Big Horn Sheep Tracking

Last Saturday I drove out to Tooele to track Big Horn Sheep.  My good friends dad tracks them as a part-time job and he was gracious enough to let me come along for the adventure.

We headed out - probably later than a Big Horn Sheep Tracker would prefer.....(10 a.m.)...me, Brooke (7 months pregnant) Mr. White...the owner of the tracking device, and their dog (oh my I forgot his name, but he eats icecream cones in record time). 

While we were driving out to the Stansbury (?) Mountains I was able to ask any question I wanted to in relation to the Big Horn Sheep.  It was very educational and I was delighted to learn more about these amble creatures. 

Once we got near the mountains we pulled out the tracking sheet and the tracking device.

I got to be the record keeper for the excursion and write down where we found the signal for each BHS, and the strength of the signal.  All the sheep have collars on them with a tracking device, each programmed to a different station.  We scanned through the stations until we heard a beep that would come every second.  If it was double that, the sheep may be dead. 

We never heard a double beep.

This is where we found a bunch hanging out.  It took me a second to adjust to being able to find them through the binoculars...

Brookie and her pops.

These BHS were transported via the air from Antelope Island - they spread them out to avoid inbreeding, diseases and the like.  There are basically two different phenotypes, and the "type" a sheep ends up being is dependent really on the environment in which they live.  I think the first type is considered "Maintain" (Oh my - if you are Brooke's father and you are reading this I am embarrassed that I forgot).  Basically this sheep lives in a place of little food.  Therefore, he adjusts his habits and "lifestyle", if you will, to these conditions.  He is more conservative.  He lives within his means.  As a result he may live to be a ripe 16 years old!  The other phenotype is "Varied" (I could be making the name for this "type" up too).  This sheep lives in a land of abundance, more or less, and is pretty carefree (except predators of course).  They are more rambunctious, liberal, and roudy.  These guys have a shorter life span - maybe 12-13 years.

All Big Horn Sheep have yellowish eyes.

We went to the East, North and West sides of the Stansbury Mountains - and found all but a few of the sheep that were on the list.

Compost in action!  Always a fun sight to see.

When we got back to Brooke's, there was a delicious lunch waiting for us - then we talked about bees.  Brooke and her dad are bee charmers!  I got to see their hives and learn more about bee keeping.  Something that I would love to take up as a hobby.