See bighorn sheep Nov. 17 in Provo

PROVO — A chance to see Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in the foothills east of Provo awaits Nov. 17 at a free bighorn sheep viewing event.
photoA Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep ram, the subspecies of wild sheep that people will see at the viewing event in Provo.

The Division of Wildlife Resources will host the free event at Rock Canyon Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Rock Canyon Park is at 2620 N. and 1200 E. (Iroquois Dr.) just northeast of the Provo LDS Temple.

Biologists will provide spotting scopes and binoculars you can use to see the sheep. They'll also be available to answer any questions you have.

If you have your own binoculars or spotting scopes, please bring them, and make sure you dress warmly.

There is no limit to the number of people who can view the sheep. Reservations are not required.

Directions to Rock Canyon Park

From I-15 take either the University Parkway or Provo Center Street exits. Drive east to 900 E. Turn north on 900 E. to Temple View Dr. (east of the Missionary Training Center at about 1900 N.).

Once you're on Temple View Dr., drive east past the LDS Temple (the road will curve to the north). At the stop sign, continue north for about 200 yards (the name of the road will change to Iroquois Dr.).

Rock Canyon Park is on the east side of Iroquois Dr. at 2620 N.

Wild sheep are making a comeback

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are native to Utah. They climbed the hills of Utah County until about 1930, when sheep in the northern portion of Utah were thought to be extinct.

Since January 2000, many bighorn sheep have been reintroduced to the mountains overlooking Utah County's larger cities, stretching from American Fork Canyon to Nebo Mountain.

The Utah Chapter of the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, the Division of Wildlife Resources, sportsman and conservation groups, and private citizens have joined together to bring bighorn sheep back to this part of the state.

Three subspecies

Utah is home to three subspecies of bighorn sheep:

* Desert bighorns live in several locations in southern Utah.

* California bighorn sheep have been trans-located to Antelope Island State Park and the Newfoundland Mountain range in northwestern Utah.

* Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are found at several Utah locations, including Utah County, Flaming Gorge Reservoir, the North Slope of the Uinta Mountains, Desolation Canyon and Dinosaur National Monument.

* The Utah County bighorn sheep population is thriving. It now numbers more than 100 animals.

For more information about the Nov. 17 viewing event, call the DWR's Central Region office at (801) 491-5678.

More Big Game Permits Recommended for 2007

Utah*s hunters might have more elk, pronghorn and bison permits to draw for this year.

The Division of Wildlife Resources is recommending raising permit numbers for all of Utah*s big game animals. Permits for elk, pronghorn and bison would increase the most.

The DWR is also recommending adding an additional 1,000 general season buck deer permits to the Northeastern Region.

You can learn more about the recommendations and share your suggestions at a series of upcoming meetings. Citizens representing Utah*s public Regional Advisory Councils will take the input received to the Utah Wildlife Board when it meets April 5 in Salt Lake City to approve big game hunting permits for this fall*s hunts.

Meeting dates, times and locations are as follows:

Southern Region
March 13
7 p.m.
Beaver High School
195 E. Center St.
Beaver

Southeastern Region
March 14
6:30 p.m.
John Wesley Powell Museum
885 E. Main St.
Green River

Northeastern Region
March 15
6:30 p.m.
Western Park, Rm. #2
302 E. 200 S.
Vernal

Central Region
March 20
6:30 p.m.
Springville Junior High School
165 S. 700 E.
Springville

Northern Region
March 21
6 p.m.
Brigham City Community Center
24 N. 300 W.
Brigham City

More Elk Permits

Some record-sized bull elk have been taken in Utah over the past few years, but there are still plenty of big bulls out there for hunters to take.

Biologists manage each of Utah*s limited entry bull elk units so the average age of the bulls taken by hunters falls within a certain age category.

The bulls that hunters took on 24 of Utah*s 28 units was higher than the age objective for those units. That means the animals were older than what the objective for those units calls for.

The age of the bulls taken on four units was at the objective for those units. None of Utah*s limited entry units was under the age objective.

*This means we can allow more hunters in the field and still leave plenty of big bulls for hunters to take in years to come,* says Craig McLaughlin, Wildlife Section chief for the DWR.

With that in mind, the DWR is recommending 2,190 limited entry bull elk permits for this fall*s hunts. A total of 79 of those permits would be management bull elk permits. These permits allow hunters to take bull elk that have five or less antler points on at least one side.

Management permits are being offered for the first time to reduce the number of smaller bull elk on four of Utah*s best limited entry units.
All of these units have extremely high bull to cow ratios.

More Pronghorn Permits

Pronghorn antelope permits would also increase under DWR recommendations.

The agency is recommending 1,067 pronghorn permits for this fall*s hunts. A total of 855 were available in 2006.

Most of the permits would be issued for the Parker Mountains in southwestern Utah.

*The objective for the Parker Mountains is to maintain 40 bucks per 100 does,* McLaughlin says. *Right now, the unit has 78 bucks per 100 does. Hunters who draw a permit for the Parker Mountains should see plenty of bucks, and they should have a great hunt.*

More Bison Permits

Hunter*s choice and cow bison permits for the Henry Mountains in southeastern Utah would also increase under DWR proposals.

Under the proposals, permits would jump from 18 in 2006 to either 47 or
71 permits in 2007.

The final bison permit numbers will be determined later this spring, when the Henry Mountains Bison Working Group finishes revising a management plan for the bison on the Henry*s.

*In 2005, our biologists flew two aerial surveys of the Henry
Mountains,* McLaughlin says. *They didn*t see many bison during either survey.*

Even though bison are big animals, McLaughlin says they tend to gather in small groups and are effective at hiding under pinyon/juniper trees.

*Bison are strong animals, and we were pretty sure that the herd had not experienced a big die-off,* he says. *We guessed that the bison had probably moved into thicker cover where it was harder for us to spot
them.*

DWR biologists decided to be cautious, however, and hunting permits were cut in 2006.

*Our biologists flew another survey this past August, and this time they spotted the bison,* McLaughlin says. *They saw lots of bison.

*We*ve confirmed that the herd is doing really well, and that*s why we*re recommending more bison permits for this fall*s hunts.*

More Deer Permits

Under DWR recommendations, the number of general season buck deer permits would begin moving back to the 97,000 permit cap that began in Utah in 1994.

In 2005, general season buck deer permits in the Central and Northeastern regions were cut by 1,000 permits each. The permits were cut because the three-year buck-to-doe ratio in each region had fallen below the minimum of 15 bucks per 100 does called for in Utah*s Deer Management Plan.

As a result, the statewide permit cap was reduced from 97,000 permits to 95,000 permits.

Surveys conducted by DWR biologists after the 2005 and 2006 hunts found that the three-year buck-to-doe average in the Northeastern Region had increased to 15 bucks per 100 does. That number meets the objective called for in the state*s deer management plan.

In the Central Region, the three-year average has fallen slightly to 13 bucks per 100 does.

*Based on the findings, we*re recommending that 1,000 permits be added to the Northeastern Region for this fall*s hunt,* McLaughlin says. *Adding 1,000 permits would increase the total number of general season buck deer permits in Utah to 96,000.*

Permit Recommendations

Permit numbers for 2006, and the number of permits the DWR is recommending for 2007, are listed below:

2006 2007

General season buck deer 95,000 96,000

Limited entry deer 999 1,019

Limited entry bull elk 1,835 2,190

Pronghorn antelope 855 1,067

Moose 138 152

Bison 24 53 or 77

* (these bison totals include permits for the Henry Mountains and Antelope Island)

Rocky Mountain goat 79 91

Desert bighorn sheep 36 41

Rocky Mountain bighorn
sheep 15 18

Charts showing the total permits for each unit will be available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/public_meetings before the RAC meetings.

Once you*re on the site, go to the Meeting Agenda portion to find the permit numbers.

Bighorns Moved From Montana to Little Hole

Dutch John -- Forty-two bighorn sheep were released at two sites along the Little Hole Road below Flaming Gorge Reservoir on Jan. 26.

The bighorns, nine rams and 33 ewes, were captured from two herds near Missoula, Montana. These bighorns from the Bonner and Rock Creek herds will supplement a herd that was reintroduced near Little Hole two years ago.

"Our original plan was to capture bighorns from a native herd at Willow Creek, just south of the Sun River near Augusta, Montana, on the east side of the Rocky Mountains," says Charlie Greenwood, a wildlife biologist with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR). "After high winds delayed the helicopter capture for two days, the Montana biologists shifted us to the west side of the Rockies, to herds outside of Missoula."

In addition to avoiding high winds, being transferred to the west side of the Rockies provided the UDWR biologists with some benefits they weren't expecting.

"When we got there and talked with the [Montana] biologists, they were happy to give us a few more sheep than originally requested as they were beginning, or expecting trouble, with managing the herds due to their proximity to local communities," Greenwood says. "Taking ewes and a few young rams from their herds, to supplement or start other herds [in Utah], was an excellent solution to a potential urban/wildlife conflict.

"The only concern with taking more sheep was how to pay for them, but a few phone calls later we had the go ahead. The Foundation for North American Wild Sheep in Utah not only paid for the original numbers, it also agreed to cover the costs for the increase. We were able to bring back 42, instead of 25."

Under a contract with Pathfinder, a helicopter capture team, 27 bighorns were captured using a special net gun. The sheep were captured from the slopes above Bonner, Montana, just seven miles east of Missoula.

After their capture, the bighorns were given a physical examination, and veterinarians from the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department took numerous samples and swabs. After their physical, the bighorns were marked with individually numbered ear tags. Some also received radio collars before being placed in a special trailer.

The 27 bighorns captured from Bonner spent the night in the trailer until 15 more sheep from the Rock Creek area were added the following day. The biologists then drove non-stop to Utah and released the bighorns the following morning.

All of the sheep released at the two Little Hole sites emerged from the trailer in good shape. Greenwood and the other biologists believe the new bighorns have excellent genetics.

"Both the Bonner and Rock Creek herds were introduced from bighorns taken from native herds in the Sun River area in the late 1980s," Greenwood says. "I'm impressed with their size, health and potential horn growth. It looks like they have excellent genetics. The ewes all look big and healthy, and even though the rams we acquired were young, none older than 2½, they already have horns reaching back to a half curl."

The Flaming Gorge/Green River area has been a selected reintroduction site for more than 30 years. Biologists from the UDWR, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management have been enhancing the range in the area in preparation for a release.

The range enhancement was given a big boost in 2001 when the Dutch John fire cleared away large expanses of pinyon-juniper. Following the fire, the UDWR and USFS were able to reseed many of the disturbed areas in preparation for the bighorn sheep reintroduction in Little Hole.

"Everything came together," Greenwood said. "From having good range conditions to getting extra bighorns. It should really give this herd a boost."

For those interested in seeing bighorn sheep in northeastern Utah, Greenwood recommends the Sheep Creek Canyon area along the Geologic Loop and SR-44, the Red Canyon Visitor Center area, and now along the Little Hole Road.

Visitors with a boat can also look for sheep along the shores of Flaming Gorge Reservoir. As the Little Hole herd continues to grow, it's also likely that people will see bighorns more often along the cliffs above the Green River.

For more information about viewing bighorn sheep in northeastern Utah, call the UDWR's Northeastern Region office at (435) 781-9453.

Thirty Desert Bighorn Sheep Find a New Home

Bighorns released in southeastern Utah

Lake Powell -- Thirty desert bighorn sheep in Utah have a new home.

The Division of Wildlife Resources released the sheep in the Dirty Devil drainage north of Lake Powell on Jan. 18. The transplanted animals included 19 ewes, five lambs and six rams.

The DWR contracted with Pathfinder Helicopters to catch the elusive animals in locations in southern Utah that have numerous bighorn sheep. Entangling the sheep in nets, fired from a helicopter overhead, was the first step in capturing them. The sheep were then airlifted to trucks and trailers for a road trip to their release site.

Before being released, the sheep received health examinations, vaccinations and ear markers. Six of the sheep were also fitted with radio collars. The collars will allow biologists to monitor the sheep's movements, their survival and the eventual success of the release.

Of the six rams that were captured, one was 3½ years old, two were 2½ years old, and three were yearlings. Biologists prefer to transplant young rams because they're less likely to wander away from the release area. They also have a longer life expectancy than the older rams.

The bighorns released on Jan. 18 will supplement an existing bighorn sheep population on the west side of the Dirty Devil River.

The DWR released a small group of sheep in the area 10 years ago. This population has slowly increased in size, but there's still plenty of room for more sheep.

Biologists hope the recently transplanted population and the existing population will connect with each other. That connection would speed the growth of bighorn populations in the desert country of southeastern Utah.

Bringing Bighorns Back

Desert bighorn sheep are native to Utah. However, because of disease, by 1960 their populations had declined to very low levels.

Since that time, the DWR and conservation groups, including the Utah Chapter of the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, have worked together to bring bighorn sheep back.

Through their efforts, desert bighorn sheep can now be seen throughout much of their former range in Utah.

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Contact: Brent Stettler, DWR Southeastern Region Conservation Outreach Manager (435) 636-0266 or (435) 636-0260