| Rocky
Mountain bighorns were nearly extinct at the turn of the century and hunting then in
Colorado was banned for more than 60 years. Even without hunting, bighorns were
susceptible to diseases, and the herds often experienced major die-offs. But now,
thanks to wildlife management, Colorado has healthy populations of bighorn sheep,
desert bighorns and mountain goats. Over the past 50 years, large-scale trapping and
transplanting helped restore Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep to much of their historic
habitat. Due to these transplants the Colorado Division of Natural Resources were able to
offer hunting in a new unit this year. Today there are nearly 8,000 Rocky Mountain bighorn
sheep statewide. Through wildlife exchanges with Arizona and Nevada, desert bighorns also
were introduced to parts of western Colorado where the population is now nearly 500. |
2000 BIGHORN SHEEP DRAWING |
The 2000 application
deadline is April 6. |
Licenses should in the mail
by mid-June. |
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