DESERT BIGHORN COUNCIL TRANSACTIONS VOLUME 8 A

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DESERT BIGHORN COUNCIL TRANSACTIONS

VOLUME 8 a

Desert Bighorn Council A COMPILATION OF FORMAL PAPERS PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL AT THE EIGHTH ANNUAL MEETING, APRIL 7, 8, AND 9, 1964, IN MEXICO AT THE AUDITORIO DE SOCIAL SEGURIDO IN MEXICALI AND AT THE HOTEL VILLA DEL MAR AT PUERTO SAN FELIPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA.

THE DESERT BIGHORN COUNCIL TRANSACTIONS ARE PUBLISHED ANNUALLY AND ARE AVAILABLE BY WRITING THE . "DESERT BIGHORN COUNCIL" P. 0. BOX 440, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA.

COVER DRAWING. BY PAT HANSEN.

. . EIGHTH ANNUAL MEETING DESERT BHGI3ORN COUNCIL

April 7, 8, 9, 1964

Mexicali and Puerto San Felipe, Baia California

TABLE OF CONTEWS Page .. - program ...... 111

Group Picture ...... vii

Opening Remarks Dr. Rodolfo Hernandez Corzo, Chairman ...... xv John P. Russo, Vice-Chairman ...... x.ix .

pp-ppp- ...... - -- ... ------.-

FORMAL PAPERS AND DISCUSSIONS

DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP AT THE SAN DIEGO ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN George H. Pournelle, Curator of hlammals ...... 1

.~DIXTIOSALNOTES ON PARASITES OF BIGHORN SHEEP ON THE DESERT GAME RANGE, NEVADA Rex W. Allen ...... 5

1-OXG-DISTASCE AND NIGHTTLME MOVEMENTS OF DESERT BIGHORh' SHEEP Gale hlonson ...... 11

IIESERT BIGHORN MAVAGEMENT NEEDS FROM THE ACADEhllC . porn?; OF VIEW U'ilIiamGraf ...... 19

RELATIOXSHIPS BETWEEN DESERT BIGHORLV AND FERAL BURROS IN THE BLACK MOUNTALYS OF hlOHAVE COUNTY* T. J. Mc!dichael...... 29 iiO.+T SURi'EYS AS A TECHSIQUE BIGHORY SHEEP CLASSIFICATIOSS ON L.IKES ME.ID AND hlOHAVE IX NORTHWESTERS r\RIZOSA George Telsh ...... 37 National Applied Resources Science Center BLM LIBRARY RS 150A, Bldg 50 Denver Federal Center P.O. Box 25047 DP~VPY f'n Qn37q

Section Chaiman John P. Russo, Arizona ~ame'and Fish Department

DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP AT THE SAN DIEGO ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN George Ha Pournelle; San Diego Zoological Garden, San Diego, California . . PARASITES AND DESERT BIGHORN Rex W. Allen, ?. S. ~gricultur&Research Service, - .. University Park, New Mexico

LONG DISTANCE AND NIGHTTIICE MO~~~?TOF DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP . Gale Monson, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Washington, D. C.

April 8, 1964 Puerto San 'pelipe, Ba ja California Meeting opened at 8:00 a.'m.

. Sectiori chairman Rlchard E. Griffith,' Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP RANGE'MANAG~T- Needs from the Academic Point of View '. William Graf, San Jose 'State College, San Jose, California STUDIES OF THE RELATIONSHIP OFdBIGHORN SHEEP AND FERAL BURRO - In the Black-Mountains of Northwestern Arizona T. J. McMichael, Ariz'ona Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Tucson, Arizona SOME WILDLIFE OF RAJA CALIFORNIA - Movie - Lewis W. Walker, Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona BOAT SURVEYS AS A TECHNIQUE IN BIGHORN SHEEP CLASSIFICATION COUNTS George Welsh, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Kingman, Arizona THE VEGETATION OF THE DESERT GAME RANGE - With Special Reference to the ~istri&ion of Desert Bighorn William G. Bradley; University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada : r,:.--

- -. Section Chairman ' : Richard A. Weaver, Niland, California a WATER REQUI-S Lloyd Z. Crow, Chino, California ~ROG~~ESSREPORT' FOR THE DZSERT GAME R1I.JG.E Charles G. Hansen, Desert Game Range, Laz Vesas, Neva(j2

BIGHORH FOOD HABITS AND RMJGE WLAT,IONSI-iIP IN NEVADA James D. Yoalcum, Bureau of Mnd. T.l.lann~enent, Reno, Nevada

RESULTS OF BIGHORN HUNT IN MEXICO Dr. ~odolfdHernandez Corzo, Direccion General de Caza, Mexico, D. F. BUSINESS MEETING

T3e Business Meeting was opened at 3:OO p.m. Chairman - Dr. Rodolfo Hernandez Corzo -- . Reports by the Secretary-Treasurer, Committees and Technical Starf Current Business Election and Installation of Officers EVENING SESSION

----- Se-c-t ion-Chaimm+ Ill c~~~~~~ K~X~L-----

A DESERT BIGHORN STUDY ;- Part I1 Norman M. Simmons, Bureau of Sport- Fisheries and Wildlife, Ajo, Ari~ona . - STATUS REPORT OF TEXAS BIGHORN SHEEP Tommy L. Hailey, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Marfa, Texas STATUS REPORT OF SIGHORN SHEEP IIT ORGAN PIPE CACTUS Iu'kTIONAL MONUMENT Harold To Coss, National Park Service, Ajo, .4-izona RADIATION AND WILDLIFE Scott L. Reynolds, Atomic l3ergy Commission, Las Vezas, - r* ..-. Nevada . . STATUS BEPORT OF PIEXICAN BIGIORN IN NF$ MEXICO James L. Sands, Ne3~Nexfso Depgrtment of Game and Fish, Albuquerque, Ncw Mexico BIGHORN HUNTING IN NEVADA A1 Ray Jonez, Nevada Fish and Game Department, LEIS Vexas, Nevada RANGE SURVEYS AND BIGHORN MANAGDENT Charles Rouse, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Vildlif e, Lakeview, Oregon

BIGHORN FOODS OF THE DESERT GAPE R4NGE Oscar V. Derning, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and 't?lldlife, Lzkevley, Oregon

The group met at- 7:30 a.m. for i Field Trip to the "Sheep country" east of Puerto San Felipe, with arrangements by Inz. Manuel Foglio C. 2nd Ing. Ramireo Garcia P. and others. TI33 EIKITH ANWAL DSSERT BIGHORN COUNCIL MEETING . INAUGUR\TION CEREMONIES AT MEXICALL, 84JA CALIFORNIA bft to right - Em-&ue lfichaus, Director General de huSsmo; W, Rodolf o ~erna/ndezCorzo , Director General de Caza and Council Chairrran; John P. Russo, Vice-chairman; Ing. Zanuel Foglio C., Agente General de Agricultura ; Ing. Eligio Esquivel Nendez , Gobernador del Esbdo de Ba ja California; Ing, Carlos Re Parra,, Myor de Mexicall; Charles G, Hansen, Secretary-Trea,surer ; Arturo Gonzalez. Jef e de Ofinina de Poblacib ; Dr. Ennque Sanchez Zaraz&, Fresidente de la ~ederati.de Clubes de Caza en B.C.; ' Dr. Elipid3.o Berlanga, President8 del Comite Mrectivo Estatal del P.R.I. The $!ver ram statuette in the middle of the table was presented to the Council by.'@, Hernandez Corzo, in the name of the Estados Unidos de Mexico, Department. OX Hunting, The silver plaque on the base is inscribed as follows:

DIRRECION GENERAL DE CAZA S.A.G.

VIII Consejo Anual Borrego de Desierto Ba ja California, 1-Iexico

April 1964 April 7, 1954

.4guilar, Ing. Leoncia Perez Ahorezt, Mmuel 1sa:Lzaro Corderiz

Alatorre, Francisco Ailininistracion Aquiles Serdm NO. 28-50 Piso, Mexico, D.F. Aleman, Ing. Jose Edificio Bertha 232 Oliva Mexicali,. E!a js Csllf. Ne xic 0 - Allen, Rex W. University Flrk New r-lesico

Alvarez Torres, Manuel Guzrda Forestal y de Av. :?uszu? y Kina Czzr (~cenciaGnnersl) - Mcxicali, 2-152 Calif. Mexico Asserson 111, W. C.

il-vendzno, Biol. Fidel Dept. Conncrvacion - Torres . de 12 Fzunv Silvestrc I- j Ebwett, Rezingld I ,: -..

I I ' Serlrn,-a, Dr. 3lpidio FzesSfiznte dz1 ?. 3. I.

viii Msiling Address

EOX 161 Idyllwild, Czlif.

University of Nevada L~EVegas, Nevada 214 Spruce Sznta Fe, Nev Mexico

P.O, BOX 156 Death Valley, 'Calif. kquiles Serdan NO. 28-70 Piso, ~exico,_._ D.F.__ ._._ - .._ -

Mexlcali, Ba ja Calif.

Elyj Nevada, . - ,- ,._ -:'! - , ;;2?$\. Coordinador de Cnzs Av. Zuazua y Minas en edo de 5aj~Calif.

-3 - ...... -1.t . y53 J. s 6.. 3736 ~hinoAv':'.- .. -, Chino, ~a1ifdrnia"-''" Dept. Conesrvaclon de la Fauna Silveatre

. . Mexico...... , . -...... ,,-. .: . >,..? L.-~l~~,i~~s~cm~~ >-2.-4. <. ,l -i.' :; $+f& ;C ,&. :;, . i$+:;:, . ' ."iG .

Rea:einZstat idn. ; . .

P.O. Box 1032 Yuma, Arizona . -..? . - .. +<:? Name Agency Mailing Address

Foglio Carrasco, Agente General de Agric. Av. Zuazua y Mina . Lng. Manuel y Ganaderia Mexicali, Fa ja Calif, Mexico

Galvez, Pablo Martinez Av. Reforma 713int' Mexicali, Ba ja Calif. Mexico . - Garcia Perez, Ing. :Ramiro ~elegadoForestal y Av. Zuazua y Mina de- Caza Mexicali, Ba ja Calif. Mexico

Garcia B., .Jose Luis Callejon Venigos 925 Mexicali, l3.ja Calif. Nexic o

Goodman, Dr. John D. University of Redlanc Redlands, California Graf, Dr. # Mrs. William San Jose St. College Sari. Jose, California

Green, Edmund S. 856 W. Grsnd Ave. Escondido, Celiforni~

Greer, Jack M. Templeton, Calif orniz Griffith, Mr. # Mrs. 2405 NE 25th Richard E. Portland, Oregon'

Hailey, Tommy L. P.O. BOX 1228 Marfa, Texas

Hansen, Dr. Charles G. Star ~oute1, Box 14 Las Vegas, Nevada Hermon, Raul Elizando Serv. Coop. de' Edificio Bertha Extension Mexicali, Ba ja Calif, Mexico Hernandez' Corzo, Direccion General de Aquiles Serdan No. 2f Dr. Rodolfo Ca za 70 Piso, Mexico, D.F.

Jett, James E. BOX 383 Kingman, Arizona Johnson, Felipe Meling Calle Altanirano #64 Ensenada, &ja Czlif. Mexico 130~1232 \iickenburg, Arizona

P.O. BOX 1032 Yuma, Arizona if. Administrado - P.O. Box 589 Club-Caza ' San Diego 12, Calif. if. Route 9, Box 960 Tucson, Arizona

'25 10228 Gaulwey if . -. Spring Valley, San Diego Co., Calif.

and s ncs, Fred T. - Sacramento, Calif. da Pide, John R. 'ge .ia - :ilch2el, T. Jeff 924 N. Morris Tucson, Arizona . -nia n!cn, Ing. Pedro - 7fri-ir

rJ h*,Ehrique Perez Guarda de Caza Apo. Postal #39 San Felipe, Baja Cslif Mexico

6. 14 n3cz, J. Francisco Mexicali, Baja Calif. I Mexlco hzon, Gale U.S. Fish and Sf. Wildlife Service ' Salton Sea National Wildlife 4efu:p Callpatria, C~lif.

Matlonal Park Eervice San Francisco, Calif. ZLIOZTJy xW 'O'd Univerzity Parlr New Nexic o

3ureeu of Land TI-enagement ,T- P. 0. ax1551 Reno, Nevada xiv Dr. Rodolfo Hernsndez Corzo, Chairman

First of -all, I want to say that I have instructions - and a great satisfaction at that - to present to you the greetings of our Secretary of -~~ricultureand Livestock Inc. Julian ~odri~uezAdame, and of Dr. Enrique aeltran, Undersecretary of Forestry and Wildlife. Both of them wish you the best success in your activities.

Last year, in Las Vegas, on occasion of the Seventh Annual Meeting of the &sert Bighorn Comril, it was decided, as proposed by the Piexican legation, that this year's meeting wauld be held in the State of Baja California, witho-~tany particular place being selected at that time. Later on, due to the importance of Mexicali as the Capitol of the State and as a border city, as well as the great appreciation showi~by local authorities in regard- to this event, this city was definitely chosen as the best place for the Opening Assembly, and Puerto San Felpe as the best choice for the technical activities and the field trip, since it is very close to sheep co~ntry.

Consequently, this is the second time that the members of the Council met in Mexico. Not long ago - as you certainly reme~ber- the Annual Meet- ing was held at Hermosillo, Sonora, with notable success, both from the point - -- -I ew-6ffTt-tennd annTeeadddd 5-mzu-s-e=opt h~--~ ech-n c-a-le-cox tTfbTt-iionnsSa-n-dpaiper - ST presented there. This was in 1961, under the chairmanship of Mr. Van Den . Akker. Our country, Mexico, sent a delegation headed by the late Ing. his Placias Arellano, who was untimely lost a couple of years afterwards.

All this means that, out of a total-of eight Annual Meetings, two have been held in Mexico, in short succession, which we consider a real privilege. As a matter of fact, I take pleasure to acknowledge, at the very beginning of these Opening Remarks, the kind interest of all of you to have us convene - here. It is not only that it gives us the opportunity to show something of what is known as the traditional Mexican hospitality. We always enjoy being good hosts, that is true. But this time, we want also to show our deep appreciation for the great academic, social and sporting meaning that we . attach to,the selection of two towns of Baja California, for the annual evaluation of the Council activities. - -. -. - .- ~erhH;G some of you still remember ozr words for the Seventh Meeting, . when we referred to the status of wildlife managementin Latin America, taking Mexico as the specific case. We took that opportunity to express the certitude that our policy for the administration of natural resources was changing very rapidly, wildlife managesent included, as a part of the technological development of our nations.

In. this connection, it is our pleasure to inform you th'at Mexico, as a country reaching palitical and economic maturity, has recently taken several important steps towards a better wildlife management. In the first place, we have moved into.new quarters, with better and more technically organized offices, and a special library. Our service for predator control is no7 in full organization, under the direction of -a professional biologist. We were also highly successful, at the end of January, in the realization of a National Wildlife and Hunting Convzntion, from which the most valuable result was to stir'the pblic opinion - at a national level - on the problems and importance of wildlife. And, in direct connection to the bighorn, we opened in the southern portion of the Peninsula, an Espsrimental Season for the species, charging rather high prices for the pelmits, in order to raise funds for its protection. This season has just been.closed on March 30, and we are in the-position to announce its success not only from the point of view of hunting, but also .as a part of 'a program for wildlife management. It was,.in fact, a fine experience for Mexico.. With the funds thus obtained, two patrol vehicles were equipped, and special wardens and biologists hired for enforcement of the law, and for the control of hunting in the selected area. In addition to this, a large zone at the north of Loreto was declared refuge for the Desert sheep. We will present later on a technical account of this season.

But, what is still mare important, we have already succeeded in obtaining from our higher authorities the resolution of expanding the scope of activities under our Direction General, in order to encompass all that per- tains to a National Wildlife Service, studies and research included, besides the enforcement of the hunting regulations.

Thus we can say that, at this moment, Mexico's public opinion is so much - better prepared that a few years ago to acknowledge the full benefit of a meeting like this, that we consider very fortunate the occasion of greeting

- -you=her=e-?Bees~ r-e, -a t-&he-same--time ,_tha t-any- progress ive-s t e ps-ta ken=byY-=------Mexico in regard to wildlife management, will certainly show as a fine example to the other nations of Latin Amrica. This is, no doubt, enough to explain our enthusiasm and appreciation for the significance of this meeting.

Now I would like to say a few words about the highlights of the years. In this regard, two very important resolutions pertaining to the welfare of the desert bighorn sheep were adopted, as follows;

1) The opposition of changing the wilderness status of the San Gorgonio Area in California; and

2) That a technical study sho-~ldbe required .prior to the introduction of any exotic.ungulates in Mexico or in the United States.. : r %.. Letters concerning both resolutions were widely distributed to the heads of our federal' agencies, and to the American state agencies, with-highly positive results. The Western Association of State Game and Fish Comnis- sioners adopted similar resolutions: The Mexican Government, having federal jurisdiction over all matters of gime, pzssed the resolutions difectly, as

instructions of a higher- level. In addition to this, the resolution concerned with the San Gorgonia area was presented at the p~blichearing for the Wilderness Bill in Las Vegas., and will be included in the con~ressional record. We have reasons to feel entitled to satisfaction.

The Technical Staff of the Coxncil, organized since 1962 as a separate

xvi ,nit, with its okn Chairman, has also been a source of satisfaction. As you Ijell know, they have been working on the accuaulation of all available knowledge about the natural history, ecology and management of desert bighorns. This project is scheduled for publication as a monograph, which we all are contemplating as the most important ever undertaken p~blicationon the subject. Let us express here cur appreciation to the Technical Staff.

There was also another matter of considerable significance for all those ,-oncerned with research, management or cultural interest about the bighorn sheep. I call your attention to the dec'ision taken by the Council, following the proposal of the Awards conkittee, to choose Mr. Oscar V. Deming as the recipient of the .Council Award, presented for the second time in 1963. This is not only a reward for accomplishments of a high rank in the specialty, but also a means to stimulate and direct oxr will to work for the benefit of the species.. We sincerely hope that this year also, another member deserving the Award can similarly be found.

And last, but not least, there vas one resolution of the Council for which the deep gratitude of the Mexican Delegation and, as matter of fact, of the Mexican Government, is presented here. I refer to the dedication of the 1963 Council Transactions to Ing. his Placias Arellano; former head to the Direction General de Caza, for which we thank you. This is, certainly, a nice sample of your sympathy and of the way you feel towards your Mexican fellows.

- So much for the resolutions. As for special activities, the Publicity Cornnittee prepared copies of the constitution and distributed them to all members, and they have also prepared a brochure on the Ccx~ncil. The Three

- -_Q~arter-C1~rl-Co~ittee_met_~e~ce~~t~yin ks Veg~~La~g~~Officers of the Council, taking advantage of the North American Wildlife Conference, held there in March. Incidentally, a proposition by Dr. Hansen, our Secretary-Treasurer, regarding the technical way of ascertaining the three quarter curl requisite in hunting, has been successfully adopted by the Mexican Government as the official rule for the Experimental Hunting Season, which we consider highly satisfying.

I do'not think I should take any more of ~our'time. These few pages tjre prepared as, announced, purely as Opening Remarks. However, I shall not close without expressing our acknowledgement to. the Officers of the Comcil, for their fine collaboration and enthusiasm, personally to Dr. Hansen, who carries most of the burden of Council Business and to A1 Jonez, former Chair- man, who left such a good organization for us to continue. We are also very greatful to;,the local authorities of the State of Baja California, particularly to ~ov.gmorIng., Eligio Esquivil, for the numerous facilities and . attentions.provided to the council. To the Program and Arrangemznts Committee, , headed by Dr. Beltran, and for whose activities were key members Ing. Foglio, the General Agent of the Secretary of Agriculture and ~ivestockin the State, and Gerald IXlncan and Richard Weaver, To the m2m3ers of the.Program Committee,. for their outstanding success in arranging a full program with more than twenty papers on the bighorn, with the collaboration of Messrs. Lard, Graf, Davila, Morgan and Villa. This is certainly an accomplishment. It is, in- .deed, gratifying to see how, notwithstanding the great' tech.nologica1 pressure of this nuclear and space era, many scientists still devote their full capacity to the preservation and developmsnt of the things of nature, without which no human life is possibly conceivable.

xvii As a result of all this, there cannot be any exaggeration in saying that the technical and social success of the meeting of the Coxncil is assured, thanks to your active participation, and that of other interested parties. Finally, I wish to say this, in summation: '.If my words were prepared as Open- ing Remarks, i.e., opening referring to the Meeting, they also mean opening in the sense of a book, a book on the desert bighorn sheep, which we open and close every year, and from which we learn the progress&and problems of the subject, as a result of the interest and endeavors of all of you.

Thanks, again, in the name of Mexico.

Mexicali, B.C. April 7, 1964

Dr. Rodolfo Hernandez Corzo

xviii Opening Address by John P. Russo, Vice Chaircan vIII Consejo Anual Borrego Del Desierto, Baja California, 1.iexic0 April - 1964

I-Ir. Chairman, distinguished guests and mernbers of the Council. I am

,,,, I speak for all of us when I say, our visit to Baja is an experience

tl?at ve will long remember. We are not, however, entirely alien in the sense

of visiting a strange land in a strange country. We have a kindred relation-

s5ip in the mutual love shared' for the desert and its wildlife '- particularly

the desert bighorn sheep.

Through our relationships in the Council, we have fostered a great

and gained respect and a feeling of learning from the members

and delegates of the various states and Mexico.

For the majority of us, our knowledge of bighorn was gained by sheer

dttennination- and the fortitude to withstand the rigors of an inimical

_-La-s~eland' -- _thedes_erts of-the -southwest. Fionth after month,-year after- -- -

pear, eventually we learned.

I. The ~ndiansof the southwest have a chant called, "Dream soXg of the

Solitary." It is a song vision, as recorded by Patricia Benton, that goes

1 ike this:

"Over the desert and into the stillness I wandered:

So far I wandered until. the mountain brought me wisdom.''

I am sure there isn' t a one of us who has come away from' the desert and.

reflected this- very thought -- the mountain brought me wisdom; I have learned! I It is fitting that the Desert Bighorn Council should meet in Baja,

%xico, the area where so many of the trophy desert bighorn sheep have come.

:llmst one-third of the desert bighorn recorded, 18 of the 58 listed, come

fro3 Lower California -- or Baja. According to the Boone and Crockett Club

Soak. Records of North American Big Game, five of the first ten trophys cone from here. and the two top are exclusively of this country.

Baja, like all of Mexico, has a wealth of natural resources in many

foms, including wildlife. Unfortunately, typical of the historic develop-

ment of our western civilization, the wildlife has been exploited by selfish

and ruthless individuals. Gerard Pie1 once said:

"The frontier of understanding has no limits,

and the curse of want and poverty may yet be

lifted from the life of our species.

That frontier cannot be exploited on the sane

selfish terms as the frontier that lies behind.Ia

How true that is!

Because of this Council's activities, we have become more aware of not

-only our individual management and conservation problems, but through the

-- - exchange of idea~wehave -learned that our neighbors have similar problems.

And through this exchange of ideas, .I am sure all of us have profited.

Wildlife, .and here 'I think particularly of the bighorn sheep, is a

:resource -- a renewable resource that can be wisely used to provide recreation,

and at the same time managed toward the conservation of the species. However,

every effort must be made to develop an understanding of our wildlife and

educate the public of our objectives in management. Aldo Leopold once wrote:

- "Recreational development is a job not of building : r?-.- . roads into lovely country, but of building -, . . ...-.-. ,:- a : receptivity into the still unlovely human mind."

Through the effort of the Bighorn Council, I think we are bringing about the

recognition of conservation, managenent and an understanding of this fine . . .species. We have been able to visit various areas in the sout*west. This has

given each of us an insight into the problem confronting other states. I ho?e th3t Secause of our Souncil. msny of yo9 hlvc bz3n able to

find a solution. or at least a dir2ction to snlving ynur p~rticul=.r

problen. . . To read ab.wt an area is m? thing -- it is a method of learning

through co~~municati:m.st to visit, 2nd s?e for yourself, will

reflect a knowledge boyoni ' cnnparc. . . This opportunity to visit Kexico thr~uzhthe cnurteous 2nd

t;?o~.~ghtfulinvitation of our chairmn and hosts, thz doltgites 2nd

the po~leof Xexico,, is zest a;,~re.ci-ited. In %half of tne Co~mcil,

I wish to express our deepest a7preci2tion ind thak you for inviting us here. 1.31chos gracias arnigos !

xxi ". Photo by JIM YOAKUM DESERT BIGHORN- SHEEP AT THE

SAN DIEGOZOOL:OGICAL GARDEN

George H. Pourneile, Curator of Mammals

The present report ~ummarizesexperiences with 13 Desert Bighorn Sheep, Ovis --canadensis nelsoni, at the San Diego Zoological Gardens. All original stock was obtained from the Desert Game Range, Las Vegas, Nevada. Two rams and one ewe,

five months old, were received in September, 1947. In September, 1958, two ewes

obtained, one born April, 1956 and the other April, 1958. The eight births

recorded in the zoo included one set of twins and two stillbirths. Sex ratios were five

moles, three females and one sex unknown, All lambs were sired by the same ram, one

of the original animals received in 1947. This ram died November 6, 1962, of fibrinous

pericarditis after establishing a captive longevity record of over 15 years. It is also a

Boone and Crockett Club recoid t50).

Birth dates of zoo born sheep ranged from April 8th to May 26th. Birth-dates of 27

--Ovis c. canadensis ranged from February 8th to July 3rd with 74% (20) occurring- between

April 21st and May 26th.

The breeding ram and a ewe, both born in Apiil, 1947, produced their first offspring

May 19, 1949. A ewe born April 24, 1958, lambed May 2, 1960. All three parent .

: r.. - b -. 1; 1; animals were!thus slightly over 2 years of age. . ;.. .: - - Oeath causes were varied. Fibrinous pericarditis (male), colonic ulcer (male), lung I 1 carcinoma (female), accidents and fighting (two males, one female). There were also two. / stillbirths (one female, one sex "nknown). The present collection consists of one five year old ram, one six year old ewe

(pregnant) and one two year old ewe. A two year old zoo born ewe was sent to the

Desert Game Range, Las Vegas, in 1962.

San Diego Zoo Bighorn are maintained in paddacks approximately 50 x 50 feet in

area. No. 9 chainlink fencing six feet high is used, with posts bedded in concrete

bcse. 3" x 12" buckboards have to be.used to keep rams from battering the iron posts

out of their concrete bases. These boards have to bereplaced each season. Decomposed

granite is used as ground cover for efficiency in cleaning and parasite control. Future

plans are to maintain animals in larger moat bound enclosures on hill or canyon sides.

betails are still be worked out;

New arrivals of these sheep and other hoofed species are introduced into a paddock

with canvas draped fences so they become accostomed to boundaries, otherwise there is

-- danger-of=attempt ing-to-ehargethrough-fen-wi th -resu lting -injury,--This--is-espec ial ly=- -===

important with individuals brought directly from the wild state. Before placing strange

individuals together they are placed in adjacent enclosures for a time where they can see . . each other and become acqiainted.

Our bighorn diet consists of apples, carrots and alfalfa hay. Grain in the form of

Purina D 8 F pellets is fed three times a week. We do not have a constant supply of a

' variety of browse syecier. Acacia is fairly abundant and has been offered with only . . .-. -- . i casual acceptance.. Multi-mineral salt blocks are provided. 1 . . * I Canadian Bighorn Sheep were crossed with Mouflon Sheep (Ovis- musimon) from Sardinia and Corsica several years ago in an attempt to develop strains resistant to coccidiosis and

lungworm (Protostrongylus). Bighorn rams were bred to ~ouflonewes and the F, hybrids were backcrossed to Bighorn rams. Through number of years, from the late 201s to

late 40's hybrids were maintained at the 200. However it is my that

records were turned Over to bbhna Fish 8 Game Department.officials and I do not

hwe &to available concerning the degree of success from a parasite standpoint. No

furher experiments have been conducted for many years.

I would like to express my appreciation and that of the San Diego Zoo staff to the

n=ny people of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Nevada Fish and Game corr.rnission who have made exhibition of Nelson Bighorn Sheep possible in our zoo.

ADDITIONAL NOTES OM PAW-SITES OF BIGHORN SHEEP ON THE DESERT CI;IME RANGE, JJZVAD:i

Rex W. -4llen Anbal Disease and Parasite Research Division Agricultural Research Service ... IS. S. Department of -Agriculture University Park, Feu Mexico

In a previous report (~llen,1962) on parasites of bighorn sheep (miJ- canadensis nelsoni) collected on the Desert Game Range in Nevada in %vezber and December, 1961, data were provided about the occurrence

of species. These were Dermacentor hkteri, the winter tick; Proto-

, stron~vlusstilesi, a lungworm; Thvsanosoma actinioides, the fringed -. bpeworm; Wvoxninia tetoni, the skirted tapeworm; Trichuris sp., a whip-

worn; end Skrjabinema sp., a pinworm. These parasites occurred in at

least 50 percent of the host animals examined.

Through the efforts of Dr. Charles G. Hansen and Newell B. Norgan

------of the U. S. Fish and Wild Life service, we have been able to expand

the above records by examining viscera collected from animals taken

during a hunt in November and December, 1962. This material was col-

lected in the field and shipped to University Park, New Mexico, where the

prasites were removed, identified, and counted.

Organs available for examination included the heart from one animal,

lungs from 13, livers from two, abomzsa from two, and the small and large ' I - . . intestines from four. Portions from a few of these organs were missing.

t Results are given in the accompanying table. The one heart avail- - zble for examination was free from parasites. Lworms were found in

five of the 13 samples; these were tentatively identified as P_. stilesi. W_. tetoni was fohd in one of the four sheep examined for this pansite,

while T. actinioides occurred in two of four sheep. In one of these host

animals there was concurrent infection with the two species of ttipeuoms.

h"nipoms of the genus Trichuris were found in two of four sheep ex-

emiced; these were tentatively identified as T, discolor. Three of four

sheep e&ed-for pinworms were positive snd a study of representative

specimens indicated that they are S. ovis.

It will be noted that the species identification of the lungworms,

whipoms, and phworms listed here are tentat5ve. In the case of the

first two types of worms, the taxonomic status of the species of the two

genera imolved makes identification difficult. A; for the pinwoms,

the condition of the specimens available for examination left' much... . -to be

- desired.

The variety of parasites found in the present survey, and their .

------.- - incidence, was very similar to that reported for 1961. Fortunately, from

the standpoint of identification, more uhipworms, including males were

found; thus, greater specificity was possible in identifying these worms.

Protostronmlus stilesi has long been considered a serious parasite

of bighorn sheep, being responsible for appreciable losses due to vermi-

nous pneumonia. It was described in 1931 by DiInnans from Rocky-Mountain

bighorn (his canadensis canadensis) of Wyoming. It has not been found : I<.-- in any other animal except in Russia, where the domestic sheep has been . - .-.. - :- * recorded rs a host. It has been reported from as far south as southern : Nevada and north central New Mexico, but it has not been found in the

1-iexican bighorn (his canadensis mexicana) of Arizona and New Nexico.

. . AS in 1961, the lungworm lesions encountered on the Desert Gvne

Range in 1962 involved only an extremely small percentage of the total

lung area. It was estimated that the total area involved in the most . . heavily infected lung was five square centimeters, and lung surfaces

generally appeared to be normal except for the areas immedietely adja-

cent to the nests of worms. . .- The two tapeworms found, 7/1. tetoni and 2. actinioides, are both

inhabitants of the biliary system and the duodenum. W. tetoni wes de-

scribed by Scott in 1941 from 2. 2. canadensis in Wyoming. It has been

recorded only from wild sheep. In addition to g. 2. nelsoni of the

Desert Game Range, it has recently been reported fim Chris dalli by

Gibbs and Fuller (1959). Its range is restricted to western North berica in an area extending from southvestern Arizona usso so, 1956) to the Yukon Territory. It mgy be distinguished from the fringed tape-

vorm by the characteristic nslrir$edn appearance of the .posterior border

of each segment. 2. actinioides is a very comon parasite of wild rumi-

nants and domestic sheep in the Western U. S., in Canada, and in semi-

arid regions of South America. It has been reported from 14exico as well.

It was originally described in 1833 from a deer in Brazil. Its common

name is derived from the fact that the posterior border of each segment

has the appearance of a fringe. : 'c*.- The whipworm, x. discolor, is world-wide in distribution, occurring - .-.. -:-, in cattle, buffalo, and other ruminants. It reportedly differs some-

what from the whipworms usually found in domestic sheep. The pinworm, -S. wis, also is world-wide in distribution and is the most prevalent . . species in domestic sheep and goats.

Although practically no infomation based on ex-perimental infections

is eveilable concerning the effect of pzrasites on wild ruminants, it

seems safe to conclude, from what we hew about pxaiiitisrn in donestic

ruminants, that the Ibw grade infections encountered to date in bighorn

of the Desert &me Range are not sufficient to have an apprecieble ad- verse effect on the' health of these animals. However, it should be

borne in mind that these parasites are potentially ha~-mfuland nay at

times create problems. .,. -- 4. 6 Parasitism in bighorn sheep on the Desert Gvne Range in TJevada. Trans. Sixth Ann. Meeting Desert Bighorn Council pp. 69-71.

, G. 1931. Two new lungworms from Elorth .h&x~nruminants and a note on the lungworms of sheep in the United States. Proc. U. S. Nzt. Nus. 79: 1-4. . - G~SS~,R. C. 2nd Fuller, W. A. 1959. Record of Wvominia tetoni Scott 1941 from: --Ovis dalli in the Yukon Territory. Canad. J.

ZOO~. 37: 815. '

2u&o, J. P. 1956. The desert bighorn sheep in Arizona. Bull. hi- zona Game and Fish Dept. 153 pp. (illus.)

scott, J. 14. 1941. A new genus and species of tapeworm from the bighorn sheep. hat. Record 81: 65-66.

Incidence of Parasitism in Bighorn Sheep of the Desert Game Ranre, Kevada 1962

Parasite ' Nunber of Sheep - Scientific name Common name 'Examined Parasitized

Protostron~vlusstilesi kPom

Thvssnosomz actinioides' Fringed tapeworm

Vvominia tetoni Skirted tapeworm 4 1

Trichuris discolo& - Whipworm. 4 2. Sriebinema ovisLl Pin.crorm 4 3

L1 Tentative identifications.

LONG-DI STA3CE AND NIGKCTIZE MOVEMENTS OF DESERT BIGHORN.SHEEP

Gale Zilonson Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife Vashington, D. C. . .

Long- -distance and nighttime- mwements by desert bighorn have always interested students of the animal. Despite many years of what we like to refer to as management of desert bighorns, and some quite concentrated studies, we still are'not in a good position to draw definite conclusions regarding chis phase of their behavior. Their individuality and their thin numbers, in the most difficult terrain, makes them hard to study.

Let me first take up long-distance movements, which perhaps in or most cases are also nighttime movements. There are a number of records of bighorns crossing wide valleys between mountain ranges, but the evidence of long-distance travels within and along mountainous country, or following a series,of rocky ridges or hills, is fragmentary. The record.indi- =ate5 that long-distance movements are of low frequency and actually may be quite rare. In defining long-distance movements, we might consider any G- tained travel for aver five miles in a single direction in mountains, and -above two or three miles between mountains.

The picture is confused by unscientific statements that hme won wide acceptance. Somewhat typical is this quotation from Jack OrConnorts

' "The bighorns move from range to range following ,the spotty desert rains, and'during the mating season the breeding rams wander widely. A wilderness range may be full of sheep one month and practically empty of them the next. The'bands which feed in one group of mountains in the winter may go a hundred miles when the weather begins to get warm. All over their range they are highly migratory . . .II There are very few instances in southwestern Arizona where bigh~rn have been found more than half a mile from the nearest mountain range, and not many records of animals ranging more than a few hundred feet from any steep and rocky mountain slope. This is in spite of the fact that trained personnel have worked in this part of the State for nearly 25 years. I will detail all records.of lpng-distance travel in this region I could find. These 'come from the triarinual narrative reports submitted by the managers of the ~abeiaPrieta and Kcfa Game Ranges.

A ram was reported to Geno Amundson in 1943 as seen 6 miles east of Ajo "on flats three miles from any mountains". Rancher Henry Gray saw three ram below Bates Well on the Orgm Pipe Cactus National Monument on July 2, 1943, which he stated were "migrating frsm the Growler Mountains to Quito- baquito". A ram was observed "on a lons peak in the desert" two and one-half miles southwest of Palm Canyon on the Kofa Game Range in 1951 by J. I. No~ll. Four ewes were seen in a "rough area" a mile north of Jasper Spring on the Kofa Game Range on Karch 13, 1949 by W. E. Blaxhard.

One of the nost interesting bighorn incidents on record happened at 0500 on August 11, 1955, while it was still dark. A tourist's car, speeding along U.S. Highway 80, 14 miles vest of Gila Eend, struck and killed a ram that was crossing the highway from north to south. The ram was accompaniad by two ewes, According to witnesses, the two ewcs remained i~,the vicinity for some time after the ram was killed. There was no moonlight. At this point along Highway 80,'there is a low but rocky ridge that ccnnects with the Painted Rock Mountains :to the north. The animals were apparently heading south to the crater Range, a well-knowr. bighorn habitat. After crcssing the highway, they still .had abaut ten miles ,to travel to reach the Craters, but it was all across lzva rcck country.

On May 5, 1963, Nzcrnsn Simons and Paul LeRoux, the latter of the Arizona Gane and Fish Department, follcwed two sets c~fbighnrn track, dlrh droppings, across the gap betwee3 the Mghawk and Bryan MounCains cn the Cabeza ~rieta"dameRange, The tracks left the Mohawk Mountains and went .southeast nearly two miles across flat allwium cut -by one major wash,

A 2-year-old bighorn was sprayed with dye when he watered at Narth Pinta Tank at 0935 on the Cabeza Prieta Game Rage on June 18, 1963. Two . days later, he appeared at Eagle Tank, te2 airxine m5las axay, and watcred at 0840.

__. - Ln=-early-Augu s-t - 1963-,-~-eter inarLan .-Jr3h-B . AL1leen-.cf Aj Q- vas helXne - -= about one-fourth mile northeast of Coffee Pot.Mountain in the Sauceda N~un- tains when he saw a group of bighorns. One nf them had a red rump. This xiis most likely a bighorn marked with dye at Dripping Spricgs ca the Organ Plpe Cactus h~ationalMsnument on the prwicus juiv 9, The airline di.st..ns~between the two localities is 31 miles. Zt is also possilla this bighorn vas . cn? of those marked in the Sierra Pinta 3n the Ca.baz= Frieta ';.me Rmge ir. w.rd-.tulc,- but the dye would have faded zozsiderahly by August. The msrked a?.inalts sex was not recorded. if the bighorn follow~dmcuntainous terrair' £ton D.cippir;g Springs to Coffee P9t Mauctain, the straight line disLance it travsl6-d x-~uid be over 42 miles. - These last twTnstzmces clearly democst,ra:s the valte of :~2or- marking bighorns, which gives promise cf highly igteresting rzsults ir. 1:ke future if th2 program begfin in 1963 caa be c~ntisluz3ir future yzcs.

The tracks cf two 3Lghxcs wern trailed fez ahut elght rnLies across 4 the Tule Desert betweon the Sierra Finta and the CaSezs Pricta Mountains by Norman Simmons in early October of lzst year. Simrnons ramzrked that the sheep apparer.tly traveled at a rapid walk in a straight line, aqd did not stop to . feed in the valley, thcugh food was nbunlant. They seemed tu have 3alTkzr;teiy positiimed themsalves so that the exc+nt :~f trmel asrass the flat terrain wss rninirnLzed. Charles G. Hansen has combed Desert Gvne Range reports for what evidence he could find of desert bighorn movements between mountain ranges ir, southern xevada. These are more numerlus than southwestern Arizona reports. He has very kindly provided me with a samary (personal communication. Fehruary 5, 1964). They are listed 2s follows, and, unless otherwise rnenticnel, are by caqe Range personnel: . .

1942. Albert Van S. Pulling saw a ram on U.S. ~i~hria~95 in September. The ram se'emed to have come from the Red Rock area. and was heading for Gass Mountain. Mountain to mountain mileage involved, about ten .miles. .

1943, Mr. and Mrs. pulling saw a ewe and lamb on the Cold Creek Road, . six miles above Indian Springs, on August 31. Distance from mountain to mountain here is about four miles.

1944. According to Pulling, P.-Zeterson saw a full-grown ram at Indian Springs Ranch'on U.S. Highway 95. The time cf year is unrecorded. Again, according to Pulling, W. Dane, on or about September 16, saw two rams- and either.a ewe or a young ram crossing the.highway seven miles from Indian Springs, traveling from the Desert Range in the Cold Creek direction. About four days later, and again reported by Pulling, P. Peterson and R. Perkins saw two ewes and a lamb at the Indian Springs Ranch. The mountain-to-mouxitain - distance at Indian Springs Ranch is about six miles. - . . 1946. Oscar Deming repqrted that, on October 26, a Greyhound bus on: - -. -2 - - - -- U.S. ~ighway- -- 91- ---- hit- ---a .bighorn - as the.------latter ---ws -c?ossing-- the:. -- - liigliway -near Jean,. Nevada. This was thought to be a cased:of 1 an. - '. r- . ,- animal traveling 'from the Spring Mountains down through the Potosi Mountains, thenie along rocky ridges to the Colbrado -River. . .-. /- 1949 aid 1950. A number df statements by Deming that bighorn were seen - - crossing Highway 91, as well as crossing Coyote Wash between the. Sheep and Meadow Valley Ranges, but no .pinpointing as to time =d - . place. These details may be in Demingts field notes, whiqh haye - -

not been checked;. - . =- . - .- -, -.' - - :.<,2 1951. Deming saw a r& in September on Groom Lake ,-10 miles. north: of, . the northwest c~rner.of the Desert Game Range and.about 5 miles .. from the nearest mo+tain. - . - - ".. - - I--. . .5 , . 1954, ~ouisD. Hatch reported two rams seen below the Bar'~othin~.Ranch. . . ,.This is about 3.g.iles from the nearest mountain. Also, some time in the early part of the year, possibly as late as April, Hatch' - and H. Hoffman of the' Forest Service noted seven mature rams eight- tenths of a mile from ~ovellCanyon Junction below the Raber ts Ranch, . about 3 miles from the nearest mountain area.

1962. Wayne Kirch of the Nevada Game and Fish Commission reported that he saw a ram on Highway 93 between .'ir-rcw Canyon Range and the Meadow Valley ~ad~e.This would be about 2 miles from the nearest mountain area.

1963. A ram was observed by Dr. Scott Reynolds of the AEC on Septeinber 2 along the 6 miles of road between Highway 95 and the Corn Creek Field Station. The ram was standing on the road when first seen, and whirled and ran toward the Sheep Range, 4 to 5 niles distant. Hansen (ibid.)- 'further reports there are definite records of bighorns marked in the Sheep Range being seen later in the Desert Range, 4 to 6 miles distant. He camments in an. unpublished repprt (Desert Game Range files, 1964) that "It is very interesting and perhaps important to note that a good many of the observations of sheep crossing from one range to another are in the fall, and usually between September and November. There should also be sight records of sheep retracing their steps in the spring if the movement is part of a usual drift from the summer range to the winter range. However, sight records of sheep crossing between the major mountain ranges in the spring ar early summer are decidedly lacking. Another point of interest is that mcst of the sightings have been of rams mwing from one range to another. This may be due to the.fact that the ewes are more wary than the rams, especially the old rams, and therefore the ewes may take more precautions in order not to be seen when they are far from their natural escape cover.

"It is conceivable that these movements would be more common' some years than in others, because of the change in the size of the population and perhaps because of the availability of food and the water situat%on. It is also .possible that the rams are moving about in response to the internal drLves which- are most active during the rutting season. Further observations adstud ------= ies are needzd to answer all-thPq~stio~t~attarriSeeinnr~Zi~~h~semcve- ments that may be a necessary functicn in the survival of some desert bighorn populations ." I Ralph and Florence Welles, in their excellent report on the bighorss of Death Vallq ("The Bighorn of Death Valleyf1, Fauna of the N. Parks of the U.S. Fauna Series.No. 6, 1961. Government Printing Office) mention 20 instance of long-distance travel. They have this to say i3 their summary: "Bighorn appear to prefer to remain in one home area if conditions allow them tg, being

born, living, and dying within a radius of - 20 miles of their home water supply.-- - However, unlike some other ungulates, theyXwillmove rather than starve. The exhaustion of non-permanent water supplies probably isthe most frequent c2use for moving.'.' The Welleses thus tie long-distance movirrg to the availabdlity of water. Water could have a larger role in causing long-distance mavemects than we now realize, and we should orient future observarions to the r_rar>st; .. water supply at _the time. * It has been asserted, by persons more romantic thvl scientific, that desert bighorns will travel not only a few miles, but 100 miles or more, to an area with better feed. This may sound logical, particularly in a desert ares where physical barriers are lacking, but cor?firrnatary cbservations are rare. The nearest thing to an observation of this type oc=urreZ on September 30, 1956 on the Cabeza Prieta Gaine Range, during a lcng, dry peri~d. Nc rain a£ any coxequence had fallen in more 'than a year. All tanks in the araa had been dry far at least a month, most of them since July. On this day Vince R~th,now 2irector of the American Museum of Natural History's Southwestern Research Sta- =iGnsin the Chiricahua Mountains, was driving with me alone the trail between Tcle Well and Christmas Pass, about 2 miles northeast of Tule Well. Here we upon a group of bighorns--two rms, two ewes, and twc lambs of the year. hey rm off to the nearest rocky outcroppings, a.sixth of a aile or so away, znd disappeared. Examination of their tracks revealed that they had spent con- Sidcrable time in the vicinity, perhaps a week or two. It so happens that, in: this particular locality, we-had never before seen bighorns. Ihy were they there? The apparent answer was the new green growth cn some ot the desert shrut.s along the washes--especially on ironwood. (Olneya -tescr=a), catclaw (&=cia greg::ii), and lycium~(Lyciumfrekontii). Some time in the late sum- ,,r, not more than a month prior to our visit, an isolated shower had fallen in r_!lis one small district, scarcely nore than half a mile in diameter. The =hpwer ~roducedjust enough moisttlre to bring t!le leaves- out, leaves that ,lreaGy were turning yellow from insufficient rain. Ve speculated on whether

Nighttime Movements

In considering this phase of desert bighorn behavior, it is well- :r~.~*rnthat the bighorn sheep'is a diurnal animal and spends the ni~htsin rest,. ~lthoughvirtually all of the incidents of long-distance travel 1 have reportsd ------. .- - - I - _ _=__----a- J -_ - -- - in which tliFZEimal(s) was actually seen occurred durixg the-c?aytim-hXis. a pzssibility that the majority of such cross-country journeys take place under the cwer of darkness. The ran killed on U.S. Highway 8C) near Gila Bend 2s a casz in point. I have a number of records of bighorns moving about at night . rrthin what might be called their normal home territory. Unless atherwLse fcaisated, these are from reports in the files of the Cabeza Prieta, Kofa, -and Desert Game Ranges.

J'ack conno nor may have been the first to record such ax incident, in "(:me 03 the Desert". One night in Februzry 1938, during the fdi of the mmn, he sil..rl a ram crossing Arizana Highway.87 or! the Gila River Indian Reservaticm. lhfs was just a stone's throw from the Santan Mountaiizs. 01;7snnor reasline8 that the run was engaged in crcss-country travel. While this-may have be~,r_so, tnere 1s as much reason to think that he was a wanderer who had settled down i=? the nearby mountains for the time teing, and had been feeding in fields ahnp the rivx. - - - - During the 1956 waterhole counts on the Kofa Game Raxge, zack Hall and Z took turns all night on ,Tune 26-27 to determine whether any bigharns v~uld cma in to drink at Tunnel Spring. There was bright rnoonlizht from 2200 cc. Our vigil was unrewarded. This was only a sFngle night's experienc?, but it was at a wster heavily used by bighorns and during a dry period. if they regularly Ccb-7"n for water at night, we shculd have seen cir at least hear3 one. Bighorns do cone in to water with the first crack cf dam. Oc the CaSeza Prieta md Kofa Gzne Rages, we have often apprzached waterholes in the dim light that heralds the sunrise tc~find that bighorns were there a5ead of us. Llke>ise, an occ~sionalaimal Kill cme ic for water while the last sunset light is fading almg the nesterr. horizon. Extra-eazly watering is nc doubt cften a czse of m-inals who hzve spe2t the night in the vicinity of the waterhole, aftx arriving too late the previous evening to ga in +G drirk while ?here was still saxe light:

Boger Jahnson, Cecil Remedy, Rex Allec, jack Grass and I were c&ipd fcr the night-of April 16-17, 1960, in Paradise Canyon on the east side af the Sierra Pinta on the Cabeza.Prieta Game Range. At 0630, we were awakened by bighcrn sheep that had, as shmn by tracks we checked out after daylight, litar- ally browsed their way up the wash right into our camp. laen alani-icrl, they dashed up onto a nearby ridge where, silhouetted against an Easter w,or and zlongsi3e a blcodng palo verde whose fl;wers losked white in the mo.zmlight, we could see they were twa impressivaly large rams.

Durirrg waterhole ccunts cm Zuly 26, 27 and 28, 1960, ELmer Simpson, Desert Game Range mechanic, reported there was sheep activity at Shalesut Spring ir~the Sheep Range all night. During this time, 34 sheep were counted during the daylight hours. These were rams only, and at night they pushed and clashed horns. (There were no actual butting bouts either seen or heard a+,day or night.) They kept him awake nost cf the nights during the c~unt.

Ctn August 4, 1960, Charles Hansen was watching Quijinq Spring in the Sheep Range on the Desert Game Rar.ge. At 0515, when it was still quite dak

_____-_= - --with- no sign of the appraaching &m, a WQUP cf sheep, p~L~~sthr~to-s~x-F~~ number, cane in to the spri~g,but wera frighteced aw2y when a Pi-ght was flashed en them. These azib.als were moving around near the spring for at least 20 minutes before they were unintentionally frightened.

The following spri~g,in 1961, Cerald Dunca2, Bud Phillips airid 'i werz camped ir &fa Queen Ca~yanof tha bfa Mountains. It was the night af Mzch 16. A strong and noisy wind was blowing.up the canyon as.we were zatizg 9ur evening meal, at 1930. Gerry suddenly said, "~heze's some sheep in h am^!" Alnost imme- diately, we heard the sound of alarmed bighorcs dashing away at high speed. We grabbed flashlights, and with their aid could see the a-,-kals as they rar: quickly across the floor of the canyon mil up a law hill on the far side. At the top of the hill, they paused far a time to look at us, their eyas shici~lpa golden yellow calor. .We perceived that they were fcur rams. The sky was clear this night, but there was ,r-c noan. These rams were nwlng up the :=yon at night, fez wha", reasons ve ca;rrr~nlysurmise. - - -. .. * On SiGtember 12, 13, and 14 in 1961, Charles Hmse- rapxted the fal- lowing from the Desert Came Range: "During 05servatio~sat Shelp Springs waterhole count there were two rams and one ewe' that stayed arou~dthc water until 1330, after it was quite dark. That olghr or early next morning c~r,the Nth, we were awaker:ed by sheep as they inado their' way a:ross the rocky talus sl~pes abme and below our cnnbi~ationblind azd camp. C'ne old r2m that was not dis- tu_rt-.l;-dEv r.ur nresense stsyzd all day adall ni ah: arjunl the wa+.t?r. He mr-ved . o,t to 'check up' on eves when they cam aramt but returned to the vi=inity the water. He was not disturbed ty having the light flashed on him dsring the night. The nights werc s~o~llessbut brlght by starlight".

Hamen also has the folloking rrc rzpart on nightthe actl.~iiies, again while he was at Sheep Spring during a wat~rholacount, this time on july 11, 1963: "While sitting at Sheep Sprizg for watcrhole ~bservati~ns, two rms about 8 years old cme into 5hz spring at 1020 awl stayed around in Sight most of the day. They left with a group cf owes at abiwt 1800 but returned about 2100 with tw~other r2ms that had bien in and out all day. Ihen I flashed the light on them to make an identification, they ran cff a The first two bedded d3& for the night about 150 feet from the spring. 1 believe that they stayed the night, since they were bedded in the same place the next morning and didn't get up until about 0630, when they were joined by the other two rams that were with them the night befxe."

During the 1963 waterh2lc survey on the Caksza Frieta Cane Range, no bighorns watercd by night. caterhold e9trances were dusted cr swept,. and no tracks were found cn followirg m~r~ings.Soman Sinlrnons saw cjne bighorn near Eagle Tank in the dark, mrl heard others.

A summary of arrival times at vater on thc ncscrt Cane Range, 1957, through 1963, reveals that out of 958 observations 2 ptrc2nt of the sheep cane into water after 2000 md befcre 0500. However, it should fie rmem- bered that during June and mcst cf July daylight Is presert by 0500 ar,d after 2000. In presenthg these instances of long-dlstance and ~ighctimetravel, -- --- 1- Vi~h~t0-r------em~-k--t hhat-tBer eeup do~~te~ly-k~-ee~e-e~--ob-s-er~ a ti-insst hhaf -"I.-"~.hap~=----- overlooked, and that were made.and nat recorded. May I suggest that pains be taken to fully record all such observations? , Summarizing long-distance arid nighttime observati~nsaf desert bighorns, we can make the follov5ng pcints:

The frequerr.2~of such observations is almost insignificant when compared to the total number of bighorn chservatior.~.

Such travel appears to be mainly by rams, 5r.d iong-dictaace travel occurs maialy during the rutting seasm.

There is evidence that lo~g-distazcernwemrtts are caused by seasonal lack of vater or facd--especially of ws+,&rin Death Valley (Welles I.?elles)...... Color marking or otherwise identifying indivi2ual bighorns to establish the nature of long-distance moveaelts sh~uldbe encouraged to the extent that it does nct seriously interfere - with the a-Anals.

April 7, 1904

. . - i'JillLun Graf Department of Biolo,~ San Jose State College San Jose, calif ornia-

For eight years the rilen who make up the Desert ELghorn Council have shown their concern for the needs of the desert bighorn sheep. LIuch infomation has been &athered together and presented here by the members in the hope of improving the management practices and Ln

fnprovf ng and increasing the sheep populat f ons, 2 Fowever, in' spite of all the infomat ion and the sug~estionsmade, I have seen little administrative action mhich'has resulted in the improvement of the status of the sheep:- --._--_____--Sheep numbers and conditions-- - --. --2 at best, are -- - eEEr static, or are declining slowly but steadily. Re-

duced to its essence the situation is that while a number , of dedicated people, largely thts group, are much concerned over the welfare of the desert shee~and have gathered to- ether much information about them and have naPe many-v:orth- while suggest ions that would improve sheep management, nothlng has been, or Is being done, to i~plementthese sug~est ions. '.That 1s the reason that re are not progress lng in the direction of improved management of the sheep and sheep ranges?

The answer to this question lies f irst in a basic problem having several facets, and in action in.several areas of management that need Immediate attention, If the basic problem is solved, as it must be, the Ranace- ment needs will automatically be carried out as a natter of course. Easlcally, the rea ate st sinrile po5ler.a faced by desert sheep manegement Ls the LACK OF AN ADXIMSTFATIVE DECISIOB ILkKIt!G POLICY for the solution of sheep problems. The second, and perha~sequally great problem is the 0' 0' ijE;.i,E,X!i.'ZD AC'i'HChIm TO ,ilJALiFIZj -=Ism iEU T;~O have the knowledre.. and abllity to cbtayr, tLe information on which to base Cecisicns of acti~nenE ~ii:~heve the interest and initiative to carry out the decisions.

. . ?as ically we need a policy of kS?TO:T AX3 FIi081-23SS ',::7-::--IC? F5RITI'S FLZURILITY OF DXISICIIS and :'lhTch is cot tied to some archalc concept, or bsse? on 9olitical expediency. Ao~ieall, :;:e nee? a eeclsicn to dele~ate au-thority to those people oualif led acd capzhle of set- tlnr up 2. study and research i>170-TXi am2 nho will carry- out such a promam.

- In vies21 of the lack of action, I xonder whether ------cr ex~-or-rjzn>-- 0I' -c3 e -state-=:re n-c i-e s- - --- Ehe v a r i-T-=f - .. . involved, really I-lant Kore sheep - or any siieei? Tor tklat matter. .I have ::ood reason to Selleve that at least sorne of the aCtxinistratol-s of sonic crf these s--encTes conla be much ha~2lerif re ;xve- no sheer, at all - then xe wocld %.ire no tro~iblesone;L;-korn Con.nci1 to listen to, not to mentlon even nore troul.lesome azai:el;li c >olnts of vien. be performed better an6 ::lore cheaply by technicizns and help. It Ls even a Si--:.er Waste of tine and -talent to disrecard the conclusions and advice of bio- lozfsts mhen they 80 corrilllete some v;ork and nalce su5,-es- tions. ?Ye do have ~oodmen, dedicated men who can and nFll flnd'the ansviers. Any help needed naterlallg or tisels availe3le' for the askin-. All that is needed Is to turn them loose znd rive them freedom of action - release frm the shackles of bureaucratic red tape and habits. A declslon that must be made Is vhat- --to -do about- soae of our declinin~sheep ran7e. There is little -question-- that aan? of om sheep rzn-es are on the cje- cline so far as sheer! requirer~entsare concernee. I am not snealcing of diffei-ences of a fey! years..a -o but of differences of 50 or 60 and even 100 ;:e-ars 'a~o(1.YcColm 1963). There can be little doubt that shee~decline can at least in nart be tied to-ran::e decline. There may have been, and were, other factors, such .as hunt in?, ranze cocpetit ion etc., 5ut even if these factors are eliminzted the sheep cannot and will not come Sack if the ran.;e Goes not cone back. Oneasf.-the ran.;e cl-~zn-es that cannot be 2rou:ht about r~~t'nout__sone d-ixect interventipn-of nan .isSt'nat -\;.hitchLs ___------due to .plant success ion 'chanries. Grassland which has chansed to a forest cliiax sta~ewill seldom revert to ,:rassland today, unless man tsiies some sction to brlng this 'about. The eastern side of the shee:, ranTe on the 3esert %me Ean7e- is a perfect exaiilple of a ran-e that is In a forest climax stare. It Is a forecone concli~slon.that this land was' -rassland before it reached its present, and for sheep, unsuitable forest clknax stare. In sone instances over-utiliazt ion by 'livestock and other Tame s~eciesmag lead to a plant success ion chanze. ':.-hen this 1s the case, the cometition and over-utilization should be stopped, If mene is LnvolveC an8 the coaoetins. snecies nust be removed, ti.1~rhonld be ?one as es;?ec?ientlp as ~ossibleanc! r.rit5out diasi~atin-staff' enerwy an6 the anr! rlthout jeo->arAiziny poblic 7006 ill. Tezovrl hy the c?~blLcwhenever possible r;oulC disL?os.e of surnlus animals 1-lth the least elfort and lcnet cost. Yearby In6isn 'eservations, ahere suck exist, co~~ld:-.-ell qake use of the surplus anlmals, and sue:. ~eople,pro-cerly ins ttlucted, coi~lddo the job at no e:rpexe and very little loss of The removal of cor,!~etition, re-sr!lless of ho::' it is . accorn~~lisheC,clll not cb2n:~ea forest _cli2ri2:', s ta.ze. To Srinc about a chany-e in the junincr- ini ion success ion sta:ye xiilci? covers so nuc1-i of the e~stsize of t?-e Sheer, Een~ef.:ounteins a decision nust be ;.:ace nitk re,-:ard to the use, of fire if !he ran,ye is to revert back to a ,-?ass- land type. .... Sheep are bas icalli: grass land ankizls. ..;:ere-~er they are foun2, whet5er on ths deseyt ranTes of tke Zor?.tlw:est, the moilntains of the Alaska ?an.~e,or the Iii:~hplateaus of the 3imelayas, sheep are associate? cith --rzsslanda and do Sest on ~resslands. F.e-.;ardless of otker factors, there is nore than a coincidence in the location of the sheep slculls that Dr. Charles Zansen, Eio10:-iet or the Yesert Came Eanre, has collected OR the nesert .f!ame ?zn-e. Fifty- four percent of the skulls were founr': in 012 burns - Frass- . land aatches In the midst of forest. Yhen one considers the minute size of' the burns Ln relation to the rest of

" the ranqe, the fi-ures Secoge even xore ircportant.

also bears out tb.c- .-rassland assoclat ion of sheec. .Pt omack analysis of sheep frorc the Bllver ~aakFanze s:.o::ed a pas-s ?reference of 59.35, forb reference of 32':: and a browse areferencs of 8.5<. It is si~nificant to point oct that. the availability of forsre on this ran-e nas, yrass 22' , ?orbs 4? and brorse 74;:. Obviously -rasses anC. f orbs were liishly ?referred. Xarret (1361) in Ills analysis of sheep stomachs from t.1-.e 3esert %me 'l.z_n,-e sho~sa utilization of grasses 70;:, forbs 4;.:, .an? 3rowse 20::. All this merely beers out ng staterent ra~e.ezrlier,' thzt sheep are ;;rassland animals. It elso i~oiits.an the fact that re need to take positive an5 drzstlc iction to do some thin^ to proviie more :-rasslani: ranre where t!lis is possible. On the Sheep F.an::e Kountains this is possible, and the location;$s ideal for a cienonntrakion or the feasibility and pract.r'callty of fire as a:nana:erilent tool. -. a . ~he~:-bost psgchotic reluitance of sage of our coverment ayencies to use fire as a mans--enent tool on our Eame ran-es is a :ip hanclica~ant! is me cl' the positive action chan-es that must be race before v:e can To smethln- ccnstructive for the sheep. ..ie must recoynize that burn- ing in this kind of use is -not -destructive- but is constructive and is merely a means of bringing ab%uadesirablrplant ion change. '.,here the results can be constructive, the effort and cost is more than justlfled. 3e can afford to loose several thousand acres of pinion-junlper forest that is doing no one any pood - but can we afford to lose a thousend sheep? Tied to this chance In plant succession may v:ell be the water supply, at least in part, of our sheep ranses. ow much of the decline of so many of the sprin,os on the sheep ranges is due to the increase of the forest and the consequen'c use of the water by the trees? Eom much rater does a junlper or pinion tree take from a spring? 7:;hat is the effect of the trees on the water flow? This . firound water relationship of the trees is just one of the many problems that could have been and should have been - solved lone ago on sme of our sheep ranges. Better census techniques and more thorou~hand complete information on numbers of sheep is necessary as a b~sisfor manapement, especially if we are notng to h.old sheep hunts. I.'arlring and tagsing of sheep should be put . on a r?-ore positive and continuing basis wLth nore freedom to exnerlment on ca~tlveand wild aniaals .to determine

to date. "~urtherkore,marking must be coordinated betaeen - ranges, and even states, If we are to successfully. solve the problem of long range movements of sheep betwe-en adjacent mountain ranges. There is zood reason to believe that such movements do take place, but we have only the nost meager information on what nag have considerable management slenif icance. Elologists must be given a free hand to solve this problem; The limited supply and distribution of water on the desert ranps sucgests a possible solution -to the problem of capturing and tagging sheep but will require investi- ration and experimentation. I refer here. to the possibility of using a tranquilizer or anesthetics in the water of the springs and waterins holes used by sheep. *.:!orkers in Australia have successfully used chloral hvdrate to lm- rnobillze kanfaroos (?:arlow 1957) . :iov;eve~needsto be tried experimentally to determine whether sheep v:L11, accept the water so treate6. Axis deer on ~hichthis was tried refused to accept the czter even un6er conditions ossibly due to-solne sllght odor si:?ich they cou r'lvation9d detect. I have since leartxd that huteric acLd -9 one of the rumen acids, vhen added to food slay make even the most unpalatable foods acceptable to a ruminant. :."illlam Lester, a former student, now v:oi?kin~;:.?i.th fleer at the Unlverslty of California at Davis., reporte? to me that he induced a deer to accept dry stran ahich it had refused, by sprinklin~it aith buteric acid. So treateN; the stray: rras eaten with apparect relish by the Zeer. These cheniczls are cheap and readily available-- and coui~eas ilg be trled on an exper lmental-basis. Fowever such experb-entx, nhether at the Desert Same F.an.~e,or anyhere else should be zt'the discretion and decision of the resident bio10.-ist. There should be no need for off.icial pernlssion frox.soneone else, least of all from hi:-h administrative sources. Another rnanacement field that needs atLe:;tion is satkr developnent on the sneep ran::es. T3,is certainly hzs been reco nlzed (Duncan 1963, 'ennedg 1S5&, Sclxdle 1358, ?;eaver 1958f in some areas, and develolment \;.of; h&s Zeen carrLed out ~ithsuccess. In other areas this Important and vital 'phase of management work has keen ~irtl~allyneglected. Gertainly we know it can Se done - all ii-e neec! 1s a positive policy to carry out this phase of imnzge~neilt on all our ranges.

Stlll another field of ixanagenent that requlres e aore positive and constructive approac!: is the i:t?i?tinF of our .. bighorn sheep. The- sheep ::~..unts could 3e-- t!?e socrce --of nuch --useful Lnfomation -as ---ell -as -the aeans- --.of develorinq Setter ------a& t b e-t-terr------s-t an d [email protected] ers, -2nd-a-a-1-#- hunters. our huntsfollow ole, a CcegteC stanFnrAs, vith more attention to pleasin: the pilhlic (I-:?! ch often neans -politicians) than to tke pronotion of mannseeent lcno?:llec?ye and the irrprovemnt of hvntlnr sts+art?s.

. -. - ---- _ -- kap,~er. 21.6comect tkls a nuz5er ofstess :lust be.tnken. . . These a1.e: -,, . . . 1. First of all reco~nizetimt -::e :-unt i.er.~atldqualltg of mr !~l:nte~s-, z~tjtl-s t q~l.sn-2it::. StanLam's of nrof i cienoy -and res oons ibility i.:~?stbe estabil she2 erxf ije!!iunCed of hunters wbo expect to hunt sl-.eep. 2. T.'e must recognize that If a hunter is to be selective in hls huntin- he nu.st have the to accomplish ,pat is expected of him. ~hls;"cannotbe done in the fee cars' usually allotee to om h~nta. Kot even s reasoned

u,i~eeD-biologist could do the .job 1~1ththat. . kind of limitation and ban8 ic2p. 3. Eavlng recognized these tno basic neeik, dram up standards vhich the hunter r?i11 have to meet if he wishes to hunt. :Jzke it cle-ar that this is a cooperative action - that he must- give so~ethingnore than the license fee if he Is to expect tfie l?rivilege of huntin:: hlerica's number one tro~hx. !';'lth this kTnd of c~ntrolanci re~ulationof the hunters, c-e anex~ect to .-et tke kind of cooperation fron !-unters t:~atshould 'crinl; in i!;uch infomation to our Giolo~istsand rme nEnagelas. Xe. viL1 ~lsohave hunters ~ho, T:lll derlve Gore sstisfaction frorn their hunt than to just go out and shoot a two or three-year-016 ram nhich will provi.de neither ' satisl"action nor value to either the hunter or tke gaxe aanager. Yith such standards the "status9* hunter or the fl!.'arlboro clcarette syndromen i-xmter ill be elb-inated once and for all. And last, 412t far frorn t5.e least, there nust be -F-QS=I_I~~=I-KX-.a ct-ion ito-e s-tat; 1is haSEA9CE-PEQGFAI:a.n-Z-A - ---- F-?S?-4ECR C-TiTXR for the desert sheep. Eesezrch is the startin? point for all FCSITIVE action. Yet, sa2 to szy, resezrch is still lookeS, v.Don mitt., sus~;icionand fear by nnq people, sone, in ow own ~rofesslon. This stens from the tllat coriss fro^ a la

The Cesert Game Ean-e lo~lcallyshould be tkit station. The reasons for these are several anci are as follows: 1. It is fairly centrally locatee, sit!: zccess to other shee? ranzes in --i.;evaea, Ai'izcna and California.

2, It has a mite variety of hzL.itats ~~anzixl"rm pure c'esert to yellor: pine trans Ltion an? sub-slplne- zoces - ant?. clth an equall~si?e ranze cf 9lcnt and anb:al form to ckoose fron. 3. It 112s 2 yood sheer, ~;.opuktlont!lat Is readily accessible.

5. It is located within reac!y access to a local university and is not too far fron a wi2e selection of ot!ler institutions fron v:ili.c? .ziasistance an6 r?.anl!ov:er could be draxn.

6. There are a nuxter. of yovermnent irstn1latlor.s nearby which are intereste2 lr_ c;e.se~treze~.rch zct Lvities, and there is every indicatlcn that t.'-ese insts.llations could be interected enou.~hto ' c-ontr:' ute r;i~t.sr!:.allyand f hznclallg to such E stetion.

zest FOSiTITiE cf-all ~os--it ive t;?ir?l;ir_':-A --aai! ----zckiun. - Ti~e decision actually !~st'c.e to estzhitsk 2. stztior~vi5.hici.:. is itself a true Ac.~'~E~:IcIl

~~rrett,Ee.?. Seasonal Food' T?a?its of the ?'I-horn on the pesert Game F-.sn?e, Tesert P i.rhorn Souncil 1964 Traneact ions . . mncan, Serald 3. Fronress Feport fro= the 1:ofa Cane Fznye. Eesert 2izhorn Council 1963 Transact ions p 153 . . ~ennedi,Cncles: Yater Development of the Kofa and Cabeza izf$ta Game Panges. Desert E.izhorn .Council 1958 Transact ions, p 26-31 !,:firlow, Em J. Chloral EyGrate Darcosis for the Live Sapture of 1.:a&als. C.S.I.O. Lildlife Res. 1 (1) 1957 p 65-65

I.IcColm, Iyerlin A. A ~is'tor~of ~ighorn Sheep in Central Nevada. Cesert Bighorn Councll 1963 Transactions

Schadle, Canlel P. Arizona's Catchments Then and ICov!. Desert Plghorn Council 1958 Transactions p 32-35

..':eaver, Rlchard A. Game 'Cater ~evelopm~nt'on the Desert. -- Desert ~~fiorn-Co~~=~~~ra~~actionsp 21-27 Yoab, Jimt Fesert Sizhorn Food fiabits - Range .Relation- shL~in Nevada. Desert PL~hornqouncll 1964 Transactions.

DESERT BIGHORN FERAL BURROS -IN THE BLACK MOUNTAINS OF MOHAVE COUNTY%

. By: T. J. MCMICHAEL -. . . .

INTRODUCTION .

- since this'council *as formed in 1957, many causes have been cited as affecting the slow response of the desert bighorn toattempts to increase its numbers. Ebr the first five veers the feral burro peceived its share of the blsme. In 1958 'Dr. McKnight stated, iq the Journal of Wildlife h!enagement, the need for a study to establish some biological facts concernink the burro in its feral state. At the 1960 covncil meeting*at Las Cruces an outline (knon., 1950) was presented for'a proposed study of the burro's life history. I know of only- two studies involving the burro. Ralph and hddy Welles7spent four months studying the burros of Death Valleg National Monument, and in 1959 and 1960 the California pish and Game' Department and the U. S. National- Park Service carried outra burro collection program in Death Valley for food habfts study. The results of these studies v;ere reported to the council-'in 1960 and 1961. In his ~961report, hfr. helles stated that he had found -- -- ..&,.-.= ------n-imif'icant conflict at that time in ueath Valley and that the burro problem had been overemphasized, Hovlever, he further stated that if. the burro ?.ere left uncontrolled it could .be expected to exceed the carrving capacity .of the rawe. Many people' have since quoted Mr. Welles as -having said . that there na- meit it her campetition nor problen bet~eknthe tv+o ~nimals.- -In 1962 vhen the Burro Committee was asked to report, the chairman rem~rkedthat the committee had been It put out of bus1ne.s~by the Welles report. 11 I did not glean this from these reports when I read t!~em, and hen I asked Mr. Welles about it last gear he assured me that he had never meant to leave that impression, that further study %as still needed. neobJectives of this project nere to study the relationships between the desert bighorn and the feral burros regardinp food and rater. Anv other effect3 of the burro on the sheep, both direct -and indirect, Here also investigated. review of the literhture Indicated that vestern nrizon~ would 'probably have a dense p~pulationof both species. Game bepartment, National Pnrk Service, end Fish end nildlif e personnel were contacted for su~gegtionsof specific areas. Msny areas were visited in an attempt to find a spring that had a relativelv high populati3n of both species and thnt vas as isnlated aa possible from other ~prinps.

->This studv' ~8.ssu~norte:I bv the boone 2nd Crockett Club an? the hrizona Cooaeratlve Yiildl ife Research lTnit. DESCRIPTION OF STI:T>Y AREA

Yarn Sarings Canvon of the Hl~ckMountsins of M~have Countv, Arizona v.as use? rs a study &Tea. The Black Mounkains narallel the Co7o~a4ohiver from H.~overDarn to Topock. The vhole rsnpe is of volcanic origin, no9tlv basalt, but the 3outh end is cut off by a .rhvolite fhrmstion. harm Springs is ode up of a series of three-artesian springs that fire located alon~the contfict zone of these two pso- lopic formati_ons. Except for three small seeps on the rhy- olite formation there are no other sprlngs for five miles. This distance nearly i3olates both the bighorn and burro populations ~hichuse the Ra~mS~rinps area durinp the d-v w~tof the pear. ' The basaltic area is characterized by rlat mesas cut by dee~,steep -sided canvons. The rhvolite forms rugged cliffs pnd slopes that jut up abruwtlv above the deep canyons. From the base of the mountains sn alluvial fan ~~ODSoff t3- vard the Colorado River. T'hi~fan is ahaut twelve miles wide at the narrov est ~oint. The elevations of the studv Rrea range from 1250 to 3800 feet above sea level. The springs are at an elevation of 2000 feet, The climate of the study area is milder than much of the other biphorn hebitat in Arizona. vearlv temperature - extremes observed durlnn the stu-lv rwnged from 2b0 to 1111QF. Precipitation follows the pettern of mo-st of arlzonafs desert areas. Ifinter nreci~itotionfalls as slov, cool rains,

- --v-h-ik=su rnmer---=psec-i-n2-ta t-i-on-come s-a-s--c-1-oud - btl-PS-ts--c-au-s-=inn------flash floods. infa fall from Aupst 1962 to September 1963 totaled 2.5 inches. 'here vere no weather stations near enough in latitude and elevation to mske use of past records. At -the present there are an estimated 25 sheep and 100 burros on the study area. mule deer are also present, but thev were never seen in areas used by sheep. Goats, domestic shee~,and cattle have used the area in recent years, but none can be found now. The area incluqes both Sonoran and Mohave Desert Ve~etati~n.Dominant s~ecieafor the loaer areas and south-- - f aclnp slopes are ~aloverde(Cercidiua rniciv~hvllum) , creosote (Larrea tridentata), and brittle-b~~sh(bncelia fsrinosa). The north facinfr slopes m? mountain to~9are ve~etatedaith Mohnve Yqcca (X~ccaschadi~era) , black-brush (Col sogvne -ram- qsissima)-; andbear -ha bipelo\rii). , - .. ..i .b METHODS AND MATERIALS

Trans.ects were established in each of the vegetation tvnes to sample thea. The sauare meter drop frame met5od was used. Trfin~ectsfiftv cha5ns lonn veye sample at one chain interva1.f. me freauencv of annual, nerennial, ~nd v.oodv provth uas recorded vithin onel-tenth meter, one meter, and ten meter souares reanectivelv. Obsenvations veye m~ieon both sl-eer, md burros xhen either con13 he found. An eaual amount of time %asswnt looking for both species, but fever sheep observations v.ere made. Animals were located and. observed vith the aid of a Bausch and Lomb twenty-seven power spotting scope. The short tripod base was modified bv attaching extendible camera tripod leps with one inch hode clamps. Thia modification al- loved me to observe from e sitting rather- than prone position. By using the pivot of the spoting scope base, areas could be searched in a grid pattern. When animals were found and 'succe.ssf'ully approached, the feeding minutes technique as described by Buechner (1950) pas employed. The time to the closest tenth of a minute that an animal fed on a plant was measured. These data y.ere totaled and percentages were computed to give relative immrtsnce of the food item in the diets. he--result of the.qe observstions vill be discussed later. During the-1962 and 1963 sheep hunts, hunters v.ere piven kits consisting of plastic bags containing formaline an? instructions. Thev were requested to save stomach samples. H total of eight stomachs was collected. The hrizona Livestock Sanitary Boerd issued the permits necessary for me to collect feral burros for stoma'ch samples. The results of these comparisons are also discussed Later.

. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Observations began in August of 1962 and were concluded In September of 1963. Before technioues could be ~erfectedwell enough to- become effective. the we~thercooled ------; fra- -- -d-ET th-xp-e- c-f erBT sre--ex -t-T-emxlv-ra+d- trf Ira: - 0=7-- - one signific~ntincideht occurred during this time. On September 21 I saw the onlv close association between ~heep and burros. h ram and ewe approached a herd of nine feeding burros in the high foothills. When the burros moved toward the sheep, the sheep moved off, thus maintaining a distance of about ten vards. ~ftt?~twenty minutes the sheep moved rapidlp past the burros and on around the moutain. While there was no outvard egpression, the sheep did seem nervous in the Dresence of the burros. With the increasinglv v-armer v-eather, the burros moved back into the areas around the sprine, rind began to use the new minter annual growth. Uoth sheep an? burro observations became more regular. hring the studv a total of 125 feedine minutes v.as recorded far sheep and 380 minutes fo~burros. Once sheep ?.ere located thev could be approached openlv for prolonped observations. Feeding minutes P ere recorded on el even of the seventeen times sheep were observql. Blirros u.ere of a different nat~lre. Once thev saw me thev vould sttin? 'and wfitch me ~ithoutfeedinp. . Qf the 156 times hurros v.ere seen, onlv 28 prodvced feeding mimtes. Tables 1 and 2 shor n cornperison of bighorn and burro diets ns indicr-ted bv the feedinp minute. method. The four nost ~rominentplants are shorn. The vear v as broken into cl imtic auarters rn%her than calendbr quarters. Table 1: ~om~arisonof feedix 'minutes on ?referred plmts by desert bighorn and fersl '

SSAS ON SHEEP Ern0

June- Perennial srasses 2 Dry ?orbs- . 55% Lug Acacia Gresgii 1 Encilia ferinosa TCcI ai Erittle-bush

Dry forbs

Septa- No feeding observed Cercidium micronhyllun 8% NOV. ?aloverde

Encelia f~rinosa Trece f rittle-'ash

Dee,- Zncelia farinosa No fezdiw observed

Feb. ' Erittle-bush

lerennial cresses

Spherclclr sp. Globe r~llov?

, ;I130-. clnutes recorded

Green forbs The tfrbl es renre.cent th.e actual timed ~bservstions: however, I nould like to express some of my Impressions thpt are not a~parentfrom the tables. hlth~uphburros weye never observed takinp aress, they are basically Rrazinp animals in the domestic st~te. If praFs had been evailable, it seems thev v.ould have used it as a part of their diet. brittle-bush ~FIa prominent item in the burro diet, and golden-eve is prominent in the sheep diet. xlthough these plants belong to different genera, they are similar in Rrov th form;- both are resinous half-shrubs. It seem3 they could be interchanged in the diets of the sheep and the burros. . . Table 2: Summary of feedinn minutes for the study. SHEEP BURROS

Fouquieria s~lendens 18% I'ouauieria splendens 8% Ocotil lo Ocotillo

Perennial grasses 7% Dry forbs'

I Acacia Gre~~ii Catclaw

12% Cerci3ium microphvllum ?0% Paloverde

------Table 3 shorn-s- - --- the occurrence of the three- -- -- basic -types -- - of forage p1 ants in the dtornachs collected. ~ll-%fthe sheep 9 tomachs v are taken during the December hunt .' hrro stomachs vere teken during E'ebruarv, April, May, and July. . It oas not possible to compute the percentage of the individual species due to the masticate? condition of the semples. There HRS a noticeable difference in particle .slzas between a sample taken from a sheep that had been killed in the morning and one that had been killed later-in the clap.

Table 3: Sumarv of stomach ~nelvsisof eipht desert biphorn and nine feral burros.

' .- - Grass Shrub &orb-

The hiph occurrence of forbs in the burro diet seems . to he due to the time of pear tFbt they were collected. rn4isnvFeat v.as the most arominent farb taken. Some 3~ecies then hv both animals were joint fir (k~hedrasn. 1, nalove-de Ct?~cldiumrni~ro~hv~um), --- California buckvhaat (Erioeonum f~~clculat~nndocotillo (Fououieria s21 endenn). -'l'Rlrleli is 6 combination of mv obrervntions and data rablished Vv H11s.so and Browninp. The percentage or ants that occurred in the sheep diet' snd also in the burros1 diet are shown. ~lthou~hthis projection of data is not entirely valid it does indicate over1 sp in diets. Teble b: -Cnm~arative seegonal corn?etition betv een feral burros and desert blpborn sheep. . .

. SEASON SEPT- NOV DEC - FEB MAR--MAY . JUNE-AUG TOTAL

OTHERS* .3R% 100% 33%

%'his data includes thet collected on the study srea. husso (1956) and Browning (1960). Insufficient watering observations were made to allow me to make any absolute statements, but the following trends were indicated. Burros come in to aater in the late after- noon and remain around the sprir-p;s until the following morning, Sheep seem to vater early in the morning or late in the after- noon. This places both species at the vatering areas at the same time. Rather than traveling one-half a mile across an open flat to R saring, sheep vbere seen poinp one and one-half miles across rugged mountain terrain to .a seep in the mountains. &pros wePe found to occasionally use all but the most ruppecl mountain areas. The area of highest combined use is in the upper foothills.. both sheep and burros like to stand in ---- - Gh-e ---s h=a=dr- - - e-o=f;=rocsa dl-d e ST - e s p e c 1 a3-lg-- du r i-n~the-summ er- - - time. Vegetation near these areas shovs heavy use, The vepetation around the sprinps elso shons overuse. P~loverdeand mescuito trees 6re hedged to approximately five feet, en? most branches less than one-auarter inch -in diameter hbve been removed.- Ocotil~losin the area have a brsnched and gnarled aspect ratber than the lonp slender form that they usually take. There is ~lsoa hedged appearance to the joint f:r and catclav. co~c~us~o~s

In the Rarm Sprinps eree there appears to be a sufficient overlap;_of food habit? en? summer range of biphorn an? feral burros t.6 keep the sheep from reaching its maximum population dena!.t~,.,:.: Odurn (l~59),who defines a niche. as the exact requirements'.of the animal, states th~t%here cornpetition 'occurs . bet~een'two specie9 in the same niche, the population most affected will be eliminate?.. kihile tPe niches for sheep end.

burro's do not coincide, they do ov'erla~. 'be l'ov. productivity ' of the desert accentuates this problem. LITERUTURE CITED

~~o~ning,Bmce 1960. P~eliminaryreport of the food hahitn of the wild burro in the Death Valley National hlonument.

- 1960 Trans. Desert bighorn Sheep Council, 4:88-90. fl bechner, H. K. 1950. Life history, ecology an4 range use - of the pronghorn antelope in Trans-Pecos, Texas. Amer.Mid1. Nat., h3:257-3% ~~Knfpht,Thomas 1957. The feral burros in the United St~tes. Jour. vlildl. Mgmt, 2~163-i79.

Russo, John P. (no date). The desert bighorn sheep in Arizona. Wildl. Bull. No. 1 Arizona Game and k'ish De~t.153 PP. Ralles, Ralph and Florence 1961. The feral burro in Death Valley, Trans. JJesert bighorn Sheep Council, 5:32-33.

Boat Surveys as a Technique in Bighorn Sheep

Classification Counts on Lakes Mead and Hcjave in

Northwestern Arizona

Goerge iqelsh

The purpose of this paper is to show the value of boat surveys in locating and classifying bighorn sheep as compared to aerial survey methods . in this particular area of Arizona. It is hoped that this method can be used in other states and perhaps other countries where similiar situations exist.

Xork done in &me Management Unit 15 in northwest Arizona is unique in that the major portion of the bighorn sheep range lies in close proximity to La,kes Kead and 14ojave with the Colorado River connecting the two. In addition, there are comparitively few permnent springs and seeps in the remote areas. As a result, the sheep, during the hottest' and driest prts of the summer, are dnwn to shores of these large lakes where they can be - classified with relative ease. We affectionately refer to these surveys as "our waterhole countsn.

It appears that Unit 15 with its extremely rugged and precipitous . terrain is not suited for aerial observations of bighorn sheep with z fkied- wing tw 'aircraft. If sheep are sighted, all too frequently the pilot is ------unable=to=rrraneuver-the-plane-close-enough-to -the-sheep-so--thatithey=cm=b~- - classified.

Helicopters are a much b3tter tool for locating and classifying bighorn sheep than fixed-wing airc~aftfor obvious reasons, but the cost per hour is often four t~ five times grcatar.

I The most dsngerous advanta~eoustime to conduct the boat surveys is the same as for any waterhole c0ur.t; when conditions unfortun3tely, are the mcst critical for sheep, when water is at a minimum, when the temperature is extreme and before the sumer rains fill tie potholes and rzjuvenate springs and seeps.

Ye really hsvenft perfected any techniques as- such, but still I would like t6:pss on to you sons of tho things we have found that aid us in locat- C ing and. classifying sheep, uhich aftzr all, turn out to k jlst plain comvon ssnse-..' t.: . . * ** Wst, cover areas slo~ly2nd thoroughly. !?ork the points and _coves, and check the shore for bighorn sign froquontly. Glass the lrez intmsively.

' Cover each area 2s often 3s possible on the same day and on diffrrsnt dzys. This will increso the chxe of ~ickinzup individuals or b~ndscm- ing to water. Senerally, tho nort I1eyss" ir; the bat the better. It is good to have two azn to s boat. 7.~nls so~stir:.-.s zerves 2s an opporturitjr to take interested sportswn xith P;U m.3 kl?s to ;rczote good cublic r.:l:~tions. '.

When sheep are sighted it is sometimes a good idea to size up the situation. For exam?le, if the shzep a?pesr to b coming to uater, if you hck off and give them a chance to drink you chn generally slip in on them quiet- ly and approach them more closely and get a better classification than if you swoop in and spook them over the ridge. The sheep along Lake Flead, in the 'dillow Beach ara, and along Uke Kojave appezr to have little fear of motor boats a@ fishermen and it is sometimes possible to get within ten yards of-a band. . . . To-. remove du~licateanimals it is necess:lry to identify individuals. Therefore, it is brprative to take good nctes in the sheep-that are seen. Any peculiarities or distinguishing characteristics that can be observsd should be noted. Also, notes my be tzken Gn rai?ge, weathzr, feeding habits, behavior, et cetera, or whatever the o'cservx- deems necessary.

Sometimes whgn a band of sheep is located on a hillside it is possible to get a nore accurate classification if you just sit back and wait and allow the sheep to nake their own u~yto the top of the ridge xhere they cm be glassed on the skyline. If the sheep are b?dd:?d or are reluctant to move, it my be helpful to incresse your cwn activity in order to "coaxn them to the skyline where the ssx is often more readily detelmined than against a dull kickground.

~~The data I have to coqre boat and aerial surveys are cerail-Jy~~

~~------.- ~ketc~~~~~~c~nnotbe~subjectedto close scrutiny, but I would li_ke 3-0 _ __ - point out some of the more obvious ad-.ra~tagesand disadvantages of e~ch.~~

On the aerial side of the ledger r?e have the fact thst it is possible to cover large arms in a short period of tilas. Also, areas c3n be flown at different seasons of the par. So3e of the fringe b~nefitsor by-!>r~ducts Ire, that psrscm-d cLn become better .i-cqusinted with their shee~areis nnd uaters c-ln sene- times be located for ivssible dzvelcrpnent.

~~The min disadvanbges nre; High cost, Iiigh danger factor, ~ndFnsc- curatz clsssificstimn.~~

&it smeys, gn tht othar hand, zive much nore accw1'7tc c1:~ssific'~tinn in this area of Arizona, sheep my be studid fw lhng ,:xriocis of tine, it is considicably less dangerous, the ccst is low; -rnd vegeet;+tinn 2nd siin c-:n be checked on the ground. -F- - The main disadvaneges :re; Thst it is mr.;: tb.2 cc.ns:sdn(l :XIr,ot all of the range can bs covered, Here are sone cost figures that can be used for compritive pu-9oscs:

In 1962, Unit 15, a helicopter was' used for 4-$ hours ; 18 sneep were sighted for a cost of $25.00 per sheep. The same year in Unit 16 ( tho ad9cent unit to the south ), 3 hours were expended by helicopter netting 4 sheep for a cost of $75.00 per sheep.

Last year, 1963, using a fixed-hng Cessna 182, six and one-half hours of flying produced 16 sheep observstions, of which only 3 could be classified, for-a cost of $10.1 per sheep, or $9.1 7 per classified sheep. That same -year in Unit 16, six arid :ne-third hours of flying time - produced 37 classified sheep,-costing only $4.26 per sheep. I might add that aerial surveys in Unit 16 produced a ram:ewe ratio of 1 :8.6 and a 40.9 percent lamb crop, and the boat survsys, run in June and July, gave a 1 :I .3 ram to ewe ratio and a 33.3 percent lanb crop. In both instances the same observer was used! This.1 think shows tne possible mgnitude in inisclassification, and it emphasizes the in~ortanceof obtaining as large a san~leas possible.

The boat surveys turned out to be much less costly arsl resulted in better classification. According to the Research Divis5on of the 14cCullough Corporation, a seventeen foot boat with a 75 horsegoi~ermotor has an average opzrating cost of $3.00 per hour. This would be a nucimum figure for our purpose because much of the survey is run a idling speed and some drifting along with the motor shut off completely.

A total of eighteen days were spent on the bighorn boat surveys in June and July in Unit 15 and ninety-four sheep +:ere classified. If we can-use the figure of 6 hours per day when ignition bas actually turned on, the cost per -- - - - s~neepi~~~~h~~ii-g~b~r~-Oo~odofof$33-5;75T-cxttt - -- of travel~EEtence,and daily mges were not included. The 1963 bighorn sheep sex and age classification counts were conducted - during the period May 8 through July 21 in Unit 15. Aerial flights produced sixteen observations, boat surveys netted ninety-four observations, and thirty-six supplementary observations were recorded in the Warm Springs study area for a total of one hundred forty-six sightings. Of this figure, ninety-four are considered as non-duplicate classified ani-nzls and are included in Table 1. This is by far the highest count in Unit 15, and represents almost half of the state-wide classified observatims.

Six hours thirty-three minutes were spent flying the bighorn. ranges along Lzke Kead and in the !{illow Beach area. On Pby 8, one s-11 ram, one eve, one lamb, and one unclassifi=d sheep iiere seen above Ifillow Beach. Cn Yay 9, twelve sheep were located southe3st of Sandy Point .on Lake i-iead. HOW- ever, . the pilot' :$as unable to bring the aircra.ft in close enough for class- ificatipn, so the two bands were tallied as "unclzssified". The area from 3onelli Lznding to Hoover Bmw2s floxn on I4ay 14. No shcep were sighted, however, a spring was locat2d and hls subequently Sesn recomendd for d~velopment. Since these sane arnas :.iere c2verq2d by bat dwing J%ne and July, all of the aerial obs~rvitinnsmro considared 3s dq>lic~tesin COG- putins thz szx ad 2ge r2tios.

~~The boat.surveys \]ere conducted on bke i~~

Tfirty-sb bighorn si~htings(which includsd txenty-tnree non-duplicate obsenntisis) yere turned in to me by T. J. Kc!-5chae1, Sraduate Research Assistant, -bizorxi CooAmrativeWildlife Research Unit, University of Arizona in Tuscon. His observations are included bnczuse they reccesent accurate clsssification in the Wrm Springs area of ?hit15 which was not covered during the regulsr swvey.

Using the figui-2s in Table 1, the coi~.-30sition brezks doi;n into 6.4 ~ercentlogal rxm, 13.8 prcznt snzll ra-m, 55.3 percent adult exss, (75.5 percent total adults), 7.5 p~rcentyearling ewes, and 17 percent lambs. It is felt thst if more tine could h2v2 teen spent in the Uke M2ad area perhaps more sheep could have been sighted, 2nd hence, the ~3rcen~ge.s~qould have changed somewhat, but these figures ax included because they represent, for the first time, a truer picture of herd cm>osition on Unit 15. Also, these figares agze v3ry favorably xith those of Russols (1956) work fron 1950 to 1953 on herd cmpositior, except for the sex ratios.

~~The sex ratio has been widenin5 since 1561. It is doubtful that hunting Fressxre has czused this sprzsd sinco a xlativsly small numkr of .=tlire~~

~~------ram have been- - -harvss -- --ted -- from the - 2nit 15- hsxd,-P,~~,ther,~tIfis~s pxad-ai-+x~s---- - to be the result of compwisons of smples of Fnadqu3te mgnitude in previous years.~~

-4ccurate notes !.:ere coLlt?cted on th.: specific time that ind5viduals or bnds of sheep x.zr.3 first !.ncxted. Although it is realized that thz survey :.;as nct set iq cn .? st~tisti-calbasis so th?t ,211 the 3rc.45 i;pr: covered equally 3t 211 differmt dlylizht hrlurs, the dab are incli~d-.din Figure 1. FIGrJR2 7 + Obselmtigns 3y tim of dly. No precipiat;ation. occurred dni.ing the period covered by this survey and the bighorn ranges of Unit 15 were exkfemely dry from the extended drought over most of the state. I!& daily temperatures only reached 114 degrees F. but generally ran around 100 degrees to 105 degrees F. It is felt that had teniperatures been higher, mre sheep nsy hzve bsen sighted in the Lake had area. . .

Along Uke Mead green feed was abu'nclant where the receding lake level had in effect irrigated shallou points and coves. Rare Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon); salt cedx (%xrar~xspp.) , buck uhsats (Eriogonum spp. ) and brittle bush (kcella spp.) grew in profusion. Feeder hashes contained such species as cac-(~cacia spp.), ratany (Kramria spp.), burro weed enoclea spp.), mescpi~osopis'uliflora),n tea (E hedra spp.), spp. ) , and cr eosod-rrea tridentad~n~ with many seasonal forbs. Generally the same species occur in the IEllow Seach area, however, dense stands of salt cedar grow in the vicinity of the numerous warm springs and sseps.

Sheep were observed feeding extensively on atclaw, salt cedar and to some extent on unidentified forbs. As pointed out by Welles and Welles (1961) the lack of succulence my increase palatability of some plants.

~~Although there was a lush growth of Bermuda grass, we could find no evidence that this species has been utilized.~~

~~As in any survey, the results are proportional to the time, effort,~~

~~conscientiousness, and ability of the observer, but I do feel that the ' boat survey does have its place as a tool in bighorn sheep management in -- ---a-rsa-s-such=as=IIhave=deSCriibCLd I--I ------~~

~~TABLE I. - A' Comparison of Bighorn Sheep Surveys.~~

~~Legal Wll Adult Yrlg. - Ewes/ Iambs/ Year Rams Rams Ewes Ewes Iambs Uncl. Total Ram 100 &s 1958 NO OBSEZWATIONS Literature Cited~~

~~By, G. I., Roy Rokck, and Farley Shaw - 1963 Fzrsonal Comnunication ' Kelly, !~~

HcYdchael, T. J. 1963 Personal correspondence. Fro ject Personnel 1961 Eighorn sheep ,mnagemsnt inforration. Job Co.xple tion Report. W-53-R-11, !\W, 56, Arizona Cane and Fish Deprtment, Fhoenix, Arizona.

~~1 962 Bighorn sheep mnagenent inf~r~mtion.Job Completion Report. W-53-R-12, krP2, 56. krizon3. Same and fish kpartnent, Phoeniz, Arizona.~~

~~1963 Bighorn sheep mnagement inf ormition. Job Completion Report. W-53-R-13, WP2, 56. Arizona Gme and Fish~~

------Department, - - Phoenix, Arizona. ------Russo, John P. 1956 Tne desert bighorn sheep in Arizona. A research nwmge- rnent study, Federal Aid Pro jsct Ii-53-R., -bizom Gans and Fish kpartnent. Phoenix, Arizona.

Welles, Ralph E, and norence B. Welles 1961 The bighorn Sheep c'f Bath ?':lley. Fauna of the National Farks of tine United States. Riuzn Series No. 6. U. S. Gov- ernnent Frinting Gffice, ilashington, D, C. The Vegetation of the Desert Game Range With special Reference to the Desert ~i&orn

~~William G. Bradley University of Nevada Southern Regional Division~~

Introduction The Desert Game Rmge contains approximately 2,188,739 acres of highly diversified vegetation. The area includes portions of six mountain ranges zs well as extensive desert areas at the middle and lower elevations. Elevations range from about 2600 feet near Us Vegas to 11,912 feet on Charleston Peak in the Spring Mountains. In general, the mountain ranges have a nort'h-south orientation, producing maximum contrast in slope exposure to the sun, and are . extremely steep, rochcy and rugged. Well-developed ba jadas extend - down to the valley floor where dry lakes or playas are present. Eecause of the diverse topography, differences in soil, and microclimatic variations, there are a number of well differentiated

-- -- plant communities which exist either as "belts" of vege-tati-on- .- encircling the mountains or as mosiacs due to more localized conditions. The vegetation of Southern Nevada has not been extensively studied. After %he general botanical surveys of Rothrock (1878), and Merriam (1893)~ studies have centered around the'charleston Mountain re *ion and include reports on the flora by Jaeger (1926), and Clokey r1951). Tidestrom (1925) and Munz (1935) have produced floras about areas which. are adjacent to the Desert Game Range. Reports on the fauna by Burt (1934), Van Rossem (1936); and Hall (1946) have general descriptions of the vegetation. More recently Deming (1953, 1963) has prepared a checklist of the vertebrates and higher plants of Clark County, Nevzda.' Allred et. al. (1963) have published a b~iefdescription of the biotic communities of the Nevada Test Site, an area adjacent to the Desert Gzme Range. Bradley (1963) has made a geographical analysis of the flora of Clark Countg. The first description of vegetation on the Desert Game Ran e using the biotic community approach is that.of Deacon et. al. 71964) for Clark Canyon in the Spring Range. Procedures and Acknowledgements

This report summzrizes a preliminary survey of the rnzior ulant communities of the Desert Game Range and discuszes ti>elr relationship to Desert Bighorn Sheep distribution. A field survey of the vegetztion ~evealedtne posslbilit;7 of de: :rTbi~: plznt coiiiriiunities. ATter the ma2or cornunit?.ee were delinented, approximztely 3,W stations representing all the m2j:or conimriticz were selected. At each station notes wepe taken on the soil xd topography. The vegetation was d2scribed rankins the doninsnt plants in cumerical order as determined by visual meme. .,In P I"zr some modification of the plant communities, each sanplcd stand was placed into a community. Tne general feature: of ezch coriimunity were described based upoi-. ':he characteristics of thc sampled stations. The distribution of these covmuniti2: waz then plotted on a nap and u~edas a bacis for 2 discucslon 01' sheep dietribut icn and management. An are2 of National Forest en the Sprlnz &n,e is zurrounded by the Desert Gane R~nge. Since tki:: Lrez ol" 61,357 ac;.es ir utilized by bir;hom snecp, it is in.:i.~deG. ?.!i ;::?is surt-ey, malrin~ 2 tot21 of 2,250,306 5~1~sor ~;mpp& vz;:r?tst,ion.- -

%is repc~~t762s gTeatly zided b;r tne ae~iztanceof persofinel of the Desert Gme Rm~e. In partizul2r I wich to thanl,: I4r. Newel1 5. I."ior~an,Flefu,? 1'4a!l-?.~er,Tor pe:xir,iszion to i1';illze the Iccilltiez an2 for access to ini'ormation contzfnzc? Ln the file5 of t3s Dssert Gzme Range. Dr. Charles G. Hensen zided ireatly in the prcp's-2tion L - . . -- - --off th i-sS~zepo~~=cjrrzLVxl 2 S-si&anceein -'-L hexield ,-- suppl~inz - information on sheep distribution 2nd on the ve~etationof sel-tsln areas of the Gzne %n~ethat I was unzble to study, 2nd abovc all for etimulztin~discussions dealing with the theory end dczcriptim of plant co~nunlties. Oscar V. 3eming (1246) has provi dcd tr:-nscctc and descriptions of the ve:;etation of the Zintwater Rzn~c. Dr. Nelson Williams of the U2iversity of l?cvadc~?ins provided ~cicitional infornation on thz vegetation of ze~talnzzar 2nd has dZrcussed nnd criticized pol*tions of this manuscrip:. M-. Clm .;ll~cdpxgzred the nap of pl~ritconr~unitles. cf t3e ve,e:stion of the Nevada Test Site. Shreve (1942) plzces the northe-z to-mdary of the Sonoran Desert et Needles, Czlii'ollniz, 2s a broad 36-e of transition adjacent to Southem Nevada.

nmadley (1963) in his ~eocraphicalanzlysis of the flora of Clark Count;, xhich is representative of Southern Nevzda, considered 23oilt 36p of the flora as ha-ving northern af'finlties, making up Flclfic, Rocky Mountairi, Temperate-North .;merican, and Holartic g~o,?zphic elements. Approximately jgp of the flora has southern ~Cfinities,composed of Mohavian, Sonoran, and South~~estern elements. The Great Basin element haz both northern and southern affinities admakes up about gp of the total flora. Over of the flora 2s endemic and is primarily found at the higher elevations.

The p-obzble development of the Korth American deserts during ' the Cenozolc hzs been documented by Axelrod (1948, 199, 19%). He considers thst deserts as regional fezture~in the Southwestern United States did not exist before late Cenozoic time. Furthermore, resional differentiation into Sonoran end 14ohave deserts occurred in the Pliccene or possibly later. Certainly the Pleistocene events have greatly altered the distribution of individual species and has modified the present day plant comunities. Tne present day composition and distribution of the plant communities of Southern Nzvada has developed since the last pluvial (approximately - 20,000 yews 220) and probably du~incthe last 10,000 years (~jradley,1965, Mehrlnzer, 1964).

------Ax-uc. Lced=&y+h+s-=pap er-a-~p~snt-=conTnUn;i.~3r~~S=pe eo+n&ed=as=aa-U grouping of populations of plznts which usually show some distinctness in the physioznomy and structure of dominants, and have easily determined differences in floristic composition. This z~oupingor" pcgulationo is due to the overlapping limits of tolerance for environmental factors according to the individualistic conce~tof Gleason (1926). The comunitv as considered bv Gleason (1926), En;ler (195i); lkittaker (1951, i353, 1956, 1960)"and others, exists at a low de~reeof holistic intepztion'in direct contrast to the "super-orcanisn" zpproach of Clements (1949) and others.. - Vegetztion is best viewed as a complex patterninz of populations in relation to envlromental phenomena whlch usually exiet'.:ae 2rad:ents (?;!hittaker, 192.6, 1960, Lsnzznheirn, 1962). These' environnental srsdients are tlyic2lly quite steep in mountainous rezions and 2s a reszlt ki~nlficantdiscontinuities I1 between ve~etationtypes are appaxnt, producin~ vesetatlon zones II on the mountain slope. This idealized zomtion is comonly dizrupted by ni~~oclinaticphenom~nr?,,-cz?eci?lly those arzoci~ted vith differences in slo2e exposure, :-oil t:.pc, and presence of extremely I.OC~:Y areas. :It the Io::~??elevrstions, especisl on playas, undrained soils of hi::h s212 conccntrztions are mainly retponsible for the developin'ent or -J -,. -.-cf,ztlor, aoslac2. The importance of the influence of surroundin; dece-2 cn the elev~tionor vezetztlon zones on isolzted izcuntain ?.?-n,cz h~sSeen recently dZsc-dssea 2s tne "~errieneffect " bg Lc-:;e- .. (1961). >ierriarr! (1890) 2nd ~ilre-fe(1915, 1922) (jlzcuzscc: C,:E relationship of clevztion.cf isoizted rn~untz~~,their zlre: 2nd the elevation of the surround in^ desert in producing 2n . - I I elevating" and "crov!din~" of vesetation zones. The zrovalnz together of vegetation zones, therefore, adds to the cozplexity of description of disc:-ete zoner, as has 3een clearly pointce out for the Spring Enze by Van Rossem (1936) and Clokey (1951). This Is t~uealso for the Sheep and other nountzin ranzes present on the Game RLznge. The exaller mountain ranges do not have the develapnent of plant cornunities to be espectd at that elevation because of the influence ~f the s~rroundingdesel-t.

This complex and diversified vezetation presents a challcn,e in the delineation of cad desc14iption 02 plant coniunities. ;\ ~rimaryconce7n is the development of a ~ystcrnof classi?$cntion i?hich is more than local in character and can be used Sy othcrs In the comparison of regional areas of the Southwest. The clzssification p~esertedin Table I fcllowr-, with rnodilrlc;;timz, LLJI-3 - classificationr of Lowe (1961), idu~;: (1363); Allred et. 21. (1353), and Deacon et. -11. (1961:).

~~Table I. Classification of the Major Plznt Communities of the Desert Game Range, Nevzda~~

~~Desert Scrub Vegetation Type 1. Creosote bush corilmunitg 2. BlackbL~shcommunity 3 Saltbusn community 4. Desert rfparian cornunity~~

~~Woodland Vegetation Type 1. Juniper-pinyon community 2. Riparian and cliff community~~

~~:Coniferous-. Forest Veseta5ion T-ype~~

~~- d .., . . 1. Fir-pine community 2. Briztlecone pine cornunity~~

~~Alpine Tundra' Vedetation T~ype~~

~~The reletionship of the mzJor con~mitiesto Mer~ian'sLife - zones is presented in TEble 11. the Dezert Gsme Range in Merriam's Life-zones (idzrriam 159~).~~

~~Life -zones Plant coriununities~~

~~Creosote bush community Blackbrush community - Lower Sonoran Saltbush community Desert riparian community Junipe r-pinyon comunity Upper Sonoran I Riparian and clifr community~~

~~Riparian snd cliff community Trmsition-Cznadia - Fir-pine community Hudsonian Bristlecone pine community~~

~~Arctic Alpine Pseudo-alpine community . -~~

A brief preliminary description of the physical and vegetation characteristics of each major plant co~unityis presented in the next section. Plant nzmes used.in this paper, in general, follow Munz and Keck (1959).

Plant Communities Creosote bush Community This widespread community, whlch is found In three of the four North American deserts, has been described by Shrew (1951), Jaeger. (199)and others. The following is a description of the community as it exists in Southern Nevada and in particular on the Desert Game Range, It comprises about 785,000 zcres and ic found on the valley floor and the lower bajads typically at elevations from 2600 to 4200 feet and is common at lower elevations in Southern Nevada. It can extend continuously as- high as 900 feet with sn:a11 isolated stands extending up to 6000 feet. The topography ranges from flzt to sloping bajeda to low rolling hills. A sray to light red desert soil, usuzlly a sandy loam, is developing from alluvial-fan deposits of various 2ges snd in the valley floor from recent alluviel deposits (~a~penter and Younge, 1926). In many areas there is an overlayins layer of "desert pavement" of cobble stones end srzvel. Commonly e subsurface layer of callche or hard pan is p-esent. Due to arid conditions there hes been little leachins and the soil has 2 high content of calcium carbonate and other s2lts. This community is dominated by creosote bush (~arrea divaricata) and burro bush (~ranseriadunosa). -9lt-these two dominznts are corfimonly found together, either may occur as almost a pure 3tand. ijurro-bush cormonly becomes scarce above 4000 feet where swccas become more abundant. The Nohave yucca (yucca schidigera) is a common associate above 5000 feet. The banana mczbaccsta) and the joshua tree (yucca brevifolia) are common associateme hizhe-- elevations in ~comunity. Other common desert scrubs are Kramerie vifoliDalea fremohtii, Atriplex confertifoli.2, ~triplexcan,Grzyiazplnosa,- Eurotia lanata, Ephedra nevaaensis, ~2hedre-a, Salvia car-nosa, Ehcelia msa,Thamnonma montanz, !4enodo?a spinescene, Psilostrophe cooperi, Cassia armat::, Erioconun spp., and Ljrciun spp. . Cacti comnonly round in this coi~i~~unityinclude Opuntia 'higelovii, 0. acanthocsrpa, G. basllmis,- Ycro-.c.ctus acanthodes, and ZchinocFrcue enzelm~nnii,

Eriogonurn inflaturn -. .'. Eriogonum nidularium Eriophgllum wallacei Erodium cicutarium Esckschclzia rnlnutii'lora 3phorbi.a epp. Gilla spp. Hilzria risida . Lepidiun fremontii Lesquerellz zordonii- ~upimsrpp. L-y~odezmisexiguz . - C+~c;~.??s spp. Porophyllun gracile Cr;zc,:is hymenoides : Psathyrotes znnua --:v, = ,-=-.r -... spp. : Salvia - dn columbariae -rsrl2;le eaoryi Spnaerzlzea 2rnb3.g~~ retzl~nyx- -. nit idus Sporobolus spp. =nf- ;3~=5 spp. Ctcphanonerla exigua rlzztzso- - insulsris Tridens pulchellus .-

- ~71s c~znunity,which covers appl-oxirnately 875,000 ac=-.es, is recoz:iz=d by Allred et. al.. (1963) and is deeignated as a :osl.,ur tyte association by Tidestrom (1925). It is best developed on the upper be jadas at elevetions of 4200 feet to 6000 feet, but does *occur occ?sionelly down to ebout 3900 feet and on ~02thfacing elopes, extremely rocky ridges, or on sz-211 isclzted nountaine to above 6500 feet. - rr,l,,e m2er ba jada which enters the canyons as an alluvial fzn, is typically steep, and dissected by desert washes.. Many o? the lower hills and lower rugged and-rocky mountain ranges, especially in the northem third of the 3esert Game Range, are covered ty this community. The soils hlve developed from the older alluvium deposited on the upper bajada and the rocky soils of the 1ci:er nomtains. In ;?enera1 the soil of the upper bajada is roTe ~e-=cable, better drained, and has lower salt concentrrtions than that found at low?? elevations. It can be described zs a well-developed gray desert soil. -I_-_ ------.------A- -- Tnis community is primarily composed of a closely spaced ' matrix of low, dark gray blackbrush throughout which is interspersed large numbers of yucca and widely spaced desert scruks. alackbrush (~oleogyneramosissima) occasionally occurs as an alnost pure stand. Joshua trees are usually well represented at the lower and middle elevations an5 dominate the aspect of the community, sometime's towering 20 feet above the low scrubs. However, the Mohave yucca and banana yucca are usually nore abundant. The banana yucca, in particular, is more coxiimon at the nigher elevations. Creosote bush and other scrubs characteristic of the creosote bush community may extend into or exist as small isolated stands within the blackbrush community. At $he upper elevations adjacent to the juniper-pinyon community may ,be found scattered juniper (~uniems osteos em), barberry oak (Quercde-nita pungens), cliff rose (Cowania mexicana) and apaciiew(Pallugiaparadoxa). r include Ebhedra - Eurotla lanata, Artemesia s inescens, Eriodictyon an-stifolium, Eriogonum E. , Lycium Spp.,+Ppus Hap opa -. and Agave utahensis. Grasses may become fairly abundant, especially in areas located in the northern portions of the Desert Game Range, 2nd ri ida, ~rbmsspp., Triden~ &s -aEs are in the creosote community, wi.th the exception of a few species which are restricted to its lower elevattons. Tnese additional species are commm in this community. . .

Chaenactis stevioides ' Lotus rigidus Lepidium lasiocarpum Physaria chambersii Lepidospartum latisquamum Stanleya plnnata Saltbush Community This community, coverin5 approximately 220,000 acres, occurs as a mosiac within stands of the creosote bush and blackbrush communities, It occupies areas of poorly dralned soils where standing water accumulates after rains. It is best developed in playas near the middle of mountain basins at elevations of 2800 to above 900 feet on the Desert Game Range, but may be found at much lower ellvations on playas in the morz southerly -parts of the state.

------Tid est ron (~2~~-r~c~~n~ze~- a-shad EzTe-a-sso ciatI on t triplex confertifolia) as being widespread in the Great E;sin Desert. Billings (1949, 1951) has studied the shadscale vegetation of Nevada and points out that while shadscale i3 commonly associated with saline soils, it exists as a well- defined "zone" between creosote bush and sagebrush desert, covering large areas of the Great Basin, and that the shadscale 11 zone" is replaced by a blackbrush community in Southern Nevada. This is well illustrated in the northern part of the Desert Game Range where blackbrush and saltbush cornmunlties exist at practically the same elevations, with the saltbush community occupying the finer soils in localized depres'slons. As found . In Southern Nevada the playa and undrained soils are a silty loam, tmically Gray in appearance and in some areas arc several feet deep. There may be obvious salt deposits present as a layer-of crust on the surface.

I The saltbush .community as here recognized is dominated by members of the Chenopodiaceae. At the lower elevations, and on highly saline soils the dominants are shadscale red molly (~ochiaamericana) and hop-sage (~rayiaspinosa). Under highly salineconditions large areas of may be devoid of vegetation. Other area2 where some subsurface water is availsble may have extremely'thick stands of shadscale or occasionally clumps of mesquite (~rooopispubescens and P. juliflora). At the higher elevations shadscale and other

aseocizted dominants ITEN be present in reduced numbers. Heye- - four-winged saltbush (.4"Liplix canescens ) and winter-fit (Eurotia lanata) aTe more abundant. Scrubs such as creosote Gush, burro bush, blackbrush and species-of yucca which are typical of the surrounding communities may be found scattered throu,zhout the saltbush community. Other scrubs which are typic& of this community include Atriplex lent fformis, Atriplex polycarpa, Suaeda torrey-ana, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Artemisia spinescens~~dranevadensis, Pluchea eericea, Tetradymia axillaris amumIhlea -spp. The herbaceous vegetation of this community is poorly known but appears to be depauperate when compated with the other desert scrub comunitles. The common grzsses are Distichlis stricta, Tridens pulchellus, 2nd Hilaria rigida. Desert Ri~arianCommunity Lowe (1961) discusses desert riparian communities which occur along the lower washes in Arizona. The arborescent community occurring along desert washes in many areas of the sonoran Desert is well described by Shreve (1942, 1951). In the Mohave Desert such an arborescent comunity is poorly defined and alonz many washes non-existent. The washes which - leave the canyons and transect the bajadas dorm to the lower ------v71ey f i are uiua1Iy-e~tErerneT~TOC~and7TVeSIl-tyt o sandy soilsm .. 'The desert riparian community as found on the Game Range occupies about 9,000 acres end occurs along washes from the middle elevations of the blackbrush comunity down throuD the creosote bush community. It typically occurs as a grouping of small scrubs, which do not differ in growth form from-the surrounding desert scrub communities. The most abundant species are ch-e weed (~ymenocleasalsola), snake weed (~utierreziaspp. ), bladder sa e palazarla mexicana), and golden weeds (Haplopappus -spp. . %I the larger washes or at the lower elevations where somek subsurface water is available, phreatophytes such as mesquite (~rosopisjuliflora and P. pube$cens), cat claw (~caciagremesert willow (Cliilopsis llnearis), and the introduced sal: cedar (~amarixkallica) occur. In these instances the month form is shrubs and small trees, but many areas are largeiy devoid of these species. Other common scrubs found in thfs community include Salvia carnosa, Atriplex canescens, Lyciun -spp. and Dalea -spp. The herbaceous vegetation iz similar to t3at foxnd in the lower scrub communities. Displays of desert wildflowers my be more prominent along these washes at the lower elevations because of the increased runoff and sli~htlybetter noisture conditions. Juniper -pinyon Community

This community, which covers about 2j8,000 acres, is found throughout the Mohave Desert at the hisher elevation2 and iz widespread on the foothills and lower nount2lncus areas of the Great %sin (~illings1942, 1951; Jaege~195'7; Shelford 1963). It is commonly found on the Desert Game Range at elevations between 6000 and 7300 feet. However, in sheltered canyons on . the east slope of the Spring Range it may be found as low as 4000 feet. On south facing slopes or on small isolated mountain ranges, it may commonly occur up to 8~0feet and exceptionally as high as 9000 feet. Small isolated peaks, such as Gass Peak at 6,942 feet elevation, and lowzr, smaller mountain ranges with elevations well above 6000 feet do not have a well-defined juniper-pinyon community. The topographg varies locally from rollins hills to steep canyon slopes and rugzed ridges. The soil tends to be a deeper sandy loam, with some developnent of distinct soil horizons, The soil is in general well drained, not hishly saline, 'and is - of a light brovm color indicating a hiyher orzanic content thm that found in soils at the lower elevations.

I ------Thls_comua~~y-con:iSt,l=S ofa4~JellLdevveloop~L_coni re mu s -_- _- woodland made up of juniper,-pinyofi pine, and sagebrush with other widely scatte~edshrubs and sn2ll t~ees, Juniper, especially.Juniperus osteosperma, is more abundant at the lower elevations. Pinyon pine (Pinus monophylla) occurs nith'juniper at slightly hiaer elevations and becomes more abundant at the higher elevations. An understory of sazebrush (~rtemisia tridentata) my be present but is commonly more abundant along the depressions between hills, where a deeper, finer soil has developed. Shrubs and small trees such as Cowanls, Falugla, 7uercus zambellii and Q. turbinella, Cercocarpus ledifolius and Amelanchter utzhensis which show their best development in the riparian .and cliff comnunity are scattered throu~houtthis communit$'"in the more rocky and ru~zedareze . Scattered blackbru33 and other associated shrubs map extend into the comity'$t the lower elevations. Connon scrubs, shrubs, and small trees scattered throu35out this comnunity include Ephedra viridi~,Yucca baccsta, Juniperus ~copulorurn, 5~1venevadenzlz, Erioeonum -spp., Berberis I'remontii, ?hllzdelphus nicrophyllus, Ribea cereum, Prunus fascicul~tz,Rocz . . wodcii, Rms trilobeta, ?&%inus cslli'ornice, -Ceanothus ,r2;:::i1, ?r.zxinuz ~norr.ale, Synpho~iczrpos-sp?. , --3rkklli.a zpn., 5r.d --Ch~yzothnn~uz - ---zpp. The woodland cornunities in general hzve a difrerent herbaceous flora than that found in the desert scrub communities. Common species found in this comunity include the I"o1loning: Agropyron spp. Helianthus annuus Allium nevadense Hordeurn leporLnun Arabis spp. Lesquerella spp. Argemone munita Lupinus alpestris Aristida spp. . Mentzelia albicaulis Aster spp. - Mirabilis bigelovii -Astragalus .spp. Montia perfoliata Bouteloua :spp. Muhlenbergia spp, Brodiaez pulchella Oenothera spp, Bromus rubens Oryzopeis micrantha Bromus tectorum Penstemon spp. Calochortus flemosus Feraphyllum ramosisslmun Castilleja chronosa Phacelia spp. Chaenactis stevioides Phlox spp. Cirsium spp. physalis- hederaef olia Cordylanthus @.ndulosus Physaria chambersii Cryptantha spp. Poa spp. . Delphinium parishii Senecio epp, - Descurainia obtusa Sisymbrium alti~simum Draba cuneifolia Solidago spp. Erigeron divergens Sphaeralcea ~rossulariaefolia Eriogonum spp. Sporobolus spp. Erysimum capita tun. Stanleya elata Zuphorbia spp. _- - - -- Gal-rum-,C p-p;-& ------Stipa - -- -- spp, _- StephanomeriXpauciTlora Gilia spp. Streptanthus spp. Hedeoma nana . Verbena gooddingii Ri~arianand Cliff Cornmunits Lowe (1961) describes a riparian woodland that occurs along the washes and streams at the lower nountainous elevations in the sub-Mogollon region of Arizona. Deacon et. al. (1964), in their description of the biotic communities of Clark Canyon in the Spring Range, considered the vegetation of the canyon bottom and wash as belonging to juniper-pinyon 2nd Fir-pine communities. Further investigation has revealed the advi~a'7ilityof describing thezcanyon wash and similar vegetation as a separate plant community. This community, which covers approximately 24,000 acres,- commonly occurs in the washes at the middle elevations of the blackbrush comunity at about 900 feet vhere the scrubs t7y-pical of the'desert riparian comunity begin to be sparsely distributed and lar~elyrepleced by taller and more luxuriant shrubs. It extend: up through the :wiper-pinyon community azd into the lower portion of the fir-pine comunity to elevations of around 8000 feet. This comzunit: also extends up the sid.2: of canyons alx; areas of expoazd rocl.:~an2 commonly occurs alons cliff faces and rim rock areas to elevations above 8000 feet and on extremely rocky south facing elopes above 9000 feet. On the smaller mountain ranges in the northern part of the Game Range isolated stands are found along the steep rocky slopes md ridges. The soils of the middle elevations are relatively shallow and are covered by rocks of various sizes. The organic content in the soil is higher than found in the previously described communities and some ground litter is commonly present. On the rim rock and cliff faces, shrubs and small trees are growlng in soil deposited in cracks and shallow depressions. This.community is characterized by shrubs and small trees which grow in profusion along the canyon washes and cliffs extending up through the contramg coniferous woodland and lower forest comiiities. At the loner elevations where the scrubs lining the washes are replaced by taller shrubs, Cowania, Falu ia Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus and C. nauseosus, Rhus ~~~a,Prunus fasciculata, and BerberTs ?'rernontii axound. ldoody plantmcal of the lower communities,- such as Ephedra viridis, Yucca baccata, Agave nevadeneis, and Atriplex canescens, are presemong the lower canyon washes. Small low woody plants occur among the rocky areas at the lower and middle , elevations and include Polygala acanthoclada, Peraphyllum ramosissimum and Petro hytwn caespitosumi. Tnroughou he canyon washes adjacent toder-piny on and lower fir

- - --co-mu-nicies mny of the shrubs mentioned above are more abundant --- and luxuriant. Additional shrubs and small trees found here are Gereoearpus ledifolius, Amelanchier utahensis, Arctostaphylos mgens, Garrya f lavescens, . Fraxlnus velutina and F. anomla, - ~Ph~rposlongiflorus. On the south facifie ridges and higher cliff faces the vegetation is dominated by Cowania and Cercocarpus intricatus. The herbaceous vegetation of the canyon washes and ridges is' primarily composed of those species typical of the surrounding communities, although certain species such as Argemone platyceras, Astragalus x.,Oenothera spp., Penstemon e~p.,and Castineja chromosa are more abundant here. Alon~the-adu north facinrr - cliffs and in other p.rotected rocky argas xeric. i'erns .belongizg to the gene* -. Pellaea, H~tholaenaand Cheilanthes are found. . -...... , - -.. .. Fir- pine (36-unity

. Burr. (1934) recognizes the .occurrence of fir and yellow pine in the Spring and Sheep Rmgee as distinct plant belts correlating these with Merriamts Life-zones. Van Rossem (1936), and Clokey (1951) both point out the crowdin3 and intermingling of ve~etation types in the Spring Rmge. Vzn Roezern zroups the yellow pine and fir forests together and conside~sthem as possibly belonging to a Trznritf on-gT=i~n:idi;n li re-zonc. Clo!rcy avoid: the u,ce or 1ri.fe-sonez 3ut, ho:.lever, uzes y?llo:.~pine as an "indicator qecier. 11 TnLr cornunity hqs 22en dezcrlbed as i2 exist:: In Clai-1: Canyon, ~1';ho;l;'n the lowe? c2nyon ~ndcliff arczr nye ;IOVJ placed in the riparim 2nd clf f? race community (~eaconet. nl. 1964). This cornunity occup2es nkoct 74,000 scres on the Sam Fianze and cenerally oczurs bet.v.-em nbout 7540 to 9000 re2t elevetlonz on the Sprlnz 2nd 3ezp 3an;es. It occur2 en :?ortn facinz slopcz zr,d in shaded czn;-onc dokm to and unco~monly below 7000 feet. Isolatcd small r:tmris of yellow piile occur in the bottom of protected cenyonc In the southern park of thc 2pring range d6wn to and below -tht liOOO foot elevations. However, the other associated --e;ct?tion io not well developed and these localized mzll scattered ~kndsare not here considered aa belon~inzto the fiz-pine com~unity, rather, they exist aE relict comunitlez. Thir community commonly extendn on south-facinz slop2s to zbovz 9020 feet and white fi~msy be ,found u? to the 10,000 'cot ?lcvrztSon,r, but the upper limit 0f.a well-dcTlncd ccr.ir~u~lkyon these slopes ir at zbout the 9500 foot elevations.

The 20113 are d~rlrb~om to blzclrlch, refiectin; a hish orzanic content, have well developed soil horizons, and are connonly covered by needles and ~thcryound litter. The senera1 topopaphy includes tl!e lL?r.s ~oclrycanyon bottom. and slopes and rid~esof the mountzZnous zreae.

~~This comnunity consir-tz prirxi~~ilyof nhlte fir (,lbles~~

L i~more ib;ndant at th6 lower elcm tions. \kite Fir and* yellow pine are about equril ifi zbundmze at the mlddle elevations and the white fir ic zoi-c abundmt at. .the hl~her elevations and nag extend in rsvorz~blezituationz up to 10,000 feet, znterin:; the lowr p2t of the bri~tlecoxepine comunity. .-iuakins eapen (~opulos~~cnuloide::) my be abundant on the nox mesic or di:tu:*bed zite: st the middle and higher elevations in the Spr-LC.: 3a.rn2e. Cnly fsolatcd small stands of q~akln; aepen exirt in protected sites on tlx .Sheep Range. @thmzonirerr round :i:~ttcred .in this coar.iunlty include. Junipe~usos teorperm2, Junipcrm zcopulorun, and -Pinuz -- monophylla at the loner clevatfons o? in p~rticulsrly~rid sites, and at the h1;:her elevntlonz. or more merlc sites in general and are listed below: . Agropyron spp. Galium spp. Allium nevadense Gilia spp. Arabis spp. Linum spp. Aristida spp. Lupinus alpestris Astragalus spp. Nuhlenbergia spp. Bromus spp. Penstemon spp. Castilleja spp. Phlox spp. Cirsium spp. Poa spp. Corydal is- aurea Senecio spp. Draba spp. Sitanion hystrix Erysimum capitatm Solidago spp. ~uphorbiaspp. Stipa spp. Also, a significant portion of the herbaceous vegetation is made up of mesophytes, which may be round scattered throughout the community occupying more mesic and moist sites. These are most common on the Spring Range and include the following:

Adiantum capillus-veneris Hackelia floribunda . ~~rostlsspp. Heleocharis parishii - Angelica scabrida Heuchera rubescens - Ante~ariarosea Ivesia jaegeri Apocynum spp. Juncus spp. . Aquilegla shockleyi Mimulus gutkatus Carex SDD. Osmoriza obtusa ~~sto~tkEisfragilis Parnassia parviflora ------L- --A - D-hamPsiaa caTKp xto sa . p~dzclris semi'barbata Descurainia californica Pityrogramma triangularis

-. Ditaxis diversiflora ' Potentilla spp. -,-.. Dodecantheon jefferyi Pyrola chlorantha Draba brachystylis Ranunculus cymbalaria Epilobium spp. Smilacina stellata . Epipactis gigantea Urtica holosericea Equisetum hyemale Valeriana puberulenta Equieetum kansanum Veronica americana Erigeron spp. Viola .charlestonesis - Gayophytum spp. lloodeia oregana Gentiana -aff ini.s Woodwwdia fimb'riata - Habenaria sparsiflora : r?-.* , .. . .. Bristlecone .Pine Community . -. .,. .<. ,'. - * rt(1934) and Van ~ossem(1.936) both reco,cnize a bristlecone pine. "belt" on the Spring -Range 2nd state that it here corresponds to a Hudsonian Lifc-zone. Clokey (1951) uses both bristlecone and limber pine as "plant indicators" at the higher elevations and points out that both zre comonly found together. In Clark Can:ron a bristlecone pine community was reco~nizedand described for that location (~eaconet. al. 1964). This community, whick Covers about 24,000 acres, ~xtendsfrom about 9000 feet up and along the uppermost rid~es of the Spring Range to tinberline at about 11,500 feet. klon; south facin; zlopes and ridczs this corrimunity is not well developed until ebout 9300 feet elevation:, and exceptionally not until almost 9600 feet. At the upper elevations the effects of slo~eexposure are not as evident. In many locations on south facing slopes at about 9000 feet this community Is found, but the individual trees are not as abundant. At near tirnb-erline the trees are dwarfed and obviously disfigured by the prevai1ing:viinds. Slopes are steep with an extremely - shallow soil littered by pine needles.

0 .. it the, lower elevations limber pine (pinus flexilis) is abundant with scattered white fir and bristlecone pine (Pinus aristida). At the .middle elevations bristlecone pine becomes more abundant and exists as almost a pure stand on the higher ridge-s at elevations above 10,000 feet. Juniperus comrnunis, a low guniper, is-found scattered throughout much or l%FG%iZunity. An understory of shrubs is largely absent and herbaceous vegetation is not as.abundant as in the l~wer~communities.The level of endemism is highest in this community and most endemics are found near timberline lok key 1951).

~~, -4 ..~~

~~:-,-, - T@e-~~

Lesqu+rella spp. Antennaria spp ,' Linwn .perenne Arabis pendulina Lychnis drummondii , '-Arenaria rubella Oenothera caespitosa Astragalus spp .. Pellaea Sreweri Boykinia jamesii Penstemon keckii Carex spp. Phacelia leucophylla Castille ja clokeyi Poasecunda . Cerastium beeringianum Potentilla beanii Cirsium clokeyi Pyrola chlorantha Crepis intermedia Stanion hystrix Dodecantheon j ef f eryi Stipa lettermanii Draba spp, Synthyris ranunculina : ;,Erigeron clokeyi Tanacetum compacturn . Gayophytum lasiospermum Trisetum spicatum - ;: Gentiana tortusa Valer3ana puberulenta Heuchera rubeszens Pseudo-alpine Community Burt (1934), Van Rossem (1936) and Clokey (1951) point out the presence of an zbove 'timberline area" on Charleston peak at about ll,w0 feet elevation. Dr. Charles G. Hansen states that similar areas, occupying 2 few acres, exist on Hayford and Sheep peaks in the sheep Range at elevations below 10,000 feet. 'Tnese areas are onythe western side, exposed to the wind. The other protected sides at the same elevation have some bristlecone pine. This community, which covers approxlrnat~l~ 1,000 acres, is localized and lacks a well developed alpine flor~ and fauna. Accordingly, it is here termed a "pseudo-alpine" comnnlnity. Small sprawling 'woody plants and herbs found here include the following: P - Aquilegia scopulom Draba jaegeri Arabis penaulina -1vesia cryptocaulis Arenaria.filiorum Phacelia hastata Astragalus platytropis Ribes montigenwn Cerastium beeringianum -Silene clokeyi Crepis nana Sitanion hystrix . - -Discussi-on of Vegetation in elation to Sheep Distribution

- Dr. Chasbes G. Hansen has provided a map of sheep distribution, with approximate numbex -of sheep present in the major areas, sheep habitat, lamb in^ areas, and sheep movements for the years 1960 through 1963. An overlay was superimposed over the mapped plant communities. 1% is readily apparent, as expected, that sheep are primarily distributed in communities - a-bove-th-e-creo s oteebu sh-commm3ty, -a-lthouch-. the--creo sote-bu s hd - community must be traversed- in many 'iristances in sheep movements between mountain ranges. A closer look at sheep distribution in- relation to plant communities may be found from skull collection data. Kizer (1963) points ou.t possible problems of relating the locations where skulls are found with the habitat where the animal died. Furthermore, there are numerous observations pertaining to large game animals which when sick or wounded, move t~wa~dtine lower elevations alons depressions or VJ~S~~P.Certkinly, the area where an individual skull is Zound may not represent the major habitats which the animal utilizes throusnout its life- time. However, the major communities Zn whish skulls we round in 1arge;nurabers may well represent areas or heavy utilization by the animals, In arranging 3i;ho--n mrtzlity reco~de according- to plant communities, tne rip:?ricln comunitles 2re excluded-due to their linear ar-rzngeixht. . t11rou;;h oti:er communities and bemuse of obvious c.12~in slrull bistrik~ti.or!. This information i: shorn In Tzble 111. Table 111. Ei,;;horn sheep nort.slities 2,-riin;;ed by plznt; comrmlj,itfes (~ror.1i;iezr 1963). Fkns Lambs Total . . -- Fir-pine comunity

~~Undetermined cogmunitg '~~

~~Blackbrush communi by _ .. . - , . _ ___ _..-_-'. 1 - Undetermined comr,~unity - - Creosote bush comunity~~

~~- Totals~~

Sheep- mortalities- which are lo.:~~tcc,occur pre~ominzntly- in 'the b1ad;cbrush anti ,juniper-plnycn i:onr;~unities. Maiiy sheep obseavations by ilumcl*ows ouservezs A?-c 1'~*0m inese eornrnunitit?~. ., Thcye is ,orsii evlricl-icc ;'or assucin: thst these communities are - areas of high sheep use throughout thc year and are "key" ------cornnun-i-t-i-2-~=to=~oe-considcr-ed--in--s he ep-mna eme en t-p sog-~arns=.-~ 3 I- - -

~~Other evidence to support the above statements my be found in a summary or 2006 items found in stomzch samples. These data were provided from the Dercrt Gane Range files and are -arranged in Table IV,~~

It is appdrcnt tkat paszes rfl2'::c up a 1ar:;e portion of' the diet when they are available. Sincc ;r~ss is not abundant in all communities, it nust be a highly desirable Pood iten md searched for over larze areas. The ~tkoritems are readil3- available in the ripz~ian,'cler,icorur:n, mu Juniper-pinyon corrmunities. Table N. Food items in stomach samples of Desert Bi horn Sheep (based on 56 samples frdm the Desert Game Rangey

~~Percent of Average percent Plant communities Food Item Occurrence of volume . in which food item (56 samples) (51 samples) is commonly found~~

~~"Jarnineae 100 . 77-7 Blackbrush and . . higher~~

;rtemesia tridentata - . . Zercocarpus intricatus 64.3 Riparian and cliff Zowania rnexicana 55.3 Riparian and cliff 3oleogyne ramos sisma 51.9 L6 Blackbrush itriplex canescens 44.5 0.8 Saltbush, riparian communities

$amnosma montana . 42.7 1 3 Creosote, black- 7h~cr?fios~~ brush ' - . . 2phedra virldis 37.5 4.0 Blackbksh, Juniper- pinyon,' riparian ------. - -- wyzopsis hymenoides trace in creosote, black- 0 sf 5 . all .samples brush ,: t-ysp - ahedra nevadensis creosote, blackbrush inus monophyla trace in Juniper -pinyon Pr'h~h5 all' samples eonothus gregii Juniper- pinyon, riparian 'and cliff

:Cry triplex confertyfolia trace in Saltbush, riparian --,:.:, all samples Atripler . .. .-, ' communities tipa spp. trace in Juniper- pinyon, 211 samples fir -pine The two Zrasses shown' in Tzble I'J 1~n-?ounCi ?-on ~~~3,c~l;e and hiaer comnunities up and into $he 3,--pine. Gratr. ir: more abundant in blackbrush and the k,i$-ier cormmitizz 2x3 rszpecl~ll;~ in the nore open zreas of the fiy-pine znb s.pper Jilnlipc~-pinyo!i comunities. In the northern part of t5e r2n;e $here iz z noticeable increase in the abundance 0f.p-asses in the blackbruzh community. Artemesia and ahedra viridis are abundant in the juniper-pinyon community.' ~o~eogyiiiiinos~,~~i?.ndEp'nedra' nevadensis are re-larly found in abunEEEETE-t*ne blackbmsh

comyunity. The importance- of. tine riparian cormun'ities as food + sources is shown by -the-pssefice of Cowania, ~ercocar~us, Atriplex canes'cens, and both, speciesnedra,- growing there in abundance. Tine h-ikher; areas -of the ~altbush-co-miuil'ty are

found at elevations wh-ere sheep occur to some exteit. - . , e v * . . ,. -, , ~videncehas &en presented docunentin~t'ne.lmportance of riparian, blackbrush, ."arids juniper-pinyon comunities as "key1' areas of heavy-uti-lization by bighorn sheep.- -%rther and more - efficient uMlizatiori: ofZtdese'-areas nizht be possible with the development of more iia'terihg places within these communitlea. The advisibility of -watering areas within reach of sheen evcry two to three.days durinm their normal movements has been recommended by Bradley r1963b) and others. St the present tine, most available water is found within the juniper-pinyon and fir-pine communities. The feasibility of water development within the blackbrush co;nmunity,- - leading- to fuller' utilization ------of-the se-~a-peas- m&&t-be----i,nve s t i+ted-.------3- Human encroachment 2f bbizhorn habitat is a concern of everyone interested in the bioloa and "well being". of this spectacular ahimal-(Duncan -1960, Van den ikker 1960, and others). In southern Nevada, one or the primary problems which must be Taced by all those interes-ted in wildlife is the increased utilization of public lands. Demands 2re beins made on all agencies administerin2 public lands for inrreased facilities for camping, hiking, picnicking, and other outdoor activities. This demand must be net, and it is unrealistic to believe thag ~reatly increased use of the Desert Game Bn~eby the general public wilr . not occur in the next few years. It 'is suggested that plans be developed. in the near future whkh provide for the increase in land use and at the same time insure. large areas of sheep habitat to remsin intsct and used as-:little as possible for recreational activities. The National Park Service has pioneered and developed the plan of hizh- tourist use for certain areas, but keepins the ncrre zp~ctacular portions of naticnal .garl.:o reletively intzct znd iz -: inr-hral state. Ce,-t.zir, a,-czs z'; lo:ye,- elnvlflons 52 t>e i:i-?azot'~ 'bus5 cormxlty ;~i-J:t be develcpe3 r:: ?c?c:--+'- G . Alan: lbcef f:;cilities 1731-1; il~~e:;n :::; .y:;'; - '2: ?~p?~ndr.yjt~ kcL::;! care of increas'ed visitor use and u$ed as a center for correl~tin,~ more supervised activities for the general public, including some education. In providing recreational facilities.at the lower elevatioq "access lanes" between the different mountain Fanges should be left intact for free movement of sheep. Some ~enetic interchange between semi-isolated populations has been considered as "ideal" for maximum evolutionary development of species (~obzhansky1951, Simpson 1953, Grant 1963, bbyr 1963, and othe~:), An additional consideration is the factor of resistance to disease which is commonly characteristic of populations in which recurrent exposure maintains some immunity to common infections. Other facilities for camping and picnicking might be developed at the higher elevations within the fir-pine community. These are the areas most favored by the public, especially during the summer months when heaviest use by family sroups would be expected. Utilization by the public of "key management" areas should be kept at a minimum. In this way, admittedly at some expense, a compromise can be made between increased demands for public land utilization and the "needs" of desert bighorns. ~iteratureCited

~~Allred, D. M., D. E. Beck and C. D. Jorgensen. 1963, Biotic Communities of the Nevada Test Site. Brigham Young Univ. Sci. Bull. 2(2):1-52. . .~~

~~.Axelrod, D. I. ' 1948. climate and evolution in western Korth America. during middle Pliocene time. Evolution 2:127-144.~~

~~.. ,1950. ' Evolution of desert vegetation in western North America. Carnegie Inst. Wash. Pub. 590: 217-306.~~

~~Evolution of the Madro-Tertiary Geof lorz. '~~

Billings, W. D. 1949. The shadscale vegetation zone of Nevada and eastern California in relation to climate and soils. Amer. Midl, Nat. 42:87-109. - . 1951. Vegetational zonation in the Great Basin of western North America. In Les bases ecologiques' de la regeneration de la vegation?onee arides. Ser, B (u.I.S.B., paris) 9: 101-122.

Bradley, W. G. 19632. A geog~aphicalanalysis of the flora of Clark County, Nevada. Presented at annual meeting, March 30, 1963, of the Arizona Academy of Sciences. . 1963b. Water metabolism in desert mammals with special reference to the desert bighorn sheep, Trans. Desert Bighorn Council, p. 26-39. Burt, W. H. 1934. Tine mammals of southern Nevada. Trans. San Diego Soc, Nat. Hist., 7:375-427. Clements, F. E. 1949. Selections from the writings of, compiled and edited by B. 11. Allred and E. S. Clements. Dynamics ol' Vegetation. H. IJ, !dilson, New York. 296 p. Clokey, I. I:!. 1951. Flora of the Charleston Mountains, Clark , -. County, Nevada, Univ. of Calif. Press, Berkeley and Los . Angeles. 274 p. -. D&&, J. E., 11. G. Bradley and I:. Laraen. 1964. Ecological distribution of the mammals of Clark Canyon, Charleston Mountains, Nevada. J. Marnm. (1n press). Dening, 0. V. 1946. The Plnkwater Range studies. Desert Game Range Narrative Report (~m.-:\pril 1946), 67 p. . . 1953. The flora and' fauna of Clark County, Nevada, Unpublished manuscript. . 1963. The flora and fzuna of Clark County, Nevada. ~evisedunpublished canuscript. . . Dobzhansky, T. . 1951. Genetics and the orlzin of cpecles. 3-6 ed., Columbia Univ. Press, Mew Yor!:, j6& p.

~~Duncan, G. E. 1960. Human encroacnment on bighorn habitat. Trans:, DesertTBighorn Council, 35-37.~~

~~Engler, F. E. 1951. -4 commentary of American plant ecolo~ybased I. on the textbooks of 1947-1949. Ecol. 32: 673-695.~~

~~Gleason, H. A. 1926. The individualistic concept of the plant association. Torrey Bot. Club Sull. 53:~-26. Grant, V. 1963. The origin of adaptations. Columbia Univ. Press, New York and London, 606 p.~~

~~Hanson, C. G. 1964. Personal communication.~~

~~Hall, E. R. . 1946. Mammals of ilevada.. Univ. Calif. Press, Berkeley and Los An~eles,'710 p.~~

~~Kiger, J. H. 1j6j. Slieep skull atudy. Trans. 3esert- Bi:;horn Council, p. 145-148.~~

Langenheim, J. H. 1962. VegetztLon and environmental patterns in the Crested Butte Area, . Gurnison County, Colorado. Ecol. Monog. 32: 249-285. - Lowe, C. H. Jr. 1961. 3iotic c~mur.itiecin the Sub-Mo:;ollon region;.of.- ';he inlcnd Southwest. -~:-lz. Acad. Sci. J. 2: 40-49. . 1893. Report on desert trees and shrubs. Report on desert cactuses and yuccas. In The Death Valley rxpcdi- tion. N. Amer. Fauna No. 7, 285743, 345-359.

Munz, p. A. 1935. A manual of southern California botany. J, v. Stacey, Inc., San Francisco, Calif-. , 642 p, and D. D. Keck.. 1959. A California flora. univ. Calif. Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1681 p. Rothrock, J. 2. 1878. Reports upon the botanical collections made in portions of Nevada, Utah, California, Colorado, ~ew Mexlco, and Arizona, during the Years 1871, 1672, 1873, 1874,. and 1875. In United States Geographical Surveys \lest of the One ~undremMeridian. - Val. VI. - Botany. Govern- ment Printing Office, 404 p. Shelford, V. E. 1963. The ecology of North America. Univ. of Illinois Press, Urbana, 610 p. Shreve, F. 1915. The vegetation 0.f a desert mountain range as conditioned by climatic factors. Carnegie Inst. Wash. publ - NO. 217~-1-12. 1942. The desert vegetation of North America. &t. Rev. '8: 195-246.

Simpson, G, G. 1953. The major features of evolution, Columbia Univ, Press, New York, 434 p. Tidestrom, I. 1925. Flora of Utah and Nevada. Cant. U. S, IJat, Herb. 25: 1-665. Van den Akker, 1960. Human encroachment on Bighorn habitat, Trans, Desert Bighorn council, p, 38-40.-. Van Rossem, A. J, Birds of the..Charleston Mountains, Nevada, pacific Coast Ovifauna No. 24:l-65. r?--- Whittaker, Be H. 1951. A criticism of the plant association , -..';--and climatic climax concepts. Northwest Sci. 25: 17-31.

. . . 1953. A consideration of climax theory: climax as a .population and pattern. Ecol. Monos. 23: 41.~78, . 1956. Vegetation of the Great Smoky Mounteins, Ecol. Monog. 26: 1-80. . 1960. Vegetation of the Siskiyan I~lountainr, Oregon and California. Ecol. mono^. 30: 279-338, 1R NEV PO0 'I MAJOR PLANT COMMUNITIES OF DEDESERT GAME RANGE DIUI - CREOSOTE BUSH . BLACKBRUSH EZ! - SALTBUSH £3- JUNIPER- PINYON EZ . FIR-PINE 0. BRISTLECONE PINE I3 . PSEUDO -ALPINE

~~JF- - ' RI PAEAN ARE 'NOT SHOWN~~

This re~ortcovers three meas of &:a? on he Desert Gzae Range. These data are an accumulatio~of ir9ormction t?ker! . from the Gme Aange files. fhe three areas me the shedding pattern of adult sheep, the wateriris tines of shee? on tne Des- ert Game Range, and the gowth ma develoi,-l?zr,t of sneep on the Game Range.

-Data have been accmulated sime 13A7 on the arrival time of bighorn sheep at waterholes during tne aontns of June, July, August and September. There were a 'total of 1:357 observations made wnich when broken down, in Tzble.11 by hour, indiczte tnat 53$ of the -sheep cane to water betvieen 7:00 2.m. and 12:00 noon. These were the most zctive hours zroimd ivateri.loles. There is a period 02 very low movement to wxter bet;reen 4:90 p.m. a~ir5:00 p.m. when only 23 were recorded comirg tc ;;rater. - iii:~htt~me movements accounted for only 2% 09 the observztions, and these occurred between 8:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Some of tnese night-

tine movements could hzve been m&e ir? tvrilialt hours. ' esne- cially Curing June and July men tne dqs >se longest: he --- - -bre&-down=bp-morn-i;ng-md-af t ern0on - -mow s-t-22:t-6 Zp-c?<-ke-ishe e p--- come to water between 5:00 a.& md 12:OO noon znd 36+ between. 12:00 noon and 8:0@ p.m. The bighorn sneep of neath Valley iI:...e a Fattern very similar to that fourrd ir_ the Desert Gane Itage. Tible I1 snows that nost of the sheep cone in to water in the easlg noriling and' tnen activity gadually dwindles ui?til dark. :-ielles k-rld -delles (1961) fourrd that 695 of 175 sileeo observed drank before 12:00 noon. their fives are agoazeztly tne times wnen trle shee~EL~tU2lly wnile the fis~r-ESfrom the Game Amge are arrival times at the waternole.

~~: rr~~

~~-...- -__~~

*-rielles, 3alph 3. axi Flo-r-ence B. ?iellss 1 :?he ni~horn ol Death Valley. Fzun2. of the 1Sqtion~-1~'~zks of tne iJr:ited Stzt.es, Fauna Series 76. T)? 242. Table I . Natering times for 3ig.qorn Sneeg on tne 3ssert ';me .lian,~e, Nevsda:

Time # ~bservztions Total Total . Accmulated ji - . - d, . . 1947-48 1957-63 ;r /O ' - 6-7 33 39 72 5 6 2$ 7-8 3-4 106 137 8-9 60 120. 180 13 9-10 35 92 127 9 5 36 10-11 31 104 135 10 11-12 34 115 149 11 - 0 1-2 58 61 113 3 2 6% -2- 3 33 61 94 7 3-4 24 34- 53 4 4-5 14 22 2 y; 36;4 5-6 9 30 39 3'6 6-7 7 31 38 3% 87L 7-8 6 20 26 2% - 0 6 tl l$ 25 2$ 12-5 9 6 15 15 Totals 424 9 33 1,357

~~------GR=(yTTAj; u-DTm-0 pIEif T-0 Ji-jJ~;j&iiT -dzpG-ece ~J--~~~~~~~~

The gowth xnd developmsnt @I' desert biporn s.pemT) 011 the Game Rznse hzs been studiec? in 00th viid mci ?en>;ed mFm:fiz. Some of the ~ennsdsheep hve bem raisea on ti oot3e :*ti soae actual measurements taken in a different mmner t!mn those made in 1963. Conparsble measurenen~tswere made in 1963 of a ewe lamb in order to establish the estimated fi,wes, especialiy in Table 111.

~~The figures for the one, two adthree yew rws me average sizes of 40 or more measurements 'taken on actual animals, and the weights are based on aressed weights of hunter killed animals.~~

~~TABLE II~~

~~WEIGHTS AND MEASUREMENTS OF BIGHORN SHEEP EWES RAISED IN CAPTIVITY~~

~~MEASUREMEN IN INCHES WEIGHT AGE HEIGHT EAR HlND FOOT HORN IN LBS. (At Shoulder) (Tip to'Nofch) (Sole to Hock) (Hair to Tip) Birth 16% . 3. - None 8H 1'week 16 3 7% None 8~~

4 weeks ' 17% 8 None 11H 7 weeks 19 x l8H 8 weeks 20 H. 20 % 12 weeks - - 33 16 weeks 24H - 41 20 weeks 3 50 . 8 months 4% - 1 year 7 (1001) esl -. - -, ------2 yeors (6-7) est (1 15.4 est 3 years (6-7) est (1 1 Sd) est

~~TABLE Ill~~

~~WEIGHTS AND'MEASUREMENTS OF BIGHORN SHEEP RAMS RAISED IN CAPTIVITY~~

MEASUREMEN ; IN INCHES AGE . EAR HlND FOOT HORN (Tip to Notch (Sole to Hock) (Hoir to Tip) 1 wssk (3) (7) N one 4 weeks (3%) (8) None 7 weeks - - 1'k 8 weeks - (9) (1 H) 12 weeks - - - 14 weeks - (10) - 16 weeks . - - (2H) 20 weeks (4) 11% 3 % 32 weeks (4%) 13 7 H 1 year rY1 4% 13% 8 3i re 2 4% 13% 11% 2 years 4% 13% - 3 years 4 !4 13% - bere ,me certai~lc:lzracterietic actions wriic!? nelg to de- ternwe the ages of wild sneej3. As a ;ene-?21 rille la?lbs less week old :?ot seen in -lge wild. j.situt:,tion, since tile eu,re usually not allow her lmb 'unfolio-nr her' ipto hazardous 'siwztions. The penced ewes at Corn Creek do not.brinz tneir labs irito the presence of'mm until sfter 7;-cey five to seven days old. Sightin~sof meek old 1mbs in -cne'wild are auite negligible con~credto th.e records of older ones seen. ?his special care continues to a lesser degree until tne lmb is two or three months old. Young lambs zre often left behind when the.mother soes to water or into .areas that she coi-isiders dzngerous to her offsying. Zmbs as weli as tne auult. sheep hzve quite strong territorial tendencies. Observations of penned sneeg indicate thzt labs >refer to'st~ywit~~iri tneir known. territory tnan to follow into m3mov?n arezs. This probably occurs dso in the ~ildsheep md may be tne mdn reason that nursing ewes we seen without lmbs zna lmbs. me seen without ewes. If it is nossib? el a lmb will nurse for six montrls ad stay wit11 its uother Tor a yew. r_ yegrling ewe will occasionally stsy with its nother for longer periads. A ewers offs~ring nay be the source of md.1 herds ir_ which tne old ewe is tne leader adoriqinal pzent of %,:e ~QL-L~.

Two months old - Face 9rofile straiynt or. nemly so, that 'is from f0rehe:i.d to nose. , : l.. . . - - Three mon.zns ola - iiorns one ixe or i:ic;i-e eS>ovetne heir line or. txfts; ;.., 'r'emsle .lorns tili31 ami poi;r:teu; rn-lle. r13ms Pre t115ck md'triahg~lxr. -ke neck of the fern-ie is trl5.n acd a?- pesrs 10~3. Six months old - The male is bulky ad the female is thin and apsesrs long-necked. The 3orns on the mrde are 4 to 6 inches long and sh~pedlike a butcner knife .in contrast to the horns of tne female ~nichze- 2boi;lt 3 to 4 inches long aqd tz- pered to a point like 2 dagzer. Gne yeas old - A yearling ewe is flo'ticeably smaller than a yearling rm and zdult ewe- It is distinctive with short thin horns end slender appezrance. A yeasling ran hss the general zppemance and size o'f an aciult ewe. Horns and body are-those of an adult ewe except thzt the face of tne yearling ram is triangilar and 1-ooks like that of a lamb com-pared to the long-nosed adult ewe. Yearling rams are no st readily identified by their facial characteristics when the male organs are not evident in the profile view. Needless to say that all of the zoove c.haracteristics and measurements hzve exce2tions: especi?Lly a:ien the lab has been born under zbnormal conditions or has not been healthy.

TKE SKEDDING PATTERFi OF A~ULTBIGKCRN Sd3SP ON i',HZ DESEBT Gd!!IE RANGE. The pettern of shed or unshed hair on sneep hzs been used to distin~ishilldividual sheep during twee to six day water- . hole counts. From the descriptions used ma recoraed t:~erehas been develo~eda ?attern of c!lanze that is ?resented in figure ------.&sCCE a~h-m=i,m&-~hadddchs t er-gs$&c.s-p cu~-~~-~~=i-~~e~=f-d eee- - ending upon physical condition and SernaDs also upon the ter- ria in which it lived. Figre ;7v shows tne general ?attern of shedding the winter hair and wool as it occured on many . shee? on the Gme Range.

Table IV presents both the nu~berma the ~e~centof anirn?_ls recorded. Table IV - Breakdown of time of year and d~greeof snedding of desert bighorn sheep on the Besert G~xtedaqe awin$? tt:? summer months. : r,-,-- Degree of Sheddin5 from Fi:pre $V

~~Dates No. 1 No. 2 Comaletely Shed Total~~

~~June 25 to July 1 to July 15 to July 33 Contld from pa& 5 . .~~

3at e s No. 1 0. 2 No. 3 KO.. 4 Com~letelyShed Total id 1) lvi3Eii July 30 to . . kug. 30 1 0 0 4 11 15 June 25 33% 14% 11% 18$ 185 loo$ .to July 1 20:: - 2% 18.2 . 22-1. 2 2'0 loop to . . July 15 19% s$ 29% 3 35 100% to July 30 18% 2; 2$ 3 3$ 4% loo$ to 26.' Aug. 30 1% P 73% 100$

The percentage under colum 170. 1 (unshed -or mostly unshed) ' and in the column "Comsletely Shed1! snow yo-~essionof shedding between the last of June ana the last of ~u,ast. Tne high percentage of unshed =imals in tne aontn of July may reflect the number of old and/or sick animals. Tnere nay also be a correlation in ewes between the degee of milk sroduction and shedding since many wet exes were in the NQ. 2 and No. 3 stages of shedding during early July. It is ~osslbletnb~ i~itlz more -- - - re_~_~rdso-n.Lhe devee of s.vledding ~C3~~e_.se.~~ar?li~~Lr!y_s_i~c~~~c~n~_-- dition of shezp a correlation mzy oe illustrated netween the normal healthy sheep and the sick ana/or old shee~. dith more information about shedding tnere mzy . lso be four; an aid to determining whether ZQ ewe is wet or dry. MALE FEHALE

~~(A) FOUR MONTHS OLD LAMBS~~

~~FUL .L FIGURE OF 'DAY OLD LAMB FIGURE 2~~

~~(0) SIX MONTHS OLD LAMBS~~

~~FULL FIGURE OF FOUR MONTHS OLD EWE 7 5 ERAWINGS SY PAT I-:.:%SSN GENERAL PATTERN OF SHZDDIYG XOOL AND HAIR OF ESBZT BIGHORN SEEP IN EARLY SK9.ZR ON' TEE ~~T GANE PAiGE.~~

~~No,- 1 -No. 2 A Field Survey of Water Requirements~~

~~of Desert Bighorn Sheep~~

~~Lloyd 2. Crow, Student Trainee Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife Desert Game Range . Las Vegas, Nevada~~

~~Acknowledgments~~

I would like to express my appreciation to Dr. Charles G. Hansen, Desert Game Range, Nevada, whose suggestions and assistance made this project possible; to Newel1 B. Morgan, also of the Desert Game Range, for allow- ing me the time and material to carry out this study; to William C. Reffalt - whose pilot project (1962)C formed the basis-for this project; and to the 1964 Desert Bighorn Council for the invitation to present this paper.

~~Introduction~~

To avoid unnecessary duplication I will not list the several references - from which the need for information on the water requirements of the des------ert-bi"gh-6mmm(wi~;S~d~neIson~~ba-XedFbu t vi1 1 ref e r only to Reffalt's (1962) paper for justification.

During the summer of 1962 William C. Reffalt conducted a project with two penned desert bighorn sheep on the Desert Game Range in yhich he attempted' to correlate water requirements of bighorn with weather 'conditions and to correlate drinking time with amount of water consumed by a bighorn. Reffalt found a strong relationship between drinking time and amount of water consumed by individual sheep and a definitely strong rela tionship betveen accumulated evaporation and amount of water consumed by all sheep. - However he states that a larger quantity of data are necessary for a statistically reliable interpretation and observes that water consumption might be determined from evaporation data.

~~: r.:-'. *~ef.. . -falt, William C. 1962. Some Watering Characteristics of Two -Penned Bighorn Sheep on the Desert Game Range, Nevada. . . -. Student Trainee Project Report, Sept., 1962 - Objectives~~

Uith the above in mind and the suggestions of Dr. Kansen I conducted a project during August, 1963, on desert bighorn in their natural habitat at Wamp Spring on the Desert Game Range. The following were the objectives of this study:

~~1, To determine the mount of water consumed-by bighorn in their natural habitat and' the frequency of watering, and~~

~~2. To correlate climatic .conditions with No. 1 and with previous data collected by ~efzalt. .~~

~~Methods and Procedures~~

The study was conducted between July 30 and August 23, 1963, at Wamp Spring, which lies on the east slope of the Sheep Range, Desert Game Range, Nevada, at an elevation of 5,350 feet. This particular spring was-chosen because of its accessibility with necessary equipment and because of its isolation, both physiological and psychological, from . other water sources. The water source consisted of two tanks situated in the bottom of a south to north sloping gully. One tank was the lower :one-third of a 55 gallon drum and the other a 500 gallon cement tank. The vegetation type is lower pinon-juniper. - The cut' 55 gallon drum was covered in such a way as to allow small mammals and birds to drink and to exclude the sheep from drinking. A structure was then built on the 500 gallon cement tank to support- - and house a recording hydrograph,_&other 55 gallon drum cut in thirds was p1-aced ------_ _ - within the 500 gallon- tank in such a way as to control water level and water consumption measurements. The remaining surface of the tank was :covered so that the sheep had to drink frm the inserted cut 55 gal-lon -iirum.

Weather data was taken every two hours from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Temperature and humidity were recorded on a psychrometer. The wind speed was measured on a floating ball wind meter. Percent cloud covering was estimated. - Evaporation was measured in a five gallon bucket and recorded in pounds every morning at 8 a.m. and the bucket then refilled. Rain was recorded in inches every 24 hours. When possible weather data was also collected - whenanob.servationwasmade. - -- Data on visible physical conditions and behavior were recorded on each . - sheep that appeared within the observation area that could be described , satisfactorily- to be distinguished from any other sheep. This was done whether the sheep drank or not. This data included sex, estimated age, condition and color of pelage, wet or dry female, distinguishing markings, time in area, and route arriving and leaving. Drinking time, the amount of time the animal was actually drinking; time at water, the total amount of time that lapsed between the time the animal began drinking and finished and left the water; and time of day were recorded for each animal that drank. A stop watch was used for the drinking time and a wrist watch for the time at water. The wrist vat& was accurate enough. However cornplica- tions were encountered in attempting to observe the animal and the wrist watch at the same time. I would suggest two stop watches to be used in following -studies. The amount of water consumed was measured and collected on a recording hydrograph. . .

~~An attempt was then made to,relate the material and tb correlate it with the data collected by Reffalt.~~

It must be noted here that my statistical background is very limited and that all conclusions drawn as to the relationships betv~eendata are simple graph- ically visible relationships. It should also be noted that approximately two to three inches of rain fell during the four weeks I conducted the study, which did not help. The computed regression line for the drinking time-amount of water consumed data collected at the Wmp Spring project was plotted against ~effalt'sregression lines. No statistical analysis was made, but there appears to be a close relationship between the regression line of Crip and that of the Wamp Spring sheep.

Figure (1) is Reffalt's scatter diagram for the accmulated evaporation - amount of water consumed of the k'amp Spring data, plotted against ~effalt's regression line. Owing to the small number of points and the fact that one point is an adjusted accumulated evaporation, no attempt was made to analyse the data or compute another regression line.

------E~gure=~3~=sh-o~~s-graphs-ofL-a-1-1-quan t it a tiire-3ataJrol 1iCtFdTt-V=p- STitiIng pITiS= adjusted evaporation. Here again, as in Reffalt's study, there appears to be no correlation between the means of temperature and humidity and amount of . water consumed. Nor -does there appear to be a correlation. between the daily - means of wind, percent clouds, or rain and amount of water consumed although it would seem that there should be an indirect relation through the daily evaporation brought about by the above factors.

~~' Some ~eneralNotes on Behavior~~

Apparently the sheep were used to using the upper cut 55 gallon drum rather than the cement tank on which the hydrograph was set up. This probably affected the results somewhat. Most of the sheep observed went directly to the upper tank and finding it covered would move down and around the lower tank and t&ded to be quite wary of it. The ticking of the clock on the hydrograph-also se'emed to bother some of the sheep. The major problem though, as in past-observations by previous observers, was the wariness of the actual act of'the sheep placing their noses in the water. However, the presence of the observer and the construction of a blind approximately 40 yards and \ slightly above the tanks did not appear to annoy the sheep in the least. That is, if the observer was in sight when the sheep arrived in the area. In all cases when the observer appeared from out of sight the sheep left the observation area. It should also be noted that one ram ;:as observed at the tanks at approximately one o'clock in the morning - he did not drink - and that either sheep or deer often drank at night until the tank was covered to prevent night drinking. Because of the very limited nmber of deer in the area I believe some of the night drinkings were sheep.

~~Conclusions~~

Due to the limited amount of data collected and the need for statistical analysis, no clear cut 'conclusions can be drawn at the present time as to the value of the data obtained in this study. I do believe that further studies and-the data collected in this project will serve to support and strengthen the findings of Reffalt. To be successful a minimum necessary period of observation must be decided upon and complete data collected during that period. There are numerous areas of management in which possible findings could be put to use. For example, if a definite accumulated evaporation - mount water consumed relationship could be found, assuming a mzximuin-minixiium amount could be found, the necessary water supply for a given number of sheep at any given period could be determined simply from

evaporation data. ' Obviously this would be of great value in water development, but would especially be valuable in census work. By knowing the nmber of sheep using a certain spring for a given period or time and the evaporation, the total number of sheep could be computed. There are many areas in which this material would be of much use, but I believe the value of the contributions it could make to census work and water development plans alone justify and necessitate the continuation ot further research in this area.

~~-_Summary ------.--- . ------~~

During August, 1963, a study was made of the water requirements ot desert bighorn sheep canadensis nelsoni) in their natural habitat on the Desert cami Range, Nevada. Data on the drinking time and amount of water consumed were collected. Climatic conditions and general behavior and condition of the animals was recorded. Then an attempt was made to correlate climatic conditions with amount of water consumption and to relate these with ~effalt's1962 findings. Regression lines of drinking time - amount consuned indicated a close relationship between Crip and the Wamp Spring regression lines. No statistical analysis was made and no definite conclusions drawn. 0 123 4 5 6 7 8 9 Dl112131415161718 Accw-rulated evaporation - Lbs. * = Wamp Springs = Reffalt8s Fi,aure (I ) Vamp Spring points ?lotted against Reffaltts.regression line for accumulated evzporation vs. amount of water consumed.

~~# C / / / # 25 a / #~~

~~/. m 13 /*- A . 20 * I -. / . #/~~

~~C 0 - 0 '. -~~

e 3 -:* 0 - 20 40 60 80 . loo PO UO 150 180 200 220 240 260 Drinking Tine Seccnds i - 1 - =Xkng Springs 2 - -- - Crip 3----0 = Jerry Fi~ure(2) :-lamp Spring 2oints plottsd azriinst 3zffalt1s regression Lines lor drinking tine vs. mount of wzter consumed. 8 1 1- = Inr5zs rain. 2--- = *Fly average cloud covaring. 3 --• = 3aily average wind speed. (I;I.?.H. )

~~1- = Ihily average tempratwe. 5- - - Bily average humidity.~~

3 i 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 91011 12 13415161713920 2122324 July Au,ps t Fiprs (3) Sxrmsrization of quantitative miterial. C = Amount water conswie6 b -individual sheep. - = Daily amount of ew.oora?&. ( )= Esthated evaporatibn. * = Accumulated evaporation cbce last drinkins. (Adjusted). 82 . A consolidation or the measurable data collected at Wsmp Spring, Desert Game Range, be tween July 30 and August 23, 1963.

~~n a M ([I a $4 $4 al 3 > JJ ([I ([I I4 Sr a .-I al a -r( U Eal cla a([I H-~~

~~July~~

~~3 0 2.6 0 . 81.1 16 0 27 40 - 31 2.2 0 80.6 August~~

Remarks: Blank spaces represent periods when data were not collected or incomplete data were collected. The first and thirteenth two animals drank, #8 on the thirteenth overlaps onto the fourteenth. 8 3

~~SEASONAL FOCI: MBI TS i>r THE EI~JHG~ AT THE 3ESLRT GA!.?E RANGE, NEVADA . .~~

~~Reginald H. Barrett Humboldt State College Arcata, California~~

~~INTRODUCTION~~

In the last few years many people have wondered why the bighorn has not increased its nunbers, since in most cases it seems to be sufficiently protected from sources of danger including illegal kill, predation, and livestock competition. It is my belief, unproven as yet, that in many areas the bighorn has reached its carrying capacity; and therefore, possibly through some indirect method, the condition of the range is the limiting factor. In order to prove this hypothesis, which seems to hold true in many areas with deer and elk, one of the first areas of inquiry must -be that of food habits. Two other areas of information needed, but not covered in this paper, are vegetation , surveys and nutrition studies.

Forty six ~esert~i~hirn sheep rumen samples taken from the Desert Game Range, Nevada, from 1957 to 1961, have been analyzed to determine . seasonal food habits. The information is presented here as volume percentage and percentage occurrence of food items by seasons.

This paper should be of immediate value in two ways. First, the fact that bighorn utilize grasses to a great extent will help the wildlife and land manager in determjning the condition of present bighorn ranges. Secondly, this information should be helpful when determining the feasibility of introducing bighorn into a new area.

I would like to thank the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Uildlife personnel at the Desert Game Range, for making the sample inforination available to me. I uould also like to thank Bruce Browning for his help in understanding the analysis procedure, and Dr. R. F. Dasmann for his help in checking the manuscript.

~~HISTORY~~

There are several studies that have yielded information on food habits of bighorn sheep. Hcwever, none of these are from the Great Elasin region. Even so, they all but cne ai;ree that Arass makes up the largest part of the diet. . Adolph Murie (1944) reported that irass made up 81.5% of the diet of the Dall sheep in Alaska. :I. K. Cowan (1947) reported that grass made up 83% of the diet of bighorn in Jasper Park, Alberta, C. A. Moser (1962) reported that grass occurred in 74.6% of the samples he took in Colorado. F. K. Couey (1950) reported that grass made up 63% of the bighorn's diet in Wontana. D. R. Snith (1954) noted that grass made up 70% of 488 feeding observations on bighorn in Idaho. The only study to record a low percentage of grass in the diet was that of J. P. Russo (1956). lie found that grass made up only 26% of the fall-winter diet of bighorn in Arizona. Possibly the availability of grass affected its use in this region. . . PROCEDURE

The samples came from the original analysis in three groups. (Table 1.1, but were analyzed as one group. First, all individual were broken down into four groups by sezsons: winter - ~ecernberto Tebruary, spring.-- Earch to Say, sumer - June to August, and fall - September to Xovember. Xearly all the winter samples were taken in Decezber; two of the three sp'rinq samples were taken in April; the summer samples were taken in July; and most of the fall samples were taken in November.

The plant species as determined in the original analysis were broken into three forage classes: grasses, forbs, an2 browse. The percent of occurrence of each species was deterzined and tabulated, (Table 2. ). This table provides a li-st of all the species foana.

- . - -- -- Secondly, the volume percentage of each species was determined for each season and the whole year, (Table 4.). Plants forming less than 1%of the total diet but more than a trace are designated with a 11~". It will be noted that there is some duplication of items since sometimes it was only possible to classify a plant part to family or to forage class. Since all figures are to the nearest percent there is.a trace item category to make the total add up to 100%.

~~FINDINGS~~

A total of at least 38 genera and 35 species were found to be taken by the bighorn on the Desert Game Range, (Table 3.). Grass formed the largest part of the diet throughobt the year. Forbs were second in importance in the fall and winter. 30th forbs and browse were of equarI. importance in the summer, (Figure 1.1.

Grass -formed a major portion of the diet, averaging 76% through- ' out the year. It was evidently most important in the summer period. Few grasses were identified to species, but it appears that Oryzo?sis hpenoides was the nost important species, with a Stipa and Tridens pulchellus second and third in inportance. - Forbs averaged only 4% of the diet throughout the year, but formed 25% of the diet in the spring. 'This seems logical as this would be the season when the annual forbs would be most abuncant. Yucca brevifolia was the most important single forb species, being utilized mainly in the fall. This forage clzss contained the Erearest number of species but most were taken only in trace amounts.

3rowse species were generally second in importance, forming 20% of the diet. krtemisia tridentata is the most important browse species, pzrt icularly in the fall. Cercocarpus int ricatus and Ephedra viridis a-re a cldse second andwImportance. An -~nteresth~ poht is that Pinus monophylla occurs in a large percentage of the samples throughout the year although it does not provide any volume to the diet.

~~DISCUSSION~~

It must be remenbered that each runen sample represents only one feeding on one animal. The analysis of the forage consumed .during this single feeding may be quite accurate, but this type of fod habit analysis is limited in accuracy to the number of samples - taken under each environmental condition. Since this is the case, each sample taken becomes many times more valuable if all possible informat ion concerning it is obtained. If possible, location of kill, fype of vegetation in the area, time of day and year, age and sex of the aninal, condition of the animal, and the weather conditions just before the time of death should be recorded. -

- _------.- U~fort~nate1~Th~a~e-nUmerOuS~faCto~wh~~chtend to negate the reliability of the information presented. To begin with the size of the samples for each season is too small, especially for the spring and summer seasons. There is a definite need for more samples from these periods.

Since most of the samples are from adult males taken by hunters, there is a need for samples from fenales and young animals. If a lack of preferred forage is the case, it should not be harmful to have a season for either sex.

Also there is a great predominance of samples in the winter season, (actually most were taken in December), the total or "yearly1' figures are biased toward this season. - - -. After this discussion one might feel that this information is of little value. This is true in a sense, but it is all we have at the present, and it will become more and more valuable as more samples are added to it. Hopefully, in the future more information on each sample can be obtained, and the vesetation on the Desert Game Range . will be well charted. Now we can only say that grasses make up a large portion of the diet of the Desert 3ighorn. If grass is generally scarce on the Desert Game Ranee it Is even more important than it now appears. SU!WARY

1. Data pertaining to 46 Desert Biqhorn sheep runen samples, collected on the Desert Game Range, Nevada, from 1957 to 1961, was analyzed as to seasonal for~geutilization. \ 2. At least 38 genera and 25 species were noted in the diet.

~~3. The order of importance in volume percentage of plants consumed was grass (76%). browse (20%); and forbs (4%).~~

~~4. Grasses definitely formed the bulk of the diet.~~

5. Recommendations for further study include: taking more samples of either sex in the spring and summer seasons; keeping more complete records of conditions at the time of death; and accurate mapping of the vegetdtion on the Desert Game Range.

~~LITERATURE CITED~~

~~COUEY, FAYE M. 1950. Rocky Mountain aighorn sheep of Montana, Montana Fish & Game Comm. Bull. 62. 90 pp. -~~

~~COWAN, IA!i MCTAGGART. 1947. Range co~~eri tion between mule deer, bighorn sheep and elk in Jaspr Park, Alberta. - _- Trans. -12th Norxh-her, Wildl.__Conf. __pp-223-227 _.-_ -~~

~~MOSER, CLIFFORD A. 1962. The bighorn sheep of Colorado. The Colorado Game and Fish Department. 49 pp.~~

~~MURIE, ADOLPH. 1944. The wolves of Kt. McKinley. U. S. Dept . Int., Natl. Park Service. Fauna Ser. #5. 238 pp.~~

~~RUSSO, JOHN P. 1956. Desert Bighorn sheep in Arizona. State of Arizona Game & Fish Comm. 158 pp.~~

~~SMITH, DWIGHT R. 1954. Bighorn sheep in Idaho. State of 1daho ~ept.of Fish & Game Wildl. Bull. 81. 1 154 pp. Table 1. Bighorn runen sar:.pla coll_cctions fran the Desert Game bnge, Ncvada.~~

~~-NO, -NO, of~BCd1cctor Analyst~~

~~1. 1956-1958 9-winter hbort G& B.H. Browning 1-~pring Rango pzroon.nal W. Stic-nacker Calif. Ff ah, and Gma, ~acram'nto~~

~~2. 1958-1959 17-winter H.C. Aldous H.H. Leach and Desert Gane B.M. Brouning Range Calif. Fish and Game, Sacrtmdnto~~

3. 1960-1961 8-winter G.E. Devan B.M. Browning 2-spring C.G. Hansen Calif. Fish and 2-summer Desert Game Game, Sacrmento 7-fall Range Table 2. Seasonal food habits of 46 bighorn expressed in frequency of occurrence in percent.

~~Forage Class and Scientific Name Winter Spring Sumer Fall Average So. of Samples 3 4 3 2 7 4 6~~

~~GRASS~~

~~Gramineae 100 100 100 100 100 "s Bromus sp. - - 6 4 % Branus Gctorum 9 7 % Tridens pulchellus 9 33 9 % Oryzopsis hymenoiaes 3 8 33 % 18 --Stipa sp. 1.3 Tb~~

Spharalcea sp. Erodium cicxarium - Euphorb-ia fendleri Lepidium sp. Lesquerella sp. Opuntia sp. - -eFiis sp. Erio~onumspr Mirabilis g. Phacelia sr 2 --0~agmacea~----- cryptantha sp. Amsinckia tesselata Penstemon sp. ~eguminosae Oenothera scapoidea Gaura sp. Esitae Gut ierrezia -sp. Cirsium sp. -Yuccarevif olia Agave sp. Unidenzf ied forbs

~~~phedranevedensis Serberis Fremont ii Atriplex canescens Atriplex confertifolia Eurotia lanata Coleogyne ramosissima --%lea sp. Cowania- -stansburiana Table 2. ( continued )~~

~ora~eClass and Scientific Name Winter S~rine Summer Fall Averace - - d -2 No. of Samples 34 - 5 '. 2 7 4 6 i3ROWSE ( cont. ) - Cercocarpus betuloides Cercocarpus intcicatus Ceanothus Greqgii Phoradendron juniperum- Thamnosma montana Rhus trilobata

Table 3. Numbers of individual plant genera and. species by forage . ------.------. Flas s In the a ie t of-the-DWr t- Game- RaFgFB9igh3ZT-SlTee% "------Forage Class -Number----.- of Genera Number of Species - GRASS FORBS BROWSE

~~TOTAL 38 25 ~abie4. Seasonal food habits of 46 bighorn expressed in volume percent. . -~~

~~Forage Class and Scientific Nme Winter Spring Summer Fall Average sNo. of Samples 2 7 46~~

~~Gramineae -~~

~~TOTALS~~

~~FORBS~~

~~Erodium cicutarium~~

~~~r iogonursp.~~

~~Phacelia sKA - ~enstenon~~

~~- -- - L-To.~~~~2~~

~~BROWSE~~

~~E~hedrar viridis Ephedra nevedensis ~triolexcanescens Coleogyn e ramosissima Cowania stansburiana~~

~~Ceanothus Gregaii Thamnosma mont ana Rhus trilobata -Artemisia tridentata Unident if ied browse Trace items -.G ,-'- .~~

~~TOTALS 17 8 3 44 20 %~~

~~9 T = less than 1%of total volume but more than a trace. For a complete list of plants eaten, including traces, see Table 2.~~

~~BIGHORN FOOD HABIT - RANGE RELATIONSHIPS IN THE SILVER PEAK RANGE, hWADA by Jim Yoakum Bureau of Land Management Reno, Nevada~~

Located in the west south central region of Nevada is the Silver Peak range which supports aqendemic population of desert bighorns (Ovis- canadensis nelsoni Merriam). These native mountain sheep are largely a resident population, although historical observations indicated some seasonal movements to the adjacent White Mountain and Honte Cristo ranges, which are primarily public lands.

The purpose of this study was to determine the food habits of the Silver Peak bighorns in an effort to contribute a better understanding to their ecology with respect-to food habits and range relationships.

Special-acknowledgement is given to Marshall Humphreys of the Nevada Fish and GaComission for close liaison cooperative work. The author also wishes to thank Bruce Browning of the California Department of Fish and Game's Wildlife Investigations' Laboratory for analyzing all the bighorn - rumen samples.

~~METHOD OF STUDY~~

------s~Ch=col=l~ions:-s to-mxh------samples were col~le~ted~iFThTfZF12~b~ removing a pint or more material from the rumen. After appropriate labeling, they were preserved in formalin. All stomach samples were procurred by personnel of the Nevada Fish and Game Comission from animals obtained by sportsmen during the December 1961 and September 1962 hunting seasons.

The rumen collections were a portion of a long range study by .the Nevada Fish and Game Commission instigated in 1959 under Pittman-Robertson federal aid wildlife project W23-R entitled, "Sierra District Wildlife ~u&e~s"and W39 -R project, "State-wide Research and Investigations". Early findings from these studies indicated the area supported a sufficient population of bighorns to warrant "Trophy-type" hunting.

: 1,- The huLts were planned to obtain the most information from the hunters participating and the animals harvested. The hunts were, therefore, . set on the basis of the four seasons of the year in order to obtain stomach samples and correlate to vegetative phenological conditions. Stomach samples in this report are from the first two season collections (fall and winter). Stomach analyzation was accomplished by the California Department of Fish and Game's Wildlife Investigations' Laboratory and financed through cooperative efforts of the Bureau of Land Management. Stomach Analysis: The samples were examined with a binocular microscope equipped- -- with a 9x ocular and a 0.7~03jective. The material was thoroughly washed through a fine rnesh,screen preparatory to examination. After the items in the samples were identified, a visual estimate of the percentage of each item was made and recorded. NO effort was made to separate the plant materials or the measure them individually.

In summarizing the data, the aggregate percentage nethod described by 'Fartin, Genseh, and Browi! (1949) vas used to determine the volume percentage of-food items eaten. The.frequency of occurrence expressed in percentage was determined by dividing the number of occurrences of each food item by the totai number of samples examined.

Range Analysis: Using a modification of the step-point sampling method described by Evans and Love (1957), an evaluation of ground cover was obtained. Recordings were taken of all vegetative and non-vegetative hits in order to make a more complete report of total ground cover. The main technique was to list each reading into vegetative cover (classified into forage classes of browse, grass, and forbs),'and non-vegetative hits (bare ground, rock, litter, and snow).

DESCRIPTION OF AREA - The Silver Peak study area contains approximately 14 square townships and extends from 4,400 to 9,500 feet in elevation. Its main physio- graphic features are rough mountain ranges transevered. by large washes lead-Cng-ko-a-l4uv-ia-1---f-ansT-oc c-as% ona -1--in t-e r rup t-e d-1 ava -f 1owsi--and--1 ow------hills of volcanic origin sloping down into surrounding valleys.

Data pertaining.to weather conditions was not available for the study , area; however, judging from characteristical plant species, it was .:.* surmised the annual precipitation ranged from around five inches at the brushy foothills to approximately 12 inches on the higher forested mountains. Most of the annual moisture was obtained during winter snow and rain storms, although summer storms contributed substantial moisture during some years.

Fresh running water was available from two small intermittant streams. - In addition, there were known to have been 13 perennial-springs and three springs with intermit tant summer flows. These waters are distributed well.throughout the range except for the northern point, which contains very little water. Silver Peak range is rated as well watered when compared' to-other southern Nevada ranges- such as the Sheep Mountain range. in Clark County, Nevada. , The flora was mainly identified by the following two aspect types. On the higher elevations were juniper (Juniperus occidentalis), pinon pine (Pinus monophylla), big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), and galleta grass (Hilaria jamesii). The lower foothills were dominated with salt brush (Atriplex sp.), Indian rice grass (0 zop5 i 5 hymenoides) , and galleta grass. Inhabiting the area with bighorns were mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), domest ic cat t 1 e (60s- tarus) , and. feral horses (Eauus cabal 1 us) . Deer used most of the area throughout -the year a1 thoilqh iii I-elbtively small numbers. Cattle use was restricted to the idrye v~d~;le~d~~d foothi 11s on a seasonal basis. Horses (either feral, wild or abandoned) also used the range year-long throughout most of the area, but populations were small.

Han did not inhabit the area as a perennial resident, but conducted some activities in ranching and mining. Historically the area had been an important mining region from the 1860s to the 1930s when it was economical to mine silver 'and gold.

Food Habits: A total of 12 bighorn stomach samples were obtained during fall and winter seasons. Table 1 presents a tabulation of plant species utilized by percent volume and frequency. Three species of grass, 13 species of forbs; and nine species of browse were identified in the total , - samples . - - Gramineae was the highest utilized vegetation during all seasons for both volume and frequency percentages. The average volume was' 593% Although most. for all 12 samples and grass appeared in every sample. ' grass contents could not be identified as to species, Browning (1,964) made this statement: "The results, you wi 11 note; run heavy to--lgrass1. - Thestems aTd=;l~af-a~e~a-7e~~u-i-t-e-coars-e-a n-devi-d en c e-o f-t-h0eesSee-d sgan-d--- - fuzzy culms of Hilaria (probably riqida) indicate that most of the grass is gal leta." Grass appeared six times as a trace item in the- totaf - - . - samples. . .L-*' Forbs were consumed most'f requentl in traces, however, high' percentage i species included mi lkvetch (Ast raqulus sp.) , Eri astrum, and spurge . ' (Euphorbia senulari) . Forbs appeared 23 times as trace el ements-which indicated the preference for these plants in small quantities.. 'Some '

~~species of forb was evident in every sample col lected. ~=xtto , gramineae, forbs was the highest ut i 1 ized forage class account ing'f6?' 32.0 percent of the total volume consumed.~~

Browse was the least utilized during this study. It represented only 8.5'hercent of all- plants consumed. Salt brush and winterfat (Eurotia lanata) were the most used'browse species. Sagebrush, mountain- mahogany (Cercocarpus i nt ri catus) , and Morman tea (Ephedra sp.) were . also used to a much lesser degree.. No large quantity of browse was found in any sample. Browse species appeared 22 times as trace. i terns in the samples.

Ranqe Conditions: Six historical photographs depicting vegetative conditions from the 1580s were obtained for comparison purposes with present range. conditions. Photos of the same areas were taken during the past two years. No appreciable difference in'vegetative types could be ascertained. In order to obtain quantative data reve.lant to ground cover, 1,ZOU step-point readings were taken (Table 2). Analyzation of these readings indicated there was a vegetative cover of 23% and a non-vegetative cover of 77% during the 1964 winter. All readings were taken in habitat observed to have been cur?ently utilized by bighorns. Half the readings were taken in a juniper-sagebrush aspect and the other half were read in an Atriplex-galleta type. . .

~~DISCUSSION~~

Findings Trim this study indic&d bighorns utilized forage in the following order: grass 59.5%, forbs 32.0"/., and browse 8.5% during fall and winter seasons. This was especially interesting when compared to available forage, which was around: 22% grass, 4% forbs, and 74% browse.

It can be stated from analyzing current available findings on vegetative use and availability that bighorns prefer grass, forbs, and browse in this order, on the Silver Peak range in Nevada during the fall and winter seasons.

A word of caution should be mentioned here, though, that is this study cocsisted of a very limited number of samples. However, this amounted to the best available information to date on the subject. It can be greatly improved by the incorporation of more samples in the future. Undoubtedly, one of the most needed segments of added knowledge is additional data pertaining to spring and summer vegetative use and availability in order to complete the entire study on a year-round ------basis ------z- -. ------.------

. - As a matter of comparison, findings from( this study were compared with Barrett's (1964) report since both studies contained the same bighorn species and similar habitats (Figure2). Grass consistently remained the highest used forage for all samples in both studies. Forbs were next in quantity used, although they comprised a smaller volume percentage on the Desert Game Range. Browse remained third in volume consumption; however, they were utilized to a much higher extent on the Desert Game Range. The significance of a small sample such as this has raised some questions, bowever, this study. bas prwided quantative data consistant with other bighorn rumen sample collections. That is, grass is the most significantly used forage class. .

~~The silver Peak range in the west south central region of Nevada was studied relative to desert bighorn food habit - range relationships.~~

~~Twelve bighorn adult ram stomach samples were obtained during fall and winter seasons and were analyzed to contain 59.5"/,rass, 32.0 % forbs, and 8.5% browse.~~

~~Ground cover readings were taken by the step-point sampling method and findings indicated there was a vegetative production of 5%.grass, 1%forbs, 179. browse, and 77% non-vegetative cover.~~

. 98 4. Findings from this study were c&npared with other desert bighorn food habit studies in ~evadaon similar habitats and the final tabulation disclosed bighorns used grass the greatest (6S.O%), forbs next (18.0%), and browse.the least (14.0%).

~~LITERATURE CITED~~

~~Barrett, Reginald . 1964. Seasonal food habits of the bighorn at the Desert Game Range, Nevada. Desert Bighorn Council Transactions (in print).~~

~~Browning, Bruce M. 1964. Personal letter dated February 7, 1964. Copy in author's file.~~

~~Evans, Raymond A., and R. Merton Love 1957. -The step-point method of sampling - a practical tool in range research. Journal of Range Management lO(5): 208-212.~~

~~Martin, Alexander C., R. H. Genseh, and C. P. Brown ' - 1946. Alternate methods in upland gamebird food analysis. Journal of Wildlife Management lO(1): 8-12~~

~~--___--- _ _ , , - Table 1 Plant speci'es utilized by desert bighorns collected froin the Silver Peak range, expressed in percentages.~~

~~Fa1 1 Winter PLANT PLANT No. of Sarples . - 2 10 SCIENTIFIC NAHE COMHON NAME blurre Fre7 Volume Fre- C!Jen'=Y q~ency~~

~~Grass: Grami neae ' Grass family 4 9 50 70 100 Hilaria sp. : Gal leta - - - - Trace 33 Oryzopsis hymenoides Indian rice grass- - - - - Trace 20 Stipa sp. Needle grass Trace 50 -- - - Total grass - 4 9~~

Forbs: Ast ragul us sp. Milkvetch 50 -- - - Crystantha sp. Sti ckseed - - Trace 10 Eriogonum sp. W i 1 d buckwheat - - Trace 70 Eriastum sp. - - 2 2 0 - Euphorbia senulari Spurge 50 -- - - Gilia sp. Gi 1i a - - Trace 10 - Lepidium sp. Pepper grass - - Trace 10 Mentzel ia sp. Blazing star - - Trace 20 Trace 10 Penstemon sp. Beard tongue - - - Phacel ia sp. Water1eaf -- Trace 2 0 -L- -- --P~J-QX~SP - - - -PhJLox --- - -50- - - Stel laria media Chi ckweed 50 Trace 10 Suaeda sp. Seep weed - - Trace 10 . Ma1 vaceae - Mallow family - - .Trace 10 Scrophul arcaceae Figwort. farni ly -- Trace 10 L i chen L i chen - - Trace 10 Unidentified fofbs - - 12 70 Total forbs 50

Browse: Artemisla tridentat.a Sagebrush 1 - At r ipl ex canescens Fourwing salt brush- 6 Atriplex confertifol la Salt brush Trace Cercocarpus jntr icatus Mountain nahogany- Trace Cowani a stansburi ana Cliff rose Trace ~--- - Ephedra sp; :..; Mo rman tea - - 2 * Eurotia lanata Winterfat . -- 6

Pinus monophyl la ' Pinon pine Trace Trace Ribes sp. Current Trace - - Unidentified browse 1 Total browse 1 16 Table 2. Ground cover as recorded by 1,200 readings during 1964 winter season on the ~i!lverPeak range, Nevada

~~MIMBER % OF TOTAL GROUND % OF VEGETATIVE OF PERCENTAGE COVER COVER HITS~~

~~I Grass 59 05 I Forbs 14 01 Browse 205~~

~~Bare Ground 594 Rock 28 1 Litter 40 Snow -- 7 Total 1,200~~

~~Table 3. ~ra~hiciand tabular percentages of vegetative forage classes utilized by desert bighorns on the Silver Peak range, Nevada. . -~~

AVERAGE FORAGE CLASS FALL USE WINTER USE SEASONAL USE Graphic Tabular Graphic Tabular ~ra~hicTabular . . Grass l1111111111111111111llllll 49% IIIIIIIIlIflIIIIIIIIIllllllllllll 709, - lllllllllIlllllllllllllIll1 59 . 59, Forbs 11111111111111111111llllllll 50% IlllllHl 14% ~illlllllllllllllll 32.09. Browse I 1% 11111111111 lb9. 1111 . . 8.5% Figure 1. Comparison of vegetative ground cover and percent volume of forage classes in 12 bighorn rumen samples from the Silver Peak range, Nevada.

~~Ground Cover Forage Class Rumen Sample~~

~~------= Figure 27~-hic representation of desert bighorn food habits on the Silver Peak range and Desert Game Range in Nevada.~~

~~/- Desert Game Silver Peak Average A DESEFT EIGR3nN SYDY: 3h9T -0~~

~~Nornen M. Slm~ons U. S. Fish and k'ildli'fe Service Sabeza Priet.8 Game !?ange Ajo, Arizona~~

In April, 1562, the Sureeu of Sport Fisheries and xildlife initiated a bssic three-year study of t?k daily and seasonal activities of desert biphorn sheep (Ovia- ctinadensis) on the Cabeza Prieta Game Fanp in southwestern Arizona. During the first year of the study, literature was reviewed, the study 6Te8 was defined, -weather stations and precipitatim gape were inatalled, and obaervation techniques - were tested and mdified. bring the sec3nd ysar, new study techniques were used, old onee were wdified, end the project waR- ahifted Into. "high gear."

- Merkinp bighorn with dye The hiphlight of our studv of desert biphrn activities eince last April was our June waterhole survey qf the biphorn sheep in the Sierra Pinta, on the Cabeza Prieta Game Qanpe.

%e Sierra Pinta nreeente a unique o~~ortunityfor a total. count of desert bighorn in an isol~tedhabitat and for a cl~peratively thorough study of their movements. It ie a lonp, narrciw, rugred range of crystelline rock, in*ulated by lsrpe, flat, ailt vslleye. The range bontaine three semi-permanent waterholes which prmide the only free .water durinp the h~tteet,driest part of the miner. .

AZ{eraanent obeervation blind wae eet up near each of the three ratere in the Sierra Pinta, From these blinds, one nay obeervs ell the bighorn'iri this isolated range c3ze in to water, assuming that * within the time-span of the survey all biphorn will need free water. Furthermore, if the animls can be ident-ified as individuals, much can be learned absut their waterinp frequency, daily movements, and . other activitiee. A five-day wtiterh~le"., survey ves c2nducted June 17-23, 163, in the Sierra Pinta. I nomaa J. :&!

~~b. Aid in deter5inir.p frequescy of weterine snd daily move~entsop the sbee?.~~

~~c. Aid in detfraininp l?ng-term mveaentg o" the bi~h2rn.~~

: Jkthods end meterials The device used to apply dyes to biphorn steep was e v~rsion of the sprey wchanism develoned-by 3. ~nariesG. hansen snd described by him at 3ur l~st~eetinp (Eansen, 1967). The brilliant, se~i-permanent dyes uaed were A~erican3yananid h~3a3y1s3clc3cid Elue AX buble, Jcarlet 2 RL, and .?alc3mine 3inoline Yellow.

Each of the three wettrhziles in the 3i~rrePinta was wstched from dawn to dusk during the five-dep survey, Tracke were obliterated -- - - e-t-t-heawe-te-rho'l e s-ea ch- even j n~-93--the-t-we--caul 2- d :-te r-;line- whs ther------nighttime watarinp t~ok~lece. Adult bi~hsrns3eep thet watered or attempted to water were mrked xith dye, unless the steep alreedy hed outst.andinp.physica1 cheract~rj,+ice. h different color of dye was used at each watarhole.

The characteristic c3lors and att terns of dye on the bighorn, ae well as other identif?rin.r cheracteristjcs, were reczirded qn a standard for= (FiF. 1). ZmloyTcal a~taend hjp?-qrn sct.ivities were recorded on e standard ghservfi+.j?n fqr3 (Simmns, lQ6~).

: Results Maximum tem~eraturesrecorded on the hygrotbermpeph at Heart Tank.- were;Jelow loo0 F for the 25 days betueen Kay 21 and June 14, 1963. 'he mean tempereture f~rthis peri3d we3 780 F. On June 14, the teoperatu;e climbed above 10CO for the first time. he maximum daily , temperature-remejned ebve 100° during the five-day survey. The nean temperature durinp the survey was 920 (range: 770-1060). Left Side Ripht Side

Mark the pattern of dye end any identiming characteristics other than dye on the above drawings. (include such markings as-.scare, chipped horne, etc.) - -3 . ., -. bte Locetion -- Observer Color of dye Other ma-e) Time marked with dye Sex If young rem, circle pioper age: 1 2 For other age claeses. and ewes, circle below: -. .. r Lamb Young , :. Prime Old . - Remarks (reaction to spraying, activities, etc;) :

Figure 1 .--?om f9r recording idsnt ifyinp cheracterietics 9f bighorn sheep. Not all of tho sheep in the.,?ierre Pints cRne in t9 weter end sere cqunted. This night heve been due to the relstively cool ueatker durinp ?-!BY and June and tke brevity '3f the survey period. Fifty-five sheep uere tallied, hut ~nlyeipht oythese were re-cs over tx:, yesre old. 'hue it is very likely that there were other - r6n3 in the m~nt6Fn renee during the survey. Ifevertheless, the survey resulted in the mst accurats deternineti3n so ftir ~i'the -number of adult bigh7rn occupying the range at a given ti-. It is possible that a few ewes who were not mark-ed did.not heve outstanding cheract,eristics end.were c3unted twice. Eouever, the i&rkinF af sheep with'dye was an important step tgwsrd the elidnetion of duplicate cgunts during a uaterh~lec~unt of bi~horn.

One'eerious difficulty we encountered in mar!cinf- bigharn with dyes was the ineffectiveness of the field-mixed dye sqlutione. !$es sprayed ontb bighorn durinp the survey ?rohobly fa?ed c9npletely in two mnths. Field-nixed dye salutions sprayed 7n53 sheep hrns end exp3sed c~ntinuouslyto the elecents were b~relydistZnguisheble in f3ur weeks' time. However, saturated eolutions of dye and water nixed in the laboratory and brushed onto sheep h~rnsuere still brilliant after six monthe of exposure to the elements. An eff~rtis n3w being nede to obt~in saturated dye solutions in the field thet will lest 89 i3nF when s~reyad onto live sheep as those th~twere. enplied by brush in the leboratory.

Fifteen-out ot %rty-five ~dultbighrn visiting the waterholes in the Sierra ?int.a durjn~the five-day ~erj~rlwere mr'ced wit).. dves. Nearly all sheep were suspicims of the new blinds an3 ameying equipment L -ubich -. had been installed bp June 12, 1965, and verz noticeably ------. ------friphtened when theywere sprayed. - The rnovement af the nylon trip5-- corda between the blinda and the spray valves disturbed the sheep considerably. Sheep that were sprayed bef2re they drank either -waited a day or more to driik, traveled to another waterhole to drink, or , failed to drink at all during the survey period. :-hen a sheep was' allowed to drink before being sprayed, it returned to drink again.

Naterinp behavior , .. !bet of the bighorn observed during the 1%: waterhsle survey ia the Sierra Pinta cam ts water bef~re10:0~ A:< and after 7:00 PH. None watered after dark. 30 the west slope o" the Sierra P'nta, where temperatures remined above 1000 until very l~tein the afternmn, most of the sheep tended to water in the early mrninp. : rr -: . Most of the sheen thet watered during the survey were ewe8 . with lambs;' Only one lam5 entered a tank durinp the survey end may ' have watered. All of the lembs seen were still nursing. Some evee with lambe stased in the vicinity of uster for three daye before watering. hhen 'they first appeared, they already aeemed partly dehydrated. Some ram, who did not uater durinp the five day period, were observed s9ze dietence froa weter. n-ese rane did npt show any tendency to move toward the waterbles. hpp~rently the rene, end perheps even the ewes with lambs, can end will do without free water for more then f.lve days, ~iventhe weather c~nditione that prevailed durinp the survey.

ifhen the sumner rajns caroe in Aupst, the bighorn imediately ceased con~entratin~near the waterholes end dispersed in the muntain rangee. Ae the weather caoled, sheep tracka were only rarely observed at or near a waterhole.

Bily and eeaeqnal drift For, the firet time- since the study began, I have found evidence of occesional intermuntain biphorn sheep mwepents. he to the ecarcity of such evidence on the Gane ??ango, I believe that inter- mbuntain movements occur infrequently in the area. Yonson (1954) and othare have also stated thia opinion. . . ~n Yay 5, 1963, Arizona Game Ranger Paul Pt!?9ux and I - followed two eete of bighorn tracks, with drop~inpe,acroea the-two . mile gap between the Mohawk and the Bryan Ibuntains, on the Cabeze Prieta Ceme !?ange (see Fig. 2). The tracks left the eouthern tip of the lbhewk hbuntains and xent southwest across flat alluvium and one

- --- major--wash.-to-the-north end of the *yen %untainsLLAe__tr-8-cke-h&d=bbeen-- = made since the light rains of early February end mid-March, 1963. This was not a major crossinr, and some might even consider it a movemnt alone one mountain chain.

I discovered the tracks and drop~ingsof tw~-sheep in the Tule Cesert on October 3, 196:. On October 4, I sew the tracks and droppinpe of several sheep that medndared in the Mohawk Valley abmt . .five miles eest of Eaele Tank. A11 the tracks had been made since the iains of September 18, 1963.

On October 7, I followed on horseback the Go sete of bighorn trecke in the Tulc Desert from thelnorth end of the Sierra Pinta to the Cabeza Priete Mountains. The two eheep ap~arentlytraveled at a - ra~idwalk in a atreight line and did not etop to feed while in the valley, though food waa abundant. They eeeaed to .position themeelvea deliberately eo that travel acrqse Clet terrain would be rniniaized before they made the crossing. This was done by bepinning frm the 5 north end of the Sierra Pinta, heeding for the neareat ~f two outlying r~ckhilla, and apin p~sitionin~themselves 3n these outliers oppaite the narrowest pap between theaselves and the min qeas of the Sebeza Prieta Sbuntains (~i~.2).

~~It tgok rn ~nlytwo end one helf h3urs to f3l'l,v the ghtep track6 scross this eight aile ~e3between' the .muntain ranges. It is likely that the two biph~rnnede the' trip in less than a day.~~

~~Rear t-he S~seof the eeat slope of the Tabeza Prieta X?untaina, I f3und sone older trac.ks af twct sheep ping northeast into the Tule hsert on a c3urse parallil to that of the tracks I nes following.~~

Nonson (ibid.)- has written o" the biphorn shes? that uas dyed red at !)ripping Springs, Organ Pipe ~7actusKat.i?nal Xonument, on July 9, 1963, and ,was seen again in early Auguut in the Seuceda I-huntains, 31 airline ailes may. ?he journev of th3s sheep proh~blyinv3lved consider~bleintra- as well as -inter-gountain mvegent.

Some data on intrsmountain birharn mvements was taken from observations of dyed sheep during t%e 1963 waterh~lesurvey in the Sierra Pinte. On= two year old ran watered and was car'ced at 9:55 AX 3n June 18, at N9rth Pinta Tank. Re rea~~earsdet E~pleTank, ten - airline miles eway. on June PO. Two ewes that were msrled hut did not water at Heart Tank watered et Eagle Tenk, two-and 3ne half airline milea awey, 60 snd 73 hziurs later, respectively. Agparently tkese sheep were familiar with all gf the tinejes in the Sierra Pinta and would mve fro^ one to the other until they fPund suitable - - T=twi-nnEEcon ------

,. / Influence gf' weather Viny environnental factors tend to =ask the effects of climate on bighorn sheep activity. ''1 will not attemdt ta is~late~nd analyze the influence of weather on biphorn activitiee until after the field work is completed. However, I can preeent ts you a few observations on weather influences that have been made since last April, 1963.

As we expected, hiphorn eee3ed to shsw e s+,rmp resp-rnse to the direct heat of the suz~aersun. hrinp the June waterhqle survey, - the aheep on the east slo~eOF the Sierra Pinta mved into the relative coolness of,-shode by 10:CC AM when fem~eraturesclinbed sbove 950-100°- - F. They usually,~~e~ain~din the shade until 5:3O PI4 when teq?arstures dip~ed . . below 9j0-1CT. '=he sheep 9n the wsst slout of' tke mzmntain range tended , to renain'in the shade lon~erthan those on the east slooe. Temperatures there did not fall below the ~0-1000ranEe until after 7:30 PK.

During the winter mnths, the slo?es shoded frm the sun became quite cool, end biphorn were okserved basking in the sunlight - - -- Fig. 2.--Map showing study area, Cabeza Prieta Game Range. @SGS 1:250,000 Ajo) in t>e mrning ~ndlfite evening., On Februfiry 15. 1964, during a helicopter survey of b3th slopes'gf the Sierra Pinke, ~llof the twelve aheep seen betkeen 1C:00 Mi ~ndll:@9 AX were Tn the sunny eest 3lo?e of the range, hiph uo near the creat. The sheep were zostly ewee and lambs, The xan te~~erstl~reet the Eeart Tank weather station betwean 10:0@AI4 and 1l:SO AX was 55' F. The station was in the sunli~htneer the base c~fthe west slope.

Influsnce ctf predetors and gan ' Tk'o instances. of bi~horn- eseciciatinp with ~redat3rswere observed since April, 1963. Both events took plsce at Eaple Tank during the June waterhole survey in t3e Sierra Pinta. In bath instances, lone coyotes came in to water while a ergup of ewes and lainbs st.~o? nearby, apparently unfrightened. The coyotes seeued to be nerv~usin the presence of the sheep. On one occasion, a ewe advanced apgressively on a yoang cayote and chased it out of 9i~htwer a ridge.

?he data collected so far, admittedly inadequate, c3nt.inue to indicate an insignificant amunt of predation on bipharn sheep on the Cebeza Prieta Game bnge. To date, at least 533 predatir fecal de~osita fron the bajadas and m~untainranpes in the Gene Range have been exagined (3immons, OJ. G.). &st of the deposits were f~undin the - Sierra Pinta and the Ague Dulce buntains, and nget of tkem were from coyotes. Of' the 500 samples examined, onlv tu3 cDntained biphorn s3eep reaaine.

I have little inforaati3n to 6dd on the influence of man on = bi2ho r nrTdt-iIv-rt 5-e-~--overthe t-xhi-ch-I -pr e sente I--1-8at - Ami-1- (i biid-;-)-;-=-we---- - 1 have mede a few more heiico~terf1ight.a qver bighorn habitat aince then, and we have more data to sumart the stntements th~thellco~ters .. .. 1 fri~htenbighorn badly if the aircraft a~~r9echeathem clgse enouih for ~hgtogreohyand identificetim with unaided eve. iI We have be'en able to arrest the et+.enti3n of an4 even .attract 11 juvenile and feqale bi~hqrnsheeq to ourselves by iaitatinp tteir I bleatinp. On Merch 1, 1960, Maintenence Foreaan Junior Phillioe 1 imitated bigh2rn bleating when he saw a lone ewe at the head of Fgur Palm canyon, Xofa buntaine, Kofa Game %inre, Arizona. The ewe began bleating and came abut 200 yards dmn the canyon tmard Fkilli?s. On 1 - ;larch 2, 1960; Phillins staod in plain sight of a ewe bedded on a rock I in Sura~itCanyon. She becane frightened and jumped aff the rock, Ae

I ahe jumped, P.hilli3a bleated. he ewe s?un armnd and leapt bac2 onto the rCct to- look at Philli~r. keeve reseated this 3nce agein befare I , she lsft the 'area. In April, 1960, Phillips bleoted at a eve e t North Pint.a Tank, Sierra Pinta, end she answered and cane abmt 100 yards towerd him. Philli~sves in olein view 2f the eke. bring the July, 1964 waterh~lecount in the Sierra Pinta, Phillips bleated at a lone ene seen at Eagle.Tsnk. She answered and ceae ab3ut 100 yarzs toksrd him, stopping 75 yards away to watch as Philljps st2~din pl6in sight (~hilli~s,1954).

On A?ril 20, 1962, George Eustis snd I heard e ye~rlingram bleating while we were hiking in the Agua hlce Ibunteina. 'he ram was in a saddle ab3ut 100 yards ehsy from us. We both imitated his blesttnp while remaining m~tionleesbehind a bush. The ram, st511 bleating, came slowly up to within 50 yards of us. I then stood up t3 phstograph him and he ran beck up-slooe. Ee ioined an adult eve sn a rid~eend then went out of sight.

1 was able to attrect the attenti~nCJ" R~A~et ~nsxering bleata from u ewe T pho+.ogra~hednear kkPbers?n T~nk,Yafs Csme hnga, on July 4, 1M3. me ewe .&s with enather ewe an? a oale lenb, ebmt 40 yards from me. She came about five prds tgward me when I imitated a lamb's bleating. I ues sta.ndinp in lain view of the sheep.

~~111. .Plans for the Final Yeer~~

~~This coninp June, we plan to conduct 8 ten-day eaterhole~~

a.ur~~ey~in-the~Sierra~Pinf.a~using~electrically_~tri~gere.d~~~rking~unl~a=--_-- m bighorn sheep. Ke hope that, by havinr a ten-day survey instead af a three or five day me, we will see the ram and the other sheep we, ' sissed lest year come in t3 water and perhaps obeerve marked ewe8 with ' lambs return for their aecond drink. We anticipate getting much mre data on bighorn waterinp frequercies end other acfivitiea tkan we have in the peat.

Next winter, we plan to increase the number of helicopter - &reye of bighorn hebitet to pt much-nseded dmta on winter sheep " activities. The helicopter is the mat eefective winter aurvey tool . we hmve used on the ~abezaRieta Gaze Da?.lpe. Li tzr~.?u-e 2i ted

~~Rsns?n, 3h-rics G . 1%. A d?re alr~:rin~device f3r -nr'~~

Philli?s, Junior. 1914. Pers3n.l c~nunicsti~n,i?ril lC, 1~64, recorde? in j3urn~lin papsTna1 "iles. . . 3imons, Xlrqan If. 106:. A desert hirh~rnstudy: part ine. Trens. Desert Ei~h3rnTlunc i 1, 7: 72-.% . STATUS OF TRANSPLANTED RIGHORliS IN TEXAS

~~Tomrnp L. Haileg, Biologist Texas Parks and Kildlife Department~~

The status of the transplanted desert bighorn sheep in Texas is favorable at the present time. Reproduction from the small nucleus of brood stock in the 427-acre holding pasture located on the Black Gap Wildlife Managenent Area ha.9 been beyond our expectation. A number of factors are res~onaiblefor this. The holding pasture v~sselected and designed to provide the best possible advanteges for the sheep. The enclosure is located at an elevation of 2,800 feet in a limestone type formation nith a high rid~erunning through the center. The ridge slopes to low vallevs on the enst and seat and a network of draws and small canvons. Althqugh the area has received verv little rainfall in the past fev months, an abundance of vepetetion is available to the sheep. Durinp the past year the bighorns- were observed to browse on lechupilla (A~avelechupilla), soaptree yucca (Yucca elata), Torrev yucca (yucca torrevi), sot01 (Dasylirion leio hvllum), ocoti3 lo (Pou nieria z~lendens),Texas silver- - bphvllumfrute-g Bend s.ilverleaf (Leuco- - phvllum minus), catclax (xcacia sp. 1, creoso'tebush (Larrea

- divarica-Tiand chi~.l_ogra~uteloua-bre~iseta)~.In ob-sgr_v_, ing the sheep bro~.seon so.tol, it mas noted:*tkrat they took the care? leaves as readily as the green leaves. ~lso,the rams used their horns and front feet to dig small lechuguilla plants and appeared to consume them in their entirety. ~lthow several'species of poisonous plants bccur in the enclosure, the sheep have not suffered any ill effects from them during the past 3 years. Observations of the various vegetative species in the pasture heve revealed no overbronsed condition. With the exception of two Mooman's. 33-pound blocks of con- centrate containing all the essential. minere1s:plus vi'tamin A, Terramycin, and a salt content of 14 per cent, no supplementarv feed is furnished to the sheep during the gear. Tio watering sites are provided for-the sheep, one in the southnest portion of the enc1osur.e and the other in the northrest corner; . The device in the southnest portion is a rock-header dam type of structure rith a sheet iron canopy covering-the v:ater to decrease evaporstion. The other loca- is I tion a small concrete vater trouph vith the mater level rejmlated bv a float valve an? connected to a 2,600- allo on covered met81 storage reservoir. The site is located adjacent to an earthen tank. Water is pumped from the earthen tenk into the reservoir durinp the rainv season, and supplementarv nater mag be hauled to it durinp extended dry periods. Prom

-1/ Work conducted under Federal ki:I Prolect h-67-0, Bighorn Sheep Development observstjons msde bv proiect personnel and from signs &round the watering sites, the' sheep seem to prefer taking v ~ter from the small cenent trough rzther than from the rock-header structur~. In ~up-ust1~63, P blind vas constructed neFr the vntering site in the northv-est corner of the enclosure for the FurDose of observina the d~tvtimev.~terinp hsbits and tictivi ties of the sheep. Personnel entered the blind before dzvlipht znd remained until after dark. Observations ere made during a 3-day ~erio3,-wupst 2?-30. Sheep v.ere observed coming to vtater only durins the h3brs betv.een 10:00 a.m. to b:00 p.m., not early morn in^ nor late eveninp as might be expected. l)urinp tbi~Deriod, 20 sheep vere observed at the %atering site; this reDresente? tbe entire uopulation in the pasture. Each eveninp before the observer left the site, an area around the vater tro~~phvas clecred of all tracks made durin~the da-J; 11 lhe follo~ingmorning P check v.as made for anv tracks made during the night. No tracks were found at tke v-ater trough for the 3 nights checked. This sugpest~tbat the sheep v~ater onlv in davtime and then only during the middle part of the dav. This ssme process was repeated on February 19 end 20, l9h)l, with the sheep a~aincatering in the middle part of the - day and no use be in^ recorded at nip,ht. hrin# the check, - inrlividuel sheep th~tcould be recopnized by certain characteristics ere observe? to stiter st least everv other dav ~nd sometimes every dav. ~lthoughsheep appsrently cm go lon~er than 2 davs pithout vater, it seems, from ti management stand- - - go-i-n-titha-t-U-rga c e-b-6-t er-a-v a 3-1-a bfe--a-k- a-l--t-ime s-v: ou3-d-b e beneficial to a herd. The results from the above observations are certainlv not conclilsive and additional v.ork is planned for the future-. The uossibilitv of the need for the introduction of on-e or more new rams into th'e enclosure before inbreeding occurs or hecomes serious is of concern to us. Because of the extreme difficul ties ureviouslv encmntered in trapping an? transport- inp the oripinal brood stock from ~riZ0nato the Black Gap Area, it is rIoubtf111 that addition~lrams nap be relessed in the enclosi~rsin the nezr future. HI so, we have to consider the possibilitv of diseases and parasites affektinp members ,of the herd. %.e.se dangers mill he mu1 tiplied as the biphorns increa.se sithin the confine of the relatively smell enclosure. Our ~reA6'tortra~ninp Dropram is heinp continued on the rrianapement area to provide a3 much protection 6s possibl~tfor th? brood sto&k;- Traapi~pon a lsrpe -scale in a range vhere desert bichorns are established vlouli prob:lblv be prohibitive: hovever, it is essenti~lto h~vepredator control .measures In effect oith the sm~ll'number of sheep thet we are v.orking v.1 th. &ring the ~astvear, mountain lion sign vas sca?ce nesr the enclosure and onlv one lion vns taken. Several bobcats and covotes v.ere tra~ned round the enclosure during the ssme period. )it this point, I v.ould like to revie- for you tke production of the 16 lambs that have been born between 1960 and 1963. These lambs bere ~roducedduring the fo3lov.ing vears: 3 in lo60 (2 rams, 1 ewe) from 3 ewes, 3 in 1961 (3 ewes) from 3 ewes, in 1962 (2 rams, 2 exes) 2/ from 3 exes, and 6 in 1963 (1 ram, 2 ewes, 3 un4eterrnincdr from 6 eves. 'ibis gear we heve eight ewes that could raise lsmhs. ~t the time this report v as nrepared, tvo lambs kad been.observed. The follovinp is a list of the sheep noc in t he holding pasture: 1 sdult ram .(lo vears old) 1 adult ram '(6 vears old) 2 adult. rams (h vears old) 1 adult ewe (9 vears old) . 1 adult ewe (7 vesrs old) 1 adult ev:e (h veers old) 3 adult ewe9 (3 pesrs old) 2 rams (2 years old) 2 ewes (2 years old) -. 6 yearlings born 1963 2 lambs

Only four sheep (2 rsms, 2 eves) of the original mi- zona stock remain in the pasture; the other sheep are Texa..: raised. It mav seem pnempture to start develo~in~methods to trap sur~lusbighorns in the enclosure for release in the sur------rOUu5dEk a5e aThovieve r , H ithhc0ntiiKuTd-Fep%duct io-n -89in the past the need mav soon hecome a reality. It is believed that the enclosure can maintain a herd of 30 brood animals (20 ewes and 10 rams) without damage to the vepetation. Our first consideration in trapping and releasing any. shee~from the enclosure is to accomplish this oith a minimum of disturbance to the snimals. One method that has been discussed is to construct a small wire enclosure, possibly 5 acres in size, in the northeast corner of the pasture near an ,outside aate and bait the desired animals into the enc1o.s~~. After the animals have been trapped, the outside pate would be opened ~ndthe sheep left to vander out at their own leisure. This would not entail any ~hvsiceihandling of the animals. There is also the possibility of using a Cap-Chur gun charged with a tranquilizer drug to render the animals he1~- less for subsequent handling and relerse to adjacent range. This method-would nermit selection and tagging of the desired animals. -Eowever, we feel a degree of ~pprehensionvhen this technicue is considered since there has been some mortalitv when the method was ilsed to take other animals. The Louisima hildlife and E'isheries Commission, throuph hesewch Project b-20-R, has been experimenting v ith 'l'ranirnul,

Includes one .set of twins tin oral trtinquiljzer rlrup., on v.@ite-tailed deer. The drug is mixed vith some tvas of bait.. 51-14 plscerl in E t,rou&rh vhere animals mav eat it. The ?rug ten4.c. to restrain the movements of the ~nirna1.sso thev n~vbe crjupht. The exact amount thr t an enimal can consume wltkout it being hamful is not kriovn rind sqme mortsl itv ,s~onp:the deer tested kas occurred. hnv djscussion or recommendations that you may h~ve concernln~the various propostils snd/or problems mentioned in this psper on the status of Textis bighorn skseep re solicited. -

LITERATURE CITED: w Murrv, Robart E. and Dan Uennett, 19hL. Informal. Report of Tranauilizer uernonstration, Janusry 21, 19611. Louisiana Vvilrllife and b'isherjes Cownission, h'ish and Ghme givision, Pittman-hobertson he~ort. 9~p. STATUS OF THE BIGHORN SHEEP IJi OEIGAil PIFE CACTUS i\ji;TICNAL MOIWFEItC

~~Harold T. Coss Jr. Park Ranger Organ Fipe Cactus National Monument Ajo, Arizona~~

Organ Pipe Cactus National 14onument occupies approximately 517 square miles of Sonoran Desert habitat along the International Boundary in southwestern Pima County, Arizona. Adjacent to the Konument's west boundwy is the Cabeza Prieta Game Rage, and to 'he east lies the Papago Indian Reservation, - Geologically, the Monument is part of the Sonoran Region of the North American Basin and Ranse ~rovinceand consists of wide alluvial valleys . and northvest trending mountain ranges. The three major mountain ranges in the Monument are the Ajos, the Growlers, and the Puerto-Blzncos which - \ are-prinarily- -- composed of .bedded------lava flows. Normal block-- faulting --- - .- ---- succeeded the vulcanism, and subsequent erosion has given the mountains an extremely rugged character, Elevations ranKe from 990 feet near the southwest corner of the Monument t0'4,Ma feet in the 'Ajo Mountains. The average rainfall is 8.25 inches at the Visitor Center (elevation 1,670 feet). Summer temperatures exceed 100 degrees and law humidity . prevails.

0ld;timers say that a dense bighorn ?opulation existed in the vicinity of the Monument prior to the turn of the century, but shortly themiafter dis'ekse caused a' wholesale die-off. Cae factor which might have precipi- - . .. . . tated-a population decline at that time was greatly increased hunting pressure with modern rifles. Several mining camps flourished' within present Monument boundaries, and armed prospectors combed the hills with a wary eye for both minerals and camp meat. Local people also tell of intensive hunting in the Honument area during the 193's. Todzy, there is :?mple evi:ience from si$-:n nn; .ircct 0h:;ervi:tion r.k.~t bighorn range throul;fiout the eptire i:ic.untzinous .$nd hilly ~errnir,of the Xonument. Also, some si$itinp occ?lr on the intt:r~,ountain v.7ilc.y floors. Field ob:.erv.~tionsindicate thzt the Ajo 3ountains su~port

the largest concentrations of shee~in the 2cnument. Z ob~ervedS~E:CII on each of seven cnnsecutive hikes into these mountains durinc the winter of 1961-62. The bi.ljhorn poi~uintionfigure for the :Ionument ca only be roughly estimatedbecmse of the inaccurancies of present censusinq methods. 'The current esti.mate is. 70 to 1LQ ariimds.

~~aighorn drift or mipation appears to be .zn import;=nt factor affrrtctiny; the i~~

- - 3lexico- -- near--. - --the -- town of honoyt~,Sono-ra. ------This--- ridge--- -- and-- - --the rough country------nesrly surroundiq tonoyta forms a connecting link bet~eenthe 1.uerto Blanco ~ountainsin the Ibionument md the Cubnbi Xcun tains in Ilexico.. Sonoyta residents state that bighorn often drii't into town from the two mountain ranges.

Hecent evidence reveals the:t bizhorn ray travel long distances ir: sbort periods of time even during summer heat. In July 1963, e twelve day waterhole count was conducted at ijrippinq S1:ri.n~~in the Fuerto Blanco Wo~mtains. Seven sheep zere mrkcd with a red dye sprayed from a : l.: device develo~edby 3r. Charles C;. iianseri of t.he 3esert Game ;irun~-eand ' borrowed from Xr. ~rorrnan I:. limzona, Rmacrr of the Cabeza Frieta Same

~~Ean~e, A eve marked on the rump ptch.on July 10 was observed three~~

I weeks later in the Sauceda i;otintains abl:~t2C miles ~orthof the Konu- ment boundary. This ewe traveled a sinirnum distmce of'40 nilcs if her route followed hilly and mountainous terrain. This evidence of bighorn drift may indicate the dynamic nature of the Monument's bighorn . . population.

Loss of some bighorn sheep through hunting occurs to the north, south, and east of the Monument. To the north, the Sauceda Mountains lie in state hunting unit 40. Two hone and Crockett record rams for Arizona were taken in these mountains in recent years, enhancing the are& popularity with hunters. A potential threat to the bighorn in the Ajo Mountains is' the hunting carried on by the Papago Indians along the east slope of the range. Eunting is precluded along the cres-t proper since removal of game is too difficult. Information and direct evidence of kills obtained from local Papagos indicate that only a few incidental - sheep are taken annually. Apparently, peccary and deer are the main objectives of Indian hunters. Information from local inhabitants of - Sonoyta indicates that bighorn are occasionally killed when they wader into town.

~he'&tualfree water needs of -our desert bighorn is not known. Past three day waterhble counts were of inadequate duration, and the lack of manpoker prevented coveraGe at all watering sites. Two very important waterholes are Dripping Springs in the Puerto Blanco Mountains, and the Bullpasture tanks or "tinajas" in the Xjo Mountains. aighorn qeoften observed at these locations during the dry season before summer rains. Increasing visitor use of the Monument will affect the bighorn at Dripping Springs. 'Phis is the only kite yielding sheep observations during past waterhole counts, and the only known permarient natural water source in the Puerto Blanco and southern Growler Mountains.

_ ~~~roxirnat, ely- 10,000 people hit the site annually, but fortunately few of these visitors disturb the scene during th= critical dry season. As annual visitation increases, an unfavorable effect on bighorn is anticipated. If bighorn intolerance to the environment develops at this waterhole, then some road chmges will probably rectify the situation. Kan-made water sources in the :ionurnent i-i~veocc:isionally bee- used by bighorn. In 13,4 a srn.:ll *ater trough for wildlife wxi constructed st Sates dell in the Growler :.lountnins. .$he trough is loczted about 15 yards from the south end of the corral in a mesquite thicket. In spite of the proxinity of man, bighorn h~vebeen known to use this source. Some wtzlls'have been drilled in the 14onument for wstering livestock; l-;oxever, only i:nce have bi1:horn been observed drinking from a stock tank. Photol;r:gyrhs taken in the 1920's show that bighorn were led into a corral at ,uitobquito Springs by domestic sheep.

No eyewitness accounts of predation on bighorn have occurred in the Konument. I have watched e yearlinc rae follow a grey fox ~utof apparent curiosity, the ios evincing no interest in the r:m. At 3rippinl; Sprinp, I oh:-?rvc-6 r: sice;inc copte ;?wakened by the noisg cpyroach of er! ziiult ewe. 'he coyote inrnediatcly ran to the desert floor and trotted away eastw-trd. ;-ximinetion of this coyote's scats indicated that it was e.-.ting the fruits of the slguaro and orpnpipe cactus exclusively at the time. Kountain lions cruise throu3h the -- . -- - - - . ------Monument, and a few sighting~usuiillg occur nr.rually. fhe only evidence of mountain lion predation on large mr~nrnals thrt I have observed ucs a freshly killed Coues deer (Gdocoileus virpinianus couesi) which was ambushed at a "tinaja" in the :%jo Mountains in h~y1963. 0ropin.q.s indicated thr~t,bighorn were using this "tinaja'l concurrently with the deer.

Relatively few people encounter our bi~hornsince the htensive visitatio~ period at the 14onument occurs during the winter months vhen the.sheep are well scat'tered. Nonetheless, visitors frequently ask if bighorn are present, .m-d a few of the more ru::gcd individuals even hike into the

mountains with ho.:es of observing or . kdt:~, -ra.phing the anirrcls. i erhilgs in time additiond waterin[; plzces .amt blinds xill he e.. tcbli~hed.to facilitate ob.ervntionc. To inve~tiptethe feasibility of such n gropsm, a cooperxtive .;~rce;r.ent ks been entoh?ir;hed witk the U. S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and-Xildlife for participation in the bighorn management study being conducted by Mr. Xorman M. Simmons on the Cabeza . . Frieta Game Range. The findings of Mr. Simmons should apply to future bighorn management planning in the Monument since the west and part of the north boundary of the Monument is contiguous with the Game Range boundary. 3umerous detailed observations have been submitted to Mr. Simnons to assist his study.

A 90 : 100 ram - ewe ratio exists for the 55 sheep studied in detail throughout 1962 and 1963. The Monument's mature bighorn population appears healthy; however, the possibility of disease as a factor in lamb mortality was sugested during two observations in July 1963. One - of the two lambs present at Dripping Springs had a rasping chest cough which occurred infrequently,,but lasted for about a minute at each seizure. A subsequent observation in the Ajo Mountains revealed another lamb aith similar symptoms. These lambs did not zppear lethargic- or -

. ing capacity of the bighorn habitat include the improvement of existing "tinajas" and the eventual elimination of cattle grazing. Detailed observations to aid the management study will continue and methods of achiev- ing a reliable bighorn census will be investigated.

~~CURRENT STAK-S of DESERT BIGHOW SHEEP in DEW MEXICO . .~~

~~Z;xes L, Sands Biologist New Mexico Ds2artrnent of Game and Fish~~

Desert Bighorn Sheep in i3e Big Hatchet Mountains of New Mexico appear to be holding their olin. Some evidence exists to support the .- theory- that they may be increzsing'. Bighorn observations in 1963 showed a minimum population of - 12

~~the 12 sheep was two rams, three ewes, three yearlings and four lambs.~~

~~All of the observations were sade by local ranchers in the vicinity of~~

Wine and Sheridan Canyons. Observations ranged from July to December. * A prospector reported 14 or 15 sheep, composed of rams, ewes and lambs northeast of,the Heard Ranch. The exact date of the observations is unknown.. ;.-,Chese, however, nus t be considered as possible duplications

~~Of the sigh.tings in Mine and sheridan Canyons, as the location is near 1 the upper portion of sheridan Canyon.~~

~~The sighting of two rams, three ewes and four lambs in late December, 1963, seems to indicate a good lamb survival among the Big~~

~~Hatchet sheep. This, in itself, is encouraging, and could possibly mean that the bighorns are increasing. .~~

~~Range conditibns are ~onsiderabl'~improved in the Big Hatchet~~

~~14ountains over previous years, and the Game Department now has four big game water units in these mountains, which will provide a more constant supply of water for sheep.~~

The decline of the bighorn population is usually attributed to the extreme drouth and poor range conditions that occurred in the early - and middle 1950'~~aggravated by excessive livestock use and an over- population of deer. It is hoped that the present sheep population will

~~will undoubtedly be slow, but at least it appears that the downward population trend has stopped, The New Mexico Department of Game and~~

~~Fish will continue to watch this herd closely and will use every means at its disposal to aid the population of sheep.~~

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish did not conduct an extensive bighorn survey in the San Andres-Organ Mountains in 1963, . r... . because previous surveys did not result in a sufficient amount of data , -. <: .-:- . to justify the expense.

Sergeant Dick Barnhart, White Sands Missile Range military game warden, reported that six sheep were seen in the vicinity of Salinas . - Peak during a helicopter game survey in 1963. To my knowledge these were the only sheep observed outside of the federal refuge.

~~Mr. Cecil Kennedy, Refuge Manager of 'the San Andres National~~

~~Wildlife Refuge, estimates that there are 161 sheep on the refuge.~~

~~No further..information is available on the sheep population of~~

~~the San Andresqrgan Mountains.~~

~~I want to thank Mr. Dick Raught, biologist with the New Mexico~~

~~Department of Game and Fish, for his assistance with the accumulation of information presented in this paper. -~~

~~I would also like to wish the members of the Council every success with the meeting, and I regret that I could not be present to participa;~~

~~in the discussions. -~~

~~1963 PROGRESS AND HUNT REPORT -- NEVADA By A1 Jonez~~

The year 1963 saw the start of the second decade of Bighorn Sheep hunting in Nevada. The 1963 season was basically thc same as those of the . previous six (6) hunts, except for Areas 17 and 21, which will be spring hunts in these two (2) sreas during 1964. The number of applicants rose this year because of the five non-residents allowed in Area 27-B, Desert Game Range. There were 18 applications for the 10 tags in Area 27A, Pint- water Range; 145 applications for the 30 resident tags and 84 applications for the 5 ~ni-resident tags, both in Area 27B, Sheep Range; and 123 applications for the 35 tags in Area 27C, Clark and Lincoln Counties.

This year 78 hunters, who went afield, spent a total of 351 days sheep hunting, for an average of 4.5 days per hunter, or 12-1/2 days per sheep. These 78 hunters took 28 rams for a hunter success of 35.8%, which is just slightly lower than the 11-year average of 36%.

~~However, when.we talk about hunter success we talk about the total number of animals killed each year. We all know that there are undesirable~~

smaller heads killed each year; yet, we tend to class them right along with - the larger trophy heads. Over the years we have been trying to define a desirable animal for killing. We have said that this type of animal must be old (What should we call old?), and that it should have a trophy set of horns (How large should this be?'); yet, we can arrive at no agreement on just what this animsl should look like, or what his age should be. -

ed over the past ten years, and find that there is a lot of information which just does not fit when we use one fact alone; therefore, we have tried to-tie in both the,age information and head scores, taken for the past 11 years, and put them together.

Bighorn Sheep hunting has been sold, primarily, on the premise that we are trying to remove "trophy animals" fromcthe herds, feeling that the removal of this type of animal will not materially harm the overa1l.reproductive potential of this poligamous species. Therefore, we have to seek out what a trophy animal is. We usually go to the Boone and Crockett Club's scoring system to determine other trophy animals; therefore, we can probably accept their system with Bighorn Sheep. When we started our hunts, the Boone and Crockett Club accepted any sheep head (Desert) which had a score of 150 points orr'better. With all of the legal hunting being allowed, the score book start- e.a.'to get full; therefore,' quite recently, the club has raised the minimum scork to 155 points for a Desert Bighorn Sheep.

In trying to be realistic, 15 points have been subtracted from the Boone and Crockett Club entry score, making an arbitrary cutoff score of 140 . points as being a place where we may classify an animal, or not, as a desirable trophy. This score also ranges, in age, around seven (7)*years, by the horn ring method of aging, which may or may not be a desirable age to consider as a cut-off point. However, when we took 230 recorded head scores and deleted those under 140 points, we found that 62 heads were below 140 points, and their combined score averaged 128 points. Then, taking the 168 remaining heads and averaging their score, we found that they came to a Boone and Crockett score of 154 points. Even if the age ofqseven (7) years is slightly young, animals above this age would have a good chance of placing in the score book; therefore, it is thought that we can consider this age as an acceptable cut-off point.

This brings- us back to a problem that was discussed last year, and something that has been a problem for many years. The 3/4-curl standard which we use will allow the hunter to take approximately 25% small heads, because the 3/4-curl does not eliminate the smaller heads, since many horns continuing past a 3/4-curl, with a small circumference all the way out, drop the score way down. . In fact, the.3/4-curl will allow hunters to take more than 25% small heads, as was seen on Area 27B, and Area 27C during the 1962 season, when 38% of the heads on the Sheep Range and 41% of the heads in the County were small heads, below the 140-point Boone and Crockett score.

Inexperience is probably the main reason for shooting small heads. In checking 56 records of small heads, only 6, or 1G% of-the hunters, had hunted sheep before. This would tend to show that the majority of small heads were taken by inexperienced people and, even some, by experienced people, who could - not tell a small head from a large one, or, in the "heat of the hunt" killed a small head.

~~It is thought that we will have to be practical in our approach to this problem, and accept a few basic facts:~~

~~------First: We cannot expect the standad of the-374-=rl-t6k-ill-5El~~~ the large mature animals with large trophy heads.~~

~~Second: We will always have a certain number of inexprienckd hunters.~~

~~Third: We will also always have some experienced hunters who will, in the "heat of the chasew shoot a small head.~~

~~Fourth: Under uur present system, using the standard of a 3/4-curl in Nevada, we will probably continue to harvest at least 25% small heads.~~

Fifth: There are surplus harvestable animals in a given population which will, eventually, die of old age if not harvested. . Cr- - If the five (5) facts above represent a fairly accurate picture of.what has happened aver the 11 years, we will probably have to accept the fact that up to 25% of the heads taken under our present system will be smaller heads, due to the uncontrollable factors already mentioned. This percent can be reduced by experience and education; however, this percent, or a portion thereof, will probably always be with us.

When the percentage of small heads in the harvest exceeds 25%, then we should take a look at our system and see if we can improve on the education of our hunters and, possibly, check to see if there may be fewer larger heads available to be harvested. If the harvest percentage of sjnall heads reaches 50%, which has never yet happened, then we may haverto take another look at our hunt procedure, or check the population more .closely to determine just why hunters are taking so many young animals.

At least this system will give everyone an apportunity to evaluate their hunter take on smaller heads with that of other areas holding legal hunts. In the County, Area 27C had to be lumped together into one area, as the number of animals taken off of an individual mountain range was so small that the figures were rendered unusable.

This system will probably be as controversial as the statement last year, to reduce the bag limit to "one ram" and do away with the 3/4-curl re- quirement. However, if a little thought comes from the controversy, that is. all that is asked.

~~Possibly my idea to have a bag limit of "one ram" was a little too drastic. Maybe we should have as a bag limit "one trophy ram", and then explain to the hunters what a trophy ram is. tu~~

~~T 0 T DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP A L~~

~~N U~~

~~1957 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 YEAR . >, . ; 1 . !. . . . NEVADA - DESERT BIGHOF I SHEEP - SUMMARY OF ALL HUNTS~~

I I Togs Available . 101 Togr Number Successful . . All Hunts (Number Actually Huntad) ~ollobla (A Successful) ItPintwotar 1 Sheep I ' Clark and . I Tolyoba-4 Emaraldo lumber Plntwotrr I Sheep I Clork and I Tolyoba I Esmeroldo :luolly Range Rongq Lincoln Countlas Ronga unted) 27-A 27-0 27-C 17 I I5

~~NO HUNT HELD~~

'Succarr figurer were bored on tha number of hunter* who oc~uollyhun~ 1952-1953 - Guided hunts (1) Summar Hunt 1954-1956 - Supervised hunts (2) Spring Hunt -Not yet hald 1957-1963 - Unsupervised hunts Kno7.m sheep areas in Ncvada with a listing of the number of animals killed

~~ELK 0~~

M*. R~~~ Bighorn Sheep killmd slncm 1952 Silver Peak :I?- - 14 Potosi Mt. Toiyabe -.4 15 Bird Spring . '- Grant, a - 16 Table Wuntain Willow Creek - 17 Devil's Peak Bald Mt. - 18 Mcallough Mt. Pahranagat - 19 Eldorado Range Pintwater 19 20 Hart Mt. Sheep-Las Vegas 139 21 Spirit Mt. 4rrow Canyon 2 22 Iuning Summit Yeadow Valley 6 23 Quartz Mountain .formon Mts. 7 24 Cane Spring Road iuddy Mts. 44 25 White Mo-antains xed Rock - 2 6 Crescent Peak Charles H. Rouse, ~iolo~ist Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife Lakeview, Ore~on

The systematic gathering of data for the determination of grazing capacities of ranges for domestic livestocb has been practiced in this cocntry for the past 50 years or more. Several methods and adaptations for gathering the data have been devised but they all have as their basic purFose to determine hou much forage is produced, uhere it is located in relation to how and uhen it can be used, and the-plant species which make up the forage crop. Much progress has been made towards obtaining better management of livestock ranges with this information providing a de~endablefoundation for regulat- ing grazing use.

The emphasis in all of these studies has been directed towards the management of domestic live.stock, primarily cattle~andsheep, on native ranges. Although these ranges also include the greater part-of the habitat for our big gme species and this has created problems in obtaining proper range use, comparatively little has been done towards working out the grazing capacities and stocking rates for big gamespecies on these areas. hch Znfonnation has been obt.ained on food habits of these big game species, what plants they seem to prefer as forage,-and uhat vegetative types they favor at different seasons. There have been feu instances in which this information has been applied in an effort.to determine the number of elk - ---- or-amr-or Ei@orns-th-at-a-gimTa ngecan-suppof t-; .or- t-o-detBrmimTt--h-T---- amount of livestock grazing which might be made vithout encroaching on the range required to maintain a given big game population, " The ranges available for big game species ar:e being rapidly reduced by various forms of human occupation, The demand for greater numbers of deer, elk, antelope, bighorns and the various other forms of huntable wildlife is increasing, Pressures from conservation groups, sportsmen's organizations . and others are exerted to produce more wildlife, butthere is much less effort expended towards the preservation of forage, cover, sFace and the . other requirements for suitable wildlife habitat,

This paper describes an effort made to develop a range management plan in which .the habitat requirements as well as the forage supply were considered in'providing for a definite number of antelope, mule deer, California bighorn and-domestic livestock. The development of the portion of the plan for the California bighorn may be of interest,

The work was done on the Hart Mountain ~ationalWildlife Refuge, an area of about 275,000 acres in south central Oregon, The refuge includes the precipitous west face of the Hart Fountain escarpment as well as extensive semi-arid rangeland east of the mountain. This was native range for the . California bighorn or Rimrock sheep (&is canadensis cal iforniana. Douglas). Historical records indicate they were numerous in this area but the last animals were seen in about 1912. In 195h the Oregon State Game Coiission obtained a stock of Rimrock sheep from British Columbia and placed them in a fenced enclosure on -the refuge in an effort to re-establish the species on this ancestral range. A detailed report on this project nas made to the Desert Bighorn Council by Mr. 0. V. Dming in 1961 and cul be found in the Transactio~sfor that year, therefore it vill not be repeated here.

The forage inventory and survey of the refuge xas made during 1955 to 1957 whilethe bighorns were still confined to the pasture area. The survey was-of the ocular estiniatetype using aerial photographs to assikt in mapping vegetative types, topography, water supplies and cultural features such as roads and fences. Each vegetative type was examined and described by listing the plant species present and estimating the relative abundance of each species in the total plant cover, The density ' of the total plant cover was also estimated and recorded. Note was made of use by wildlife and livestock, nature of the terrain, water supplies, soil character and erosion.

The data from the aerial photographs were transferred and assembled on base maps from which the area of each vegetative type was determined, The pazing capacities of each type was computed from the type descriptions 'using separate proper use tables For cattle, antelope, nule deer and bighorn sheep, Proper use tables are available for livestock in most areas of the-western range. Proper use tables for big game animals in this region were non-existent and it was necessary to devise them for this area. The proper use values of the plant species for the bighorn sheep

------we-ze-based-on -observations~.of , f ceding aa%'i!als and examination of areas on which the sheep had grazed, "Ock" Deming was also consulted and gave material help from his knowledge of their feeding habits,

The next step was to develop a management plan based on the assembled field data, We had the location of the forage producing areas mapped in relation to water, cover and topography. The amount of forage produced and the plant species that produced it vas also knoim. The problem, now, was to determine how much of this forage was available to the bighorns in areas where they could use it as regulated by seasonal conditions, A large part of the range which might be used by the bighorns when they were released from the sheep pasture was also used by mule-deer, principally during spring, summer and fall. A lesser part of it was used by a small number of antelope as summer range, And finally, a portion of it was included in a summer range allotnent for cattle, It was necessary to arrive at a balanc5'-of these overlapping wildlife uses before it could be detsr- mined how much.. forage remained for use by livsstock, .$ -7.- '. b ' Each vegetative type was carefully considered as to the plant species in it, . its location with respect to available water, the slope and exposure, its position in relation to cover t~gessuch as aspen or mahogany thickets, the presence of rimrocks and talus slopes which uould be barriers to move- vents and any other, featllres which wovld affect the use of the type. The available forage was allocated, on paper, anong the animals that would be most apt to use it, The mule deer population was near the maximurn that could be safely maint3ined and was being ragulated by controlled hunting. The antelope population was considerably under the capacity of their range but was increasing. The bighorn plsnt w+s just gett,ing under uay, but it w2s necessary to know how much forage and habitat xas avsilable for each of these species and about what nurnSers of each could be sustained on a year-low basis. At this point a crystal ball mi~hthave besn quite helg- ful but they are not supplied as standard equip-ent. for range surveys.

The sheep pastwe enclosed an area xhich extended from near the valley floor to the top of the mountain and provided a fair ~e~resantat,ionof forzge types and terrain.- The movements ol" the bizhorns within the pasture in response to weather conditions and seasons gave an indication of ty~eof country and kinds of forags they sou~htunder varying sircumstances. This served as a basis for selecting the portions of the refugs uhich it was anticipated the bighorns would use uhen they were relsased from the pasture and from which we attempted to deternine the nuiber of bighorns that could be supported on the refuge.

These studies and calculations resulted in a final figure of about 330 bighorns, that might use this range along with the mule deer and antelope, and this would still allow for sunner range for a limitsd number of cattls vithout encroaching dn the wildlife values. The seasonal range did not balance in that there was sunmer and fall range for a greatsr nuqber of bighorns than could be carried on the wintsr range, Since these animals would be free ranging throughout the year with no supplemen5al feeding, %he population would be' limited to the capacity of the winter range,

The capacity of the fenced sheep pasture uas conputed at.38 bighorns year-long. The first anhals were released from the pasture in 1957 ------and-s~bseqUent~1~a~h~E~ptt~h~h~dd~~iitKiX~=~~fuTeeat- around- 30 head or less. No places within the pasture have been observsd where the forage has deteriorated from overuse and there has been some improvement in the plant cover on the lower slopes that are used primarily as winter and early spring range. The protaction from use of these lcwsr slopes by horses and cattle afforded by the pastwe fence has probably contributed to this improvement.

The number of bighorns now on the refuge, incihding those remaining in the sheep pasture, is estimated to be around 130 head. Past.of the anixals that were released from the pasture have rernained in the vicinity although a feu individuals have been reported seen at distances up to about 60 miles froin. the refuge. As the bighorn population has not developed to . the poi,nt where it is approaching tne estinated capacity of the area, ue are not .able to assess the accuracy of our estimtes, So far, lnost of tho animals.. h?ve .remained in the areas anticipatsd but as nurnbers increase they'mak disperse to other areas but this should cause no serious problms.

1.' In any eient, it is suggested that this method, or adaptations of it, may have application in appraisal of potsntisl range for the re-ostablish- . ment of bighorns as well as other big Sam species. Tt night also serve as an aid in improving the nanagenont of existing wildlife range, There is aqple roon'for improvement in the method 3it it nay be a small step tuzards the goal of better wil3ii.f~marra~wnent,

~~SOIE BIGHORN FWDS k bl THE DESERT CAE EP.N;E~~

~~0. V, Deming Wildlife Xanazeaent Biologist Bureau of Sport Fi skries and Wild if e Lakeview, Oregon~~

~~- . . Introduction . / -~~

This paper is concerned wi1.h sieht observations- byth~._autt.or of plants eaten by Nelson bighorn sheep on the Desert Game Range and the immediate vici.nity during the period 19& to 1953. Durinx that time, a total of 130 species of plants were recorded; scattered throu~hout89 genera* Elevational ranges of the plants eaten were from GO feet above sea level on the Colorado River to nearly 10,000 feet on the Sheep Range, Plant belts. extended from the saltbush to just bel-ow timber1 ine. Although the 130 plants recordgd appears to be an impressive total, it is actually less than two percent of the plants recorded for Clark-Co~ntyand there are undoubtedly many more plants that are utilized by the bighorn other than those listed in this paper.

The Desert Game Range is located in Clark and soui.hern Lincoln counties at the northern extremities of the Hokave Desert. As is typical of desert ------country--- _, the mountain habitat of the bighorn sheep is yough, broken, and ___ usually rears upward from the floors of the valleys. The valleys are typified by high summer temperatures, lox precipitation, low atmospheric

humidity, and cloudless days uith a high light. intensity. The surround- ' . ing mountains receive more precipitaticn and experjence cocler summers and winters in proportion to their respective elevations and'ground cover, Snow may persist on portions of the hieher mountains, such as the Sheep and Spring Ranges from December until Aprjl. Estimates based on the vegetation map by E. Raymond Hall in his Warnmals of Nevada" show that about 78% of Clark County is covered by desert Shrub, about 17% by. juniper-pinyon woodland, and about 58 by coniferous forerts,

~~Seasonal Food Habits~~

: I.-- . With approximately 250 frost-free days a year being general for the valleys and lower elevations, two growin,. reasoris are pres..nt OVS milch of the bighorn ranges. The first growing season begins as early as December or as late as Xarch or April, depsndlng on veather conditions, Some of the first plants to begin gro~tnare grasses and forbs, such as * r~dbroroe, desert needle grass, reverchon three-am, sheep thistle, filaroe, and desert zallcm, Filarce is an exotic on the doscrt that is beconing an important early spring feed due to its abundance in so~e areas. The bighorn pad up and eat the entire lant, as they do sorno of the other small annuals. The flowering buds of the Joshua Tree, Fohave Yucca, and Banana Yucca are frequently eaten by the bighorn in April and May. The green seed pods, commonly called "applesn are also esten. Eighorn often stand on their hind legs, with the front hoofs braced against the trunk of Yuccas to reach the succulent buds and pods. The long fruiting stem of the Utah Agave is nipped in two and the buds and blossoas eaten fron the ground.

Early green feed is eagerly eaten by the adult sheep as soon as it appears in the spring and the lambs turn to the green plants as their first solid foods. Edes that can freshen on green feed have a better chance of providing suffit5ent milk to take care of the needs of the lab. The winter diet of browse, dry grass'and forbs is abandoned to a great extent when the new green feed appeass, and the diet of the aninals becomes more diversified as the greater variety of green feed becomes available. Browses such as desert almond, audibertia, ephedra, lycium, and buckwheat bush are eaten as the green foliage appears on those plants. In the spring of the year the bighorn turn to green feed with such intensity that many of them display the typical "grass belly" noted in domestic livestock when they are first turned out on green pasture.

By the end of June, and sometines sooner, the spring groxth of grasses and forbs have dried up, and until the coming of the summer rains, usually in July, the bighorn again turn to dry rations on the loxer ranges, supple- mented with leaves and fruits of browses and trips to water. The Sheep - Range bighorn can move upward on the mountain and find green vegetation at increasingly higher elevations as the loxer ranges become hot and dry. This may, in part, account for the excellent lamb survival on that range during the summer, as the high protein content of green plants is a necessity in the diet of the fast-groxing lambs,

The summer rains produce a new supply of green feed, including many species of plants that did not appear during the spring growing season. During extremely wet' summers, some plants, such as desert mallow, may bloom-from spring to September, due to- the additional precipitation. The abundance of the summer growth is in proportion to the amount of summer precipitation. Wet summers produce grama grasses, dropseeds, and other grasses and forbs on the lower ranges, Some of the summer groxth does not appear yearly, such as the various species of grama that appeared during the smner on an average of about once every five years due to insufficient noisture for gemination and growth.

On the higher elevations, such as the Sheep Range, the bighorn have a wide variety..of green feed during the summer, such as bluegrass, needle- grass, tender.' stems and flowers of plants such as pensteinons, gilias, and columbines, Around the springs, sedges, uiregrass and the tender ,shoots of giant wildrye are eaten. Sncrdberry, little-leaf mahogany and blueberry elder are some of the suinmer brmses utilized. The limited amount of blueberry elder on the Sheep Range is so heavily grazed during the summer that it seidom attains more than a low, shrubby growth. An exception is found at Lamb Spring, which has one blueberry elder of magnificent proportions. During the wintcr the bighorn are agjti-n on dry rations, eatinf: the c:~red crasses, dried up forbs, snd turni n-: aore OCLP~to the vzried broxses. This continues until the first si?n 0' oren in tne sbriny.

~~Food Freto rences~~

Food preferenca~is a moot question, in that the 1 imitsd number of sto~achs examined contained large port'lons of those ?:ants tn3t xere the most abundant in the area involvsd, The feeding nabits of the sheep likewise cont,ribnts little to the solution of the question, as the animals are not prone to prolonged feeding on arly one plant, bnt move fron plant to plant, taking a nip here and there.

The heavy cropping of the limit23 amount of bl ueberw elder on the Sheec, Range might indicate that this plant is a preferred food, but it mizht also be but minor brousing of individual animals that is intensified dus to the large number of anina'ls taking a feu ni?s each. Field observations indicated that a large nuaber of the plants listed in the appendix may constitute bnt a small part of the daily or even the yearly diet of the ani~als, Black- brush and white fir were observed eaten only once. Desert needlqrass, how- eyer, has been recorded freauently for every month of the year, and is eat~n both green and cured, As this is one of the most abundant plants on many areas of the lower ranges and aroilnd the bases of the hl.gher ones, the frequency of utilizat5on may be somewhat in pro7ortion to its abundance and availability.

-- - - - PYants-eaten-by-bighorn-appeared- to- vary-consic3erabl;y-on-diWe,rent--ranges;i------The extremes were the Desert Rangq, which has a vegetative cover .beginning with creosote-bur sase at the base and term'inating uith an intrusion . . of blackbrush, a nortkern desert shrub, at the top, and the. Sh-ep Rany~? that begins with Pohave Desert fiora at the base and terminates with a foxtail-bristle cone pine conplex at the to^. On the Desert Ranee, erases dominated the landscape and tne diet of tha shesp, while on the Sheep Range, uith its more varied ground cover, brorses conktitut,ed a lareer percenta~re of the stomach samples than on the Desert hn~a,

A breakdown of the plants observed eaten throaahout the nssert Gam hn~e and the immediate surroundings shows Esnera and h8 species of trees and shrubs, 26 genera and 3h species of forbs, 18 genera and 37 species of gTass, 2 genera and 6 species of rushes and sedges, and 3 genera and 5 species of agavrr, cacti and yucca. These f ipwes, hoxevar, are not thoug'ht to present any degree of preference in fe-.ding, as the observstions made w&e not uniformly distributed throur'no~~tthe various cover tyros on bighorn range, and a veater portSon of the observations c2-e from the Sheep Range, which is bett-ar cndcw~dw-ith trees an4 sirrubs than any other hieha~n habitat withln the area sti~di~d. by bighorn in the spring of the year, as is the new leaves of desert zlmond which causes hydrocyanic !acid poisoning in livestock. Several other genera of plants that contain toxic species, such as Oatropis, Delphinium, Asclepias, Nicotiana, Baccharis, Actinea, Applopap~as, Datura, and Linum-are present on portions of the bighorn ranges.

During the period of field observations,' no positive evidence of plant .- - . .poisoning among bighorn sheep was found, but one borderline case that could have been plant poisoning occurred at the Corn Creek Headquarters among the-study herd. Here a lamb died of motor nerve degeneration in the spinal cord, and the. observations, which shoued lack of control of the hind limbs and indications of convulsions, plus the pathological studies of the la-b made by Dr. E. R, Qoortrup of.the San Diego Live- stock Department, pointed strongly to Jirnson ueed, which was present in one'wing of the bighorn pasture, as the possible cause of death.

Bighead, a disease that causes losses among domestic sheep, occurs from the animals eating coal-oil bush (~etradyniaglabrata) and spineless horsebrush (~etradymiacanescens). These two plants are found in some bighorn habitat; but no evidence of bighorn being sick or dying of this disease was found. APPENDIX

~~PLANTS EATEN BY ELSUN BIGHGSN SH3EP~~

Trees and Shrubs White Fir Acacia greggii Catclaw -Acer labr rum barf maple Arternisia tridentata Big sagebrush Atriplex canescens Four-winged saltbrush Atriplex conf ertif olia Shadscale Ceanothus greggii Desert cenanothus Celtis retricul ata Desert hackberry Cercocarpus. intricatus Little-leaf mahoeany- - Cercocar~usledif olius curl-leaf mahogany Desert_villow , Rubber- rabbitbrush ~hrysothamnuspaniculatus Sticky rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus Douplas - rabbitbrush Colepgyne ramosissima Blackbrush -- .: - Covania stansburiana Cliffroso ~remont'dalea '. ' Brittlebush

~~Nevada e~hedra'- .'~~

~~~rioionurnsulcatam Ruckrhea,t bush -'' Fallugia paradoxa - Apache plume - , -~~

~~Forestiera neomexicana Palo -blanco ' , Franseria dmosa White bur .sage 1 Holodiscus~or.- Oceanspray - -~~

Jamesia calif ornica , a Cl-iffbush .: ' " 4 ' -.A,;.- Junipeps utahensi,~, t&~-~uni~er, - , - u ... Krameria parvifolia Rata-nyYT- "<. - L~ciumandersoni - . Anderson lyeium - Lycium- - Co-oper- 1yc iurp - = Physocarpus monogy&s Ninebark Pims mono~hvlla.- . - Singre-leaf piriygri (nuts of) ..- mdaacanthoclada ' Qesert. milkuort - - Populu s f remonti Frernont poplar Populus tremloides Cuaking aspen

Prunus f aciculata- - Desert almond Rhamrrus- californica Coff eeberrf -Rhus trilobata Sumac Fibe s c'ereum niax current RiSes montieenwnv- ~ Mountain eooseberry Salvia carnosa Aurlibcrtia . - APPE rnI X

~~PLANTS EATZN BY NZLZON BIGHOFlN SHZEP~~

~~Tress and Shrubs~~

~~Abies concolor White Fir Acacia greggii Catclaw~~

--- -- Acer Q-elabrum Ddarf maple Artemisia tridentata Eig sagebrush Atriolex canescens Four-winged saltbrush Shadscale - L Ceanothus greggii Desert cenanothus Celtis retriculata Desert hackberry Cercoc arpus intricatus Little -leaf mahogany Cercocarpus ledif olius curl-leaf mahogany Chilopsis linearis Desert willow Chrysothamnus nauseosus Rubber rabbitbrush

Chrvsotharnnus ~aniculatus- Sticky rabbitbrush - -- - Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus Douglas rabbitbrush Coleomne-., ramosissima Blackbrush Cowania stansburiana Cliffrose . Dalea fremontii Fremont dalea Encelia f ruitescens Brittlebush E~hedranevadensis Nevada ephedra -De-a-t h-&v-a-l -lBy--ep hh-eedff aa - - -= Green ephedra Erio~onumf asciculatum dild buckvheat

- - cz Buckwheat bush Fallu~ia- par adoxa Apache plume Forestiera neornexicana Pal o blanco Franseria dunosa ;Jhite bur sage ~olodiscus~lor Oceanspray Jamesia californica Clif fbush Juniperus utahensis Utah juniper Krameria parvifolia Ratany tycium andersoni . Anderson lyc ium Lycium cooperi Cooper lycium

~~: r.: Ninobark . Physocarpus monopynus Pinus monophylla Single-leaf pinyon (nuts~~

~~-.:. . Polygala acanthoclada Desert milkwort Populu s frernonti Frmont poplar~~

Po~ulustreml - - oides Cuaking aspen Prunus f aciculata Desert almond Rhamnus californica CoTfe~5errjr Rhus trilobata Suqac Fibes cereum Jax current Riks montig?nwn Pountain ~ooseSerry Salvia carnosa .4udibcrtia Samhcus caorulea Blueberry elder Spshoric&rpus longif lorus Long-f lowered sncwbarry Ted~adyniaczinescem iiorsebrush Th&~coszianontana Oil bush 1 Vitls arizonlca Canyon gr;e

~~Forbs~~

Sand verbina hbronia-- - -n2na Anemone tuhrosa Desert windflo~er Aquilegia f onosa Columbine Arabis fen= Fendler's a~abis Arabis pulchra Rock cress Astragdlus z~phio3ys Loco weed Astragalus platpopis Bladder loco Castille ja chrozosa Indian paintbrush Circium drumondii Sheep thistle nidulnm ~ryptantmpiens Snouf lover. Erigeron concinnus Wild daisy

~~-- - - Erio~omU inflaturn Bottle plant Erodium c icutarium Filaree Arizona gaillardia Gilia arizonica Scarlet gilia Nuttall gilia~~

Forget-me-not Peppergrass Linum lewisii Blue flax ~onard~orotissima Pennyroyal Oenothera brachl-car~a- Primrose Pedicularf s centranthera Alpine betony Penstemon- ambinuus- Penstemon eatonii Scarlet bugler Penstemon pachyphyllns Blue penstemon - Penstemon palmeri Wild snapdragon Penstemon thompsoniae Thompson pens temon Petalostemum searlsiae Prairie clover Phacelia perityloides Pearl4 Rock Pseudocymopteris montanus Sphaeralcea ambigua Desert mallou . BtreptanthusTXZus Shield-leaf *

~~Grasses~~

~~Agropyron pauciflorum Slender wheatgrass Agrostis semiverticillata~~

~~- Aristida Delauca -- Reverchon three-awn buteloua aristidoides Needle grama Bouteloua barbata Six-iceek~pama Eouteloua gracilis Rlue Erma Red bone~~

Bromns-- - tec torum Cheat. grzss Bronus trinii Brorncs anonalus . Noriding Croc~e Dactylis glomeratz ~r'chardgrsss Danthonia califormica Califcrnia oatgrass Elymus canadensis : Giant wildrye Festuca octoflora Six-weeks fescue -Festuca - ovina Sheep fescue Little galleta Rip gallets -ergia porteri Bush muhly Oryzopsis hymenoides Indian rice~rass Oryzopsis micrantha Little-seed ricegrass Panicum huachucae Panic grass -Poa bigelovii . Bigelow bluegrass -Pea longiligula . Long-tcngue mutton grass -Poa nevadensis Nevada tluegrass ---Poa pratensis Kentucky bluegrass -Poa rupicola Timberline bluerrass . -Poa secunda Sitanion -hystrix- ' Sporobolus contra~tcs - Spike dropseed -- - S-ar,d "dropseed Sp-orob-oh s=c ryptandrus- --- 'Stipa arida Needle grass Stipa lobata Needle grass StiFa comata Needle-md-thread grass Stipa coronata Needle grass Stipa- --speciosa Desert needle grass Triodia mutica Slim triodia Triodia --pulchella Fluff Orass

~~Rushes ax! Sedges --Carex aurea Golden seage Carex praegrac ilis Field sedge Carex hassii -Juncus nodosus Juncus balticus Baltic rush --Juncus saxirnontanus- dire ~TZSS~~

~~Acave, Cacti and Yl~cca 'A~ave- --utahens is Echinocereus eriselna~ii~~

~~Yucca baccat.&~- . -Yucca -brevifol -- ia Yucca shiciizera~~

~~\ Phofo by RALPH E. WELLES Fatricia A. Eznsen - Star Route 1, lhx 14 Las Vegas, h'evada~~

Tagalong joined the Bsert Bighorn Council in 1963 at Ias Vsgas. Brought to Corn Creek Field Station of the Desert Game Range, in the cab of a pickup on Brch 21 ,1963, she was turned over to us to care for and feed. This little femle lamb had been picked up on the highkay near Willow Each on the Arizona side of the Colorado River, south of Hoover Bm. She was presented to us by the National Pzrk Service at Boulder City, She took charge almost imediately at the biologists home at Corn Creek and before a week was gone she was dubbed Vagalong~causeshe was never more than a few steps behind me, her adopted mother. During the next five months - Tagalong endeared herself to nany, especially to us where she xas accepted as a member of the family.

During her first month with us, Tagalong slept in the guest room. Gter a room in the basement was prepred for her and fimlly when she was considered big enough to protect herself from coyotes and bobcats, she was allowed to sleep on the front porch. A canvas lawn chair became "home basen and she would lay in it for hours or stand in it as she watched the family ------thh~ghhth~indnd~S~eKtTH1l~hFoCt~-the -cKZYF Tend=Sf i5FEETltosi-ZEp on the floor. Two of her other favorite beds were on top of a picnic table - and in the children's wagon.

The first few days after lkg joined the family she sought but corners to lay in or found herself a place under the kitchen table. Later she became a constant shadow of her adopted %om". She would lay at feet or between them and each time I moved Tag would move too.

- On Mrch 23, when she was about six days old she was observed for the first time to scratch a bed with her front feet before laying down. The next day she jumped onto one of the childrens beds for %he first time. From then on it was difficult to keep her off the furniture. Tagalong liked the soft beds and would even join the mother cat and her kittens in their box by the kitchen heater. As she got older she seemed to feel secure in the house and with the family and she could be left alone for a few minutes in another'part of the house or yard. Usually she would remain laying by a heater which she seemed to prefer almost more than eating.

Tagalong bas an early riser and as soon as she xas up she was very active. If not imediately cleaned up and allowed to join the family, she would bound bck and forth across her room. She would leap off the back of a couch and run for the door throxing herself at it in such-a xnner that she hit it on the fly with all four feet. Dropping to the floor she riould gather her feet under her and bound off a-gain. This became a favorite ex- ercise and was perfected on screen doors. Idhen she no longer used it 2s a msthod to obtain entrance she continued hrith her running juqp outside on the brick chimney, often running up it ten or more fsst above the gronnd.

Other than pwing before laying doan Tagalong expressed herself on certain occasions by pwing at qy feet. It was oiten difficult to tell what she hanted. As she grew older she would come up behind people shs was fain- iliar with, especially if they were seated on the ground, and after standing close to them for a moment, she ~ouldput her front feet up on their shoulders, then paw or nibble their hair, ( if it was long enough). She also would jump up and hook her front feet on qy arm and rest her chin on my shoulder for a morent. Even though she is over a year old now and has been penned for nearly eight months she still likes to j-mp up in this rranner.

Tagalongs early attempts to follow her "mothsrn about the house were frustrated by a card table set on edge at the kitchen door. Within a fsw days she had learned to tack up about five feet and take a running jump, hooking her front feet over the edge, then scrambling with her hind legs over she would go. At three weeks of age she had enlarged her home area to tha yard and even over the picket fence to the court yard when determined not to be left behind. Later the picket fence became a part of her obstacle course when she took her daily romp. She would sail over it like a gazelle. She was equally adept at going under low wires or gates sometimes approaching them at a run, crouching and going under without missing a step. - Tagls jumping ability offered a mjor problem when &five months she -- --kas_taken~~y=f~omius=anh_put_inens .-Special -f ences-had=to=bebep~e--- - ~redbecause she would work the fence and eventually sail over the sik foot obstacle thereby gaining her freedom to return home. The refuge personnel were persistent, however, because by this time her playful antics had c.aused some complaints. One of thsse was playing King-of-the-Mountain on cars or merely using their height to reach tender leaves. Another habit looked upon with disfavor was the paiding at screen doors when I went visiting neighbors. It became almost impossible for the children to sneak away without her hear- ing or seeing them and away she would go to join them. As for the children they were her playmates. She loved to romp with them and playfully butt at their tricycles or at them.

Her butting was another reason for having her penned. ,Although, she considered herself acceptable as npeoplen, she played sheep fashion. When she began to out's-weigh the children and her horns had developedi this playful butting was unacceptable, especially to those outside the immediate - Itfamily\ She has-never been seen to butt in anything but gentle play, but' this was misinterpreted by visitors children.

Tagalong always accepted strange places and people even when young as long as she was near me, Roxever, at the age of six weeks she left on a tour ~f the penned sheep. Now that she is confined to a pen along the lane, she Soins the visitors and sticks her head through the fsnce wire to recziv? ti2-bits or to romp along on the op-posite side of the fence. One of her first acq~zinbnceswitw groups of children was at the Indian Springs Gramer School where she was taken in a car to find out how she would react to traveling. One little girl at the school resrked +hat Tagalong bas xszring little black shoes. -4s for traveling, Tag did not seem to mind it a bit nor vzs she disturbed by the psople at the Iksert Bighorn Council meting in Las Vegas last year.

By the time Tag was a month old sfie was too big to veigh with a poultry scale and since t-he scale at school was offered she was tzken on a bi-weekly trfp-to Indian Springs to be weighed. When summer vacation cam, a tathroom scale has purchased and since then she has been picked up to be weighed. Now that she weighs eighty-five pounds another method will have to be found to keep track of her weight.

Automobile travel appealed to Tag and her favorite place to ride was on the floor laying 'itween my feet and the door. As she grew, she Md to be trained to stay on the floor on the passengers side. If she had had her way she would have gone to school every day like Yaryls little lamb. Once she accompanied the family on a weekend trip to Death Valley and later on a week- long camping trip into the mountains of the Dssert Game Range. Also she has taken on short field trips into the desert and hills. At these times she was easy to care for because she stayed close by and seemed to h afraid of being - left behind. . Tagalong usually learned new things quickly. She =as reluctant to go down stairs when a few days old but she made her first trip down to the bsement a week after she joined the family. This has hesitant and she bounded, - -- - -bung-thsee-or-f OW-steps-a-t--a=time=~--XL~h$n-ha-U=an=hour--she=as=goi=ng-do~n- with precise little jumps, her fore feet on the lower step and her hind feet on the step above. When she wanted to come in the house she learned quickly. to try opening the front and back doors by jumping against them. Also she would jump up on the window sill at the front porch and look in at the family but was never seen to jump against the glass window pane.

When three weeks of age she mde three attempts to push open the scrcen door to follow me outside. After several tries she succeeded and lziter tried again with quicker success. The third time she seemed to know how. to go about it and after that would go out whenever she pleased. Another indication of her learning ability was her response to voice commands. When she becametoolarge to have the freedom of the house, she was told to go back into the kitchen, often with a snack on the rump. This she learned to do but vary reluctantly. On occasion she would disregard the commnd and race for the bedrooms and then the chase was on, She wohd bound from one bedroom to the ather and from a living room chair to the couch. At tines liks this the bxk door would be opened and she would eventually head for her roon in the bsement,

During the five months that Tagalong lived with us her gro:.~th ms recorded pwiodically. She was weighed and measurenents were taken of hm ~irth, height at shoulders, hind foot, ear and horn length. Also her picture was tsksn 2s she stood agsinst a three inzh zrid background. A ccndmsation rtf these records is given in T3'cle 1 as an indication of her growth rats. At jirth her xeight was estimtad at &bout eight pounds aid hzr height zt 16 inches at the s~o~iLders.At 21 veeks she xeighed 5C pounds and neasls3d 25 inches at the shoulders. These periodic neasur~nlntswere discmtinued zt this tiins because she was put in 3. pen and her growth rate risuld nat then 'E coqarable to the period of freedom when she >Jasable to bror~se almst constantly. Her diet was abruptly chang~dfrom a i~idevzriety of 'crowse adgrass plants to alfalfa hsy, oats and scne ;;ilk.

~~-4 Condensation of Tagalongls Growth Rate~~

~~Age Weight in Pounds Xeight at Shoulders Erth 8 (Estimited) 16~~

~~4 Weeks~~

~~7 Weeks~~

Some interesting observations were mid? concerning Tag's feeding. ..'' Upon.arriva1 in ncaptivitylf she was started with a canned goats milk formula bscause according to available literature this most closely resembled ewes milk. Table 2 presents the quantities and types of milk provided. As can bs seen in Table 2 the goats milk was steadily reduced and at the age of four weeks was replaced entirely with canned cows milk. The results of experimenting with her formula indicated that goats milk was too rich and was the min cause of her diarreaha. After the gats milk was eliminated her bowel movgments took on a norm1 pellet shape. Short periods of diarreaha developed later when she started drinking pond uater at about 14 weeks of age and a few weeks lager when she stwted picking up tree ripened apricots and pluns from the orchard.- - 1 Some of the other points of interzst that were recorded concerned her grokrbh and development and are included belou. At about four days of age she had four incisors. At one week she 'had added two more incisors and a day later a pair of molars or ?remolars appeared. The bottom teeth developed faster and before she was two weeks cld she had about one inch of pinding surface, probably two full molar-type teeth. . .4t 14 days she had four sets of ?'able 2

~~Quantiti~sand Qpes of Xilk Pro-~idedin r"orrm1a~~

~~-;pot~dered skim xilk 2 3$ 213 " n - 4 diluted goat~~

~~5 diluted can cots milk 45 - 5+ 3/4 It 2 powdered skim milk~~

~~n u 4 feeclings -,%I24-8---~~

-$ diluted can cows milk 20 - 30 2 " ,- . $ powdered skim 2 feedings 1x3 At Corn Creek the Spring blossoms and later fallen fruit became a favorite food. Just prior to being penned sgspat much of her time brows- ing in the orchard for fallen plums, grass, weeds and leaves without hardly touching the slfalfa hay and oats that were dffered. She spent moonlight nights in the orchard and in the morning there! would be 25 to 30 plum pits near her favorite place on the porch where she had "spit" them out. These had been regurg5tated in the process of chewing her cud. One morning 77 plum pits uere found on the porch as a result of her foreaging the evening before. These plms were from a seedling tree and were about one inch in djlameter with a flat pit a little less than one half inch across. Their reddish skin colored her urine until it 1?2s a burnt orange color. Her fsces would be numerous and soft but 'not runny while eating this fruit. Another observation of induced color shoving up in the digestive tract was nade when she wasten days old. At a friends suggestion, one half teaspoon of soot was added to two successive feedings as a remedy for diarreaha. The soot showed In the feces in six hours and it was 27 hours after the last dose before all 'zace of color was gone. Incidently it was not a remedy. Tagalong's horns dkd not show up until she was two weeks old. These were smll bumps that could be felt at the future location of her horns, 9% bumps gradually enlarged pushing the hair up and into a ilcowlickll that had a "horn-liken appearance. By seven weeks the skin had raised and the hair covering thinned and was worn off. The skin thickened and darkened to a blackish-gray color. By eight weeks the bumps were actually horns one half inch high. At ten weeks, due to shedding of the hair and actual horn d'evelopment, they could be seen in front of the hair tufts of the cowlicks. - Shortly after Tag was 14 weaks old she began rubbing her horns along - -the=s=ide-o-f--the-house ,=ForJs everal-weeks--the--ti.ps-sluff-ed--of f-=in-1ayel1r-s o-- --=- that no growth could bc. recorded. This sluffing my have been an indication of poor feeding in her early development. On July 1 , at 1 5 weeks of age, her horns were'lq inches high and at 21 weeks when she was confined in tly gens they were three inches high. At nine months of age her horns were 4-2 inches Tong. At one yesr they were worn smooth and measured seven inches in length. 1 Tag's hooves were apparently effected by her early diet because they had groim enough at six weeks of age to reveal an indentation encircling each hoof. The line was an equal distance from the hzir line all the way around, These lines, it is believed, developed as a result of not having been fed the day she was picked up thus the growth was rebrded. This condition my be compared with a hunger streak such as is noted on feathers that have developd under similiar conditions. At fourteen weeks her hcoves were grown and worn enoGgh so the line no lcnger showed. If she were living in norm1 terraine ,perhaps thsy r~ouldhave worn off sooner. < ,- , . be growth pattern of the hooves was also interesting. At the heel they dere soft and thin thus folding under when stepped on. To~ardsthe front the hooves thickened and were harded. Ths front of the hooves, therefore, >?ing more resistant to wear gives the false appearance of gror~ingfaster. - Tagalong's unbilical cord was quite visible as a yourg lamb. At ki~ ieeks it kc! broken off to less than an inch and no longer shomd below the hair. This little shriveled cord r-ined until she uas eight and a half weeks old when it fi~wfeU off leaving a sm11 bump.

Tag-along's tempsrature has taken rectally on several occasions. When she uas six weeks old her temperature was 103.5 degrees. This reading ap- prently was her norm1 body tempratwe for it varied only a fraction of a degree at subsequent readings. When laying in the hot sun she would spread out and pant heavily but her terirperature remained relatively constant. When she was small and spent the evenings'with the family she would lay so close to the fireplace that her ha* would scorch. Even at these times her temperature remained at 103 degrees.

Tag did not seem to have any conception of water for at two weeks of age she followed her adopted mother into a pond. She waded until the water came to her chest, gave a jump and swam about three feet to Womn, turned arourid and swan back to shore. When she was older she accompanied the family on their sKias fkolicing along the edge of the pond sometkes going in up to her belly and then leaping abut. When Tagalong got wet and apparently cold she layed with her legs pulled in tightly underneath her seemingly to get or keep them harm.

A number of reflex-like reactions were noted while rais-ing Tag. At two weeks of age it uas discovered that she would consistantly lower her hind quarters and spread her legs when stroked on her lower belly between her hind legs. Another reaction was the stomping of her foot. Tag was first seen to stomp a front foot and lower her head in a scolding or butting fashion at about five weeks when a neighbors srnall dog became curious and apprached------he~=Such=a-sco-1~-nggpa-tte~n-appared---la-ter-on-simi~iar~ons. Tail wagging was another response. At a week Tag-along's tail would wag when her adopted mother spoke to her. Incidently she seemed to like ' her head, neck and rump scratched but was indifferentto'petting. She definitely didn't like to be picked up, hugged or to have her legs confined. Still another reflex-like reaction appeared at about two weeks of age. She would raise her hind leg in a scratching motion when scratched along the neck much in the mnner of a dog's reaction to scratching. Later. this reaction &came harder to produce until after a few months it was no longer obse~ed. One mannerism still prevails and is most welcome; Tagalong ba-a-as and. "talks" to us when she sees us. -

On July 28, 1963, Tagalong's picture appeared on the cover of The Nevadan for the Las Vegas Review Journal as Miss. Mountain Sheep of 1963. Today she welcomes the visitors to Oorn Creek when they come to view the penned sheep.

~~CALIFORNIA'S BIG G- PROBLEM PRESENT AND FUTURE - by William P. Dasmann ~ivisionof Range and Wildlife . . u.' S. Forest Service~~

Big game species (other than deer) in California have been somewhat neglected. There is only £ragmentaryereported information on the status, life histofy, current needs and problems for bighorn -sheep, bear, cougar, and wild pig. Elk-and antelope have receiyed somewhat more attention. The need to base s2ecial hunting seasons for these animals -on sound information, has led to annual census and'c~m~ositioncounts of antelope in northeastern California and of the Tule elk in &ens Valley. More recently the Roosevelt elk has come into the limelight. But, by and large, there has not been much spent, in either time or money, on the 'rarer big game species.

~~You may ask, why have they been neglected?, Department of Fish and Game~~

--- ____ -perso,nnel-should agree with me -if I answer: The retilrn-tp-the-s-p~rts~e-n~ _ -__ - from investigations of these specigs would. be so limited, the State has not thought it advisable to undertake such studies. This brings us right down to.'the basic philosophy of the hunting license dollar;

Back in the late forties the Department of Fish and Game supported a biologist association. This association held annual meetings to hear reports on cueent projects and discuss results. The biologist association meetings were often marked by lively discussions. One subject that divided the association into two groups was the basic philosophy already alluded to: One group maintained: (1) that the wildlife belonged to -all the people in this State; (2) that the Department of Fish and Game was-established to administer this resource for all- the people; (3) that the State imposes a privilege tax (hunting license) upon those who wish to take part of the resourde; (4) that, in order to insure financing for the Department, the State. Legislature has ruled that this license money should go into a Fish and Gke -Preservation Fund. (5) A1though the Department is financed largely by the tax on hunters and fishermen, it does not follow that the Department is working for this limited class of people. The wildlife resource still- belongs to,and should be managed for, all the people of the State This, essentially was t'ne argument put forth by the first group. Legally and academically this psition was sound. But, the other side had a less involved answer, namely:-the sportsmen are pying the bill. Therefor, ve are -mrking for the sportsmen and should only spend their mnies in ways tinat will directly. . benefit the sportsmen.

As I said, the first group was acdemically correct, but the second group were realists. For, in those days the sportsmen were the only sizeable .group of people who were actively interested in the resource. If the Department didn't work primarily to keep the sportsmen happy their pressure could result in legislative' enactments that would quickly bring the Departnent around. Yes. The second group had the right approach for that time.

But, that tire is gone, I think, forever. The balance of power is shifting. Other groups, well-organized end both popular and vocal, are stepping onto the stage. The organized sportsmen, who now usually work shoulder to shoulder with the Department of Fish and Game on all major programs, are baffled and put off by legislators who have other groups to please as well. They find themselves blocked and in danger of losing ground to united hmne fronters, protectionist leagues, garden clubs and women s clubs.

~~At the lest year's meeting of the Association of Western Fish~~

- ad- -- --&me -.- @~issi_gns,the general them of the program =s : .- -- 'As Others See Us!" Speaker after speaker stressed the necessity for broadening the base of support for fish and game departments. They stressed the need to recognize that others besides 3srren , have an ihterest in the wildlife resource. Thy&t -.-- the need for gaining the support of such grou~sas the Audubon- Society, the Wilderness Sxiety, yes, and even the women's clubs, by broadening the programs so as to serve all the people who have an interest in the resource. It is my personal conviction, that the handwriting is already on the wall.. I know the Forest Service is feeling the impact of increased interest by the public in the magement of public resources. We have had to change emphasis in places and have to consider all angles every time we move. It looks like fish and garre departments will need to shift rapi$ly to what once seemed an academic philosophy. Else there is danger their powers will diminish, and, there is danger they may be replaced by new agencies that are geared to the , teniper of the times. All of which leads me to believe that there is more hope today for the bighorn, bear, cougar and wild-pie than there was yesterday. For, it is most probable that the interested peo~le of this State are much Inore concerned about the statas and well-being of the rarer species (rather than the most co~hon)and will denand that these receive more attention. So, let us review what is known about the big game specjes (other than deer) in C-lifornia, and what my be their problems - present and future.

Let's talk about Bighorn sheep. In 1931, Ober reported his obsenrati.on on populations and trends of mountain sheep. He estimated there were less than 3,000 head in the State, but believed the population had not greatly changed since 1890. Robinson and Cronemiller (1954) investigated the habitat of the Nelson bighorn (0.- -C. -nelsoni)- in the San Gabriel Mmntains. They estimated the entire San Gabriel herd at 160 head with young animals predominating. They thought the herd might be increasing. Jones (1950) mde a six month field survey of the California bighorn (0.- -C. californiana) i~ the Sierra Nevada. He delineated ranges, reported observations on life history and food habits and estimated a total population of 390 head from Convict Creek to Glenville. Jones, Flittner and Gard (1957) made a one month survey of the Fenisula bighorn (0.- -C. cremnobalis) in the Santa Rosa Mo~mtainsin 1953. These investigators estimated there were 350 animals in the Santa ------.------RwFr,UD t-ai--f r~PE-*eS-i-aaaaSpriin~ G-nyon.nSoutlh-.-- A-1m ewe ratio of only 183100 was reported. It was pointed out that mgnitude of lamb survival probably was tied "a precipitation. A shortage of green feed my preclude ovulation: it my cause prenatal death, or early postnatal mortality. A shortage of water and green feed ray result in inadequate quality or quantity of milk in ewes that are suckling lambs, as well as lack of green forage for weaned lambs. Competition with adults for water when in short supply, was listed as another possible cause of lamb mortality.

A water hole count and ypulation e'stimate of bighorn in Death Valley was nsde by the National Park Service in 1033, 1938, 1933 and ,1955 (~elles1961). The total populatjon was estimated at :261 in 1955. The Fark Service has also rrade counts in the Joshua Tree Rational Monument. The population was estimated at 150 in 1955 (~uechner1$0). Buechzer (1%0) made an extemive survey of the bighorn shee; i:: the hited States. He used estimates of Califoraia ppulatior,~compiled largely by Jones. He reyorted. there were bet-~een1, p00 and 2,100 Desert bighorn and 390 California bighorn, or e total of xp to 2,500 head in t5is State. ?e re~ortedthat the range of the Sierra Nevada bighorns was generally adequate, but that there wss a problem during severe winters when sheep had to compete with large numbers of deer on concentration areas. He also stated that the Ssn Gabriel herd eppeared to have increased to a level where it ms damging its range.

Ralph and Florence Welles (1961) conducted-an intensive study of the Death Valley bighorn. They estimated the ppulation on the mnument at a minimum of 600 head, which is considerably above a NPS estimate of 261 in 1955. Their investigation indicated that water xas .the limiting factor on Death Valley sheep range. The usurpation of water by campers or miners inevitably leads to disappearance of bighorns from all the territory, the use of which is dependent upon that water. In addition to these reported studies, Departwnt of Fish and Gsme personnel, especially the habitat improvement team working in the southeastern deserts, have accumulated considerable unpublished information about ranges and nurdbers; also, they have carried out a considerable program of water development to improve habitat for sheep. The Iksert Bighorn Sheep Council was established in 1957. This group holds a~ualmeetings to hear reports on the bighorn in the western States. It has provided a valuable forum for those interested in the species and has resulted in stimulating interest in filling the blanks about life history of the animal and status and condition of the sheep and their ranges.

------To sum.up then: There has been no intensive survey of the status of the b.igi;-ornin California:- but, -i5 would -6 thet bighorn sheep populatioas are at present holding their own or increasLng. The bighorns have benefited on public lands by reduv regulation of livestock grazing and by the deeline- in homesteaders. and prospectors. The desert populations would benefit from additional water developments and fromgn expanded supply of green feed. The Sierra Nevada population would benefit from a- decrease of competition by deer for winter foragy All races of the species are sensitive to human activity and..will give . up watering places and range where this is common. .Although limited, well regulated hunting of surplus rams can be beneficial - to static herds (as has been shown in other western states); in California the sheep is considered more valuable for esthetics and, no huntibg of the species is planned.

The greatest-danger the future holds for the sheep is the Qccelerating invasion of deseft areas by human habitatioxs and by recreationist seeking escape from city pressures. Although most of the subdividing and cabin building is confined to valleys and lower foothills, the demand for water from a very limited supply and the general step-up in human activities can cause serious conflicts. The species will be best off where national parks, national monuments or national forest wilderness areas assure it protection from motor travel and mass recreationists. Where important herds are butside of such areas, other means of protection should be considered. Some of the Department of Fish and Game requests for withdrawal of public domain lands as national cooperative land and wildlife areas have no doubt, been made with that in mind.

Now for Antelope. McLean reported in 1944 on the pronghorned antelope in California. He outlined summer and winter range and published the first aerial antelope counts. The census indicated total populations of 3,752 in 1943 and 1944. McLean, who had engaged in ground census work previous to the adoption of aerial suroeys, believed that the pronghorns were definitely on the increase and were gradually infiltrating their former ranges. Post World War Two census work has not borne out this optimistic prediction. Antelope counts have never since reach& the 1944 high of 6,147. They fluctuated around the 4,000 level until 1952, when they dropped to 2,000 level and ------haxe=;remaineLaro- -- unh=this=magniLude--ev ers ince,=heLfar_tox to be considered in the apparent sharp decline in population was the formation of the interstate antelope committee. Representa- tives of Oregon, Idaho, Nevada and California game departments were called together to form this Committee by the Pittman- Robertson Branch of the Fish and Wildlife Service in 1949. The original objective of the committee was to coordinate State census work and to eliminate duplication in counts of interstate herds that frequently crossed State boundary lines. Subsequent estimate adjustments may account for part of the drop in population estimates, but not all. Hjersman and his associates made a two year study of antelope and reported that where range was good, antelope were flourishing, but that some winter ranges were badly depleted. Range depletion was thought to be the cause of .the antelope decline. The Interstate Antelope Committee meets annually to hear reports on present condition and trend of the antelope populations. Perhaps one of the more penetrating analysis of the antelope situation was-made at one of the Committee meetings in 1959. In his paper on Climate, Range and Antelope, Deming pointed out that tree ring chronology indicates that in Western North America, the inte&al since i870 has been generally marked by a drought. Tree ring stadies in Arizona reveal the drought is more severe there than any since the late 1200s. Deming pointed out that-the antelope in northeastern California and eastern Oregon is living on the outer periphery of its range and, that minor changes in the ecology of th&t area my create a mjor disturbance to the species:

To sum up for antelope. The State population apparently fell from the 4,000 level to the 2,000 level after the severe winter of 1951-52 and has never bounced back. It appears to be up against a population ceiling at the present time. There is strong possibility that heavy livestock grazing during the war years, coupled with a long period of drought, brought about range depletion, particularly on winter ranges. Since the California range tends to be mrginal, at best, such ecological changes could be basic to the present low numbers. As with bighorn sheep, the antelope's ;problem is the increasing hurran population. Although humsn activities are not increasing as fast in hssen and Modoc Counties as in some parts of the State, there are significant changes going on that interfere with the wide ranging antelope: more fences, more tme conversion, mre highways, more homes; less free range for the antelope to wander. &though this animal may benefit from range improvement, and my rerain in remnant population on national forest and public domain, the future does not look bright for anything but a small herd in California.

------hd, how about elk? It is the policy of the California Fish and Gane Commission to rraintain the present elk herds primarily for esthetic enjoyment. There is not - much to be foundin recent literature about the elk of California. Th61eeElk (which. sox people think should rank as a vanishing species) has - received the most attention. This results from the fact it was introduced outside of its native range into Cwens Valley in 1933. Here it was originally welcomed with open arms but, within 10 years was in trouble with the'ranchers. This is a common experience with elk introductions. A total of about 46 animals were released in 1933 - 34, part of them from Yosemite National Park and part from the Button Yillow Elk Refuge in the lower San Joaquin Valley. Ten years later the first special hunt was held and 43 bulls were taken from a herd censused

at 189: ' In 1949, the second hunt yielded a total of 107 animals - from a herd censused at 600 , but subsequently (after the hunt) censused at only 153. 2-11952 after considera5le uproar fron various human interests in &ens Valley, a managexient plan was hamered out by the Eqartnent of Fish and Game that was acceptable to all interests. It -2s asgreed to hold the herd between 125 and 275 head. Whenever the annual aerial census indicated the herd had increased above 275, a hunt would be held to reduce number to the 125 level. Since the inception of this management plan, which was amended by the Fish and Game Comission in 1961 to set the population limits between 250-300 (rather than 125-275), three hunts have been held. In 1955, 144 elk were taken, and in 1961,-40 elk were removed by hunters and, hun-ers took 59 head in 1962. The last census (1963) yielded a total of 308 head.

The people will have to decide on the future of the Tule Elk in California. There is a small herd of around 60-70 head on private land in Yolo and Colusa Counties. Another 30 head or so are maintained on the Button Willow Elk State Park. And, then there is the owens' Valley Herd. This herd ranges largely on the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power lands. The city leases these lands for livestock grazing - hence the conflict. If a higher number of elk is-wanted in Owens Valley, some arrangement will need to be worked out to reduce livestock grazing in favor of elk.

Although the Department of Fish and Game has collected data on food habits, reproduction, parasitism and disease from the elk taken during special hunts in Owens Valley, the first ------*------~nt-lve s tudyhaas-3ih-y rec Ei tlYbbeen-T-i=t i3t edab7-thF -- University of California: It is hoped this study will give some answers in regard to future management needs for the Tule Elk.

The Roosevelt Elk is close to home here in Humboldt County. The first legal hunt since 1883 occurred here last year. Bill. Graf made an extensive survey of the Roosevelt Elk and concluded that poaching was one of the chief limiting factors. The Roosevelt Elk is in a different category from the Tule. This Elk is hardly in the vanishing species category. Although Murie, in his Elk of North America, indicated the Roosevelt Elk in California existed only in low numbers, Joe Harn, as the result of a study that is long overdue for publishing, estimated the 1956-57 population in California at aroilnd 1,500 head. The last report I have read gave the 'total poptilation in Worth America at 40,000 animals.

The Department of Fish and Game has been collecting elk inter- mittently since around 1949 at the Fr&& Creek State Park in order to keep this park herd in rough balance with its food supply. Although the prairie was in rough shape (and elk mortality was high) before this coliection program was initiated, with better rranagement both the prairie and the calf crop has taken a turn for the better. So far as published studies go, this about buttons it up for the Roosevelt Elk in California. It is true there were some e&rly, fragmentary and inconclusive investigations. Also, the lkpartment of F5sh and Same does make herd counts and range condition checks, but these are not in published form. Eowever, it appears the Roosevelt Elk is on the increase, probably as a result of the increased amount of cutove:. land and .a decreased pressure by poachers. It would appear, also,.that a sizeable herd can be mintained in northwestern ~nliforniain the future, provided that reasonable effort is made to keep populations in balance with the other uses of the land. The elk does have the propensity to get into serious trouble with forestry and agriculture when get out of hand. Vise rranagenent should be able to take care of this (if the humane fronter's don't get too strong! ) and insure a place for the Roosevelt Elk in California's future.

But we are not done with elk, yet. There is a herd of introduced Rocky huntain Elk along the Fit Rfver near Squaw Creek that my number 200-300 head. The only management it has had to date is that provided by irate ranchers. Also, some years ago, it was estirrated there was about 75 head of Rocky Mountain Elk (escapees from the Hearst ~anch)in the Santa hcia Mountains in Mcnterey County. The Depzrtment of Fish and Garce has collected unpublished data on both herds. But, I am not able to report

- YY ----- on-%hi-s- mere-rlay-be--roo&--the -for -elk- at--these ---- locations, but, I believe their future would be better assured if the animals were brought under rranagement. . . ,/ That leaves us with bear, mountain lions and wild pigs. he^ mountain lion is classed as a predator in California but so are African lions predators and yet, they are still considered big game. The hunter that bags a lion in this State becomes a sort of local hero. So, I em including the cougar in this report. McLean (1954) reported his observations on the momtain lion in Celifornia and gave the kill records from 1907 to 1950, based on number of animals bountied. During-that period the State paid bounties on about 10,500 lions, or an average of 240;a year. McLean estirrated the State population was about 600 and vas holding its own or possibly gaining slightly. His estimtes were based on kill records. However, subsequent bounty records do not confirm McLeanls prediction. The five year average fell to 171 after 1953, and 127 after 1958. How much of this fall off xas due to a de-emphasis of maqtain lion control by State officers, I can not guess. KO-dever, the decline may well have led to the pressure on the Legislature in 1963 that resulted in removal of the bounty on lion for a four year period.

Tnere is a place in California's future for the munixin lion. We get intermittent reprts of sightings of a muntain lion ' -on Yiunt Tamslpias behind my home. We are not sure whether it i6.a police dog, bobcat or cougar. But, we like to think there's a lion up there. Of course, when a lion or lions start bothering livestock, there will be need for local control meesures. But, I think we can epre them a few deer in this State - in fact, we can spre 8 lot of deer! I know that rmn, who is the greetest predator, is Jealous of coqeting predators. But, the muntain lion '(if not pressed too hard by professional Bon hunters) will continue to take care of itself.

The black bear is a fairly comn game animal in California. A few years ago it was reported there were bears up to your chin in Humboldt County. The tree damage that provoked so much furor in 1953 and 1955 has apparently slacked off and Hwnboldt's year-long hunting seeson is no more. In my hurried search, I find very little late literature on California bear. The Department of Fish and Gme hes done some rsrking studies ------butynon?rof -th-i-s-RES-b-e en;=pGcili-s hed- toomy-knouZ~dge~------

~~A bear tag law was passed by the Legislature in 1957. This has given us an opportunity to check on trends in kill. This trend has declined since 1959 from 1,016 to, perhaps, -700 in 1963.~~

But, since 70-75 percent of the reported bear kill occurs during deer seasons, some of the decline in take my result from the more conservative bear hunting seasons starting in 191. However, bear were reported in great evidence in 1961, particularly in the southern part of the State. It was reported that a berry shortage drove bears to invade mountain cabins and the sdller towns in search of food. One was shot.in the streets of Orinda in the suburbia just back of the .Berkeley ~iiis.

. < ...- .. . - . - There seems to be need to determine the status of bear in California and to learn a little more about its life history and ~inagenentproblems. For instance, when is the best hunting season? Ten years ago there were relatively few regldar bear hunters in this State. Ikst of the take was (and still is) incidental to deer hunting azd, at a the of year xhen the bear is not prime. \'ore rece~tlythere is a rapidly ex-pnding group of homd dog bear i;zters ir. Celi.fornia. As time goes on we may be able to afford 'tear hwting seasofis at a time more favorable to 30th Lear and kear h~nters(in the wa;: of a prime axinal). I.:ear.whtle, the esthetic interest in bear is slxays present. Tnere -dill be a growing reed for vjse ranagenent of this animl to keep confltcts within a tolerable lwei and still provide the sport and esthetic de-mnd that is on the increase.

Ge are-in the last round! This is about wild pigs. Russian bar vere introduced into the Carml Valley in the 1920s and spread into the Santa Lucia IrIountains. The introductio? was successful. They have multiplied and expanded their range greatly since that time. In 1962 the Los Fadres National Forest reported an estimated population of 9 pigs and, a hunter 5ag of 100. It is believed the population estinate is conservative. But, there is nothing nuch reported about them in the literature of this State. We know fron experience- .-- all-- over- the vorld that . once wild pigs are established, it is slmst imnossible to eradicate them. Hence, we can assum these animils will be with us in the future. !Je knov also, that wild pjgs are svvnor?omus with agricultural damage where wild range is adjacent to agricultural lands. It is reported that some ranches are suffering pig de~redationat the present tlme and, only the future will tell how serious this will becone and, what measures ray be needed to renedy the problem. The Ins hdres Rat:or;al

_-__ 2cresLpersonneLdo-- not rewrt any serious dama~eor_conflicts - - - - involving pFgs on their extensive range. They seem proud of their pigs. That is about all I kavc to reprt. Let's en3 this report. with the old maxim! "E&sI S pigs." - - , --I-- I thank you. krning, 0. 71. 1959. Climate, range and a~telpge. ?'ransac t: ons o T 1nters:at.e Antelope Cbnference, 195?. ?p. 37-64

~~Buechner, Helmut K. 1%. The bighorn sheep in the United States, its past, present and future; ilildlife !@nograph No. 4; 174 pp.~~

~~Jones, Fred L., Glenn Flittner and %chard Gard 1957. Report on a sunrey of bighorn sheep in the Santa Rosa bbuntains; Calif. Fish L. Tame, 43(3): 173-1p.~~

~~Jones, Fred L. 1950. A survey of the Sierra Nevada bighorn; Sierra Club Bulletin, June 1950~~

~~t.kLean, Donald D. 1944. The pronghorn antelope in California; Calif. . Fish & Game, 30(4) : 221-2L1~~

~~1954. bbuntain lions in California: CFErL; 40: 2): 147-166~~

~~1931. The muntain sheep of CalSfornia; Calif. Fish E Game, 17(1): 27-35!~~

~~Robinson Cyril S. &Fred P. Cronemiller 1.951- Notes an the habitat of the desert bighorn on -.'- the San Gabriel F~untainsof California: Calif. Fish & Game, b(3): 267-271.~~

~~UelPes, Ralph E. and Florence B. . 1%~.The bighorn of Death Valley. Rational Park Service Fauna Series No. 6, 242. po.~~

~~Bakker, Gerhard 1g1. History of the California tvle elk. Ios Angeles - City College Press. 7 p.~~

~~1955. The Owens Valley elk herd; Ocltdoor Ci2lifornia; 16(1): 6 -8~~

THE------UESEAT BI----- GHOW - . . Greg- 00s fl,,bold+ S-tctc C. Ile 3' e /3 rqtc, Ci /, PC,-ire - Few people have seen a desert bighorn sheep, and fewer yet have . . studied it. Until very recent times, little factual information has bzen published on the bighorn sheep, and it is today one of the least known of

Nor-th American big game animals. To most people familiar with it, the bighorn is something special - it stands by itself, so to speak. Found in scenic, rugged, primitive terrain, the bighorn sheep is the e?itone of wilderness.

~~It is only in the last decade that factual knowledge on the desert~~

~~bighorn has started to accumulate. Glith the initiation of the annual meetings~~

in the move to learn as much as possible about the desert bighorn sheep. The major part of this article is drawn from the transactions of these meetings as they represent a large portion of the knowledge thst has been gathered to date. The desert bighorn sheep are a relatively new addition to the

~~fauna of North America. Their ancestors are thought to have emigrated from~~

~~Asia to North America on the Bering land bridge which existed between the two~~

~~continents during the middle Pleistocene, about 300,000 years ago. Several~~

~~theories ha"e bedn proposed to explain the southward migration of the big-~~

~~horn in North America. McTagjart connor nor, 19G1) contends the bighorn ar-~~

~~rived during interglacial periods, and when the ice sheets again formed, the~~

~~+ bighorn wzs pushed south. Deming (1962) be1 ieves the bighorn s! ipped south~~

~~between the Cordillerian and Keewatin ice centers after the continental ice~~

~~sheets were formed. At any rate, ---Ovis canadensis worGed his way south during~~

~~- this period, along the mountain ranges where the most favorable habitat~~

~~was to be found. When the ice retreated, drier climates isolated the big-~~

~~horn in the muntain ranges where some remnants of past habitat conditions~~

~~------were-to=be-=found-in-an-i-ncreas-i-ngly--hotter and-drier southwest;-- T-hen- even------;-.~~

many of these areas became dry and barren so that the bi horn had to-adapt ./ to the changing environment. These adaptations, differing slightly with the different regions, produced the subspecies of the ancestral -Ovis -cana- densi s, which today are col lect ively termed deskrt bighorn.

~~The desert bighorn are today found in somewhat localized areas in~~

~~many parts of their primitive range which includes southeastern California,~~

~~z r-. Nevada, south.ern Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, western Texas, Baja California - .- ,and ~l>rthernkxico. Today their number as well 2s their ran?e is much reduced from its former extent.~~

The Nelson bizhorn, 0.- -- c. ---rtelsoni ---, is found in the desert mountain ranzes of southeastern Calif~rnia,southern :Jevada, and northwestern Arizona. The Hexican bighorn, 0. c. mexj-czs, inhabits tile arid nountai ns of Sonorz

~~and Chihuahu?, Nexico, southern New Mexico ;nd ;;rizona, znd western Texas.~~

~~The Baja California bighorn, -__------0.c. cremnobates 8 is found in northern Baja~~

~~California, Mexico, and in southernmost California. The Weems desert bighorn,~~

~~0. c. weemsi, inhabits the Sierra de la Giganta of Baja Cal ifornia, Mexico.~~

~~The terrain occupied by the desert bishorn is principally one of~~

~~arid, rugged desert mountain ranges. Many of these ranges consist of rela-~~

~~tively recently upfaulted blocks of Paleozoic limestone, shale snd sandstone,~~

~~intrusions of granite masses or batholiths, or in some cases, of volcanic~~

~~origin. Lack of precipitation has resulted in relatively little erosion on~~

~~these recently-formed mountains. Where erosion has occurred, it has 2ouged~~

~~deep canyons and steep washouts, the scanty vegetation being unable to check~~

~~the runoff. Consequently, these desert ranqes often rise precipitously from~~

~~--- - _the - -d-e s-ezt-f- l ~OKIt, h-s t e ep rocky _~_~op~,>r~o~d_eep-~yo_n-~,_a-nrl _1-_-__a r en e r a 1 high relief pattern characterizing the terrain. In some cases, the tops of~~

~~the mountains form broad, gently undulating slopes or mesas. The desert~~

~~bighorn are most often found near the mst precipitous areas as the cliffs~~

~~and ledges offer them their chief escape element.~~

~~The life zones of the desert bighorn ranges include the lower sonoran,~~

~~upper sonoran, and transition zones. The bighorn inhabits the lower sonoran~~

~~life zone in the greater part of Yts southern and extern range (gendt, 1957)~~

~~(ogren, 1957), but often inhabits upper sonoran and transition 1 ife zones in Nevada and California (!!eaver, 1957).~~

~~Plant associations represented iaclude creosote bush, joshua, pinon-~~

~~juniper, and yellow rine. In many zress, the desert bi$orn seen to favor~~

~~an upper joshua 2nd pi "on-juni per ty?es (i l~!os.;, 1357) (I'enncrly, 1957:. I n~~

~~167 parts of Arizona, New Ilexico, northern Mexico and Baja California, particu-~~

~~larly arid conditions prevail to shift the relative proportions of vegetative~~

~~. . types to the drier associations.~~

~~Correlations between the desert bighorn and the life zones is quite~~

~~variable over its range,and from one mountain system to another, varying with~~

~~differential weather factors and habitat characteristics. An example of~~

~~this is to be seen in Cal iiorni a where the chaparral be1 t keeps the bi 2horn~~

~~below 4,000 feet in the lower sonoran in the Santa Rosa mountains, while the~~

~~chaparral belt on the San Gabriel mountains keeps the bighorn above the 5,000~~

~~foot elevation in transitional forest (Lewis, 1930). - In otner areas, local~~

~~distribution is affected by such things as water distribution, terrain type~~

~~interspersion, and forage characteristics.~~

~~The overall climate of desert bighorn habitat can easi ly be summed- -~~

------up I n the wor d-' 'dF7''T-PrZci pi-t-at-i-v at i e-s-f rom -year-fc-wrTiKdafh~hou t the bighorn's range, with some mountains in California and Nevada receiving _------the highest amounts, and Baja Cal ifornia and parts -of/ southern- ~fizonaand

Mew Mexico the lowest. Most areas rece-Lve only a few inches a year. The Cabeza Prieta Game 9ange in Arizona has averased qbout 3 - 5 inches in recent \ years (~ennedy,1957). Death Val ley .is we1 1 known for. its dry conditions.

Other regions may receive up to about 13 inches of rain, which is still dry, especially'6hen much of the rain cones durinq the winter. Such a climzte represents*an'-extremein climates where often a delicate biotic bzlance is the 1 result. The desert bi &:horn has becone we1 1 adj2ste.j to the 1sr:cr asoects

~~of this cl inate. However, such a climate often exhibits ;rest yearly devia-~~

~~tions from the "nornal" conditions, and it is often these .!e?arturcs from the climatic mean which have significant effects on the bighorn, and on all desert fsuna and i'lora (I'lonson, 1950).~~

The desert bi ghorn is a stocky heavy-bodi ed sheep, an even-toed ungulate. Standing approximately 36 inches at the shoulder and measuring between 40 and 50 inches-long, the adult desert bighorn weighs about 120

~~1 bs., with large rams. sometimes reaching as high as 200 1 bs. (Jonez, 1958)~~

~~The pelage is a pale buff color, and is not wooly but rather coarse and long. k characteristic white rump patch surrounds the short black tai 1.~~

~~The abdomen, the back of the forelegs and inside the hind limbs are also~~

~~lighter in color than the rest of the animal. . . The ears are comparatively small, the bighorn relyin~ little on them for warning of danger. Instead, it depends primarily~~

~~The hoof pads are tough and rubber-like with shock-absorbing qualities..~~

~~The best known character of the desert bighorn, one which makes it 2 highly~~

~~desirable game animal, is the set of massive, curling horns of the rams. Up~~

~~to.15 or 16 inches around the base, they taper sharply toward the tip, measur-~~

~~ing up to 30 inches or mre around the curl. Both sexes develop horns soon~~

~~after birth, with horn growth continuing more or less throuchout life. In the~~

~~ram, the"horns grow relatively fast, and may reach a length of 12 inches in one~~

~~year. ~ubs&~uentgrowth becomes progress ively slower wi th i ncrezs i ng age.~~

~~The ewe's horns grow more slowly, reachins a lenzth of about 7 inches in-one~~

~~year, and about 12 inches in 4 - j ?ears, after which growth is relatively~~

~~As wi ti1 o:her zspects ~f bi ;horn 1 ife, reproriuction is affecte? by the desert climate. The rut occurs during the late summer snd early fall.~~

In this way most lambs are dropped during Feb'ruary - March when most succulent new-growth vegetation is available. The cjestation period. for bighorn has not been studied and apparently the only figures to be found are 173 - 175 days, obtained from penned desert bighorn on the Desert ~ameRange ans sen,

~~1952). A1 though lambing may occur on any part of the range, many areas have~~

"larnbi ng grounds", regions of very rugged terrai n where most ewes go to have thzi r 1 ambs year after year (Kel ly, l%l). Most lambs are born from January to June, the majority during February and March anse sen, 1352) (Kelly, 1951).

~~Single lambs are the rule, twins being very rare. Not all ewes have lambs.~~

On the Desert Game Range, ewe:lamb ratios from 1948 to l9;l ranged From 100:71 to 100:88 ans sen, 1952). These ratios were determined from spring lamb counts on the ratio of total ewes to wet and presnant ewes. On the - drier------Kofa-- Game --Range in Arizona, the ewe:lamb ratio from 1958 to 1962 varied ------. - . ------=------= from 100:24 to 100:50. These ratios probably represent the restrictive

nature of the envi rbrirnent (Eust i s, 1962). Ewes and 1 ai$s+Sf~band.s-. /' nhen the lambs are able to get around. Lambs are weaned at about the age of six months. 'i The mortality of lambs is high. The majority which die succumb before 4 - 5 months of age. After this age, bighorn survival is good up until - old age a an sen, 1951) a el ly, 1951). Most lamb mortality can be attributed r: to disease, internal-disorders, pneumonia and some accidents. Predator loss . . . . 9 is thought to be negligible. There are complex interrelationships between

~~~limateand the above listed factors which are little understood. Cn the~~

~~jesert Game Range, Deming points out that years with clear, mi13 spring dzys showed hipher lamb survival than years witn cloudy cold sprins days, with~~

~~exposure and nutritional deii ci enci es renderi n:i tile 1 snbs more suscc?t i bl c to~~

~~disease and parasites a an sen, 19i0). The Desert S;me 2znse estimatzs sn average 50% lamb survival for a period of several years v~hen observations~~

~~were made. Such low breedin2 potential and lamb survivzl make for slow pop-~~

~~ulation increase in the desert bighorn species. . The sex ratio of desert bighorn approaches a 1 ram to 1.5 ewes ratio~~

~~over much of its range. During one 28 month study, the average sex ratio~~

~~was observed to be 1 ram to 1.65 ewes (kldous, 1957). Sex ratios vary from~~

~~year to year, but stay fairly constant. On the Desert Game Range, however,~~

~~the observed ram:ewe ratio had dropped from 41.2:58.8 to 25.9:74.1 from 1955~~

~~to 1961. The reasons have not been determined a an sen, 1952). Desert bighorn do not ~enerallyaggrezate into mixed groups except~~

~~------durrj_ng=.=thuut_~i_ng;;season,~ A to-ther - tihes_,-the=_ewer,-1 arnbs--and=yes-~~

~~group together. The rams ~lsousually rjroug into small bands. Therc are~~

~~exceptions .at a1 1 times of the year when ram-ewe pairs andsingles arc seen~~

~~(Devan, 1953).~~

~~Movements of desert bi 3horn are restricted prirnari 1 y to dai 1 y activ-~~

~~ity and some local~seasonalmovenents. tiisrations over long distances do not~~

~~often occur, a1 thoush occasional ly the bighorn wi 11 move from 'one mountzi n~~

~~ran3e to another. Local seasonal movements arc in the naturz of ,radusl shifts~~

~~i ri. levation. These movements nay rcsul t iron physical :!i scomfort he to~~

~~temperature, or thc.loss of body water wit!^ lcw humidit-y, or both. On some~~

~~nountai n ranTSs, re1 ief frm nett is sousl~t 2t the hi3her clevati~nshri n:~~

~~the summer. Some rnoi:nt2ir, r??:es sre :xrt Ilil-!: cnou~hto cl::or-! nuch rzl ie:~~

~~' from heat, si, shzde and breeze ;:re 5:7u:ht. L :w iiuni I t;l ?rr~SibI.~~czuses more movement in summer than high temperatures. In t!le winter 2nd snrin-;,~~

~~a 3'radual movement to lower elevations is f-~und. T;:e CiuGi labi 1 i ty c.T forzle~~

~~at different elevations at different seasons of ;he year nay clsc be L ;actor~~

~~inducing bighorn mvenents. Repeated sisht observations indicate a normally~~

~~resident population which wi 11 move when pressed (Me1 les, 1957). The~~

~~majority of movements are daily wanderings'. Bighorn may travel to water,~~

~~food, mineral 1 icks, or to take she1 ter (aevan, 1958). Little novcriicl~toc -~~

~~curs at night, and then usually only on noonlisht nizhts.~~

~~Playing is wst often found among the lambs,and yesrlin5s, slthc~uih~~

~~jousts between older animals take place.~~

~~Vhen bedding down, the bighorn usually paw out a-be?. Durinq the~~

~~day, several beds may be made, each o'ccupied up to an hour or more. ;:t~~

~~night probably only one bed is made and is somet imes gsed for more thzn one~~

~~night (~evan, 1958).~~

~~known that the number of food plant species is~~

~~plant distribution and plant chemical and moisture contents. To list all~~

~~species eaten by the desert bighorn would be impractical. The range is too~~

~~great. Stomach samples taken in New Mexico showed grasses, cactus, mountain~~

-mahogany, si lktassel , sotol and asave to be mst important (Ogrzn, 1958). In : r..- . Arizona the scarcity of rain results in so fev~annuals tI;at the riainstay nf - .. .__ bi$orn food is thorny and s?iny vegetative types. ;.non~ the favor=: s?cc:c.-

~~arc i ronweed, palo verde, rnesqui tc, cat claw and coifec->erry. Grasses taken -Bebbia- sp., desert holly, and honey sweet zre species which bighorn utilize~~

~~regularly on the Death Valley National Honument ('Jelles, 1957). &bj.ia sp.~~

~~and mountain mahogany seen to have much use over much of the rznge where~~

~~they occur. The roles of preference, availability, and requirements Jre~~

~~1 i-ttle !mown as re~ardsthe desert bighorn. On the Desert Game Range, grass~~

~~is the one most often use3 throughout the year.~~

~~The role of free water in the life of tne bighorn is also not well~~

~~knob~n. Desert bi 3horn vi si t the desert waterholes with variable intensi ty,~~

~~some bighorn apparently never utilizin.2 water holes while others frequent~~

~~sprinns an3 tanks quite replarly. Most water use occurs during the iayli;iit~~

~~hours. No corrolstion has Seen found between tempersture and waterins~~

~~activity (~oplin,1950). !latering seems to be most regular when the vegeta-~~

~~tion is dry. With any precipitation, bighorn use of water holes usually~~

~~stops until the dry conditions again prevail, so that the bighorn tend to~~

~~become more scattered with increased moisture conditions. '~~

~~Desert bighorn competitors can be classified into three zroups:~~

~~Natural competitors, introduced competitors, an3 man. Rabbits, rodents and~~

~~deer are examples of natural conpetitors. Con?etition from rabbits 2nd rodents~~

~~is thought to be minor. Competition from deer has been stujied in r!ew Mexico's~~

~~Big Hatchet mountains and on the Desert.GaneRange where it was found that~~

~~i nrsone cases deer were competing for much of the bi ;horn iiet (Gordon, 1557)~~

~~(~onez,19:;O) (Ggren, 1958). As o rule, however, deer cornget i :ion is nc,t c::-~~

~~tensive and most often occurs in the vicinity of free wster.~~

~~Conpeti t Ion from introduced anire1 s i s nuch norc inz9rtcnt. 1 n-~~

clu.3eci in tkis 2rouF are csttlz, sheep, fcrsl :c;.is, burros, i~zrscs,~nd t:;.? . . .-. Sarbcry shee? in ::ev: IA,rxicz. ierzl ~QQ~Sz;. I i;r,r5ci =ra , ~sjgr;, 7,c,-:-,: competitors because they exist in small numbers in nnst areas. These are often controlled as they appear on the range; Cattle and sheep can be a skrious menace to the range when overstocked. Such stock,often concen- trates near free water with resultant overuse of forage in the vicinity.

Burros have been accused as the worst bighorn competitor. Burros have been charged with range abuse, fouling and destroying water sources, competing directly for bighorn species and 1 iterally driving the bighorn out of an area. Recent studies do not show full justification for all accusations.

~~The preferred habitat of tk burro is somewhat different than for bighorn.~~

~~In addition, the burro is limited to areas with free water in the summer.~~

Water use habits are variable, but conflict may occur between the species. .- Direct competition for forage may occur only when burros deplete their.preferred species and turn to bighorn foods.(Sumner, 1959). The worst burro damage may be that of range overuse and trampling of the soil with erosional - - consequences. Burros have been found to be highly adaptable to the desert environment. .Stomach content studies have shown nearly all the common' browse species in an area to be utilized (Browning, 1960). In addition, burros have no natural enemies and a high breeding potential (Sumner, 1959).

The greatest burro-bighorn competition is found when high populations of burros lead to overlapping of range use. Barbary.. sheep competition is a special case restricted to New Mexico. At pres-ent, greatest concern lies in the possible introduction of '8 Barbary sheep parasites to bighorn herds. Barbary sheep are known to harbor up to 18 parasite species (Lee, 1960). Direct Barbary-bighorn competition for habitat has not yet occurred because the species occupy different life zones at present (~grzn,1957). The above introduced competitors are indirect results of human encroachment. More direct effects OF human encroachment are those produced . . . . by such things as roads, fences,'dwell ings, recreational areas, and mi 1 i tary . - . . installations. Increasing human populations are increasing desert land use. . . , In the Shnta Rosa mountains a land boom for'desert homesi tes is rapidly . . . . destroying bighornhabitat (Tevis, 1961). ~h&ever occupation of desert land . - occurs, itis near water. Complete use of available water by man ir: most desert development sites results in a loss to the bighorn which he may not ...... be able to stand. ~xam~lesof human encroachment are'endless. Effects are . - difficult to measure, but in most cases are detrimental to the bighorn.

~~There are four natural enemies of the desert bighorn. These are the coyote. the bobcat, the mountain lion, and the golden easle.~~

~~Thecoyo.te-is-p.cobab.l~y-themos.t-common-p.ceda.t-or-on-bi~hs.r-n-r~n~e..~~

Actual predation on bighorn by coiotes is thought to be negl igi ble. There are very few witnessed coyote kills, and little other proof of predation exists. Scat studies have shown bighorn matter, but it is believcJ to result from the coyotes eating carrion (':leaver, 1951).

Bobcats are known to prey on desert bighorn. Mitnessed instances bear this out. Most bobcat predation is on newborn lambs, end sometimes at con- .. centrations of bighorn at watering sites. The bobcat is probably the worst

. r.. predator of ,aesert bighorn (El 1 iot, 19.51). . .. , -...... ~ouLtain1 ions a;e a we1 l !:now predator, but 1 imit thci r 7rejaiion to deer, with only an occasional desert biohorn bein:: t~lcen. :!hen doer hecome scarce, bighorn can become the primary soecies, but lion predation renains small 2s the bizhorn are hard to cetch. Golden eagle predation is a controversial... subject, but most big-

~~horn biologists believe. little if any predation takes place.~~

~~lncibence of parasites in desert bighorn is fairly high, but~~

~~numbers of parasitic species vary in different regions. Among the more important parasite species recorded from desert bighorn are lungworm, stomach~~

~~worms, several species of tapeworms, and pinworms. Stomach worms are serious,~~

~~but lungworms have the most serious effect on bighorn. Lungworms use snails as an alternate host in their life cycle; then, as adults, occupy the lungs~~

~~of the bighorn where they cause inflamation, lung disorders and infection.~~

~~' The lungworm is also suspected of being a virus carrier (Allen, 1950, 1961,~~

~~1962). Pneumonia is one of the principal killers of bighorn, often result-~~

~~ing in part from lungworm infections. Brucellosis and other blood diseases~~

~~also occur (~ohnson,1957).~~

~~Diseases and parasites have little effect on bighorn populations~~

~~except when bighorn resistance is lowered by stresses imposed by the environment. Poor forage conditions can augment bighorn disease (Welles, 1957)~~

~~and thus indirectly cause mortality.~~

~~Most parasites harbored by bighorn have been picked up from associa-~~

tion with domestic stock, principally sheep. The introduction of most of the bighorn parasites is thought to have been one of the main reasons for the : ,-, decline of bGhorns in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A1 though the study of desert bighorn sheep has increased in

~~reLent years, much has yet to be learned concerning his specific requirements and his relation to his environment., Generally, climate and man are~~

the mst influential factors in the bighorn's life. The desert climate affects the bighorn's food, cover, health, productivity - i.e., his existence. Man's influence is and has been in the introduction of competitors, of diseases an3 parasites, and as direct encroachment. The

~~desert bighorn has been able to survive up to now. 'Vhat tne future holds for this magnificent animal only the future can disclose.~~

~~Aldous, M. C., 1957. Status of the Bighorn Sheep on tile Desert Game RcAn~e. Trans. Desert Bighorn Council, September 23-25. pp. 35-37.~~

~~Allen, R. W., 1950. Diseases and Parasites of Barbary and Bighorn Sheep~~

~~. in'the. Southwest. Trans. Desert Bighorn Council, April 5-a. pp. IF2 . .~~

~~---- -' 1951. Methods of Examining Bighorn Sheep for Parasites. Trans. Desert Bighorn Council, April 4-7.. pp. 75-79.~~

~~----- 1962. A Preliminary Study of Parasites of Bighorn Sheep on the Desert Game Range. Trans. Desert Bighorn Council, April 3-5.~~

~~pp. 59-72.~~

Bendt, R. H.. 1957. Status of Bighorn Sheep in Grand Canyon National ?ark and Monument. Trans. Desert Bighorn Counci 1, Sept. 23-25. pp. 13-19 Browning, B.. 1350. Preliminary Report of the Food Habits of the \,!ild Burro

~~in the Death valley National Monument. ~rans.Desert Bi olhorn~~

Council, April 5-5. pp. 35-90. - Deming, 0. V., 1952. Is the Desert Bichorn Sheep a '&I ict Species? Trzns. Desert Bighorn Council, April 3-5. pp. 93-113. Devan, G. A., 1953. Daily Movement and Activity of the Bighorn. Trans. 3escrt Bighorn Counci I, April 8-1 1. ?p. G7-72.

~~Elliot, H. N., 1951. Bobcats and Bighorn Sheep. Trans. Desert Bighorn : r<:,.. Council, April 4-7. pp. 33-41. . >: Eustis, G. P., 19.52. Ninter Lanb Surveys on the Kofa Cane ,laye. Tr;ns.~~

~~Desert Bighorn Council, April 3-5. p?. 23-2;.~~

~~Sordon, S. P., 1957. St2tusoi Bi~iiornSheep in tlew I.i~xic3. Trcns. lesert -BlBL - IOGRhPHY- .. . - .. . - (continued) ljaI1, E. R., and I:. R. &clson, 1959. The I.l,iruorl; o? !lorth .'.ncric;. Thc~~

~~Ronald Press to., New York. pp. 1032-1033. . .~~

~~Hansen, C. G., 19S0. Lamb Survival on the Desert Game Range. Trans. Desert~~

~~Bighprn Council, hpril 5-6.. pp. SO-;I. --- - 1961. ~i~ni'ficanceof Bi?horn Mortality Records. Trans. Desert Bighorn Council, April 4-7.. pq: 22-2,.~~

~~- - l9j2. Progress of Deserr Bi.jhorn Studies on the Desert Game Range. Trans. Desert Bi~hornCouncil, Apri 1 3-5. pp. 73-i;O.~~

~~Johnson, E. L.; 1957. Disease and blecnanical Injury in esert Bighorn Zheep.~~

~~Trans.' Desert Bi:horn Counci 1, Se?t. 23-2j. !I?. 38-42.~~

~~Jonez, A. X., 1958. Huntin!, the 9esr.rr 3ilhrn Skc? ir. Nevdz. Trans.~~

~~Desert Dig!mrr; Cu~incil.&pi-i I ;-I i. .,p. I-:,. -- .------1960. The Gijrix3rn 4s --a. Multiple Use him].-- Trm-. Desept Bighorn Council, 1:?rii 5-8. ?p. 45-46.~~

Kelly, W. E., 1957. Startls of ti~r:61qhon Skwp in Arizons. Trw$--.Deser*

~~Bighorn Council, Sept. 23-25. pp. 5-7.~~

~~-- - -. - . - -- . 1961. Lamb and Yearlins Counts. Trans. Dcsert Si-horn Cm~nci!. April 4-7. pp. 3/a-3/2. - Kennedy, C. A., 1957. Stotus of Bighorn Sheep on the San Andres Natioiisl~~

~~Honument,... Las truces, 14ew l4cxico. Tr~n!.. Desert Biqhorn Counc;t, Sept..,?3-25.. ._ ??. 3)-#.~~

~~Copl in, J. R., 1960. New i)evclmnent5 on Vstcr Rcqui rancnts on thc Dc::c;; BI BL IOGrSiPHY (continued)~~

~~Lewis, A,, 1950. Jesert Bighorn Status on tile Mt. B~ldyDistrict of the . . Angeles National Forest. Trans, 9esert Bishorn Counci I, iipri l s13.~~

~~pp. 72-75...... Honson. G., 1960. EfFects .of Climate on Desert Bighorn. . Numbers. ~ra&~~

~~Desert Bighorn Counci I, April 5-3. pp. 12-14.~~

~~OIConnor, J. and G. G. Goodwin, 1961. The Biy Game -.nimals of North herica. '~~

E. P. Dutton and Co., New Yorl:. pp. 41-52. . . Ogren. H. A., 1957. Additional Information on the stetus of Bighorn Sheep . . in New Mexico. Trans. Desert Bighorn Council. Sept. 23-25. p. 34...... --igsa. Sheep Hunting in New Elexico. Trans. Desert Bighorn

~~Council, April 3-11. pp. 13-15.~~

~~Bighorn Council, April $-7. pp. ,344 j.~~

~~~umner,L., 1.959. Effects of Gii Id Burros on Bighorn in ileati) Val ley. Trans.~~

~~Desert Bighorn Council, April 7-10. pp. 4-2.~~

~~Tevis, Jr., C., 1961. Battle to Save the 8ighorn Range in Sani; do5a Mountains~~

~~of California. Trans. Oesert Bighorn CQuncil, +ri l $-7. 30. 1Oj-107.~~

~~Weaver, R.. 1957. Status of Bighorn Sheep in California. Trans. 3ese.r:~~

~~Bighorn Council, Sept. 23-25.' pp. 3-1 1.~~

~~---- 19.;1. Bighorn and Coyotes. Tr~ns.Jesert Bi jiinrn Counci I. April 4-7. pp. 34-37. -~~

~~klles, 3. E., 1957. Status oi Bighorn Sheer in Death Vzi Is?. Trcns. 3rsrr:~~

~~Bi~horn~omci I', Sent. 23-25. ' p?. 22-25.~~