Bob Totah. Desert Bighorn Marble/Clipper Mountains January 2012 Dry Creek Outfitters. Summer 2012 IN THIS ISSUE

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1 California Wild Sheep IN THIS ISSUE From the Editor President s Message Patience, Perseverance, and a Little Bit of Magic A Beginner s Tale Solar Energy and Bighorn Sheep California Wild Sheep Summit XI Fundraiser Photos California King an Old Warrior Photos from the Field Once-In-A-Lifetime Tag Once-In-A-Lifetime Adventure Once-In-A-Lifetime Shot Bob Totah Desert Bighorn Marble/Clipper Mountains January 2012 Dry Creek Outfitters A Publication of the California Chapter Wild Sheep Foundation

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3 From the Editor s Desk Our annual fundraiser is now history, state tag drawings are nearing an end, southern hemisphere hunts are underway, the California applications are in, and anticipation for this Fall is heating up! I ve managed to do one goat hunt so far this year Pyrenean Chamois in Spain wonderful, I recommend it! I d like to particularly draw your attention in this issue to: Some great hunt stories from California! Photos from the 2012 fundraiser Recap on the Sheep Summit Lucky members who drew great tags 2012 Oldest and Biggest Ram by a Member See photo of John Berens in Photos from the 2012 Fundraiser And, as usual, much more. I am always looking for new material of interest to members. , call or write! Input due date for the 3Q12 issue is August 20. We are also looking for a successor editor I m overcommitted and need to pass this labor of love on to someone else (it s fun and a great chance to delight your fellow members). If you are even remotely interested, call Ken Fish or Mike Borel to discuss. Please also try to get someone new out in the field or to the shooting range. Mike J. Borel Newsletter Editor mike.borel@contextnet.com ADDITIONAL DONORS WHO SUPPORT AND DESERVE OUR SUPPORT 3

4 Board of Directors Officers President Ken D. Fish (2012) Northern California Vice President Mike J. Borel (2012) Southern California Vice President Donald C. Martin (2013) Vice President, Operations Kyle Meintzer (2013) Secretary Paul A. Brisso (2013) Treasurer Steve Boitano (2012) Board of Directors 2012 June 11 June 12 June August 21 September 10 October 9 October 26 October 27 December 10 December Jan Jan Jan. 31-Feb. 2 April 26 April 27 Events - SCBS Quarterly Conference Call, 8:00 p.m. BOD Conference Call, 8:00 p.m. WSF Chapter & Affiliates Meeting, Idaho BOD Conference Call, 8:00 p.m. - SCBS Quarterly Conference Call, 8:00 p.m. BOD Conference Call, 8:00 p.m. Sheep Summit XII in Ontario DBH Hunter Orientation in Ontario - SCBS Quarterly Conference Call, 8:00 p.m. BOD Conference Call, 8:00 p.m. GSCO Convention, Reno, Grand Sierra SCI Convention, Reno WSF Convention, Reno, Peppermill and Convention Center Sheep Summit XIII in Rancho Cordova Fundraiser/Banquet in Rancho Cordova at Marriott Adam Casagrande (2013) John F. Cavin (2012) Ken Crother (2013) Ben Gordon (2012) Bob Keagy (2013) Roger L. McCosker (2012) Dwight Ortmann (2013) Brenton Scott (2012) Tammy Scott (2012) LAST SHEEP CAMP FOR DAN POCAPALIA Dear WSF Members, Sad news for the Wild Sheep Foundation family. Mary Ann Pocapalia phoned to notify us of the passing of Dan Pocapalia on May 6, We here at the WSF Headquarters are very sad to hear this news. At this time, there is no obituary to send, but as soon as we receive it, we ll be putting it in the Summer issue of Wild Sheep magazine. California Wild Sheep is published quarterly. Please all articles and photos to mike.borel@contextnet.com. Photos should be high resolution and in color. It is recommended that digital photos be sent by . Please include photo credits and captions. Please forward this information onto anyone that knew Dan. If you want to send condolences, the address is: Mary Ann Pocapalia 14 Rockinghorse Rd. Rancho Palos Verdes, CA Our thoughts and prayers are with Mary Ann and her family. Sincerely, Gray & WSF Team Gray N. Thornton, President & CEO Editor in Chief, Wild Sheep Magazine 4

5 President s Letter Welcome to the 2nd Quarter 2012 newsletter for the California Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation! As you read this, many of the drawings for tags in the Western states have been completed, and some of you are smiling at the prospect of upcoming Fall hunts. To those who drew, do well and please send in pictures of your hunts. Our newsletters are always made richer by the pictures and stories that our members contribute. As I write this, our annual fundraiser if fading into memory. It was held on Saturday, April 21 at the Marriott Rancho Cordova. As we have grown to expect, the food and wine were outstanding. This year's fundraiser was the largest in our history, and special thanks are due to Adam Casagrande and Kyle Meintzer for heading up the effort, and to our chapter administrator Beverly Valdez for her hard work behind the scenes in making the fundraiser a success. Pictures are included in this newsletter. In 2013, the banquet date will be Saturday, April 27, Mark your calendars now. Going forward for at least the next few years, the chapter will hold its annual banquet at this same facility on the last Saturday in April. As the season turns to summer in the Northern Hemisphere, sheep habitat projects get underway in earnest. If you have never worked on a population study or a translocation or a guzzler or trail camera project, you have missed out on the essence of sheep conservation. Contrary to what some may believe, we are not only an organization that hosts a dinner to raise money for sheep (although we certainly do that). We also seek to be involved actively in a "boots on the ground" sort of way with habitat improvement. Please consider the projects that we periodically flag either in the newsletter or in our blasts. The sheep will benefit, and you will find that involvement will deepen your enthusiasm for our sport. Finally, I want to present to the entire chapter a matter of rather urgent need. For the last few years, Mike Borel has served as the editor of this newsletter. It is a testimony to his dedication and hard work that the newsletter features such high quality content and is published on time quarter by quarter. Recently, Mike was elected to the executive committee of Safari Club International, and while this does not preclude his involvement in WSF or, it is a large time commitment. Accordingly, Mike will soon be stepping down as editor of the newsletter, and we need someone to take on his duties as editor. Very little writing is involved, but some knowledge of word processing software (Word, Pages) would be helpful. Please contact me or Mike if you have an interest in helping the chapter in this way. I am writing this during Memorial Day weekend, and while the newsletter will be published after the holiday, I hope that this reminder will prompt all of us to seek out and to thank the men and women who have placed themselves in harm's way so we can enjoy the rights and privileges we have including the right to own firearms and to hunt with them. Ken Fish LUCKY PERSONS WHO HAVE DRAWN SPECIAL TAGS FOR 2012 Roger McCosker Desert Bighorn, Nevada Dennis Ellison California Bighorn, Nevada Adam Casagrande GSCO Super Slam Raffle Stone Sheep Hunt with Golden Bear Outfitters If you drew a great tag, share the excitement (mike.borel@contextnet.com) 5

6 PATIENCE, PERSEVERANCE, AND A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC A Mark Dickson Story written by Mindi Combs There s a story told by Henry Old Coyote in the Bighorn Canyon s National Recreation Area s book about a father, or maybe a stepfather, seemingly possessed by evil spirits. This father attempts to kill his son while they are at a place called Hole-in-the- Wall in the Bighorns. The evil spirits make the man push his heir from a steep cliff, but the boy survives because he is caught by some trees growing in the canyon wall. The boy sits on a perch for days, and when nearly dead from hunger and exhaustion, seven bighorn sheep led by the chief of the bighorns, Big Metal (who is described as having horns and hooves of shiny steel) rescue the boy. They give the boy the name Big Iron and also give him power, wisdom, sharp eyes, sure-footedness, keen ears, great strength, and a strong heart. Big Iron returns to his people and tells them that the Apsaalooka, or Crow, people (who occupied the area around the Yellowstone River area and its tributaries in what is now Montana) will only survive if the winding river out of the mountains is known as Bighorn River. The name of the river can never be changed. 1 Further south in the United States lies the Coso Range, located east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and west of the Argus Range in eastern California, where thousands of Native American petroglyphs of bighorn sheep occur (petroglyphs are chiseled into the surface of the rock whereas pictographs are painted onto the rock). Often, in the petroglyphs, hunter and the bighorn sheep are common imagery, and these depictions may represent the desire for magic for a successful hunt. 2 Native Americans rarely ate bighorn sheep meat because it took multiple days and miles to track an animal until it was finally killed. However, if successful, Native Americans used almost all parts of the animal: the horns and bones formed tools, utensils, and ornaments while clothing and foot-wear were made from the hide. The Native Americans also used the leg tendons of the bighorn to assist with the bow's recoil. 3 Very south of the Coso Range, Native American artifacts exist as well. Because I was able to get an open zone tag, I was able to hunt with Tim Mercier and Cliff St. Martin of Dry Creek Outfitters 30 days earlier than the season opened, so we had the Clark/Kingston region of San Bernardino County to ourselves. I saw some petroglyphs when Tim and Cliff pointed them out to me. Tim told me that they often find pottery shards, arrowheads, and various items that look like utensils in just about every mountain range in the area. We also found what Tim and Cliff call donuts large, circular, rock mounds that are still flat with the inside of the donut being dirt. We found a spot with three of these rock mounds during one of our hikes. Tim and Cliff estimate that these rings may have been used as the base of teepees or for ceremonies. Once I saw a few petroglyphs, I knew I would find my ram, and although I would never be naive enough to compare my hunt to the hunting of the Native Americans, I felt honored to be walking the same path they did, searching for the same animal they did. Tim and Cliff knew I wanted a special sheep and they knew about a record-book ram. As Tim said, He didn t get that big by making any mistakes. Many guides had scouted this ram for me. At one point, Cliff was out there for about six weeks, living in the desert, and he spotted this ram from a great distance, about two to three miles away with optics. But it s never a direct line to a ram, especially in that rugged country. So, by the time Cliff got closer, the ram moved away. We were right on the Nevada line, hoping that the ram stayed within the California side of the state line. Luckily, the guys found the ram again before I arrived for the hunt, but when I arrived, we couldn t find him because the weather changed with high winds, and he disappeared. But we did see some burros that had originally come in with the Spanish 6

7 Conquistadors. Much later, the burros were then caught by miners who used them to help haul materials for mining activities in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I travelled back home to the Los Angeles area. Then the guys found him again and I returned, but because rams are nomadic, we lost him again. They looked more, but never saw that ram again, so they decided to look elsewhere. Grover Dobyns, camp cook, and Tim packed up camp in the Clark/ Kingstons while Cliff took four spotters (Matt. St. Martin, Jason Lyman, Clay Gibert, and Shawn Lindey) to the Orocopia Mountain Range, just south of I-10 in the Colorado Desert in Riverside County. While Cliff and his crew were scouting, they found about 17 rams in one group, so they called me again to return. As luck would have it, we were getting close, waiting for the rams to make a move. On that hike, we came across a one-room building in the rocks with a handpainted sign that says Hotel California in the room. No one knows who built it, but it s been around for over 20 years. There s even a little guest book for people to sign. Tim said that it looks the same now as it did 20 years ago when he first saw it. Unfortunately, once we got upon these rams, they moved because they knew something wasn t right. They apparently caught our scent. Or as Tim said, The ram zigged. We zagged. And it s next to impossible to hustle in those mountains with the canyons, boulders, and rugged terrain. During WWII, fighter pilots used the Orocopias as their training grounds because of the terrain and remoteness. In the June 1944 issue of The Desert Magazine, John Hilton writes: Salt Creek wash, between the Orocopias and Chocolate mountains, looks just like it always did except that the gravel is strewn with shell cases from aerial machine guns. Nowadays, oversized brass bullet casings can be found among the cactus and rocks of these mountains. We kept trying in the Orocopias where the guys once again had spotted a couple of nice rams. I returned, and at around 4:00 a.m., we started our hike to find this group. Hunting sheep is like playing chess, Tim told me as we navigated the rough terrain of the Orocopias in the darkness of morning. We did quite a bit of hiking because he wasn t close and we had to wait for him to move to get a clear shot. At 7:00 a.m., we finally had our eyes on the ram. He was 600 or 700 yards away, but we couldn t get close to him because of wind direction and because an ewe in season had just joined the two rams. At around noon, the wind calmed down and was in our favor, so we started to make the stalk. Tim and Clay watched the ram from a different angle while Cliff and I walked into the canyon, but we couldn t get a good view of the ram although we figured we were about 300 yards away. We got into position and waited. The ram came out of the rocks for a moment, then he retreated into the rocks. This happened a few times. So we waited patiently. By 3:30 or 4:00 p.m., the wind started going into a downdraft, working its way down the ridge, and just as the wind shifted, the ram stood up perfectly in line between two ocotillo cactus. Suddenly, the wind came back down our neck, and Cliff knew I would lose my shot. He s winded us, Mark. Shoot now, he told me. I did. I made a well-placed shot. We found him a quarter of a mile down the cliff in a wash. After my hunt, I know why Native Americans wanted some magic for their sheep hunts. 1 The Legend of Big Metal. National Park Service. Retrieved May 22, Upper Sheep Canyon Petroglyphs. Petroglyphs.US. Retrieved May 20, Native Americans and Desert Animals. Joshua Tree Climb.com Retrieved May 17, AS YOU PLAN YOUR FALL AND NEXT YEAR S ADVENTURES by Mike J. Borel, VP and Editor If there is one thing you can do while you plan your 2012 season, your outings and vacations this year is take a look at our website (cawsf.org). Specifically check out the links to our donors and sponsors. What we accomplish for wild sheep and sheep hunters can only be possible with the support and generosity of our members and donors and sponsors they are the lifeblood in all we do. As you go about your purchases for the 2012 season, please give these businesses and outfitters a shout you can bet they ll appreciate hearing from you. With your support and that of our donors and sponsors, we can continue to implement our mission successfully. Remember: we are a group 7 of individuals that share in the common goal of improving our sheep habitat, sharing our knowledge with others, and being conservationminded to help preserve our resources for future generations to enjoy. Thanks and I hope to see you at our next fundraiser (April 27, 2013), project or event.

8 PROTECTING ONE OF ARIZONA S WILDEST ATTRACTIONS Agencies Work Together to Reverse Dwindling Sheep Population by JC Amberlyn Articles Collected by Dick Weaver and Condensed by Lou Ann Neal The crew is after three of them right now and our spotter found another bunch near milepost 5.1, I heard the speaker inform us over the radio inside the Arizona Game and Fish Department truck. Game and Fish Public Information Officer Zen Mocarski was driving me and two other journalists down U.S. 93 near the Hoover Dam in the northwest corner of Arizona. Our quarry was a charismatic but elusive target that should have been hard to find in the remote, rugged mountain terrain. But we had technology on our side a scout plane was out scanning the countryside for any sign of life, and eagle-eyed spotters with spotting scopes and binoculars aided the effort on ground. A helicopter holding biologists and a net gunman lurked nearby, ready to swoop down when the target was spotted. What animal was this that brought a whole team of biologists, pilots, volunteers and three journalists to work together in the stark desert on a windy, overcast November day? I was the ovis canadensis nelsoni, better known as desert bighorn sheep. * * * Desert bighorns are similar to their cousins, the Rocky Mountain bighorn, but they ve adapted to life in the desert. This area near the Hoover Dam holds the largest single population of desert bighorns in not only Arizona but in the entire United States. This area, consisting of the Black Mountains, winds north to south along the eastern side of the Colorado River and holds about one-third of Arizona s bighorn population. Historically, bighorns numbered as high as 1,800 here. However, bighorns have experienced some problems and populations have been on the decline as of late, reaching a low of sheep in The herds have been hit by several things, including disease, drought and predators. They were also vulnerable to vehicle traffic when trying to cross Highway 93 near the Hoover Dam. The highway has fragmented sheep habitat and isolated herds, making the transfer of genetic diversity difficult and increasing the effects of drought, disease and predation. When the Mike O Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, also known as the Hoover Dam Bypass, was scheduled to be built, the sheep s future seemed to darken even more. The highway would go from two lanes to four, and traffic speeds through the area would increase. The sheep seemed doomed. * * * Biologist Kevin Moran and other G&F employees were determined not to let that happen. With some calls and presentations, G&F, the Arizona Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration began to work together on a three-part study to determine how the highway impacts the sheep. The original plan for the Bypass Bridge included building several underpasses (tunnels that wildlife can safely cross under the highway) to prevent motorist-wildlife collisions. However, recent local research on State Route 68 had shown that bighorn sheep hesitate to use underpasses. They appear insecure entering a dark tunnel where a predator might wait to ambush from above. So, something else needed to be done. The idea that emerged was the nation s first wildlife overpass, which provides road crossing above, instead of below, the highway. If has been successful in Canada, and the tie to try it here had come. It would be about a $5 million project to build three overpasses, one at each of the mile marker locations that sheep had been trying to cross at. Each overpass consists of a bridge spanning over the highway, lined with fences on the side and dirt on the floor. Fences are also being built along the highway to funnel the sheep toward the overpasses. 8

9 * * * Part One of the bighorn sheep study consisted of capturing several sheep in the Black Mountains and tracking their movements with radio collars. It was determined that sheep were most often trying to cross the highway at mile markers 3.3, 5.1 and 12.2, but they usually turned back. Part Two of the study looked at how the sheep were responding to the construction in the area. Now, Part Three of the operation has begun. Part Three consists of capturing the sheep and determining their movements now, including whether they are using the new overpasses. To do this, G&F rents a helicopter and pilot and employs its own biologists and a gunman. Once sheep are spotted, the helicopter chases after them and the gunman shoots a net, which captures a single sheep. Biologists then quickly work to get to the animal, put a hood over its eyes to reduce stress and take blood samples for research. Finally, a radio collar with a GPS is put on its neck and an ear tag attached. The hood is removed, the sheep runs off, and the team searches for their next subject. This study is slated for two years, then the collars are programmed to drop off the sheep automatically. The plan for this weekend had included a goal of capturing 35 sheep, but high winds eventually rounded the aircraft and the total was half of that. However, another capture effort is planned for January. Biologists expect the sheep to start using the overpasses soon. If for some reason they do not, G&F may use bait or water to entice animals onto the overpasses. Once sheep learn to use them, they will teach their offspring. * * * Some ask, why save the sheep? The cost of the overpasses alone is in the millions. Mocarski would point out that the underpasses were already factored into the cost of redoing the highway. He also had this to say: If some people don t value wildlife that much, we re probably not going to change their mind. But many of us do. And this was a rare opportunity to make something better. You can t go back years from now and tear down the roads (because of a bighorn population decline due to the new four land highway). This time was a chance to do it right. Celina Tusson and Christine Haverkamp were the two other journalists along for the ride last Friday. They are students at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and are making a video about the sheep project. To see it, visit wee.unlv.tv/studiog starting on December 3. Norwegian Humor Ole in Court Ole's truck was hit by a semi-truck in an accident. In court, the trucking company's lawyer was questioning Ole. "Didn't you say, sir, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine? " asked the lawyer. Ole responded, "Vell, let me tell you vat happened. I had yust loaded my favorite mule, Bessie, into da " "I didn't ask for any details," the lawyer interrupted. "Just answer the question. Did you not say at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine? " Ole said, "Vell, I had yust got Bessie into da truck and I vas driving Bessie down da highvay " The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question." By this time, the Judge was fairly interested in Ole's answer and said to the lawyer, "I'd like to hear what he has to say about his favorite mule, Bessie." Ole thanked the Judge and proceeded. "Vell, as I vas saying, I had yust loaded Bessie, my favorite mule, into da truck and vas driving Bessie down da highvay ven dis huge semi-truck and trailer ran da stop sign and smacked my truck right in da side. I vas trown into one ditch and Bessie vas trown into da other. I vas hurting real bad and didn't vant to move. However, I could hear Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape yust by her groans. Shortly after da accident da Highvay Patrolman, he came to da scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning so he vent over to her first. After da Highvay Patrolman looked at her and saw her fatal condition, he took out his gun and shot her right 'tween da eyes. Den da Patrolman, he came across da road, gun still smoking, looked at me and said, 'How are you feeling? " "Now vat da hell vould YOU say?" 9

10 A BEGINNER S TALE by Bob Totah and Cliff St. Martin It was like a dream come true and lucky for me. My name is Bob Totah and I am a Police Officer in San Francisco. For the past seven years I have been applying for desert sheep, elk and antelope hunts here in California. I got drawn for desert bighorn sheep in I couldn't believe it, and I thought it must have been a mistake. I went online, which was tough for me, and I called Regina Abella from DFG and confirmed that I had been drawn. My girlfriend said that the smile on my face was the biggest she had ever seen. I immediately set out to find out about the area I would be hunting and trying to hire an outfitter since I did not know the area. I called a friend, Wally Johnson, who is a fishing guide in the Marble Mountains in Northern California, which is where I thought the Marble/Clipper Mountains were. Wally told me that he did not know of any Clipper Mountains up north and then looked in the DFG manual for the location. He told me they were in San Bernardino County. I said, San Bernardino!!! I hung up and thought to myself, Who do I know down there? I remember looking at the DFG magazine that they put out every year and seeing an ad for Dry Creek Outfitters and a guy with a huge handlebar moustache. Just looking at their ad and photos in the magazine was enough for me. I called them and talked with Tim Mercier. I liked what I heard about their operation, and he told me that I was the first to call and would have the first choice of dates. I asked him what he thought were the best dates and I booked January 4, 2012 to January 18, I figured I would do the 14-day hunt in case we had a hard time finding sheep. This turned out to be untrue, as we saw rams everyday. I liked what Tim had to say and how he said it. I also talked to his partner Cliff St. Martin, who also was a really nice guy. I booked my hunt with Dry Creek Outfitters and then I waited. I got to camp after the New Year and found everyone upbeat and jovial. I was very impressed by their well maintained camp. I met the crew and I will list them with their nicknames as follows: Tim Mercier (Cowboy), Cliff St. Martin (Partner), Grover Dobyns (Watchdog), Brooks Stiltz (Dixie), Sean Lindey (Alabama), Clay Gibert (Mojave), and Jason Lyman (Jay Bird). Tom Binder, who is one of my good friends from Idaho, accompanied me on the hunt as well. We set up our gear and settled in for the evening meal and prayer, because as I believe and I found out, we are not going to kill a ram without the grace of God with us. We said grace every night, and I thank God we did because as you will see, it worked out in the end. As most of us outdoorsmen know, I would rather be lucky than good and anyone that I can call onto my team that can help me, I'll do it. Finally our first day of hunting arrived. We got up early and had breakfast, packed our lunch and still left camp well before daylight. Grover greeted us each morning with a warm mess tent, good food and a big smile on his face to send us off for the day. I felt more confident with my Tikka T3 300 Win. Mag. than my Browning 7mm, so I carried the 300 Win Mag with Federals 180 gr. Barnes Triple Shock bullets, which proved devastating in the end. We hunted the Marble Mountains the first day and saw two nice rams one chocolate and one gray. We felt we deserved a better look, so Cliff, Tom and I et out on a four-hour stalk. We got to within 300 yards of the rams and I was ready to shoot. They were both magnificent animals. Cliff told me he thought they would score in the low 160s to the mid-160s and would not get me into the record book. I told him that I could shoot either of these animals and be very happy. It didn't matter that it was the first day. Cliff again advised me that we could do better. He convinced me to hold off on the shot and that we would "bank" these rams. Apparently they do not move too much during this time of the season. I grudgingly agreed to do it and we set off back to the trucks, but boy was I excited. The following day we glassed a different area of the Marbles and "Alabama" found another huge ram. This was a big-bodied gray ram that Cliff again thought would score in the mid-160s and that we should "bank" as well. We saw more rams and ewes at this location than any other. It was another good day and we did a lot of glassing. What I liked about these guys is that they were patient and didn't just go hiking looking for the rams, but rather "spot and stalked them. This is a good technique for someone who is not in that great of shape, like me, because you can preserve your energy and save 10

11 yourself for the full 14 days and the eventual shot. On day three we planned on hiking the backside of the Marbles, a place called the Blue Mountains. We had already glassed this area from the front side. This would be a 10-mile hike. It was long but not too steep, and I could do it. We did not see many sheep there, but it was some beautiful country. This is another aspect of these guys they teach you about the country, hazards, fauna and flora, and God's great creations along the way. Not only are they nice guys, but good conversationalists. They are interested in what you have to say, even if you don't know what you re talking about. They understand that this is a once-in-a-lifetime hunt and the old saying applies, "The only dumb question is the one you don't ask." I learned a lot. We found an old Sheep Guides campsite called Suds Camp. It was an area with a fire pit and some groomed sand where tents could have been set up. It was really cool because it was a taste of the past, and I like history. I kept thinking to myself about how the miners and travelers survived out here. I could see that they could hunt for food, but there wasn't much water. It was a great day and I saw a lot of stuff. During these hunts "Cowboy" would send the others out to search for rams, so "Alabama" and "Dixie" were our legs and they hiked miles to find me my ram. I can't thank them enough, and in the end you'll see that this was a good strategy. The next day I was tired from the 10-mile hike the day before, so "Partner" set me and my buddy Tom up in an area to glass. It was an area that you could view a lot of country. I was so glad I hired an outfitter because just to find these rams was an effort. I had borrowed my friends Swarovski 20 x 60 spotting scope and I was glad I did. I needed all the help I could get. While we glassed from below, Partner and Alabama penetrated the mountain from different angles above. They located two old rams running together. Both rams were each missing a horn on one side. If not for a missing horn, each would have been a ram for the books. On the way out "Partner" saw tracks of a large ram walking east off the mountain range, so we planned on following that up the next day. The following morning greeted us with a cold north wind. Well before daylight we drove to a spot on the protected side of the mountain. Immediately Dixie spotted rams from the truck. These rams were a few miles out and we needed a closer look. After working our way closer we could see 10 rams in all. Three of the rams were significant enough to pursue and we began our stalk. Mojave, Dixie, Alabama, and Jaybird separated to strategic points on the mountain while Tom and I followed Cowboy and Partner up the mountain toward the rams. It was kind of eerie because all of these guys looked at me and said, See ya at the ram, Bob, like they knew something significant was going to happen. By the time we got within 350 yards, the wind had picked up considerably. We needed to get closer. At this point, we could only see two rams. The rest were below in the wash. We began our final stalk just below a ridgeline. At that point the two rams began to move uphill in our direction. Cliff and I froze as I set up for a shot where we figured the rams would cross. Just seconds later Cliff said, "It's the first one. Shoot him!" So here it comes down to a fast and furious ending. I had already chambered a round into the barrel but still had the safety on when I decided to pull the trigger. Same old mistake! Thank God the ram was still there when I got the shot off and dropped him with one shot at 100 yards!! I couldn't have been happier. I must tell you that prior to the final stalk when Cliff and Tim were deciding which ram for me to shoot, I sat there on the mountain with the wind howling, praying to God for a clean kill and a successful outcome. I'm glad I did and I will never be ashamed to pray to God anywhere in this world. After a round of high-fives and a lot of photos, we rough scored my ram at 170+ inches. A record book ram if it would hold up to the 60-day drying period required by Boone and Crockett. The hardest hike of the trip was the hike down the mountain and back to the truck, but it was also the most rewarding because I knew the hunt was over and success was on my back. We made all the appropriate calls to line up the meeting with Andy Pauli from DFG for the official paperwork the next day, and we completed the tag I had in hand. That night the evening prayer was the most powerful I had ever experienced, and I thanked everyone on the team for their efforts in helping me. After breakfast the next morning we broke camp. My friend Tom set out for Idaho, and I set out to meet Andy Pauli near Victorville for the official documentation. Andy scored the ram at 172 5/8! I couldn't believe it! I immediately called "Partner" and told him, and I could here everyone yelling back at camp. I then drove the head and cape to the taxidermist in Visalia and then home for the end of the day. I can't help but to recommend Dry Creek Outfitters for anyone's hunt. They will give you all they can, and they won't stop until they have given it their all. They told me that if we didn't see anything I wanted to shoot after the 14th day, that they would stay longer to help me get my ram. How many outfitters would do that? Thanks again and thank you Lord. Cute Limerick, Shared at an Early FNAWS Convention and Remembered by Dick Weaver: There was a young woman named Aster, Whose clothes fit her tighter than plaster. When she happened to sneeze; She felt a sudden cold breeze But only she thought it disaster! 11

12 SOLAR ENERGY AND BIGHORN SHEEP: Habitat Fragmentation, Mitigation, and Sportsmen Part 1 by Vernon C. Bleich, Ph.D. Last December, I had the opportunity to be a keynote speaker at a symposium in Las Vegas, Nevada, the theme of which was Sportsmen Speak on Solar. The symposium, sponsored by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, was attended by individuals affiliated with numerous conservation organizations, representatives of federal and state bureaucracies, some politicians, and the media. California Wild Sheep Foundation members Kyle Meintzer, George Kerr, and I attended the symposium. The material in this article has been adapted from my keynote address; because of space limitations, it will appear in two parts. North American wild sheep are habitat specialists, but persistence of wild sheep on a regional scale is dependent upon maintenance of connectivity among the insular mountain ranges inhabited by those animals. Disruption of connectivity among those ranges will decrease the likelihood that bighorn sheep will persist at a landscape level in the future. Although we ve had many successes with respect to the conservation of desert bighorn sheep, they have come about as a result of the efforts of sportsmen, individuals in many different agencies, and interested members of the public that have worked cooperatively on behalf of that species. Those successes, however, did not come without costs. My friends Don Landells and Jim Bicket, both of whom I was able to work closely with on dozens of projects to benefit wild sheep, were constant sources of encouragement and entertainment, and were the best of companions. Both died in a tragic helicopter accident while surveying bighorn sheep in a Mojave Desert mountain range not far from where we gather today; California Department of Fish and Game wildlife biologist Dick Weaver was severely injured in that crash. The site of that accident is just a few seconds flight time from one solar energy project that currently is under construction, and another that is undergoing final project review. There were many evenings that the four of us, along with some others in this room, spent around a desert campfire sipping good whiskey while we played guitars and banjos. Many of those evenings ended with discussions of what the future would hold for desert bighorn sheep and their habitat in California, and we all agreed that at some point they would become creatures of great controversy, perhaps akin to what the spotted owl became in the northwestern United States. I believe that time has arrived, and some of the ideas that I will put forth today had their origins around those campfires. By way of background information, bighorn sheep appear to exhibit all of the characteristics typical of metapopulations, including (1) independent dynamics of the subpopulations that comprise the metapopulations; (2) patches of suitable habitat, some occupied and some vacant at any given point in time; (3) opportunities for movement by bighorn sheep and resultant gene flow among the subpopulations; and (4) periodic extinction and colonization events. A colleague recently coined the phrase metapopulation fragments to refer to what previously had been described as metapopulations of bighorn sheep because, in all probability, there historically was connectivity among all of the subpopulations in the California desert. That large, likely singular, metapopulation became fragmented as a result of human activities that severed opportunities for movement by bighorn sheep. Thus, desert bighorn sheep in California are considered to exist in a series of several metapopulation fragments, each of which potentially retains the capacity to function as a metapopulation unto itself. There are many threats to the maintenance of connectivity among populations of bighorn sheep. Some of these are obvious to us as biologists, but are less clear to the public at large. Chief among these are heavily traveled roadways, and the interstate highway system largely is what divided the former metapopulation of bighorn sheep into the aforementioned metapopulation fragments. It is easy for the public to understand how highways impact bighorn sheep because their immediate effects, often in the form of dead animals, are readily apparent. Unfortunately, it has been of lesser concern that those roads have blocked connectivity among populations, because those roads generally are confined to flatter terrain within intermountain areas, and those areas historically have not been viewed as being important to bighorn sheep. Fencing is also problematic with respect to connectivity, yet it sometimes is proposed as mitigation for development projects; fencing does little but complicate issues related to connectivity. In my opinion, fencing as mitigation is largely a feel-good proposition that is based on the notion that it will decrease the probability of accidental death to a bighorn sheep. Such feel good mitigation does nothing to enhance the probability of connectivity among populations. In some situations, canals have disrupted opportunities for connectivity and these are especially prevalent in the Sonoran desert of the southwestern United States. Moreover, human activities and infrastructure development, such as mines, are also problematic, but their effects are less pervasive than those of linear features such as fences, freeways, or canals and they are less likely to disrupt connectivity. Finally, the distribution of livestock, 12

13 particularly domestic sheep, has important implications for the disruption of connectivity among populations of bighorn sheep because of the potential for the transfer of pathogens to wild sheep. In some ecosystems occupied by desert bighorn sheep, vegetative succession has resulted in fragmentation of suitable habitat, and can preclude movement among occupied areas important to those specialized ungulates. Such systems are adapted to periodic fire, and in its absence the quality and quantity of forage decline, vegetation density increases, and opportunities for movement among areas of potentially important habitat decrease. Connectivity among populations of bighorn sheep also can be disrupted in ways that few people have, until recently, only imagined. One such way is through the proliferation of solar power plants, which necessarily must be located in areas that are topographically not challenging, and that previously had been declared unimportant in the legal context of wilderness. Such locations frequently are within the intermountain areas that bighorn sheep must traverse in order to ensure metapopulation function. The greatest potential for that type of development is congruent with the distribution of desert bighorn sheep, and this has enormous implications for the disruption of connectivity, especially in southeastern California, western Utah, western Arizona, and in southern Nevada, where we are gathered today. Solar facilities typically are proposed to be located near existing infrastructure, such as freeways, powerlines, and pipelines, and environmental impact analyses frequently argue that those existing features already have eliminated opportunities for movements by bighorn sheep. One such location is adjacent to Interstate Highway 15 where it passes through the Soda Mountains northeast of Barstow, California. At that location, expansive highway bridges across large washes provide opportunities for bighorn sheep to move under the highway, but development could eliminate that potential. In this situation, and in other similar situations, existing opportunities for movement across highways will be compromised with development of those solar plants if the assumption that connectivity has been severed by exiting infrastructure is not challenged. To date, a number of states and provinces have worked to reestablish connectivity where it has been disrupted by roadways, and some have done so successfully. Nevertheless, the proliferation of solar energy plants in intermountain areas has onerous implications for the persistence of populations of bighorn sheep, largely because of their potential to further restrict movement among mountain ranges. Unfortunately, some of the efforts to ensure passage across roadways have been criticized and are viewed by much of the public as outrageous examples of government spending. Such discord will only confound issues related to connectivity, particularly given the current political and economic situations existing in this country. Today, I am going to stick with the concept of maintaining, or re-establishing, connectivity, within existing metapopulation fragments of bighorn sheep, rather than maintaining or re-establishing connectivity between fragments, and I will emphasize four strategies. In the past, sportsmen have played important roles in the effort to ensure the persistence of bighorn sheep populations, and those efforts will become increasingly important in the future. I also want to emphasize that if mitigation is to be successful, it must sometimes be implemented off site and in protected areas where the greatest potential to offset impacts of development will best be realized. The first of these four strategies involves preventing further extirpations, because it easier to do so than restoring opportunities for connectivity after such opportunities have been eliminated. In other words, the best defense is a good offense, and this is a strategy that sportsmen historically have supported. A second strategy that holds promise involves the restoration of extirpated populations. Despite some evidence that bighorn sheep still are able to colonize vacant habitat, re-establishment of extirpated populations can restore opportunities for connectivity at a more rapid rate. After all, the process of extirpation was speeded up as a result of disease, unregulated harvest, and habitat alteration, which is ongoing. Although there is evidence that colonization events can and do occur, I do not believe it necessarily is in the best interest of conservation to assume that colonization events will outpace extirpations, especially given the potential for expanded project development across the desert. If development of solar energy plants impacts existing opportunities for movements among mountain ranges, this strategy will become increasingly important to the conservation of bighorn sheep. Translocations have been used successfully to reestablish connectivity between several mountain ranges in San Bernardino County, California, and are being employed in the Sierra Nevada to reestablish populations in that range. A stellar example of this approach is ongoing in west Texas, where an international effort is underway to link mountain ranges in the United States with those of northern Mexico. A third method of improving the potential for connectivity involves habitat enhancements, particularly water developments, that can increase survival of animals pioneering vacant areas and, thereby, increase the potential for interactions among bighorn sheep from different populations. Throughout the American Southwest, sportsmen have been the primary advocates of such habitat enhancement projects, which increasingly are recognized as important in helping to maintain connectivity among populations of desert bighorn sheep. Reliable sources of surface water have the potential to enhance the survival individual animals moving from one location to another, and increase the probability of encounters between bighorn sheep in areas lacking permanent populations. The resultant increases in fitness among individual animals have implications for gene flow and rates of colonization and, ultimately, for the persistence of bighorn sheep at the level of the landscape. continued on page 14 13

14 continued from page 13 It is clear that the amount of forage available determines what ecologists refer to as nutritional carrying capacity for bighorn sheep, but it also is clear that surface water is an important component of bighorn sheep habitat. As a result, the potential benefits of habitat enhancements should not be summarily dismissed because they are not natural. These water developments (1) allow bighorn sheep to make use of otherwise suitable habitat that lacks surface water; (2) enhance the likelihood of immigrants encountering others of their species; (3) likely increase survival rates during periods of thermal stress or drought, and (4) increase the potential for new populations to become established. As a result, they have positive influences on population size and survival rates, and, ultimately, on rates of genetic exchange among populations. With any luck at all, the strategic placement of water developments near areas that could be used by sheep to traverse existing barriers will be successful in helping to re-establish connectivity across those impediments to movement. In some ecosystems occupied by desert bighorn sheep, another strategy to enhance connectivity involves the use of prescribed fire. Nevertheless, land management agencies have emphasized a policy that involves the suppression of virtually every fire that is ignited in the San Gabriel Mountains and other ranges dominated by chaparral vegetation and that are inhabited by bighorn sheep. It is important to emphasize that fire is a natural event in those chaparral systems. Nevertheless, the use of prescribed fire specifically to enhance habitat for bighorn sheep is prohibited in legislated wilderness, even though that technique is the only practical method of increasing the availability and suitability of habitat for bighorn sheep in such areas. Dr. Vern Bleich is an independent wildlife biologist who worked for the California Department of Fish and Game for 34 years. He remains active in conservation issues related primarily to large mammals inhabiting arid, southwestern ecosystems. Interested parties can contact Vern at vcbleich@gmail.com. CALIFORNIA WILD SHEEP SUMMIT XI April 20, 2012 in Rancho Cordova The purpose of these Summits is to bring together the various NGOs, DFG, Land Agencies and others to share information and identify opportunities to make a more positive impact for Wild Sheep in California than any of us could do independently. We held this 11th Summit meeting the day before our Fundraiser. We had 17 Wild Sheep Enthusiasts from 7 organizations. The Information update presentations included: DFG Vision - Overview and what it means for bighorn sheep Dan Yparraguirre What the Comprehensive Bighorn Sheep Plan is calling for in the way of implementation actions and their priorities John Wehausen Building around the comprehensive sheep plan to identify 2-3 priorities this group could take on and be additive John Wehausen Report on Recent Activities in WAFWA, Wild Sheep & Goat Council, Desert Bighorn Council, etc. that are of value and interest for California wild sheep Vern Bleich Sheep Program update (including personnel replacements and additions) Regina Abella Helicopter update for sheep work Regina Abella Thoughts on addressing apparent need for alternate ways to survey populations Regina Abella Accounting of funds for sheep work are being spent Regina Abella Review of persons in DFG involved in alternative energy mitigation, define process, what has happened, what is in the works, etc. Eric Loft New DFG bighorn website Dave German Update on changes in habitat use and distribution of Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep Alexandra Few by Mike J. Borel Update on Large Mammal Advisory Committee Steve Torres Big Game Advisory Committee - Priorities and Progress Kyle Meintzer & Steve Hill Discussion about ways to get Caltrans to address wildlife habitat connectivity concerns in their projects Kathy Meyer Actions taken to elevate importance of wildlife conservation to level of wilderness land Vern Bleich Status of sight selections for water developments consistent with CDFG Conservation Plan Vern Bleich & Steve Marschke Update on the Mojave Water Resources Plan EIS Neal Darby What we do to stay ahead of the curve on alternative energy and rare earths mining, so wildlife is best positioned to stop bad things, and take advantage of neutral or good things George Kerr & Bob Burke 29 Palms Drinker expansion and possible new water developments Steve Marschke Future format/venues/plans for hunter clinics Regina Abella New learnings from the SCBS camera project Bob Burke Non-Resident access to CA DBH tags - up to 1 was fair when there were 9 permits likely income boost from making it 15% Kyle Meintzer Discussion on California relative to other states on % of DBHS tags relative to DBHS populations Kyle Meintzer Update on interactions that CA WSF has with DFG administration & politicians Kyle Meintzer There has been solid progress, but there are also challenges! Sheep Summit XII will be In Ontario the day before the Hunter Orientation. 14

15 RESPONSIVE MANAGEMENT RELEASES RESULTS OF THREE NEW HUNTING STUDIES Three new Responsive Management studies completed during the first quarter of 2012 suggest continued growth and support for hunting across America. Examining initiation into hunting from three different angles, the studies together indicate that increased interest and involvement in hunting will follow increased exposure to the sport, particularly through several crucial sources: peer influence from friends, classmates, and neighbors; hunter education courses sponsored by state fish and wildlife agencies; and first-time apprentice licenses that temporarily exempt new hunters from hunter education requirements and allow them to "test drive" the sport for a certain period. Understanding the Impact of Peer Influence on Youth Participation in Hunting and Target Shooting In a study conducted as a project of the Hunting Heritage Trust in cooperation with the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) to examine the effect of peer influence on youth involvement in hunting and target shooting, Responsive Management found that the more familiar youth are with individuals their own age who hunt and target shoot, the more likely they will be to support and participate in these activities: youth who know others who hunt and shoot (or who hunt and shoot themselves) are more likely to say that the activities are "perfectly acceptable," more likely to recognize the role of hunters in wildlife conservation, and more likely to believe that hunters and shooters possess desirable qualities like intelligence, care for the environment, and care for other people. At the same time, youth who are unfamiliar with hunting and shooting (particularly because they lack close friends or relatives who hunt or shoot) tend to fill in the gaps in their knowledge with anecdotal impressions or worse misinformation, myth, and misperception: almost half of youth (46%) hold a negative opinion about hunting compared to other sports and activities, and a further 59% strongly or moderately agree that legal hunting as practiced today in the United States causes some species to become endangered. These percentages suggest a fairly widespread lack of familiarity with the two activities in question. The more familiar youth are with individuals their own age who hunt and target shoot, the more likely they will be to support and participate in these activities. ~ Peer Influence Study Despite misperceptions among many youngsters, the study, which entailed two focus groups and a nationwide scientific telephone survey of youth ages 8 to 17 years old, revealed that most youth support hunting and shooting and affirm the right of others to participate in them: 78% of survey respondents said they approved of hunting when it is legal to do so (49% strongly approved) and 86% approved of target shooting when it is legal to do so (50% strongly approved). Similarly, regarding the right of others to hunt and shoot, youth are largely accepting and tolerant, even if they personally disagree with the activities. Indeed, the most common reaction by youth to a friend going hunting or target shooting is to actively encourage the friend's participation, rather than to be neutral or actively encourage the friend not to participate. While most youth surveyed had never been invited to go hunting or target shooting, the results regarding the number who would go if invited point to substantial openness among youth to try the activities: nearly 24 million youth ages 8 to 17 would be likely to go hunting if invited within the next 12 months, and nearly 17 million of these individuals are non-hunters. Similarly, nearly 28 million youth ages 8 to 17 would be likely to go target shooting if invited within the next 12 months, almost 13 million of whom are nonshooters. Because youth are more likely to support and participate in hunting and shooting if they are familiar with individuals their own age who take part in these activities, the research reinforces the obligation for youth hunters and shooters to recognize the weight and importance of their words and actions with regard to their peers' perceptions of the two activities. In fact, one of the chief recommendations to emerge from the peer influence study is the creation of a "Youth Hunter and Shooter Ambassador Program," initiated to capitalize on the current population of youth hunters and shooters who can positively influence their peers' attitudes toward the sports. The report also recommends that agencies and organizations encourage invitations to hunt and shoot, encourage talk about hunting and shooting, and promote and encourage the social aspects of the two sports wherever possible. continued on page 16 15

16 Increasing the Number of Hunter Education Graduates Who Purchase Hunting Licenses Two other recent studies were conducted under grants provided by the NSSF's Hunting Heritage Partnership program and involved several southeastern state fish and wildlife agencies and their hunting constituents. The first study examined the rate at which graduates of classroom and online hunter education courses in Alabama, Georgia, and Kentucky go on to purchase licenses and hunt during the season immediately following their course. In addition to a series of focus groups conducted with youth and adult hunter education graduates in each state, this project entailed a pair of telephone surveys: the first was a precourse interview implemented in 2011 with individuals scheduled to complete a hunter education course within the month; the second, follow-up interview was implemented in mid-february 2012, after most major hunting seasons in the three states had ended. Between 53% and 70% of individuals who had never hunted or possessed a license before obtained a hunting license for the following season after completing a hunter education course. ~ Hunter Education Study Overall, the study results are encouraging for the participating agencies and point to the effectiveness of hunter education offerings in the three study states: about three-quarters of hunter education graduates of license-purchasing age across the three states went on to obtain a hunting license after the course for the following hunting season, and between 53% and 70% were individuals who had never hunted or possessed a license before. Similarly, between 59% and 82% of hunter education graduates went hunting in their state of residence during the season immediately following their course (between 47% and 63% were individuals who had never hunted or possessed a license before). In addition to these core findings, the hunter education surveys also determined that most hunter education students come from hunting families, with most having some level of hunting experience prior to completing a course. Furthermore, between 24% and 48% of students across the three states held a hunting license of some type before the course, suggesting that some hunter education students enroll in a new course to replace a lost certification card or to obtain certification for a new state of residence. Additionally, many hunter education students are adults accompanying children or spouses to courses for their first time. Overall, the hunter education research suggests that the fewer barriers students face after completing a course, the more likely they will be to purchase a license and hunt. As such, one of the recommendations prompted by the study is for agencies to obtain funding in order to issue at the conclusion of each course a hunting license to all students who successfully complete hunter education. Whether or not this means a nominal fee applied to courses currently offered for free would likely vary by state; however, the data suggest that students will be substantially more likely to continue their involvement in hunting if they leave a course fully licensed and ready to head into the woods. Other recommendations include the distribution of "onestop shop" information on how to begin hunting, the need for agencies to maintain contact with new hunters through a dedicated list, and the need to encourage hunter education classmates to keep in touch, especially for future hunting trips together. Evaluating Apprentice Licenses as a Hunter Recruitment Strategy In the second HHP grant-funded study, Responsive Management conducted five focus groups and a telephone survey to examine a population of potential hunters one step removed from hunter education: holders of apprentice licenses, which exempt prospective hunters from state hunter safety certification requirements while they hunt with mentors or other properly licensed individuals. The research involved five states, three of which (Kentucky, Virginia, and South Carolina) offer apprentice licenses as a one-time exemption, and two of which (Alabama and Georgia) sell apprentice licenses without a limit on the number a sportsman can purchase. Between 18% and 38% of apprentice license holders enrolled in a hunter education course after obtaining an apprentice permit. ~ Apprentice License Study As with hunter education students, many apprentice license holders have experience hunting before they obtain an apprentice permit (between 54% and 69% across the five states had hunted prior to holding an apprentice license, usually on private land). Regarding the effectiveness of apprentice licenses as a recruitment tool for encouraging subsequent hunting participation, between 18% and 38% of apprentice license holders across the five states enrolled in a hunter education course after obtaining an apprentice permit (among those who did not, between 17% and 41% said they were very likely to do so within the 12 months following the survey). Additionally, between 27% and 61% of apprentice license holders across the five states purchased a state hunting license after obtaining an apprentice license (among those who did not, between 38% and 57% said they were very likely to do so within the 12 months following the survey). Finally, between 62% and 76% of apprentice license holders surveyed said they were very likely to go hunting within the 12 months following the survey. Interestingly, the study determined that the intent or motivation of the hunter purchasing the apprentice license is influenced in large part by any purchasing limitations 16

17 instituted by the sponsoring state agency. In states where apprentice licenses are one-time permits that can be purchased and used only once, apprentice license holders are obligated to move on to hunter education and regular licenses after their trial hunting period expires. On the other hand, in states where apprentice licenses can be purchased multiple times, the permits tend to be popular among longtime hunters attracted to the convenience and inexpensive price of a short-term hunting license. Further, some states also include fishing privileges with their temporary apprentice permits. In many cases, an apprentice license sold may simply indicate an individual seeking a short-term, inexpensive fishing permit (many such sportsmen do not even bother to hunt on the permit at all, thereby demonstrating the shortfall of gauging new hunter recruitment simply through apprentice license sales). In addition to recognizing these differences in the two types of apprentice licenses (i.e., one-time versus unlimited offerings), recommendations from the apprentice license study include communicating state hunter education requirements to apprentice license hunters, emphasizing hunter education as the natural next step following an apprentice permit, and providing follow-up information and "next step" guidance to new hunters who purchase apprentice licenses. The apprentice license report is available for download at /Apprentice_License_Eval_Report.pdf NSSF LAUDS SENATE VOTE PROVIDING $1.4 BILLION TO IMPROVE LAND ACCESS FOR SPORTSMEN NEWTOWN, Conn. -- The National Shooting Sports Foundation applauds yesterday's bipartisan approval by the Senate of an amendment that will expand funding for conservation and improve access to public lands for sportsmen and women. In reauthorizing the $1.4 billion Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Senate approved a measure to dedicate 1.5 percent of funds to securing public access to existing public lands. Securing funding for "making public lands public" is an NSSF legislative priority that is strongly supported by over 40 conservation and sportsmen's organizations. Projects to provide access to public lands will include acquiring conservation easements on private parcels that currently prevent access to large swaths of public land. "Expanded access to public land is vital to both today's sportsmen and future generations," said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel. "Increased access results in increased participation." Introduced by Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.), the amendment will be included in a broader transportation bill that is expected to pass the full chamber by Tuesday. The bill then heads to the House, where support for LWCF funding is less certain. The LWCF provision would double current funding levels for the program to $700 million for each of the next two years and reauthorize it until 2022 at $1.4 billion total. Funding comes from a portion of offshore oil and gas leasing revenues. 17

18 2012 FUNDRAISER Photos were taken by Chip Hollister, Special Thanks from 18

19 John Berens wins both Largest and Oldest Ram Awards. Bret Scott wins State Record Archery Award. Photos were taken by Chip Hollister, Special Thanks from 19

20 Thanks to our donors for making the 2012 fundraiser a success LOWA BOOTS Dan Hill danhill4@me.com USA SHOOTING TEAM info@usashooting.org WILD SHEEP FOUNDATION TEJON RANCH Brian Grant bgrant@tejonranch.com STATE OF NEVADA, DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE 4600 Kietzke Lane Suite D135 Reno, NV EDEN RIDGE OUTFITTERS John McCollum edenridgehunts@aol.com CABELA S T.A.G.S. SERVICE Eric Pawlak ericpawlak@cabelas.com GUNWERKS customerservice@gunwerks.com BLACKROCK OUTFITTERS Michael Hornbarger bighornnv@sbcglobal.net MCBRIDE HUNTING SERVICES Rowdy McBride rowdymcbride@sbcglobal.net ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME PERMIT SECTION Juneau, AK EXPLORER SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS Andy Cool sales@explorersatellite.com WHITE GOAT GALLERY Rick Taylor wildworld@netidea.com MULE SHOE OUTFITTERS Justin or Sandy Wright muleshoe@wbaccess.net CORDOBA HUNTING SA Faco Pavcovich info@cordobahunting.com CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME 1812 Ninth Street Sacramento, CA SOCIETY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF BIGHORN SHEEP SOUTHERN HUNTING SAFARIS Scott Thomson nzhuntahr@xtra.co.nz FRONT SIGHT FIREARMS TRAINING INSTITUTE info@frontsight.com CHUNGO CREEK OUTFITTERS Greg Kristoff (403) krisfarm@telusplanet.net 20

21 LIKHULU SAFARIS Matt van Vuuren WESTERN WILDLIFE TAXIDERMY Aaron Armstrong WILDEATS ENTERPRISES John McGannon GIUSEPPE CARRIZOSA SPAIN Giuseppe Carrizosa THE GATLIN BROTHERS AND GOLD COUNTRY CASINO POINT BLANK HUNTS Joe Jakab SILVER SPUR OUTFITTERS Trent Snyder phone/fax CANADIAN MOUNTAIN OUTFITTERS Bryan Martin ANDES SAFARI PERU Gonzalo Paredes GRAND SLAM CLUB/OVIS Dennis Campbell MCBRIDE S METAL WORKS Ed McBride ed@mcbridesmetalworks.com TIMBERLINE OUTFITTERS Perry Hunsaker timber@timberlineoutfitters.com R&R GUIDE SERVICE Rob Jones rcjones@gci.net KINGFISHER CHARTERS AND LODGE Chuck Haydu rico@aptalaska.net HUNTINEUROPE Srdja Dimitrijevic mobile info@huntineurope.com ARTISTIC WILDLIFE TAXIDERMY Eric Gould artisticwildlifetaxidermy@yahoo.com BIG RACKS OF MONTANA Michael Beattie rev7v@live.com ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE JULY 31! If you renew anytime in 2012, including at the fundraiser, you will be covered until July 31, Membership options are: Annual - $40 3 year - $100 Life - $500 Renewal method options include: , phone, mail, or on the website at Please keep your membership current, invite others to join and please consider upgrading to Life Member. 21

22 PROTECTING BIG GAME ABUNDANCE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS by Ryan Benson Big, Big News 30 minutes ago, we found out that we have won in court when it comes to wolves and wolf delisting. The ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco clearly supported the legality of the Congressional action to delist wolves in the Northern Rockies. The opinion, written by Judge Schroeder, dated March 14, 2012, ruled that Section 1731 (the wolf bill) was constitutional and that this action by Congress to delist wolves in the Northern Rockies was fully legal. This is a huge victory for wildlife conservation and will allow wolf management to continue in Montana and Idaho. It also protects Wyoming's legal victory and leaves the door open for a Wyoming delisting later this year. As many of you are aware, Big Game Forever and other conservation organizations, including partner organizations Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife and Mule Deer Foundation are parties to this litigation. Detailed Analysis This particular legal challenge attacked various aspects of the constitutionality of the wolf bill in Congress. This particular case began last year in Judge Molloy's court in the Western District of Montana. Judge Molloy ruled that Congress has full authority to amend its own laws, including the Endangered Species Act, and that the delisting by Congress was constitutional. The case was appealed to the 9th circuit, where the constitutionality of Section 1731 was once again challenged. The court also ruled that Congress did amend the endangered species act through this action to the extent it was inconsistent with the Congressional delisting language. While it is entirely possible that this case may be appealed to the Supreme Court, the victories at the district court level and at the 9th circuit are a great sign. We have believed throughout this process in the strength of our position and the legal arguments supporting that position. To this point, the courts have agreed with our position. Here is a quote from the ruling: Appellant s arguments that Section 1713 is a repeal rather than an amendment must fail for a similar reason. Congress did not repeal any part of the ESA. Rather, Congress effectively provided that no statute, and this must include the ESA, would apply to the 2009 rule. Congress thus amended the law applicable to the agency action. Appellants also contend that the meaning and effect of the 2009 Rule as reissued under Section 1713 are unclear, and that ambiguity prevents the court from finding an amendment. We cannot agree. The meaning and intended effect of Section 1713 are perfectly clear. The partial delisting was to take effect within 60 days, with no court review or interference. Finally, we observe that while Section 1713 bars judicial review of the reissuance of the 2009 Rule, the 2009 Rule does provide standards by which the agency is to evaluate the continuing viability of wolves in Montana and Idaho. See, e.g., 74 Fed. Reg. 15,123 at 15,186. Review of any regulations issued pursuant to the Rule or of agency compliance with the standards, does not appear to be restricted. Section 1713 itself, however, ordering the Rule to issue without regard to the laws that might otherwise apply, is entitled to be enforced. The bottom line is that once again, the courts have ruled in favor of wolf delisting. Wolf management will continue in the Northern Rockies by state fish and game agencies including regulated hunting by sportsmen. Thank you for your ongoing support. We will continue to keep you apprised of developments as they arise. A great victory for healthy wildlife populations and for our outdoor heritage. ryandbenson@msn.com Have you Checked Out the Website Lately? You should! 22

23 WHY THE LEFT-WING SHOULD LOVE HUNTERS Reprinted from Ammoland.com and found by Beverly Valdez Columbus, OH -- (Ammoland.com) May 15, The last 30 days have been chock full of key events that have a tremendous impact on the future of hunting, fishing and recreational shooting in America events that are leading many sportsmen and women to draw conclusions about (or further cement their conclusions about) Democratic decision makers. In the nation s capitol, Congress debated sportsmen s access to public land, whether EPA could regulate ammunition and fishing tackle, whether recreational shooting should be permissible on national monument land where compatible, and last whether the United States should allow the importation of legally hunted trophies. In California, the Senate debated whether to ban hunting black bears and bobcats using hounds. In Ohio, lawmakers protested colleagues holding clay bird shooting events as political fundraisers in the wake of a school shooting that occurred in February 250 miles away from the proposed event. In each of these cases, it was Democrats who led the charge opposing hunting rights, restricting target shooting or decrying the use of firearms for recreational purposes. In Congress, HR, 4089, the Sportsmen s Heritage Act passed by an overwhelming vote. Of the no votes, 144 were Democrats. (79% of the Democrats in the U.S. House) In California, SB 1221 passed the Senate Natural Resources Committee 5-3; followed by a 5-2 vote before the Appropriations Committee. All yes votes were Democrats. Not a single democrat voted to protect hunting. And as one might expect, the howls of protest over the shooting event fundraiser in Ohio were by Democratic lawmakers; while the shoot was held by a Republican. It s not news that sportsmen have a much harder time gaining support from Democratic lawmakers. The question is why? There are so many reasons why the left-wing should love American hunters. Here are seven: 1. We re a minority. There are roughly 20 million hunters in the United States, making us less than seven percent of the population. Democrats purport to be the champions of the under-represented. Here we are! 2. We eat free range / organic food. Democrats decry large livestock farms, and the use of hormones in meat. Whether deer or duck, game is the ultimate healthy choice. What s the difference between freerange chicken and free-range pheasant? 3. We preserve green space. No single group of Americans puts more money into habitat acquisition and preservation than hunters billions upon billions of our license dollars and taxes on firearms and ammunition for land that everyone else can use for free. I thought Democrats love free stuff! 4. We feed the hungry. Each year, hunters donate thousands of pounds of venison to local food pantries. One would think the party of the Great Society would welcome our contribution to the safety net. 5. We support women s rights. There are few things that make a sportsman happier than successfully hooking a woman on hunting. We re even okay that they outshoot us many times. 6. We re just regular folks. For every African big-game hunter, there are thousands of hunters making a bluecollar living, and driving our American made trucks. 7. We re animal lovers. Hunters are the ones who pay for endangered species rehabilitation, not Hollywood actors or fashion models. And don t even get me started on our dogs. No one loves and is more obsessed with dogs than hunters. And we don t keep our dogs caged in purses where they can t even turn around or stretch their legs. 23

24 CALIFORNIA KING AN OLD WARRIOR by John Berens This whole unbelievable saga began back in late June. My brother-in-law, Jordan Gammon, had come by the house and mentioned that the online draw results were available for the State of California. Jordan was excited that he had been drawn for a coveted archery deer tag. So I jumped on the computer before work to check the draw results, quickly noticing that in the results column were two YES responses. The first was a general deer tag that practically everyone in the area gets; the second column read YES for Bighorn Sheep. My heart skipped several beats. I couldn t believe it this must be a mistake. While going about my business getting ready for work, I went back to the computer three different times before leaving for work. Each time the results were the same: Bighorn Sheep!!! Picking up the phone, I proceeded to call the three most influential men in my life: my father, John; my brother, Jake; and my father-in-law, Pete. My brother couldn t believe the news. His words of wisdom were: get in shape, hit the range heavily, and seek the services of an outfitter. He stressed covering every base because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Even though the tag was for California, Zone 504 in the Orocopias was 10+ hours away. Also, not wanting to squander this great opportunity, I set out to find an outfitter to help me in this great quest. As luck would have it, just as I was trying to figure out which direction to go in finding a guide, the best of the best fell right in my lap. A family friend, Bob Thurman, had done some archery shooting with a fellow named Pat Butler, who was a guide for a prominent outfitter for desert bighorn sheep. I was able to obtain Pat s number and give him a call. He led me directly to Terry Anderson of San Gorgonio Wilderness Outfitters. Instantly, from our first talk, I knew that Terry was my man. I could feel his love and passion for these animals over the phone. He has spent more than 40 years working hand in hand with various groups and organizations for the conservation of these tremendous animals. His knowledge about bighorn sheep and the individual hunting units is extraordinary. Everything was now set, and all that was left was time, conditioning, and loads of shooting practice. I worked out twice a day for four months: running, weightlifting, and hiking. Included in my schedule was shooting every weekend and sometimes during the week before work. There would be no doubt of readiness for this highly coveted experience, and believe me, not a day went by that I did not think about the hunt. Terry had kept in touch with me during the long four months, sending some incredible photos of sheep in my unit. Finally, December arrived and I felt ready. My father and brother were both coming along on the hunt. We were to meet Terry and his crew two days before opening day. Saying our goodbyes to our families, we began our 10-hour drive to the desert. When we arrived, Terry s whole crew was there and discussing their scouting activities. Earlier in the week they had been able to spot a few real nice rams. One of those in particular really stood out. He had a chip in his right horn and was exceptional! The only challenge was that the winds had picked up and the rams vanished with it. The agenda for Friday, one day before opening day, was to find the rams again. With luck in our favor, my brother, guides Jake Franklin and Pete Buckelew and I were able to relocate the group of rams, now five in all. The ram known for his chip in the right horn was among the five. Meanwhile, Terry, my dad and I were checking out another area of the unit. We were able to locate a few rams, but nothing that had harvest potential. After putting the five rams to bed, we met up with the guys at camp after nightfall. Andrew Pontious, another guide for Terry, joined us in camp that night. He would be joining Jake F., Terry and I on opening morning. In order to relocate the group of five rams, we made plans to leave camp around 3:30 a.m. My brother and Pete were headed back to where they had originally spotted the rams so they could relocate the rams if our plan didn t work out. The rest of us had a very long drive around the mountain to get into a spot where we could hike. Terry went over the game plan once more before he went up on the highest ridge to try and glass the rams. Jake F., Andrew, and I headed out in the dark, hoping to reach a glassing area at first light. We hiked in about 3 miles before reaching a ridgeline that would provide us a different view of where they had last seen the 24

25 rams the night before, and we glassed for roughly about an hour before the wind began to really pick up, chilling us to the bone. We could see Terry up on the ridge, getting tossed around in the wind. Just about then Jake F. spotted the five rams about a mile and a half off in the distance in a bowl out of the wind, trying to sun themselves. We were able to watch them for the next 45 minutes before they disappeared over a ridge into a fold out of view. The fold they went into was visible from almost nowhere. With that, Terry decided to go to a location where, if the rams were to leave the fold, he would see it. At this point we decided to go ahead and make a stalk. We dropped down from our glassing location into a wash below us. We then climbed out of this wash onto the next ridgeline and then dropped off again into a bigger wash. This larger wash would lead us right to where we had last seen the rams. Being able to use these washes to hide ourselves was a key in helping us stalk close to the rams. Reaching the bottom of the ridgeline where we had last seen them, Jake F. caught a glimpse of horns and we all froze. About 50 feet away in the wash was a brushy area. This would hide us while I set up for the shot. It was a perfect spot because not only did it provide cover, but also a slight incline to help make for an easier shot. The challenge was getting to that brushy area. There would be a few spots that would put us out in the open and easy for the rams to see us. Crawling, pausing, freezing, crawling some more, it took 45 painful minutes to cover that distance. Finally in position, with one pack as a rest and two others to help elevate my body, I found a comfortable position to lay prone at a 45 angle upwards. Terry had located the rams in the fold, I could now see up the draw, but could only see two of the rams. That was enough because the one with the chip in the horn was one of them, ranged at 312 yards. Right as I was set up, the Old Warrior lay down. The other ram he was with slipped out of view. Now it was just the Old Warrior a nd us. Waiting for him to get up from his bed, so many thoughts were racing through my head. Desperately trying not to let the size of the horns affect my state of mind, after 15 minutes of waiting, this beautiful Old Warrior a monster of a ram stood up facing straight at me. My stomach reached my throat. One step and he was going to walk out of sight. Then making his last turn to look behind him, he turned broadside. Four months of preparation left my model 700 Remington 7mm. The next thing I heard was Jake F. and Andrew screaming over and over, HUGE RAM DOWN! The exhilarating feeling at that moment is hard to put into words a feeling I will never forget. Admittedly I was a little choked up to say the least. Reaching the ram about 45 minutes later, the dream was reality. The Old Warrior was magnificent, and I was trembling with excitement. Jake F. asked me if I had any idea what had just happened. Although nobody wanted to say it, I could read it on their faces. A very special trophy ram was just taken. Jake went straight to his satellite phone and called Terry, my brother and Pete. Luckily we got ahold of them because there was a lot of work to be done. About an hour later my brother and Pete came over the ridge. It was a special moment for me. Sharing this hunt with my brother is something I will never forget. They all made it very clear that we were in no huge rush and we were going to take HUNDREDS of pictures. They kept reminding me, It will be worth it in the end. The heavy pack out was a tough few miles, but with horns on my back and my brother at my side, I couldn t have been more thankful. Thank you to California Wild Sheep and California Fish and Game for your invaluable information. I want to thank San Gorgonio Wilderness Outfitters: Terry, Jake, Andrew, Pete and Cactus Jack. What an incredible adventure. I want to thank my father and brother for their encouragement and support. Finally, to my wife, Vickie, and my children, I thank you for allowing me to chase a dream. The ram scored a gross of 187 1/8 and a net of 185 3/8 Boone and Crockett a new California state record for desert bighorn sheep. Thank you Old Warrior! Irish Humor Shared by Famous Member, Tammy Scott John O'Reilly hoisted his beer and said, "Here's to spending the rest of me life between the legs of me lovely wife!" That won him the top prize at the pub for the best toast of the night! He went home and told his wife, Mary, "I won the prize for the best toast of the night." She said, "Aye, did ye now. And what was your toast?" John said, "Here's to spending the rest of me life sitting in church beside me wife." "Oh, that is very nice indeed, John!" Mary said. The next day, Mary ran into one of John's drinking buddies on the street corner. The man chuckled leeringly and said, "John won the prize the other night at the pub with a toast about you, Mary." She said, "Aye, he told me, and I was a bit surprised myself. You know, he's only been in there twice in the last four years. Once I had to pull him by the ears to make him come, and the other time he fell asleep. 25

26 PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD Britt Bogue Desert Bighorn 2011/12 Season - Old Dads Taken with Dry Creek Outfitters Rich Papapietro Desert Bighorn 2011/12 Season - Marble/Clippers Taken with Dry Creek Outfitters Doug Hausman Desert Bighorn 2011/12 Season - Clark/Kingstons Taken with Dry Creek Outfitters Mark Dickson Desert Bighorn 2011/12 Season - Orocopias Taken with Dry Creek Outfitters Dale Soditus Desert Bighorn 2011/12 Season - Sheep Holes Taken with Dry Creek Outfitters Bob Totah Desert Bighorn 2011/12 Season - Marble/Clippers Taken with Dry Creek Outfitters Mike J. Borel Pyrenean Chamois May Spain Note: 11+ Years Old Scott Swasey Himalayan Tahr May New Zealand Taken with Manganui Safaris (2010 Chapter Fundraiser Donor) Scott Swasey Alpine Chamois May New Zealand Taken with Manganui Safaris (2010 Chapter Fundraiser Donor) 26

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29 SPORTSMEN CONTRIBUTE BILLIONS (from Western Outdoor News May 25, 2012) It sometimes drives us crazy hearing from some uninformed folks their assumption that sportsmen just take in their hunting and fishing, somehow giving the impression that we don t contribute anything to wildlife conservation and management. The truth is, we are about the ONLY group that contributes, certainly not the anti-everything groups. Here are some statistics: Each day of the year sportsmen contribute more than $3 million to wildlife conservation efforts. This amounts to more than $1.5 billion a year. Hunters contribute more than $21 billion to the U.S. economy each year, supporting almost 700,000 jobs. For every 25 hunters or fishermen, enough economic activity is generated to create one new American job. For every taxpayer dollar invested in wildlife conservation, sportsmen contribute $12. Through over 10,000 private groups and organizations (such as Ducks Unlimited, Pheasant Forever and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation) sportsmen contribute an additional $300 million each year to wildlife conservation activities. Sportsmen s dollars create $60 billion in retail sales, 1.9 million jobs, $8.7 million in state and federal tax revenues and this creates a $159 billion ripple effect on our national economy. If hunting, fishing and trapping were a corporation, we would rank 10th on the Fortune 500 List, ahead of AT&T and Philip Morris. Sportsmen support more jobs than TWICE the number of workers employed by Wal-Mart, the largest Fortune 500 employer. Texas sportsmen support more jobs than Exxon the largest employer in the state. Tax revenues generated by sportsmen exceed the box office total of all U.S. movie theaters or, better yet, the combined box office earnings of the ALL TIME TOP 1- grossing films. Remember some of these statistics the next time someone tries to tell you that hunting and fishing is bad, or that we don t do our share. We not only do our share for wildlife, but we do the vast majority of the nation s share! Federal tax revenues generated by sportsmen in one year could pay for the combined budgets of the Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Appropriations, Bureau of Land Management, National Biological Service and the National Park Service for two years. Federal tax revenues generated from New York sportsmen could pay for the entire U.S.Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Budget, Pennsylvania could pick up the same tab! Sportsmen s sales tax revenues generated in North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia could pay for their entire State Parks and Recreation Budgets. Sportmen s retail sales in Alabama and Georgia are twice the amount of those states entire annual production of cotton. Sportsmen s spending surpasses the value of our country s major seafood production stats of South Carolina, Virginia, Louisiana and Maine by more than three times the market s value. Horn Core cross section of ram found dead at Woods Guzzler showing disease and insect damage. Photo courtesy of Terry Anderson, San Gorgonio Wilderness Outfitters 29

30 ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME TAG ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME ADVENTURE ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME SHOT by Britt-Marie Jacobson-Bogue Let us begin this story back in June I was with a girlfriend on a cruise to the Caribbean. We were on the ship Oasis of the Sea, one of the largest cruise ships in the world. We had a wonderful time. When I returned home, my husband, Dan, handed me an envelope. It was from the California Department of Fish and Game. I opened the envelope and I couldn t believe what I was reading. We have been applying in California for about 22 years. We have always said that our donations were going to a good cause, never really expecting to be drawn. Well, this year I was one of the lucky ones. I had been drawn for a California Bighorn Sheep Tag! We just couldn t believe it! The very first thing I did was to send in my check to the Department. The next thing was to do some research on the internet about Nelson bighorn sheep, available guide services, and any articles about hunting the Mojave National Preserve for sheep. The unit that I was drawn for was the Kelso Peak/Old Dads. We knew of some people that had been drawn for that unit and were told that access was pretty good. The more I researched, the more I realized that this was going to be very difficult for us. As I mentioned earlier, Dan and I have been putting in for the draw for about 22 years. During that time age has crept up on us, along with physical problems. Both my husband and I have heart conditions and are in need of pacemakers, defibrillators, artificial heart valves, etc. I also had a knee replacement 2 years ago, and my doctor just informed me that my other knee needs to be replaced as soon as possible. I only mention this because the articles that I read mentioned a lot of walking. I can t even go down to the floor. Yes, this was not going to be easy. Since we are retired, time was not going to be an issue. Everyone we spoke to was very helpful and gave us all kinds of suggestions and ideas. I remember talking to Tim Mercier and Cliff St. Martin of Dry Creek Outfitters. Even after explaining to them about my handicaps, they were very understanding and assured me that they would be able to get me very close to a ram. We were in the process of moving from Livermore to a Del Webb Retirement Community in Manteca. Since we were retired, we had plenty of time to devote to the hunt. We decided to try hunting DIY to begin with. In October, we went to the mandatory sheep hunter s clinic in Rancho Cucamonga. The clinic was held at the Bass Pro Shop and I would receive my once-in-a-lifetime tag after completing the orientation. I was the only female to get a tag this year and I was so excited about the hunt. We received so much information about the desert and about Nelson bighorn sheep. We realized that it was going to be very difficult to get close to these animals. It was enjoyable meeting all the people that had been drawn for tags, along with different guides, and those involved with the clinic. After the orientation, Dan and I decided to drive to the Old Dad/Kelso Peak unit and check it out. George Kerr had given us a great map of the area and we were eager to learn as much as possible. The 1.6 million acres that the park consists of is very barren with a lot of Joshua trees and red barrel cactus. We did not see any sheep, but we still thought we would try it on our own since we had two months of the season. In November, we were finally settled in to our new home at the retirement community. It wasn t long before December was upon us and it was time for my hunt to begin. We arrived in Baker, California and checked into the only hotel available in town. It was an older hotel, but it was clean with a hot shower. We did some scouting on Friday. It was a beautiful sunny day and the desert looked fantastic. We were glassing Kelso Peak, Jackass Canyon, and other areas that had been pointed out to us but no bighorn sheep. We met up with Eric (another lucky tag holder), his wife, Anna, his mother and father, and their friend and his grandson. We all met at the helicopter pad and had a great time. They were the nicest people. They had all been out hunting but had not seen any sheep yet either. The next morning my husband and I got a really early start. It was early in my opinion, but I was in banking for 40 years, so we have a slight difference of opinion when it comes to early mornings. We glassed for some time without any success. We ran into Eric s parents and they mentioned that Eric and Anna had gone on a long hike around Kelso Peak. No one had seen anything yet, so we decided to go to the Kelso station for lunch and see 30

31 the museum. We enjoyed a nice lunch, spoke to the Rangers and had a wonderful time. We learned more about the park system and different places to look. I was born and raised in Sweden. I came to the USA in 1960 by myself. I have traveled all over the world, and the United States has the most beautiful parks around. After leaving the Kelso Depot, we decided to take a dirt road toward the Marl Mountains. We suddenly saw a man standing on the dirt road that we were driving on. It was Eric s dad, and they were glassing three rams that Eric s mother had spotted. Eric was already on his way toward the rams, so we all joined with our spotting scopes to watch the whole scenario unfold. It was exciting to watch the sheep sparring and eating barrel cactus. It was beginning to get late in the afternoon when we heard a shot and the voice from Eric stating that a ram was down. Since it was late and we were unable to help, Dan and I gave our congratulations and headed back to Baker. We told everyone that we would see them tomorrow. The next day we stopped to see Eric and his family and congratulate him on a very nice ram and a job well done. Then Dan and I headed off to the same area where Eric had taken his ram. There had been two other rams with the ram that Eric shot, and we were hoping to find one of them. But no such luck. We also tried looking at several other areas, but again no sheep. For the next several days we hunted hard looking for my desert bighorn sheep, but we had no luck in finding him. We decided to go back home for the Christmas holiday. Fast forward to January 7, 2012 and back to Baker, California and the Mojave Desert, Wildlife Biologist Andy Pauli, Cliff and Tim with Dry Creek Outfitters, and friend Joe Wyman, who had drawn a sheep tag back in Even Eric and his wife Anna wanted to come back down and help us on the hunt. Bruno, another sheep hunter in the unit, called and told us that he had killed his ram, so we were the only ones left in the unit hunting. We called Cliff St. Martin of Dry Creek Outfitters and he told us that he could possibly help us for a few days, after they finished up a hunt with a client in the Marbles. We told him that we could sure use the help. That same day, I saw six to eight ewes and a lamb. I was very excited! We also saw some quail, Jack rabbits, a golden eagle, and a coyote. It seemed that the desert was full of life. I was sure that my ram was out there, but I just couldn t see one. The next day Cliff called and told us that their client Bob Totah had just harvested a big ram and that they would be able to help us for a few days before their next scheduled hunt. We were both ecstatic because we knew that we needed help in a big way and Cliff and Tim were aware of our health problems. January 10 at 6:00 a.m. (that s early) we met with Cliff, Shawn and Brooks at the hotel in Baker. That morning we found out how you are suppose to hunt desert bighorn sheep. These guys definitely know what they are doing. We drove to some areas that Dan and I had not seen before. The cinder cone lava beds and up a mountain that was all black from the crushing of lava rock. Cliff had Shawn and Brooks looking in different areas. It wasn t long before we had spotted three rams. These rams were very nice rams; however, they were not in an easy spot to get to. We watched them in the spotting scope and determined that two of the rams were very big. We told Cliff earlier that I didn t care about the size as long as it was a legal ram and that I could get to it. Cliff asked if I could handle a walk along the wash to possibly set up for a shot if the rams were to drop off the mountain to a lower point. I told him no problem as long as we didn t have to climb a mountain. The rams were slowly feeding and working their way downhill. Dan and I followed Cliff s lead and came in from the side of the rams, but they were still about two draws away from us. After getting as close to them as we dared (600 yards), we sat down to see if they would feed closer to us. Dan had been great by always bringing my little 3-legged chair and my tripod to shoot from when the time came. I had my walking stick, and I was carrying my husband s 300 Browning automatic rifle. The same rifle I had used to harvest my elk in Colorado. The rams did feed down the hill and bed, but they were still too far for a shot. Eventually, after about three hours, they got out of their beds and fed back up the mountain and away from us. We decided to back away from the rams and maybe get a chance at them at a later time. There were a few hours of hunting left when we arrived back at the truck, so we decided to continue working our way down the road and glassing. Shawn and Brooks went ahead of us to glass. In less than an hour, we were informed that the boys had located a single ram feeding down low on the backside of Old Dad Mountain. After seeing the ram, I was so excited! But how would we get to where he was? We drove up the road and got out of the pickup. Cliff had instructed us to be calm, and we slowly walked in the direction of the ram. This was our only option. I hadn t realized until later that Cliff had already ranged the ram at the pickup and it was 600+ yards. Dan and Cliff kept telling me, Just a little farther. You can do this. The ram was still feeding and was not acting alarmed. We finally got to a good spot that was flat enough for my 3-legged chair. Dan and Cliff got me organized with the tripod, and I got my rifle in place and tried to find the ram in my scope. Cliff guided me calmly until I had the ram in sight, and he told me to put the crosshairs on the top of the ram s back. I did and pulled the trigger. The ram spun around, but I had shot just above him. Now I had to find him in my scope again for another shot. Cliff again guided me patiently and calmly and told me to put it right on him this time. I found the ram once again in my scope, did what Cliff said and squeezed the trigger. I waited a second, and with a smile on his face, Cliff said, Ram down. I just looked at him dumbfounded, and he repeated, You have a bighorn sheep on the ground. I could not believe my ears. Then the excitement kicked in. Adrenalin was going through my whole body, and then continued on page 32 31

32 continued from page 31 came the shaking. Cliff said, Do you know how far you shot? I told him, Not a clue. He said, 422 yards. I still had no clue, being Swedish; I never really got the hang of yards or inches. I only knew meters or centimeters. Cliff said it is more than four football fields long, and then it registered. What a shot! My husband just kept shaking his head in disbelief. All of my shots at game before were at yards. After the high-fives and hugging, Cliff insisted that Dan and I work our way back to the truck since it was getting late. Shawn and Brooks were about a mile or two away and they had seen the whole thing. They saw the ram drop and a few seconds later they heard the shot. They were so happy for me and they were on their way to help me to the pickup and take care of the ram. We had about 200 yards to get to the truck. I was still shaking and couldn t believe I had just shot a ram that was more than four football fields away! Cliff went up to take care of the ram while Shawn and Brooks helped me down to the truck. Then back up the mountain they went. What a team! They walked on those rocks like they were mountain goats. Yes, everyone was so happy for me, and part of me thought it would never happen but it did. Thanks to my husband, Cliff, Shawn, and Brooks. What a wonderful experience! My ram may not be a Boone and Crockett sheep, but as far as I am concerned, he is the best looking ram in the whole Mojave National Preserve. I m sure he is probably the longest shot by any woman in the 25 years since sheep hunting in California began 422 yards WOW! The next morning the guys went back up the mountain and brought the ram down for me to have my picture taken with him. After the pictures were over, they butchered up the ram and packed it away in ice chests, along with the horns and cape. On January 12, 2012 we took the ram to Andy Pauli, the wildlife biologist. Andy and his wife were very happy that I had gotten my ram. My ram was #321, which means that only 321 rams have been taken in the 25 years. During that time, less than a dozen women have been fortunate to draw a tag. By the way, this all happened on both my birthday and my anniversary. We had been married at a Safari Club Convention in Las Vegas some years ago. What a fantastic birthday and anniversary present! I would like to say thank you to my husband, Dan, for being so understanding and being my guide, chauffer, and helping me in all aspects of the hunt. Thanks to Cliff St. Martin for having the patience and understanding of our health problems and his calmness for me to be able to shoot the most beautiful ram in the Old Dad Mountains. And to Andy Pauli, George Kerr, and everyone we came in contact with prior to and during the hunt. Everyone was so very nice and so helpful in making a dream come true. We are all very fortunate to live in the beautiful State of California with the ocean beaches, redwoods, mountains and the deserts. Yes, I have a lot to be thankful for. My son and grandson, together with all our friends, are all amazed including some friends I have lunch with once a month, who worked with me in banking back in the sixties. They are all saying, Well, Annie Oakley did it again and I sure did! HISTORY ON THE UNDERPASSES, FENCES AND DRINKERS on either side of the interstate between the Marbles and the Granites by Dick Weaver Here is what has and has not happened in California. In 1969, when I was working full time on the DFG bighorn investigation, I found that there were bighorn in the Marble Mountains. The Department had a list of mountain ranges that were known to have bighorn, but the Marbles were not on that list. I also found a bulldozer scar and survey stakes and learned that old Highway 66 was going to be bypassed and a freeway constructed. I was concerned about the freeway fencing. If bighorn tried to go through a typical five-wire barbed fence, they could catch their horns in it and die. I had a picture from Arizona Game and Fish of a dead ram hanging in freeway fencing near Quartzsite. At that time we did not know if bighorn in the Marble Mountains were there seasonally or a separate population. We were sure they would try to get to the nearby Granite Range where the forage was better and there were several water sources. We were unaware of any water sources in the Marbles at that time. My boss was successful in convincing CalTrans they didn t want to see any pictures like Arizona s unfortunate ram caught in California s freeway fending. CalTrans modified their specs in the contract before it went out for bid. The fencing was changed to woven wire and two guzzlers were built, one on each side of the freeway. They collected water from the pavement. We also got two culverts increased in size to 9 foot diameters, the largest steel culvert available at that time. To this day we don t know if bighorn have used the culverts. Bighorn have been seen near the fence, both north and south of the freeway. I understand SCBS will acquire state of the art cameras and determine if bighorn or any wildlife are using these two culverts. 32

33 NEWS & LITERATURE ON WILD SHEEP from Beverly Valdez Afghan sheep surviving (Marco Polo) and prospering - has some good historical info on hunting in the 60s/ 70s Survives-Despite-Poachers/ Hunters, photographers - same reward of feeling 03/04/SP0C1NE41B.DTL Cadiz pipeline - using gas pipelines to move water in the desert desert-cadiz-considering-gas-pipeline-to-movewater.ece Several stories on the hiker gets the "Bump and Grind" trail bighorn sheep info, also CA DFG pays for the court costs 305/Hiker-fighting-Bump-Grind-trail-cutoff-gets-state-bighorndata?odyssey=nav head Canadian sheep conference - short blurb with video Nevada relaxes sheep hunting rules ?odyssey=mod newswell text FRONTPAGE s This is a great hunting story! cancer-motiviates-man-to-get-hunting.html Problems with desert debris in the Mideast is causing animal deaths article ece Info given by DF&G to hiker suing them has led to maps showing sheep sightings isun.blogs.mydesert.com/2012/03/14/where-the-bighornwild-things-are/ Article on wolf in the northwest has stats on kills by wolves (which did include 2 bighorn sheep in Wyoming) Story about decline of Dall sheep in Chugach State Park On a similar track, North Dakota reports fewer licenses being issued - means the tags will be even more in demand f21a8/ND--Moose-Elk-and-Sheep/ Hikers in Palm Desert area want to have unleashed dogs -- BLM doesn't like the idea of dogs chasing bighorn sheep and others Hopalong-Cassidy-Trail-hiking-dogs-may-be-allowed-popularstretch-on-leash?odyssey=tab topnews text Frontpage Riverside area / Anza-Borrego park bighorn vs megadevelopment back in the news Peninsular Bighorn /Lawmakers-look-bring-down-gate-Bump-Grindtrail California Bump and Grind trail remains hot as sheep vs hikers is debated /Hikers-back-bill-open-Bump-Grind?odyssey=nav head blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/03/am-alert-266.html More on the Anza-Borrego vs wind project eastcountymagazine.org/node/9161 North Dakota - less tags this year for elk, moose, sheep (two fewer sheep licenses for total 4 available) bismarcktribune.com/lifestyles/outdoors/odds-of-drawing-into- big-growing-slimmer/article_e946ad04-739a-11e1-a bb2963f4.html Colorado - hunters who support big game protections in Browns Canyon (sheep wintering habitat) Several articles about coyote hunting uproar in New Mexico New-Mexico-sti/landing_ scitech.html?&apid=b5ec030e95ec44b2a990df77f95b6fad 33

34 Debbie Miller-Marschke made a video of the Big Gees water hauling project from last summer. It is posted on youtube. It doesn't have a lot of hits yet so the easiest way to find it will be to use the hotlink through the SCBS website (plus it will drive the search engines to map our site): content&view=category&layout=blog&id=7&itemid=21 DFG - new page for news about bighorn sheep In the Bump & Grind, hikers may pay fines for crossing the gate to bighorn area Bump-Grind-fines-ahead-agency-warns Solar energy companies not going public - in part because bighorn sheep and other desert flora and fauna blamed as halting development in some areas One of the biggest news items is the sheep killed on Hwy 74 - many stories and not just in California e6dadc8a4/CA--Bighorn-Sheep-Killed/ A controversy brewing re how DOA-WS is handling overpopulation of animals (in particular, coyotes) - pretty far down in the piece, Tom Stephenson is noted as not commenting, although someone who works with him does. california-wildlife-services-methods.html The Desert Sun comes out in favor of sheep over hikers on the Bump and Grind debate OPINION01/ /Our-Voice-Protecting-bighorn-sheepmore-important-than-trail?odyssey= tab topnews text Frontpage Once again in The Desert Sun - general story about sheep and their actions COLUMNS08/ /1057/lifestyles02/ Bighorn+sheep+can+be+blissfully+oblivious California - hunter education Basic classes: Advanced classes: Montana - many accidents with sheep on the highways and train tracks Nevada - Boulder City bighorn herd helping other herds with translocation More on the Bump and Grind /233092/ /-/hg70mrz/-/index.html State approves solar energy plan; pending governor signing ,0, story Nevada - more on herd health f5fa4c38c8a342808fb28f363d Utah - deer/sheep hunt on Antelope Island could be extended Deer-sheep-hunting-on-Utah-island-maycontinue/896OaZlEm0OYKUpus6YPog.cspx More on the Nevada bighorn translocation GET YOUR NEWS FASTER AND TYPE LESS! JOIN ON FACEBOOK LIKE OUR PAGE at California Wild Sheep 34

35 GET YOUR MESSAGE TO CALIFORNIA SHEEP HUNTERS Advertise in the California Wild Sheep Quarterly Newsletter or on Our Web Site Full Page $250 b&w; $350 color Half Page $150 b&w; $250 color Quarter Page $100 b&w; $200 color Business Card Size $50 b&w; $150 color Book 3 consecutive issues and get the 4th free (same ad and size). Make check payable to and send e-version or camera-ready ad to our office. Web Site Advertising Rates Rotating Banner, shows on All Pages - $100/month or $1000/year 423 Broadway #617 Millbrae, CA (650) cafnaws@cafnaws.org Danny Smith s Utah state record ram from 2006 Nor-Cal s Big Game Specialist 6-Month Comple t ion on Mounts State-of-the-Art Alarm System to Pro tect Your Trophie s! Free Shipping Tags Ask about our trophy hunts and videography! E r i c G o u l d, O w n e r Lloyd Lane, Suite D, Anderson, CA Shop: Cell: artisticwildlife@sbcglobal.net Artistic Wildlife Taxidermy Nor-Cal s Wild Sheep Specialist! GOT A QUESTION ABOUT DESERT BIGHORNS OR DESERT BIGHORN RANGES IN CALIFORNIA? Got a question about Desert Bighorns or Desert Bighorn Ranges in California? Dick Weaver, the first dedicated Sheep Biologist for California has lots of history and answers and has offered to respond to your questions. Send them to me at mike.borel@contextnet.com. Answers will be in the next issue. Example: Q. Why are the Marble mountains so named? A. Because marble was mined there! Brian S. MacDonald Vice President Financial Advisor Tel: Fax: brian_s_macdonald@ml.com 101 California St., Suite 2575 San Francisco, California Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. OFFER TO DO TALKS / PRESENTATIONS Dick Weaver continues to do good things for wild sheep and wildlife conservation. To that end he is currently offering to do talks or presentations and will donate the proceeds to a local wild sheep cause in Glenwood near where he lives. He also has an extensive collection of stuff, which he is willing to donate to help sheep. Contact Dick Weaver through the editor, mike.borel@contextnet.com. 35

36 Bear Spa Thanks to Terry Anderson, San Gorgonio Outfitters, for sharing this picture and link! 423 Broadway #617 Millbrae, CA Non-Profit Org. US POSTAGE PAID Millbrae, CA PERMIT 31 w w w. c a w s f. o r g