2012 Bighorn Sheep Count - ABDSP

This was my second year participating in the annual Anza Borrego Desert State Park Bighorn Sheep count and I feel very fortunate to have been selected to count at the Rattlesnake Spring site. My count partners were very knowledgeable about the sheep and great company for the 3 days we spent out in the triple digit temps. This years numbers were down across the board for all sites but we still were able to count 43 distinct sheep over the 3 day period.

If you would like to participate in the annual bighorn sheep count, contact the ABDSP Visitor Center and they can help direct you to the appropriate people, they are always looking for new volunteers.

More photos and videos can be viewed here http://smu.gs/NirpVu

Panorama of our count site, the water hole where the sheep will get water from is in the far left in the green shrubs and our count site is the small tarp on a small finger of a ridge on the far right


Here a couple of Ewes bash horns near the water hole


A mother and her lamb look down at the water hole just after sunrise


One herd gathers near the water hole


Down at the water hole the sheep will crowd in to get a drink of the bee filled water


A lone ram rests near the water hole after getting a drink himself


After everyone gets water the herd heads out over a well used game trail


You can check out the count site with this 360 degree virtual tour
https://sites.google.com/a/sefcik.com/virtual-tours/2012-bhs-count-site

I camped out in Indian Valley on my way to the count and bagged a single mylar balloon


Total mylar balloons this trip - 1

More photos and videos can be viewed here http://smu.gs/NirpVu