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Montana man used animal tissue and testicles to breed ‘giant’ sheep for sale to hunting preserves – The Boston Globe

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Montana man used animal tissue and testicles to breed ‘giant’ sheep for sale to hunting preserves – The Boston Globe


BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A Montana rancher illegally used tissue and testicles from wild sheep killed by hunters in central Asia and the U.S. to breed “giant” hybrid sheep for sale to private hunting preserves in Texas, according to court documents and federal prosecutors.

Arthur “Jack” Schubarth, 80, of Vaughn, Montana pleaded guilty to felony charges of wildlife trafficking and conspiracy to traffic wildlife during an appearance Tuesday before a federal judge in Great Falls. Each count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Court documents describe a yearslong conspiracy, beginning in 2013, in which Schubarth and at least five other people sought to create “giant sheep hybrids” by cross-breeding different species. Their goal was to garner high prices from hunting preserves where people shoot captive trophy game animals for a fee.

Using biological tissue obtained from a hunter who killed a wild sheep in Kyrgyzstan belonging to the world’s largest species of the animals — Marco Polo argali sheep — Schubarth procured cloned embryos of the animal from a lab, according to court documents.

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The embryos were later implanted in a ewe, resulting in a pure Marco Polo argali sheep that Schubert named “Montana Mountain King,” the documents show. Semen from Montana Mountain King was used to artificially impregnate other ewes to create a larger and more valuable species of sheep, including one offspring that he reached an agreement to sell to two people in Texas for $10,000, according to the documents.

Male argali sheep can top 300 pounds with horns up to 5 feet long, according to officials, making them prized among some hunters. They are protected under international convention as a threatened species and outlawed for import into Montana to protect native sheep from disease and hybridization.

A person who was not named in court documents shipped 74 ewes of a prohibited sheep species from Minnesota to Schubarth’s ranch to be artificially inseminated with Montana Mountain King semen, the documents show. Offspring that had only a portion of the central Asian sheep’s genetics sold for lesser amounts.

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In 2019, Schubarth paid $400 to a hunting guide for testicles from a trophy-sized Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep killed in Montana. Schubarth extracted semen from bighorn sheep testicles and used it to breed large bighorn sheep and sheep crossbred with the argali species, the documents show.

Assistant U.S. Attorney General Todd Kim described Schubarth’s actions as “an audacious scheme to create massive hybrid sheep species to be sold and hunted as trophies.” Kim said the defendant violated the Lacey Act that restricts wildlife trafficking and prohibits the sale of falsely labeled wildlife.

Schubarth said when reached by telephone on Wednesday that his attorney had advised him not to talk about the case.

“I would love to talk about it but can’t do it now,” he said. His attorney, Jason Holden, did not immediately respond to telephone messages seeking comment.

Authorities agreed under the terms of a plea deal not to pursue further charges against the defendant pending his cooperation in the government’s ongoing investigation in the wildlife trafficking case.

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Montana Mountain King is in the custody of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, according to Department of Justice spokesperson Matthew Nies. As part of the plea deal, Schubert agreed to quarantine any other sheep containing Marco Polo argali genetics and any bighorn sheep that were harvested from the wild.

The deal also allows federal wildlife officials to inspect and, if needed, neuter the animals.

Captive animal facilities where game species can be raised and hunted were banned in Montana under a 2000 ballot initiative. But they remain legal in some other states.

Schubarth’s 215-acre ranch is state-licensed as an alternative livestock facility, said Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokesperson Greg Lemon. It was grandfathered in when the 2000 ballot initiative passed and has continued to operate, although hunting is prohibited, Lemon said.

Sentencing for Schubarth is set for July 11 before U.S. District Judge Brian Morris.

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Montana

What’s At Stake For No. 1 NDSU at No. 4 USD & No. 9 Montana at No. 2 Montana State?

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What’s At Stake For No. 1 NDSU at No. 4 USD & No. 9 Montana at No. 2 Montana State?


The FCS playoff picture will take shape with Week 13 games a day before FCS Selection Sunday.

The Top 4 seeds could be pretty clear, depending on results. The Top 5 seeds could also get real messy, depending on results.

Two Top 10-ranked matchups will especially impact the order of the overall Top 8 seeds: No. 1 NDSU at No. 4 USD and No. 9 Montana at No. 2 Montana State.

What does this weekend’s result mean for these four teams and their playoff positioning? We’ll go through the scenarios below.

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For the purposes of this article, we’ll say things go chalk and No. 5 UC Davis wins at Sac State and No. 3 SDSU wins at No. 18 Missouri State, which is no guarantee, but they would be big upsets if Davis or SDSU were to lose.

If Montana State & NDSU Win

NDSU and Montana State should be the Top 2 playoff seeds with home-field advantage.

It will be a healthy discussion in the selection room and during the committee member voting process on who the No. 1 seed is.

  • NDSU: 11-1 overall, 11-0 vs. the FCS, 5 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 1 strength of schedule
  • MSU: 12-0 overall, 3 currently-ranked wins, 3 Top 10 wins, FBS win, No. 22 SOS

NDSU has been ranked No. 1 for most of this year, and the committee could have the same mindset as voters, similar to 2022.

Two years ago, Sac State had a better on-paper resume than SDSU, but SDSU, who was ranked No. 1 for most of the season, got the top seed. Sac State was 11-0 with an FBS win, four ranked wins, and the No. 4 SOS. SDSU was 10-1 overall, 10-0 vs. the FCS, three ranked wins, and the No. 5 SOS.

Seeds 3-4 behind NDSU and MSU would probably be SDSU and UC Davis, assuming they win on Saturday.

  • SDSU: 10-2 overall, 9-1 vs. the FCS, 9 D1 wins, 3 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 3 SOS, FCS loss to NDSU
  • UC Davis: 10-2 overall, 10-1 vs. the FCS, 2 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 15 SOS, FCS loss to MSU

Mercer, Idaho, or UIW could fight for the No. 5 seed after this.

With a loss, Montana would finish 8-4 overall/vs. the FCS with two currently-ranked wins. The Grizzlies will likely get a 9-16 seed and host a first-round game.

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With a loss, USD will be nervously wondering if it’ll get a first-round bye. The Coyotes would finish 8-3 overall with only seven D1 wins and zero currently-ranked victories. How does that stack up to other teams with nine or 10 D1 wins who are fighting for a Top 8 seed? USD’s No. 8 SOS could help its argument, and if it were to lose to NDSU, a close loss would be important for the “eye test” instead of getting blown out.

If Montana State & USD Win

Montana State should jump to the No. 1 seed at 12-0, three currently-ranked wins, three Top 10 wins, and an FBS win.

With a loss, Montana would finish 8-4 overall/vs. the FCS with two currently-ranked wins. The Grizzlies will likely get a 9-16 seed and host a first-round game.

Seeds 2-5 then get very interesting in this scenario. The committee would have to sort through these teams to seed behind Montana State (assuming SDSU and UC Davis win on Saturday):

  • UC Davis: 10-2 overall, 10-1 vs. the FCS, 2 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 15 SOS, FCS loss to MSU
  • NDSU: 10-2 overall, 10-1 vs. the FCS, 4 currently-ranked wins, 1 Top 10 win, No. 1 SOS, FCS loss to USD
  • USD: 9-2 overall, 8-1 vs. the FCS, 8 D1 wins, 1 currently-ranked win, 1 Top 10 win, No. 8 SOS, FCS loss to SDSU
  • SDSU: 10-2 overall, 9-1 vs. the FCS, 9 D1 wins, 3 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 3 SOS, FCS loss to NDSU


If Montana & NDSU Win

Montana should get into the Top 8 seeds at 9-3 overall/vs. the FCS with three currently-ranked wins, one Top 10 win, and the No. 18 SOS. The Griz would likely be in the 6-8 seed range.

NDSU should secure the No. 1 seed with a win and a Montana State loss. The Bison would be 11-1 overall, 11-0 vs. the FCS, five currently-ranked wins, two Top 10 wins, and the No. 1 SOS.

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Seeds 2-4 then get very interesting in this scenario. The committee would have to sort through these teams to seed behind NDSU (assuming SDSU and UC Davis win on Saturday):

  • UC Davis: 10-2 overall, 10-1 vs. the FCS, 2 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 15 SOS, FCS loss to MSU
  • MSU: 11-1 overall, 11 D1 wins, 2 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, FBS win, No. 22 SOS, FCS loss to Montana
  • SDSU: 10-2 overall, 9-1 vs. the FCS, 9 D1 wins, 3 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 3 SOS, FCS loss to NDSU

Mercer, Idaho, or UIW could fight for the No. 5 seed after this.

With a loss, USD will be nervously wondering if it’ll get a first-round bye. The Coyotes would finish 8-3 overall with only seven D1 wins and zero currently-ranked victories. How does that stack up to other teams with nine or 10 D1 wins who are fighting for a Top 8 seed? USD’s No. 8 SOS could help its argument, and if it were to lose to NDSU, a close loss would be important for the “eye test” instead of getting blown out.

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If Montana & USD Win

Montana should get into the Top 8 seeds at 9-3 overall/vs. the FCS with three currently-ranked wins, one Top 10 win, and the No. 18 SOS. The Griz would likely be in the 6-8 seed range.

Seeds 1-5 would be an absolute battle in this scenario. The committee would have to sort through these teams to seed the Top 5 (assuming SDSU and UC Davis win on Saturday):

  • UC Davis: 10-2 overall, 10-1 vs. the FCS, 2 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 15 SOS, FCS loss to MSU
  • MSU: 11-1 overall, 11 D1 wins, 2 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, FBS win, No. 22 SOS, FCS loss to Montana
  • SDSU: 10-2 overall, 9-1 vs. the FCS, 9 D1 wins, 3 currently-ranked wins, 2 Top 10 wins, No. 3 SOS, FCS loss to NDSU
  • NDSU: 10-2 overall, 10-1 vs. the FCS, 4 currently-ranked wins, 1 Top 10 win, No. 1 SOS, FCS loss to USD
  • USD: 9-2 overall, 8-1 vs. the FCS, 8 D1 wins, 1 currently-ranked win, 1 Top 10 win, No. 8 SOS, FCS loss to SDSU

Uffda. Good luck!

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Pregnant Montana Brown shows off her blossoming baby bump in a stylish green bikini as she prepares to welcome her baby girl

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Pregnant Montana Brown shows off her blossoming baby bump in a stylish green bikini as she prepares to welcome her baby girl


Montana Brown showed off her blossoming baby bump in a series of vacation snaps on Thursday. 

The former Love Island star, 29, who is expecting her second child with fiancé Mark O’Connor, displayed her growing bump in a stylish green bikini which consisted of a triangle bikini top and a pair of tie-side bikini bottoms. 

Cradling her bump, the TV star further accessorised her pool-side look with a pair of cool shades. 

The mother-of-one captioned the gorgeous snaps with: ‘Not long Babygirl (heart emoji)’

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Fans and close friends of the star then flocked to the comment section to pay their compliments. 

One fan wrote: ‘A real life angel!!!’; ‘Gorgeous glowing mama’; ‘Feels like yesterday baby Jude was in there!!’

Pregnant Montana Brown showed off her blossoming baby bump while wearing a bikini in a series of vacation snaps on Thursday

The former Love Island star, 29, is expecting her second child with fiancé Mark O'Connor

The former Love Island star, 29, is expecting her second child with fiancé Mark O’Connor

Montana announced she was pregnant with her second child in July and took to her Instagram to share the happy news with her 1.1 million followers. 

She displayed her tummy in a chic knit dress and cradled her stomach as she smiled for the camera in the clip. 

Confirming that she is expecting again with her rugby player fiancé Mark, Montana wrote: ‘Two under two let’s go!’

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Montana and Mark welcomed their first child, a son named Jude, in June last year and announced they were expecting again just 13 months later.

The couple travelled to Santorini after they enjoyed a week-long holiday with their son Jude in Montenegro and shared updates from their sun-soaked trip. 

The reality personality was flooded with congratulatory messages from her famous friends and Instagram followers.

Gabby Allen, who appeared on her series of Love Island, wrote: ‘Omgggg.’

While fellow Love Island alum, Tasha Ghouri said: ‘Ahh!! Congratulations!’

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The mother-of-one captioned the gorgeous snaps with: 'Not long Babygirl (heart emoji)'

The mother-of-one captioned the gorgeous snaps with: ‘Not long Babygirl (heart emoji)’

Samira Mighty penned: ‘Ahhhh.’

Food influencer Emily English posted a series of clapping hands while Tiffany Watson and Natalya Wright both said ‘congratulations’.

Other stars who shared their support included Vicky Pattison, Danielle Lloyd, Grace Beverley, Kendall Rae Knight and Elle Brown.

Earlier this year, Montana celebrated the joys and sorrows of motherhood as she paid tribute to her baby son Jude in a heartfelt Instagram post.

Montana reflected on her pregnancy journey seven months after her little one was born – as she shared her emotional thoughts with her followers.

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She detailed the highs and lows of the ‘humbling’ experience, admitting she was always ‘one comment away from having a meltdown’ but it also made her ‘respect her body so much more’.

Sharing a throwback picture of when she was seven months pregnant, she showed off her baby bump in a red bikini.

Montana was seen posing on a lavish terrace while soaking up the sun, adding a stylish straw hat and chic shades.

Montana announced she was pregnant with her second child in July and took to her Instagram to share the happy news with her 1.1 million followers

Montana announced she was pregnant with her second child in July and took to her Instagram to share the happy news with her 1.1 million followers 

Montana and Mark welcomed their first child, a son named Jude, in June last year and announced they were expecting again just 13 months later

Montana and Mark welcomed their first child, a son named Jude, in June last year and announced they were expecting again just 13 months later 

In the second shot, she displayed her growing baby bump in the same beach set while smiling happily in a mirror selfie.

The TV star added a few heart-melting pictures of little Jude to her carousel, accompanied by a lengthy caption: ‘7 months in vs 7 months out.’

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‘I actually LOVED being pregnant, it was such a special experience and it really made me respect my body so much more I’m still in awe.’

‘This chapter has been hard, the lack of sleep etc is so tough, I legit cried when someone beeped me in the car recently and I always feel one beep or one comment away from having a meltdown but it’s such a humbling experience.’

She went on saying: ‘I am in awe of the mums that do it on their own, don’t have family around to support and who just don’t get a break because I am so fortunate to have support around me and I am STILL in the thick of it..’

The Love Islander finished gushing over her tiny one: ‘But despite how tired I have been, Jude gets me through, his smile first thing in the morning is just priceless.’



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Cover Montana explains the importance of open enrollment

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Cover Montana explains the importance of open enrollment


HELENA — It is open enrollment for health insurance through the HealthCare.gov Marketplace.

People can apply or reapply for coverage until January 15, 2025, or they may have to wait until November 2025 to apply again.

Last year, 30 percent of Montanans got a plan for $10 per month through the marketplace.

Cover Montana is a project of the Montana Primary Care Association, a nonprofit organization with a federal grant to help underserved communities, consumers, and small businesses find and enroll in quality, affordable health coverage through HealthCare.gov, the Health Insurance Marketplace.

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Olivia Riutta, the director of population health of the Montana Primary Care Association shared the importance of open enrollment for Montanans.

“It is the annual opportunity to update your applications and make sure your income is correct and then to ensure that you have a plan that really meets both your monthly budget and your health needs for 2025,” Riutta says.

Cover Montana Navigators can provide phone and virtual assistance statewide through the Cover Montana Help Line: (406) 634-3105 or (844) 682-6837. In-person enrollment assistance is available in many areas, including Billings, Bozeman, Helena, Missoula, Dillon, Kalispell, and Miles City.





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