' ' f, I - ' ' ' ' 1 r - ' - i- ' ' . . i . .. i )'"' 1 " ' ' ' i 1 - , ; : ", , j. :; . - . ! " - . - , ... a . r. 4 . . - iK - , . . 4 " - ... ... , ,A t W - .... . " r , "' , ' ,":' "-...-' . I " ' ' A- j. , . . ; . ..... ..- - . I . .. : ... . - " " r, " ' ... ? . ... f S " - , ' - Over 20 years of applying for a desert bighorn sheep permit per-mit finally paid off for Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Biologist Norman McKee of Panguitch. McKee was assist- The Kaiparowits Unit is becoming a premier area for observing and hunting desert bighorn sheep. Both the statewide auction permit and the statewide sportsman permit were filled on the unit this year. One bighorn taken by Lee Howard may be a new state record in both size and age. Former Panguitch Conservation Officer Mike Fowlks, measured the sheep at 14 12 years old and over 168 points in Boone and Crockett scoring. Lee Howard, president of the Utah Chapter of the Foundation of North American Wild Sheep, is a volunteer vol-unteer workaholic when it comes to re-establishing bighorn sheep into former habitats habi-tats in Utah. His organization has become a national leader in recent years in bighorn sheep conservation. Over 20 years of applying for a desert bighorn sheep permit, also finally paid off for Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Biologist Norman McKee of Panguitch. McKee was assisted in his bighorn hunt by son, Darwin, a Utah Highway Patrol Trooper and daughter and son-in-law, Laresa and Derek Barraclough. Hunting bighorn sheep in Utah is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. McKee said, "this was really a lifetime experience." experi-ence." He has made it one of his career goals to see desert bighorn sheep transplanted back into several areas of the ed in his bighorn hunt by son, Darwin, a Utah Highway Patrol Trooper and daughter and son-in-law, Laresa and Derek Barraclough. Howard. McKee Have Evidence Southern Utah Bighorns Have Been Thriving Since Transplant Kaiparowits Unit. McKee plans to retire at the end of the year after nearly 34 years with the DWR as a conservation con-servation officer and biologist. "Seeing the bighorns now established estab-lished in many of the desert canyons of southern Utah for sportsmen and nature lovers to enjoy, has been one of the highlights high-lights of my career," McKee said. Prior to the settlement of southern Utah, bighorn sheep were reported to be possibly the most numerous of the big game animals. Unregulated hunting and diseases introduced by domestic sheep, nearly wiped out most bighorns. In the 1970's, the DWR began an aggressive program to re-establish the wild sheep into former habitats. This was possible possi-ble as domestic sheep use areas were converted to cattle grazing. The cattle and wild sheep generally gener-ally do not have much problem existing in the same areas. Many other groups and agencies have also been instrumental in bringing back the bighorns on the Kaiparowits, including several sev-eral sportsmen groups, the Bureau of Land Management, Glen Canyon National Recreation Recrea-tion Area, and the Kane and Garfield County Commissions. Even though hunting only accounts for a part of the reason for re-establishing wild sheep. Sportsmen have provided the majority of the funding necessary neces-sary for the projects, including capture, monitoring, and the studies and habitat enhancement work needed for management of the bighorns. According to McKee, "thank goodness there are groups and individuals who are willing to put forth their money, time and energy and not just talk about it, or wild sheep would not be back in many of the areas in which they now are found. There are individuals who would stop the whole program because of their strong anti-hunting stance. "However, hunting is only one part of the total program, and yet, the sportsmen contribute con-tribute most of the funding." The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and ultimately the public, are the benefactors of