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1965 TR CTIONS 196 5 A COMPILATION OF PAPERS PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL AT THE NINTH ANNUAL MEETING, APRIL 7-9, 1965, AT THE TJNIVERSITY OF REDLANDS, REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA. Compiled by: JIM YOAKUM and CHARLES G. HANSEN THE DESERT BIGHORN COUNCIL TRANSACTIONS ARE PUBLISHED ANNUALLY AND ARE AVAILABLE BY WRITING THE "Desert Bighorn Council" 1500 North Decatur Blvd. Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 COVER DRAWING BY PAT HANSEM NINTH ANNUAL MEETING April 6,7,8, 1965 Redlands,California Council Award ............................... ...111 In Memoriam ................................ I v Annual Field Trip. ............................. v Roster ................................... v i PAPERS PRESENTED SUMMARY OF DISTINCTIVE BIGHORN SHEEP OBSERVED - - -- - QN-TH EDESERT-G-AME-RAN E, NEV=ADA---=---- - - --- - - -- Charles G . Hansen ......................... 6 MANAGEMENT UNITS AND BIGHORN SHEEP HERDS ON THE DESERT GAME RANGE, NEVADA Charles G . Hansen . e. ....................... 11 A PRELIMINARY RECONNAISSANCE AND EVALUATION OF THE WILDLIFE IN THE PINACATE REGION, SONORA, MEXICO John P. Russo ............................. 15 EXOTIC BIG GAME ON PUBLIC LANDS Frank C . Craighead, Jr . Raymond F. Dasmann ........................ 19 STATUS OF BIGHORN IN THE RIVER MOUNTAINS OF LAI<E MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA Alan Denniston ........................... 27 A RECONNAISSANCE OF SIERRA BIGHORN AND BIGHORN RANGES IN THE SIERRA NEVADA Richard Riegelhuth. ......................... 35 A HISTORY OF THE BIGHORN IN CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA Reginald H .Barrett ......................... 40 PROGRESS REPORT ON JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL MONUMENT BIGHORN RESEARCH Ralph E. Welles ........................... 49 A BIGHORN SHEEP HABITAT MANAGEMENT PLAN Edward R. Schneegas ........................ 53 GROUP MORTALITY IN THE BIGHORN SHEEP Gale Monson ............................ 55 A STUDY OF THE BLACKBRUSH PLANT COMMUNITY ON THE DESERT GAME RANGE: I W. Glen Bradley .......................... 56 PRELIMINARY REPORT ON 90 SR LEVELS IN HOCK JOINTS OF DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP AND MULE DEER R. C. Kramp, B.. S. ......................... 62 METHODS OF POST MORTEM DESCRIPTION OF WILDLIFE RUMINANTS WITH TWO COMMONLY OBSERVED LESIONS IN THE DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP Ronald E. Engel, D .V .M., Ph .D .................. 68 SKULL MEASUREMENTS OF DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP FROM THE DESERT GAME RANGE NECROSIS AND ANOMALIES OF THE SKULL IN DESERT BIGHORN SH EEP e Glen Allred. ............a. .............. W. Glen Bradley .......................... 75 BIGHORN HUNTING PROPOSALS Steve James, Jr. ........................... 82 1964 - 1965 PROGRESS 4ND HUNT REPORT - NEVADA Raymond A. Brechbill ........................ 84 COMPETITION BETWEEN DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP AND FERAL BURROS FOR FORAGE IN THE DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL MONUMENT Kenneth P. St.John, Jr. ....................... 89 ' The 1964 Desert Bighorn Council Awards Committee chose Mr. John P. Russo as recipient of the Council Award. This award is presented for outstanding contributions toward the welfare of the Desert Bighorn Sheep in the United States and Mexico. OLD JOE had many names during his long life at the Corn Creek Field Station of the Desert Game Range, Las Vegas, Nevada. It is not known who named him Joe but this name stuck with him through the years although for various reasons he was known as the Old Man, Old Nasty and Old Joe. Young Joe was brought to Corn Creek at about six months of age in the fall of 1948. He was the fifth Desert Bighorn Sheep captured on the Desert Game Range and placed in captivity. Two rams and a ewe were taken in 1947 and another ewe and Joe were brought in during 1948. The two were placed on loan to the San Diego Zoo while the two ewes and Joe were kept on the Desert Game Range. One of these ewes died at two years but the remaining ewe and Joe survived and the Corn Creek bighorn sheep herd was on its way. Joe sired 11 of the sheep born at Corn Creek and has at least 3 "grand-lambs" still living there. He has several more "grand-lambs" that survive him in the San Diego 230 branch of the "family". Old Joe had many friends from all walks of life. Many local residence came once or twice a year to Corn Creek just to see him, to feed him grass and leaves through the fence. This latter in spite of the warning to stay back from the fence since Old Joe was inclined to butt the fence behind almost any unsuspecting human. Old Joe had friends across the nation from the east coast to the Pacific, He gained national recognition as the "Old Man" when his antics were written about and his photographs were published in the book, "The Bighorn of Death Valley" by Ralph and Florence Welles. Many of his friends remember him as Old Nasty because of his seemingly unpredictible behavior of expecting people to act as sheep and play the vigorous and rough butting games with him. Further national publicity was received when he was operated on in 1963 in order to save his life. He did succeed in living for another two years and dies at the age of 16 years and 10 months. He passed away easily in his sleep in the early morning of January 16, 1965. With his passing his grandson, "Little Joe" became "Joe" so that in the years to come there will again be an OLD JOE in the Corn Creek bighorn herd. FIELD TRIPS DESERT BIGHORN COUNCIL MEETING Richard Weaver lifornia Department of Fish and Game Niland, California Santa Rosa Mountains: Tuesday, April 6, 1965 A group of the Desert Bighorn Council assembled at the Desert Magazine Building in Palm Desert, California. The group then drove up the Pines to Palms Highway (state route 74) stopping once at a location where sheep are often observed. At this point, the group was able to look down on the University of California research facility located in Deep Canyon. The group took a down hill hike from about 3,000 feet to 1,000 feet, largely in the Grapevine Canyon drainage and over the Dead Indian escarpment. This is an area of heavy sheep utilization. Sheep were observed. After lunch at College of Desfrt Cafeteria, the group dispersed. Lloyd Tevis took a group to see the University of California facilities in Deep Canyon. Another group went to a spring in Carrizo Canyon where plans were being made to mark sheep. -San .-. -.Gabriel -.- - - -- Mountains:.- - -- Thursday, April 9, 1965 Desert Gighorn Council members proving they are a hardy lot assembled for a hike in the rain at Bonita Camp. The U.S. Forest Service personnel led the group into the south fork of Lytle Creek. In all, 21 sheep were observed by members of this group making getting wet worthwhile. This is a unique habitat, totally different from that which most Desert Bighorn occupy. There is a year-round strea~nin the bottom of the canyon with associated riparian growth. The canyon walls are chaparral covered with open slide and scree draws ROSTER DESERT BIGHORN COUNCIL MEETING April , 1965 A1 1red, Glenn Biology Department Las Vegas, Nevada University of Nevada Atwood, Leon A. Gray1ing C.reek Ranch West Yellowstone, Montana Baker, Lee Bi 01 ogy Department, Las Vegas, Nevada University of Nevada Bernard, Jack Graduate Student Arcata, California Humboldt State College Blaisdell , Jim Crand Canyon National Grand Canyon, Park Arizona Blong , Bonnar California Dept. of Idyllwild, Californa Fish & Game Bradley, W. Glen Biology Department Las Vegas, Nevada University of Nevada Brechbill , Ray 3769 E. Wyoming Las Vegas, Nevada Broman, Stanley E. National Park Service Santa Fe, New Mexico Box 728 Brown, Dave 2009 E. 2nd - St. Tucson, Arizona Broyles, Rothwell P. National Park Service 29 Palms, California Joshua Tree National Monument Cater, Baine H. Bureau of Sport Fisheries Las Vegas, Nevada & Wildlife - - - -- Chew, Dennis W. Red1and~ , Cal i forni a Clare, Dr. C. G. 7134 N. 13th St. Phoenix , Arizona Collins, Ross M. 1026 S. Fleetwell W. Covins, California Crow, Lloyd Z. 499 Arrow Hwy. Up1 and, Cal ifornia Dasmann, Wi11 i am U.S. Forest Service San Francisco, 630 Sansome St. California Denniston, Alan E. National Park Service Boulder City, Nevada Box 662 Doman, Everett R. U.S. Forest Service San Francisco, 630 Sansome St. California Essex, David Joshua Tree National 29 Palms, California Monument Fulwider, Derrel S. Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield, California 800 Truxtun Garcia, Rami ro Of. Forestal y Fauna Maxicali, B.C. Mecixo Graf, William Department of Biology San Jose, California San Jose State College Graham, Hatch San Bernardi no National San Bernardi no, Forest California Green, Ed California Dept. of Escondido, California Fish & Game 856 W. Grand Greer, Jack M. Templeton, California 1965 Bighorn Sheep Council Roz Hansen, Charles G. Biologist, U.S. Fish & Las Vegas, Nevada Wild1ife Service Star Route 1, Box 14 Hein, Ronald F. California Dept. of Chino, California Fish & Game 5252 Francis Ave. Hi ppl y , David Arizona Game & Fish Dept. Buckey , Arizona James, Jr. Steve Fraternity of the Desert N. Las Vegas , Bighorn Nevada 2521 Ellis Kelly, Warren E. Post Engineers, Hunter Jolon, California Liggett Military Reservation Kennedy, Cecil A. Fish & Wildlife Service Las Cruces , New Mexico Box 156 Kennedy, William A. Bureau of Land Management Riverside, California 1414 - 8th St. Lard, Claude F. Bureau of Sport Fisheries Yuma , Arizona and Wildlife Light, Jerome T. Cleveland National Forest San Diego, California 11 96 Broadway Lively, John H. U.S. Forest Service Idyllwild, California Macgregor, Wal ly Dept. of Fish & Game Sacramento, California 10th & 0 St. Monson, Gale Bureau of Sport Fisheries & Wildlife Moser, Clifford A. Fish & Game Dept. Boulder, Colorado 3200 Dartmouth Ave. McClain, Hall H. Bureau of Land Management Riverside, California P.O. Box 723 McIntosh, Don Bureau of Land Management Reno, Nevada 300 Booth St. McKnight, Tom Dept. of Geography Los Angeles, University of Cal if. California Nelson, Marcus C. Bureau of Sport Fisheries A1 buquerque, and Wildlife New Mexico Newell, Kent V. Bureau of Land Riverside, California Management Nord, Eamor C. U.S. Forest Service Riverside, California Forest Fire Lab., P.D.