Volunteers Needed To Count Bighorn Sheep

The U.S. Forest Service and other agencies put out a call today for volunteers to assist in its annual bighorn sheep survey from March 3-4 in the nearby San Gabriel Mountains.

The count, which is also put on by the California Department of Fish and Game, and the Society for Conservation of Bighorn Sheep, is crucial to keeping track of the population, which once held an estimated 740 sheep, making the San Gabriel population the largest population of desert bighorn sheep in California.

The bighorn population declined over 80 percent through the 1980s but appears to be on the increase with recent estimates yielding approximately 400 animals, according to John Miller, a U.S. Forest Service public information officer.

Miller said no survey experience is necessary to participate but volunteers must attend a mandatory orientation on Saturday, March 3, at 6 p.m. at Verdemont Community Center and Library in San Bernardino.

Volunteers will then reconvene early Sunday morning, March 4, to hike with expert representatives to designated observation sites in the San Gabriel Mountains to count and record bighorn sheep, he said.

Participants must be at least 16 years old and capable of hiking one mile in rugged terrain, although some survey routes are longer. In general, hikes will not be along trails and accessing survey points will involve scrambling over boulders, climbing up steep slopes, and/or bush-whacking through chaparral.

"We highly recommended volunteers bring binoculars or spotting scopes in addition to hiking gear," Miller said. "Mountain weather can be unpredictable and participants should be prepared to spend several hours hiking and additional time making observations in cold and windy weather."

For those who wish to camp, complimentary campsites will be available to volunteers on a first come, first served basis at the Applewhite Campground in Lytle Creek on the night of March 3.

To sign up online, visit www.sangabrielbighorn.org or call (626) 574-5287 or (909) 382-2870 to receive a volunteer packet.

The Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep, California Department of Fish and Game, and the Forest Service have conducted surveys for bighorn sheep in the San Gabriel range annually since 1979.