Desert bighorn sheep-San Rafael dirty devil unit

[bluejay]

Not asking for location of a ram on the dirty devil unit. What I really want to hear about is the current status of the health of the sheep. I hear from some sources that the unit has had a die off in the recent past. I would like to hear from anybody that has any knowledge that backs that or any information that says otherwise. It's been 7 years since I put hours on the ground in this unit, back then the sheep population seemed good to me. Is it a worthy unit to take a tag for? Thanks for any information you might share.

Good luck to all in the draw
Bluejay

 

[elkantlers]

Sounds like you already know you drew a tag. If so, It must have been good enough to apply for so I can't imagine that in two months it wouldn't be good enough to keep.

 

[bluejay]

Very valid point elkantler. Really would like to hear some factual information on the sheep die off. Of course the DWR won't make it public information if their has been a substantial die off. That would be bad for revenue. Anyway I'm going for it full steam ahead on seeing for myself what exists for rams on the unit.

 

[littlebighorn]

LAST EDITED ON May-17-15 AT 09:57PM (MST)[p]I don't have "factual information" but watching declining tag numbers is a pretty darn good indication that herd numbers are declining... for whatever reason. (predation, disease, etc.) Our last trip down there two years ago, produced a ram for a friend, but it was obvious to us that there are way less sheep than in 2009 when my son had that tag and 6 permits were issued.

Dropping from 6 permits to 2 says that sheep numbers are probably a third of what they were.

 

[Zeke]

>LAST EDITED ON May-17-15
>AT 09:57?PM (MST)
>
>I don't have "factual information" but
>watching declining tag numbers is
>a pretty darn good indication
>that herd numbers are declining...
>for whatever reason. (predation, disease,
>etc.) Our last trip
>down there two years ago,
>produced a ram for a
>friend, but it was obvious
>to us that there are
>way less sheep than in
>2009 when my son had
>that tag and 6 permits
>were issued.
>
>Dropping from 6 permits to 2
>says that sheep numbers are
>probably a third of what
>they were.

Yep, what he said.
Our experiences overlapped on the unit. Our kids had tags the same year.
I'd still love to sit a few days on a couple of my favorite points and glass-up a ram or two. You too LBH? ... well, not this year, we'll be in a different unit and you'll be up north!
Zeke