bighorn sheep – Syndication Server

‘Rare game species’ poached in Oregon; reward set at $4,500

Authorities say the poacher removed the head and horns from the bighorn sheep ram and left the carcass to waste.

A $4,500 reward is being offered in Oregon for information leading to the felony arrest of the poacher who killed a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep for its head and horns.

The carcass was discovered last Nov. 30 on BLM land near Hibbard Creek Road south of Baker City. An investigation has turned up few leads.

“It’s so hard to believe that someone would shoot and waste such an amazing animal,” Kevin Martin, president of the Oregon Wild Sheep Foundation, stated in an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife news release.

“The Lookout Mountain herd of bighorn sheep is an area ODFW, Wild Sheep Foundation, OR WSF and our partners have been focusing a lot of resources to understand what has caused the ongoing loss of animals and this criminal act just adds to that loss.”

Oregon is home to about 800 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and hunting is strictly regulated, with only about 100 tags issued each year.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife states on its website: “Bighorn sheep tags are ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ so you can only draw the tag once. If you are lucky enough to do so, scouting and being physically prepared for their rugged country are key.”

The poacher had no tag and left the carcass to waste.

Illegally killing a bighorn sheep in Oregon carries a penalty of up to $10,000 in fines, suspension of hunting license, and forfeiture of the weapon used to kill the sheep.

“In this case, additional charges of waste of a game mammal would likely apply,” the ODFW added.

The $4,500 reward was put up by multiple groups and announced Thursday.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Oregon State Police Dispatch at 1-800-452-7888, *OSP (*677), or email at TIP@osp.oregon.gov.
Tipsters can choose to remain anonymous.

Bears, wolf and bighorn sheep poached in same Oregon county

Authorities in Oregon are investigating recent poaching incidents involving black bear cubs, a gray wolf, and a bighorn sheep.

Each incident occurred in Baker County during the last week of November, and in each case the animals were killed unlawfully and left to waste.

It was not known if a single poacher was responsible.

The Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division stated in a news release that on Nov. 27 two bear cubs were found dead off USFS 77 Road inside the Keating Wildlife Management Unit.

Both animals had been shot.

On the same day, Fish & Wildlife troopers, acting on a tip, found a wolf carcass near Sparta Road, also within the Keating Wildlife Management Unit.

On Nov. 30, a trooper responded to the discovery of a bighorn sheep ram that had been shot and left – without its head and horns – near Hubbard Creek Road within the Lookout Mountain Wildlife Management Unit.

The Lookout Wildlife Management Unit is directly below the Keating Wildlife Management Unit.

The Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division is asking for the public’s help in identifying the person or persons responsible for the unlawful killings.

The agency’s tip lines are 800-452-7888 or *OSP (for mobile phone users). Rewards are being offered in each case.

–Generic black bear image courtesy of ©Pete Thomas

Bighorn sheep’s romantic desire results in crazy chase scene

Video footage shows a bighorn sheep refusing to take no for an answer from a ewe, resulting in an amusing pursuit by a ram in Colorado.

A bighorn sheep refused to take no for an answer from a ewe, resulting in a crazy chase scene along the steep cliffs of Big Thompson Canyon in Colorado.

Colorado Wildlife & Adventure Videos captured video of the persistent ram in its nonstop pursuit of a ewe up and down the steep and rocky terrain of the canyon, as mating season is November through December.

After a while, it becomes a bit amusing.

“On the courtship grounds, males will follow ewes, constantly testing to see if they are ready for breeding,” Colorado Outdoors Magazine wrote.

Well, it was obvious that this ewe was not ready.

As one commenter on YouTube stated, “No is no!”

It is unknown how long this chase continued.

Bighorn sheep in Zion – how many can you spot in this photo?

A visitor to Zion National Park has shared an image showing how well bighorn sheep blend into the environment. How many can you spot in the image?

A visitor to Utah’s Zion National Park recently shared images from a trip in March, when she observed bighorn sheep from a highway turnout.

Some of Kris Clifford’s images are closeups, but one presents a wider view intended to show how well the animals blend into their environment.

How many bighorn sheep can you spot in the image posted above and immediately below? (Answer at the bottom of this post.)

Clifford, who is from Southern California, told FTW Outdoors that she had pulled over on the Zion – Mount Carmel Highway to enjoy the “scenic views” and look for sheep.

“I had been told there might be bighorn sheep along this road so I started looking around,” she said.

Desert bighorn sheep, which have inhabited the southwest for more than 12,000 years, have smaller bodies but longer legs and shorter coats than their Rocky Mountain relatives.

But they share the same extraordinary climbing and camouflage skills.

Desert bighorn sheep prefer the steep, rocky terrain of Zion’s east side because they’re less vulnerable to predators, such as mountain lions, while traversing sandstone cliffs.

“I had not noticed them when I parked,” Clifford continued. “I then spotted the larger male on the rock and at first I thought he was the only one.”

Clifford’s Facebook images clearly show more than one sheep. The wider shot, she said, “was just to show how well they blend, and that I was not close.”

She said that besides sheep, she spotted lots of deer, two juvenile California condors and a roadrunner.

The wider shot, with the sheep circled, is posted below.

Three bighorn sheep blend into the desert landscape. Photo: ©Kris Clifford

Can you spot the nine bighorn sheep along the road? One is nursing

An employee with the Washington State Dept. of Transportation spotted a lone bighorn sheep along the road. But then she took a closer look.

An employee with the Washington State Department of Transportation spotted what she thought was a lone bighorn sheep on the side of the road, but a closer look revealed a small herd of them.

Nine to be exact, or at least that is how many WSDOT revealed in a Facebook post.

The sighting occurred on an outcropping of rocks alongside a highway near Entiat, a small town in Central Washington that sits on the Columbia River.

“One of our communicators passed what she thought was a lone bighorn sheep on the side of US 97A near Entiat,” the post reads. “It took a minute to notice the group, including a nursing kid. The sheep are looking to stay cool and find water just like us and you can help by staying alert on your travels.”

Also on FTW Outdoors: Can you spot the three copperhead snakes that seemingly disappeared?

Among the comments on the WSDOT Facebook page:

“I used to think I was pretty good at Highlights magazine, but this is a pro-league challenge.”

“I count 5.”

“It’s amazing how they blend in.”

“When you drew the arrows, I could see them.”

WSDOT helped out with a photo pointing to the location of each of the nine bighorn sheep, including the nursing bighorn momma closest to the road.

“They all seem to be wondering why someone is taking their pictures while they are just trying to have lunch as a family,” one commenter wrote.

Another stated, “They look a little sheepish to get caught that close to the highway…”

Photos courtesy of the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Can you spot the bighorn sheep that is using cryptic coloration?

The folks at Joshua Tree posted an image of a bighorn sheep on a rock out in the open, yet it blends in well enough to make it a fun search.

The brown rocks and boulders in Joshua Tree National Park in California are a perfect backdrop for the sandy brown coloration of bighorn sheep to blend in so well you can hardly see them.

The folks at Joshua Tree captured an image of a bighorn sheep sitting on a rock out in the open, yet it blends in well enough to make it a fun search.

So, the national park posted the photo on its Facebook page, saying, “Bighorn sheep use a tactic called camouflage, or cryptic coloration, to blend into their environments. Their sandy brown fur disguises their appearance and helps them blend in with the surrounding rocky landscape, making it more difficult for predators (and hikers) to see them.”

Most commenters on Facebook located the bighorn sheep pretty easily, but the park suggested that sightings won’t always be as easy as this one.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Can you spot the rattlesnake ‘hiding in plain sight’?

“While exploring the park, always keep an eye on the rocks and boulders around you…you could easily walk right by a bighorn sheep without even knowing!” the post on the Joshua Tree National Park Facebook page reads. “But please keep in mind, these animals are very sensitive to human disturbance. So, if you do see one in the park, help protect it by quietly viewing it from a distance.”

Nobody probably needs help locating the bighorn sheep in the photo, but just in case, here’s a closeup of the sighting:

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Hunter hit with fines, suspensions for poaching bighorn sheep

A Montana resident has been fined more than $5,000 for illegally killing a bighorn sheep and leaving the meat to waste.

Harold Horine, 45, shot the bighorn sheep ram on Nov. 22 in the Highland Mountains. A witness contacted Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks after discovering the abandoned carcass.

Horine later told FWP wardens that he mistook the sheep for an elk.

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In a news release issued Wednesday, FWP stated that Horine pleaded guilty in Madison County Justice Court on Dec. 7. Charges included hunting without a valid license, unlawful possession of a game animal, hunting on private land without permission, and waste of a game animal.

Horine, who is from Deer Lodge, was ordered to pay $5,245 in fines and restitution. Additionally, his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges were suspended for two years.

–Bighorn sheep image courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Lamb does wild flip as bighorn sheep herd flees

A lamb attempting to follow the rest of a fleeing bighorn sheep herd didn’t quite get to the other side of a barbed-wire fence as gracefully as the others.

A lamb attempting to follow the rest of a fleeing bighorn sheep herd didn’t quite get to the other side of a barbed-wire fence as gracefully as the others, taking a wild forward flip between the wires and tumbling to the ground before quickly righting itself and moving on.

The amusing incident occurred Monday just outside Kootenay Plains Ecological Reserve in Alberta, Canada, and Michael J. Kossin happened to capture it in video.

Kossin was returning from Abraham Lake with friends when they came upon the herd licking the salt off the road along AB-11 highway. They snapped several photos (seen below) before the herd began fleeing.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Hunter acts fast when charged by mountain lion

When the bighorn sheep headed for the fence line, Kossin started taping.

“At first I was concerned for the lamb, and the audible gasp you hear in the video is from me,” Kossin told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors. “I thought he or she might have been hurt, or would get tangled in the wires, but was relieved to see it immediately be able to stand up and catch up to the rest of the herd.”

As for the shaky footage when the lamb flipped, Kossin told For The Win that “I was not bumped while recording the video, but I think I reflexively attempted to center the frame on the lamb as it tripped. The sheep were pretty far away and I had the lens zoomed-in to 200 mm so even slight movements are exaggerated.”

Even so, it’s impressive video footage of a big herd of fleeing bighorn sheep, despite one wild flip.

Photos courtesy of Michael J. Kossin.

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Grand Teton partially closed for goat-shooting operation

Portions of Grand Teton National Park are closed this week as animal experts attempt to kill invasive mountain goats.

Portions of Grand Teton National Park are closed this week as animal experts attempt to kill invasive mountain goats to help a struggling population of native bighorn sheep.

The operation will be carried out by aerial gun crews operating under contract. A second phase, if required later this winter or during the fall, could involve volunteer ground hunters.

A vast closed area includes the north and west slopes of the iconic Cathedral Group, which includes the tallest peaks of the Teton Range.

Mountain goat image via Wikimedia Commons

The operation is expected to end Thursday, barring weather delays.

Denise Germann, park spokeswoman, said in a statement: “We’re trying to be efficient and effective — so doing this as fast as possible in the most efficient way — and we believe that the aerial operations does that.”

The Jackson Hole News and Guide reported that reconnaissance flights were to be carried out Sunday. Shooting operations were set to begin Monday.

It was not clear how many mountain goats are scheduled to be removed during this phase.

“This will be our initial action, and we’ll see how it goes,” Germann said. “It’s a very unique situation for Grand Teton National Park.”

The Teton Range is home to about 100 native bighorn sheep. It’s one of the most isolated herds in Wyoming and its existence was described as precarious even before mountain goats became a threat.

According to CBS Denver, the mountain goats are descendants of animals introduced outside the park in the 1960s. Their population in the Teton Range has grown from 10-15 animals seven years ago to perhaps more than 100 animals.

Mountain goats compete with bighorn sheep for a limited food supply and threaten sheep with disease.

The park has stated that unless the problem is addressed quickly, goat numbers will grow to an unmanageable number.

“Without swift and active management, the mountain goat population is expected to continue to grow and expand its distribution within the park,” the park stated in an environmental assessment draft. “The mountain goat population is currently at a size where complete removal is achievable.

“In a short time, however, the growth rate of this population suggests that complete removal in the near future may become unattainable.”

–Images are via Pete Thomas and Wikimedia Commons. Graphic showing the closed area is courtesy of the National Park Service