2018 Rocky Mountain Monitoring Summary Mountain Studies Institute 2/28/2019 Objective This report summarizes volunteer observations of bighorn and domestic sheep in the (SJNF) and Rio Grande National Forests (RGNF) with a focus on domestic sheep grazing allotments within the Weminuche Wilderness.

Method Volunteer citizen scientists were called on to submit observations of bighorn and domestic sheep throughout the SJNF and RGNF using iNaturalist.org in order to upload photos. Using iNaturalist, photo meta-data provides exact time/date stamp and coordinates of where the photo was taken. Data includes observations from 2018 as well as photos submitted in prior years.

Participation Mountain Studies Institute (MSI), collaborating closely with the SJNF and RGNF, leads the citizen science observation effort with financial and volunteer support in 2018 from Great Old Broads for Wilderness (GOBFW), Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA), and Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society (RMBS). Volunteers were recruited through the named organizations’ networks and at community and organization events through informational flyers and talks. Volunteers were trained at a volunteer training at the Durango Public Library with about 30 volunteers present. General recreationalists were informed of the project and invited to participate by signs at trailheads throughout the SJNF and RGNF.

Results All observations are publicly available at iNaturalist.org on the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Monitoring project. Observations are summarized geographically by the included map with accompanying observation details in Figure 1. Figure 2 contains reports from observers who did not see bighorn sheep and did not submit photos to iNaturalist. These ‘non-sighting’ reports have been included to give as comprehensive of a picture as possible of the monitoring efforts and results.

Future Efforts The San Juan Mountains Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Monitoring project will continue in 2019 with the same trailhead signs in place and additional volunteer recruitment and training. Project results and information can be found at www.mountainstudies.org/bighorn. For more information contact Jeremy May at [email protected].

679 East 2nd Avenue Durango CO 81301 | P.O. Box 426 1315 Snowden St. Silverton CO 81433 970.387.5161 [email protected] mountainstudies.org

San Juan Mountain Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Observations

The following observation details correspond to the numbered observation points on the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Observations Map Unless otherwise noted observations are accompanied by photo(s) and are publicly available on the San Juan Mountain Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Monitoring project on iNaturlist.org here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/san-juan-mountains-rocky-mountain-bighorn-sheep-monitoring

ID on Observation Number of Map Date Species* Individuals Notes latitude longitude 1 26-Sep-18 Bighorn 19 no image, only report url: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/iapothes 37.74934877 -107.3309558 2 29-Aug-18 Bighorn 9 9 bighorn 37.24224527 -106.4731582 3 28-Aug-18 Domestic 35 25-50 domestic in an alpine meadow 37.55110109 -107.6673064 4 26-Aug-18 Bighorn 8 8 bighorn on a ridge. 37.46353 -107.0279833 5 20-Aug-18 Bighorn 1 No photo. Verbal report from a hunter "T41N, R8W, sec 25" Grand turk 37.778039 -107.693804 6 19-Aug-18 Bighorn 1 No photo. Verbal report from a hunter "T41N, R8W, sec 31" north twin sisters 37.773648 -107.784064 7 4-Aug-18 Domestic 1 1 domestic, alone 37.89561327 -107.723718 8 19-Jul-18 Bighorn 1 1 individual, image taken slightly up slope from road 37.247245 -106.4736783 ~50 domestic sheep at water's edge. Url difficult to locate: 9 19-Jun-18 Domestic 50 https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13583944 37.39406667 -107.657325 1 skull found. Photo taken at location found. 10 19-Jun-18** Bighorn 1 **Photo posted 2018 but comment says this was discovered in 1979. 38.01626969 -106.9321115 11 19-Jun-18 Bighorn 7 7 individuals, I believe, taken up slope from road (see glare from window) 37.76993942 -106.8297501 12 4-May-18 Bighorn 2 taken directly off of the road. within feet of observer. 2 37.76811218 -106.8022156 13 4-May-18 Bighorn 3 3 individuals upslope from road probably 150-200 ft 37.46227264 -106.8840103 14 21-Apr-17 Bighorn 3 3 big horn on road 37.67524667 -107.7811883 15 10-Aug-16 Bighorn 1 right off the road, not across the river, feet from the car 37.91341167 -107.4436417 16 18-Mar-16 Bighorn 1 No photo, only report url: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/2959030 37.967564 -107.970682 17 17-Oct-15 Bighorn 6 6 individuals, estimated 100 ft away up slope 38.03394214 -107.6745294 18 2-Aug-15 Bighorn 2 Image location unconfirmed - does not appear accurate 38.01890183 -107.6738586 19 14-Jul-14 Bighorn 2 No photo - based on verbal account 37.584422 -107.629356 In regards to direction of photo, photographer is looking into the sunlight in the 20 23-Apr-14 Bighorn 40 morning in april, almost due east 38.388495 -106.67038 21 29-Jun-13 Bighorn 6 User not found in iNaturalist. 37.922824 -107.42551 22 9-Jun-13 Bighorn 2 Photographer appears to be very close to subjects. 38.480636 -107.218838 *Bighorn refers to Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, Ovis canadensis canadensis . Domestic refers to domestic sheep, Ovis aries Figure 1: Summary of observations through 2018

679 East 2nd Avenue Durango CO 81301 | P.O. Box 426 1315 Snowden St. Silverton CO 81433 970.387.5161 | [email protected] | mountainstudies.org San Juan Mountain Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Observations: Non-Sightings The following accounts are from observers in the area of interest: South of Needle and Johnson Creeks between Vallecito Creek and the . These reports are classified as 'Non-Sightings' because (1) no bighorn sheep were observed and (2) no photo was submitted to iNaturalist.

Date(s) Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Observer's Note June 29-30, I backpacked about 3 miles up the Endlich Mesa trail and camped. I did not see any bighorns or June 29 - Endlich domestic sheep. Driving back down the Endlich Mesa road on Sunday at about mile marker 8.5, I 30, 2018 Mesa encountered a flock of several hundred domestic sheep, 2 dogs, and one herder on horseback. A wall tent camp was near the road at about mile marker 8. We parked at Endlich Mesa trailhead, hiked to lake Marie - up Silver Mesa - over Trimble Pass - Down Johnson Creek - Down Vallecito Creek to the Vallecito Creek trailhead. We did not see any bighorn sheep but 29 Jun- 1 Endlich Johnson Vallecito saw about 10 at Lake Marie and several hundred domestic sheep between Lemon Reservoir and Endlich July, 2018 Mesa Creek Creek Mesa. We encountered a horse packing outfitter who said he has seen bighorn sheep on the Needle Creek side of Mountain View Crest. 29 July, Lime We went up to the Lima Mesa trail on July 29 and looked for sheep. None were seen, either bighorn or 2018 Mesa domestic. Last week from 7/14 to 7/19 I hiked from the Endlich Mesa trailhead to Columbine Pass on the Silver Mesa 14-19 July, Lime Silver Columbine trail and back to Endlich Mesa. I did not see any bighorns. There were several hundred domestic sheep near 2018 Mesa Mesa Pass the trail about a mile and a half north of the Endlich Mesa trailhead. We went backpacking with the intent of looking for Bighorns for the monitoring project. We did not see any bighorns but we did see many domestic sheep. I tried to send a text to Brad Weinmeister to report a flock of sheep that seemed to be separated from the herd, but the message did not go through. We camped at West Virginia Gulch for 2 nights (Aug. 28-29), hiked City Reservoir Trail to West Silver Mesa on the 29th, and I spent at least 4 or 5 hours scanning treeline and above for bighorns with 10X 42 binoculars - no scope. We had views of a lot of high country, but saw no WILD ungulates - no deer, elk or bighorn sheep. August 28, 1:30 pm - West Virginia Gulch. A flock of 40-60 domestic sheep moved down from the east top of 28-29 Aug, Virginia Silver West Virginia Gulch to the trail at W.Virginia Gulch and kept going. No dogs or people seen. 2018 Gulch Mesa August 29, 10am - Met sheepman on trail at Virginia Gulch. We told him about the sheep we had seen and he said he was headed looking for them and thanked us for the information. At 7 pm, from our campsite in West Virginia Gulch we watched this man walking behind a herd of about 40 sheep cross West Virginia Gulch from the west herding them along City Reservoir trail to the east. August 29 - around noon. We walked up a gulch on the west side of West Silver Mesa to the "top" of West Silver mesa. There were a few hundred sheep (guessing number) below us just at forest-- grassland boundary to the west (NE fork of Virginia Gulch, perhaps. We did not see dogs or people. Figure 2: Summary of non-sightings for 2018

679 East 2nd Avenue Durango CO 81301 | P.O. Box 426 1315 Snowden St. Silverton CO 81433 970.387.5161 | [email protected] | mountainstudies.org