California Bighorn Sheep | Online Record Book Preview

Ovis canadensis californiana

Borrego de California (Sp), California Dickhornschaf (G), Mouflon du California (F)

DESCRIPTION The California bighorn is considerably smaller than the Rocky Mountain bighorn, with rams of the same age weighing as much as 50 pounds (23 kg) less. The horns are shorter and less massive, and tend to have more flare. The ears are longer, the coat is not as heavy, and the color is lighter, being more gray than brown. Normally a dark stripe extends from the dorsal area through the white rump patch to connect with the dark tail, whereas in the Rocky Mountain bighorn this stripe is usually interrupted or absent.

HABITAT Less steep and rough than that of the Rocky Mountain bighorn, with more grass and less browse.

DISTRIBUTION Formerly from the Caribou region of south-central British Columbia southward in eastern parts of Washington, Oregon, and in northwestern Nevada. Present United States populations are largely the result of transplants from British Columbia through the cooperation of the B.C. Fish and Wildlife Branch.

British Columbia: Southern part, in the Caribou, Thompson-Nicola and Okanagan wildlife regions. Idaho: Southwestern part, south of Interstate 84 in Owyhee and Twin Falls counties (non-indigenous). Nevada: Northwestern part, north of Interstate 80 in Washoe, Humboldt and western Elko counties. Oregon: Southeastern part, mainly in Harney and Malheur counties. Washington: North-central part, near the B.C. border in Okanogan and Ferry counties; central part, in Kittitas and Yakima counties; and southeastern part, in Asotin, Garfield and Columbia counties. Utah: Small populations occur in the northwestern part of the state on Antelope Island, the Newfoundland Mountains, and the Stansbury Mountains. Another population is found in the Oak Creek unit translocated from the Stansbury Mtns.

REMARKS All California bighorn entries must show the name and number of the game management unit in the province or state where they were taken. Many populations are the result of introductions and/or transplants, but we treat them as indigenous for record-keeping purposes.