehow those responsible could be caught.

“I don’t know who would kill a little baby lamb,” Lund said. “It’s kind of a thing you just can’t put any understanding on — that’s for sure.”