California Bighorn sheep?

[SHANE(WA)]

 This question is for you sheep guys, whats the deal with the Cali sheep, classification.When you look at Pope and Young and Boone and Crockett there is no listing of records for these sheep, what are they? Smaller versions of Rockys? I just have no interest in taking of one of these sheep, they are small, a big one is 170. I want a true Rocky mt sheep.

[ramslam]

Boone & Crockett does not recognize Cali's as a seperate sub-species.  Other's do, such as SCI, Grand Slam Club/Ovis, and the Wild Sheep Foundation.  It seems there was a genetic study floating around a few years ago that indicated there wasnt much of a genetic difference but instead the difference was caused by man's management and seperation practices.  "Sheep hunters" for the most part consider them different and want to harvest one of each; similar to wanting to harvest the different 'whitetail' found in North America I guess.

Yes, Cali's are generally smaller in terms of score but there are some beautiful Cali's taken every year in Washington that would out score many of the Rocky's taken in states such as Colorado and Wyoming.  I would love to have one on my wall!

[SHANE(WA)]

thanks, I have a hard time wanting one of them, I have seen very few pics of any that i would even want to shoot.seem so thin or stick out wide, not massive usually, bodys smaller. I guess i will keep the wenaha and asotin as a dream, probaly never draw one of those lol

[jager]

It would be very easy for the record books to establish a boundry or area of distribution such as they do for the elk and mulies/ blacktails in this state.

They do interbreed in areas where the populations overlap which also makes the record keepers hesitant to make such boundries but
I don't think this happens much or at all in WA because the populations are fairly isolated.

Yes, Cali's are generally smaller in terms of score but there are some beautiful Cali's taken every year in Washington that would out score many of the Rocky's taken in states such as Colorado and Wyoming.

That is very true. They do shoot some dinks....

Last year there were only four ram tags out of almost 6000 applicants, given out for the four units that have the Rocky Mountain bighorns in this state.
Not great odds.

Montana is the place... or BC if you've got $$$$$

It seems there was a genetic study floating around a few years ago that indicated there wasnt much of a genetic difference but instead the difference was caused by man's management and seperation practices.

I have read about that study and I've also read reports about the California being a subspecies just as the Nelsoni Desert and the Mexicana Desert sheep.

IMHO, I don't see how less than a 100 years of relocating the sheep would create a "different animal"

Regardless..... they are no slouch to hunt and they are gorgeous animal.

How could you not love this face?.......  

[SHANE(WA)]

That is a beautiful ram, but I see so many Rockys every year fishing I guess i get spoiled into what I want bad! guessing a move in the future to either ID or MT and become a resident would help

[jager]

Thanks shane.....

Wasn't fishin' for a compliment.

Those Rocky's are awesome!

Someday........

[starbailey]

Yes, the rockys are awesome to look at but hunting a cail. bighorn is still hunting sheep. Just because they tend to be slightly smaller doesn't make the hunting experience any smaller. I have been blessed to hunt both species and wouldn't have traded either hunts no matter what the scores are. is. As ramslam indicated WA produces lots of cali bighorns that "out score" many rockies from other states and your odds of drawing are lots better for a cali.
Bryan 

[boneaddict]

I don't know, Pope and Slider have been posting some pics of some rams  I'd love to tag

[Ridgerunner]

That pic is like rubbing salt in the wound, guess I better go buy some raffle tickets. for the wallet.

[popeshawnpaul]

Yeah, I wouldn't want this crummy little cali bighorn...   

[boneaddict]

Yep, gotta go buy another ticket.

[jager]

Ya had ta post that pic. 

Makes mine look like a baby!

More tickets please.....

[Bigshooter]

That is a HOG.

[Falcon]

Jager,

Every time you post a pick of that beast, I just go to my happy place !

My goal is to draw that tag,  kill a nice bighorn, and put it right next to my dall ram to keep him company.

[Tom Reichner]

Yeah, I wouldn't want this crummy little cali bighorn...   

Shawn, that ram is absolutely insane!  I've never seen anything like him in this state.  Did you 'shoot' him recently, or many years ago?