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Show oo ill!1 SEP ARE FOUND I Hi ID IDAHO Although mountain sheep are no longer- abundant as in early times, there are now approximately 150 In the Toiyahe national forest of western west-ern Nevada, and about 500 on the Moapa in tho southern part of the state, and from their previous and present relative abundance In that region the sheep mountain range got Its name. Here thev run in tho h-wh rough, mountains where water is scarce and therefore arc seldom seen by the rangers or stockmen, and but little is known of them. The bighorn or mountain sheep is one of the most widely distributed of all game animals, occupying a range fully 3600 miles long from Mexico Mex-ico to Alaska-No Alaska-No wild animals other than wild sheep have circling horns. The mountain sheep is excellent eating the year round, and so is constantly con-stantly pursued, not only by tho Hunter, Hun-ter, but also by mountain Hons and eagles, its other chief enemies. Preferring to live In the open, the mountain sheep does not enjoy the protection of tho forest to tho ex-tent ex-tent that does the deer, and Is therefore there-fore obliged, , In order to elude his pursuers, to mako his home in the wildest and most inaccessible moun tain country. It is quito possible, also, al-so, that the bighorn takes to the mountain heights from choice, since of these he holds almost undisputed possession, and seems thoroughly to enjoy tlo cold wind and the storm of his lofty abode. This is the season of tlje year when the mountain sheep sheds his pure-white pure-white winter fleece, and in his sleek brown coat leaves tho bottoms of the canyons for the almost Inacosslble crags and small mountain meadows of tho high c6untry. Washington. Irv-ing Irv-ing in his account of Captain Bonne-vijle's Bonne-vijle's travels mentions the deep interest in-terest taken In the "bighorns" and now mucn uie men of his company relished their meat. It was from the presence of this animal in large numbers that the Big Horn mountains of northern Wyoming got their name. In the Sawtooth and the Lost River mountains and about the Salmon river and its tributaries mountain sheep find favorite range. Only a remnant rem-nant of the many bands remain'. Forest For-est Ranger Warren E. Cook, who is In Ogden, estimates that there are now 300 along the Salmon river and Its largest tributaries, and Supervisor Laing of Challls places the number at 1000 in his immediate vicinity, and believes they are no more plentiful there than on tho remalndor of the Sajmon river country lying between the main Salmon on the east and the Httle Salmon on the west. Sinco Mr. Laing knowB their haunts well enough to take good pictures of them his estimate es-timate should bo fairly accurate. Supervisor Su-pervisor Grandjean of the Boise forest for-est has also had a long time acquaintance ac-quaintance with the mountain sheep as well as other game animals, and Sheep Creek on tho upper watershed of the Bolso river, within his foreBt, indicates the abundance of the big ' horns in tho days when Idaho waB young. Mx. Grandjean, Mr. Lain and Mr. Cook are experienced moui taineers of the Snwtooth range, ac from them wo gather tho followln facts concerning tho mountain sheer Selection of Range, Tho mountain sheep chooses for hi range the most rugged, rough, and li accessible country that ho can fim which is usually 'along the courBe c some river with a Bteep and roug canyon; during the winter ho Is pron to range along the brakes about on half way to the Bummit; In the sprln when groen grass and tender brows begin to start, he prefers the lowe range along the river. It Is her that his coat begins to turn and th shedding of his winter hair Is con; pleted. When the grass, browse, am herbage begin to parch and dry aloni the hot river canyonB, he seeks greei nnd tender feed on the higher groum along the river of the canyon, am during the summer months the shee mako their homo on the highest ran gcs. Thoy seem to prefer thosi whero the rock formation breaks u Into what may be called slido rock and whero small, mountain meadowi are distributed. Their ranges extent from tho higher mountain peaks dur Ing the summer, to the lowest valJeyi in tho winter, often being soen fron the roads alone tho river. Whll undoubtedly a browsing animal dur ing the greater porilon of the year tho sheep eatB grass In the earlj spring, being found on the south slope during March and April. Thoy feed on the tender shootB of grass and continue to cat grass until It beglnt to dry out on the higher ranges, usu allv In Jlllv anH Annm) Wariness of the Mountain Sheep. By some, mountain sheep are re garded as the most wary of all the game animals where hunted and Horn-aday Horn-aday speaks of one of the greatest days of his life as that on which he "pursued and killed, alone, amid tho grandeur of tho Shoshone mountains, my first big mountain ram." Supervisor Super-visor Grandjean Ib of the opinion thai tho wariness of mountain sheep, as compared with that of other game animals, ani-mals, has been overestimated and that the difficulty In sheep hunting lb found chiefly in the fact that they occupy oc-cupy open ranges where they have wide outlook; that if some other game animals occupied similar positions they would be equally bard to approach. |