DESERT BIGHORN COUNCIL TRANSACTIONS VOLUME 45 Desert Bighorn Council 2001 Transactions A Compilation of Papers Presented at the 45thAnnual Meeting Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico April 18-21,2001 Jonathan D. Hanna, Editor Arizona Game and Fish Department 7200 E. University, Mesa, AZ 85207 Reviewers for the 200 1 Desert Bighorn Council Transactions: Francisco Abarca, Clay Brewer, Bob Henry, Dana McGehee, Ted McKinney, Eric Rominger Illustrations by Pat Hansen Carlos Castdo and Jim debs Secretary Darren Divine Treasurer Charles Douglas William Brighanl (Chair), James DeForge, Amy Fisher, Mark Jorgensen, Raymond Lee, and John W ehausen Richard Weaver Mara W eisenberger Gary Montoya Trans actions : Raymond Lee Ross Haley Warren Kelly Doris Weaver William Brigham Special thanks to the Foundation for North herican Wild Sheep for their generous support of the Desert Bighorn Cow~cilAnnual Meeting Brian F. Wakeling ... ............................................................................ .2 Brian F. Wakeling ...........................................................................................................................4 Eric M. Rorninger and Elise Goldstein ....................................................................................... .6 ESTATUS DEL GO CHMAIRlEaON EN NEW EXIC8 EN EL 2008. Eric M. Romhger y Elise Goldstein ............................................................................................ -13 $ OF DESERT BPGXOW SHEEP PlFJ TEXAS - 2008. Michael T. Bitt hael D. Hobson .................................................. .21 ESTA'FBTS D EN TEXAS EN EL 2008. Michael T. Pittman, Clay E. Brewer, y Michael D. Kobson ...................................................... -23 EC C *denotes peer reviewed CONSERVATION AND MmAGEMENT IN THE S Rlcxde B. Eaten-Go~zidezand Roberto Martinez-dlard I DE LA SITUACI~NA CTUAL DEL CONOC N PENINSULAR (Oovis canadensis cremnobates ONSERVACI~NY EL NEJO EN EL ESTADO DE BASA CfiWOrnM. Ricardo B. Eaton-Gonzdez y Roberto Martinez-aIlardo .............................................. -37/ SENT SITUATION 0 MEXCfA,)IN T Rarniro Uranga Thomas ..... .................... -49 SITUACI~NACTUAL D G~~ENSIS MEXCmA) EN EL EST RWoUranga Thomas .................................................................................. .51 Andrew V. Sandoval and Alejandro Espinosa Trevifio ............................................... .5 3 SITUACI~NACTUAL DEL BO t)~(OWS EN EL A, MXICO2000. Andrew V. Sandoval y Alejandro Espinosa TreviEc .....................................................62 *DHBGNOSIS Fernando Clem GN~STICOSO UN ANALISIS. Fernando Clemente Sanchez, y Luis A. Tarango Ariunbula, Colegio de Postgraduados.. ....... -74 AT USE EY (OPTS C.DENSIS JEifZBI) CARMEN I , MEXICO. Alejandro Espinosa Trevifio, Ovis, A. C, Luis A. Tarango, Colegio de Postgraduados; Sergio .C., and Raul Valdez.. ................................................................ -77 RR~N(OI/TIS CmmENSHS WEMSr) EN LA ISLA DEL CMN,BAJA CALWORNIA SUR, MEXICO. Alejandro Espinosa Treviiio, Ovis, A.C; Luis A. Tarango, Colegio de Postgraduados, Sergio Jimenez, OVIS, A. C. , y Rahl Valdez, .................................................................... -86 SaPcJ PEDRO DE LA CAMIN Jose de Jesh Lara Tejeda, Roberto Martinez Gallardo y Mariana Montoya Lizarraga .......... .I03 RN SHEEP (OVXS CmDE'SISCmMNOBATES) IN , BASA CAEIFOPWM, MEXICO. Roberto Martinez-Gallardo and Edith Galindo Manriquez ............................................ 111 ON (OFIS CANADENSIS CMmOBAT'EN LA S ARTlX, BAJA C 3 MEXICO. Roberto Martinez-Gdarde y Edith Galindo Manriquez.. .......................................... .I24 EEP POPULATION SAMPLING JN BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO Jorge Alaniz Garcia and Raymond Lee............................. .............................. ,138 EST~ACPCNPOBLACIONAL DEL BORREGO CMA , MEXICO, PA Josge Alaniz Garcia y Raymond Lee.. ................................................................. -144 Eva Salm6n Peralta, Ricardo Eaton Gonzalez, and Roberto Martinez Gallardo.................. .I50 TES I' OPTS CNDENSIS Eva Salm6n Peralta, Ricardo Eaton Gonzdez y Roberto Martinez Gallardo...................... -161 ............................................. .I73 TODOLOGU DETERM~~LOS NTVELES DIE ES (P4, T, E2) EN EX Sonia G. Ayala Cano and Roberto Martinez Gallardo.. ............................................... 190 *DNA-BASED AN~SISOF FECES FOR EST ATIIlVG SIZE OF A SON0 DESERT MOUFVTm LION POPULATION. ......................................................................... 208 FEC E ION E RTO Ted McKinney and Brad McRae .......................................................................................2 1 8 T SENT T Mara Weisenberger ....................................................... ................ .228 SENTE Y 3T.JT'I-J Mara Weisenberger ........................................................................................ .228 TAR DESERT aredes, Jim deVo s, Raymond Lee, Raymond S chwinsburg, Elvira Dias, Gabriel Valencia, Andres Villameal, Carlos Castillo, Martin Franco, and Teresa Solis.. ........................................................................................................229 EN A OSF DE Eduardo Lopez, Rafaela Paredes, Jim deVos, Raymond Lee, Raymond Schwinsburg, Elvira Dias, Gabriel 'v'alencia, Ancfres Villarreal, Carlos Caseiflo, Martin Franco, and Teresa .L .L . .............................................. -264 .......................................................................... -269 ................................................ 272 GS 4957 - 2001 .................................... -274 ....................................................... -275 ........................................................278 *There were not enough officers for a quorim to hold an official business meeting. 2001 DESERT BIGHORN COUNCIL TRANSACTIONS STATUS OF ][%I[ ONA - 2080 B G,Arizona Game and Fish Department, Game Branch, 2221 West Greenway Road, Phoenix, AZ 85023, USA projects annually. These projects are usually water developments, but also include fencing modifications and prescribed burns. Estimates of Arizona's desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis mexicana and 0. c. nelsoni) indicate a relatively stable population of about 6,000 animals. Due to Since 1980, a mean of nearly 70 sheep has budgetary considerations, much of Arizona's been transplanted annually. In 2000,25 bighorn sheep range is now being surveyed desert bighorn sheep were captured in the on 3-year intervals. Survey results yielded Eagletail Mountains and released in the ratios of 50 rams, 25 lambs, and 14 Harquahala Mountains, about 75 miles yearlings: 100 ewes. northwest of Phoenix. One ewe had to have one of her rear legs surgically amputated as a The Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (0. c. result of a capture injury. That animal is still canadensis) population, estimated at nearly alive and with the group released in the 600 animals, continues to expand both in Harquahala Mountains . numbers and range. Winter survey results produced ratios of 3 5 rams, 30 lambs, and 8 Since 1957, Arizona has translocated 1,399 yearlings:100 ewes. These values are well bighorn sheep - with 99 going to Colorado, below historic levels. 67 to Utah, 29 to Texas, 23 to New Mexico, and 9 to various Zoos and Universities. Of the 33 game management units in Arizona, which are open to bighorn sheep hunting, 16 received bighorn sheep transplants. Thirty- The Arizona Game and Fish Department five of the 103 permits occur in these (AGFD) is currently involved in one bighorn populations established fiom transplants. sheep management study. This study is an Arizona is now actively looking for a source attempt to determine the cause for a decline of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep for release in bighorn sheep numbers near Saguaro near Bern Mountain in Unit 27. Lake. We are continuing a water development study on the Yurna Proving Grounds, which may have ramifications for bighorn sheep management. Bighorn sheep permits remain the most sought after hunting permits in Arizona. There were a record 8,471 applicants in 2000 for the 103 regular season permits. The AGFD, primarily in cooperation with the This application rate represents over 77 Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society, hunters applying for each permit, with conducts 6 to 10 habitat in-rprovement individual unit odds varying from as low as 2001 DESERT BIGHORN COUNCIL TRANSACTIONS 1 3 : 1 to 446: 1,dependmg on the unit's accessibility and harvest history. As a result of this year's survey, total permits for the 2001 season were unchanged at 103, with the 2 additional special knd-raising permits remaining. During the 2000 hunting season, 106 hunters participated, harvesting 101 rams in 691 hunter days for a 95% success rate. The mean age of the harvest was 7.8 years and the mean score was 157 118. Ages ranged fkom 3.5 to 12.5 and scores fiom 65 618 (a one homed ram) to 183 618. The 2000 season produced 36 animals (35% of the harvest) qualifjmg for the Arizona Trophy Book (minimum score of 162 Boone and Crockett points). Of these rams, 12 (12 %) scored X70 points. For the 17th consecutive year, the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society entered into an agreement whereby the Society auctions one permit (at the Foundation for North herican Wild Sheep convention) and raffles another to raise hdsfor bighorn sheep management projects. In 2000, these two permits produced $256,900. To date, these permits have produced over $3,250,000. Arizona's bighorn sheep