Bighorn sheep are a species of concern. In an effort to be more effective at addressing the limiting factors of bighorn sheep across the state, this bighorn specialist will directly assist the state wide OIL coordinator on all things pertaining to bighorn sheep. Bighorn sheep live in some of the most remote areas of Utah. Getting to know and understand these areas can demand more time than a district biologist can spare and still collect the necessary data for the other species they manage within their district. A partnership that provides a bighorn sheep specialist with experience on the ground in these remote areas monitoring bighorn sheep populations would greatly benefit our UDWR, and its constituents. The specialist would help address; access to bighorn sheep populations, guzzlers both maintenance and and installation, seasonal distribution of bighorn sheep populations, collect field data, assist with the statewide management plan revision and committee, and work with regional personnel to review on the ground management. Sharing this knowledge with managers will help us be better stewards of this precious resource. This collaborative effort could result in more hunting opportunity for the public as well as a better understanding of how bighorn sheep populations and hunters use these remote landscapes.

Nursery Facility 1. Set up and maintain cellular cameras to monitor sheep movement and health related issues. Monitor cameras for potential predator threats and notify appropriate personnel to get issues resolved as quickly as possible. Assist with field necropsies and collar retrieval. 2. Ensure that bighorns have adequate water available within the facility through guzzler installment and maintenance or hauling water to temporary tanks if necessary. Monitor water levels regularly. 3. Identify and repair problems in the fence to prevent predator access or bighorn escape. 4. Establish and maintain mineral licks. 5. Assist with monitoring of individual sheep to assess health, reproduction, or mortality. 6. Take the lead on supplemental feeding if necessary. 7. Help to ensure functionality of Promontory nursery facility. 8. Ensure Promontory facility is operational and all habitat needs are met. Lamb counts 1. Assist regional personnel with Antelope Island spring lamb counts during May-June. Identify individuals by ear tags and match up lambs with their mothers. 2. Reach out to all five regional managers each year to identify and prioritize areas to assist in lamb counts where possible. Predation 1. Act as liaison between biologists and cougar hunters to help with issues in areas of high predation rates. 2. Organize and orchestrate predator control in sheep units. Pilot Mountains 1. Set and maintain trail cameras on critical water sources on the Pilot/Silver Island Bighorn herd as part of a joint monitoring project with the DWR and NDOW. Monitor sheep numbers and lamb survival rates on the unit and possible predator problems with mountain lions. Alert appropriate personnel of domestic issues that occur outside of the winter grazing time frame. Quarantine Facility 1. Work with region, coordinator, and veterinarian on updating quarantine facility (expanded and reinforced fence/gates, dividing enclosures, and obtaining/installing processing equipment). Assist with design, bid process, collaboration with contractors, and implementation. 2. Ensure facility is completed and operational by May 2024. 3. Ensure that facility has adequate fence, food, water, and shade at all times in case it is needed on short notice. Captures 1. Assist regions in establishing trap sites in areas where helicopter capture is not plausible. Maintain bait and help process bighorns. 2. Help set up and maintain trap site in Cedar Hills in winter 2024-2025. 3. Assist with identification of potential translocation sites. 4. Attend all possible helicopter captures and help with sampling processing, and translocation. Disease Mitigation 1. Provide assistance to sheep outreach coordinator and veterinarian to mitigate disease risk from domestics to wild sheep. 2. Assist in domestic or bighorn removals when requested. 3. Work with SFW president to become SFW's liaison with BLM and USFS pertaining to SFW's AUM permits. Surveys 1. Reach out to managers prior to survey flights and volunteer services to assist. 2. Perform annual ground surveys of Wasatch and Nebo units in Fall/Winter recording demographics and locations. Report findings to district biologists. Given the proximity and effectiveness of ground counts in these areas, data will help supplement three year aerial surveys. Perform other ground counts as requested. Reporting 1. Provide a written report to the SFW board bimonthly and meet quarterly with the board to give an update on current status of Utah bighorn related topics. 2. Provide an annual report in June to summarize the fiscal year.

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This position would benefit sheep populations statewide and help meet several of the goals in the statewide management plan for both the population management and habitat management section. This position will help us address specific issues in the plan and assist in fulfilling many features in the plan. This position will help monitor and maintain nursery and quarantine facilities. This specialist will assist regional biologist as they assess bighorn habitat and identify limiting factors. Expansion of sheep into available sheep habitat through population growth and transplants are written in the plan. This position will help identify those areas and use their relationships with stewards from others states to help Identify source herds for transplants.

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This position will be evaluated annually. This position will meet with the OIL coordinator regularly for planning and assignments. This position will help biologist identify limiting factors for all bighorn sheep units statewide. This list will be due to the coordinator at the first of Aug. This position will help with guzzler maintenance. We will receive a list of guzzlers that are in need of repair and utilize them to help repair them.

SFW DWR

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Work through difficult conflict issues with ranchers and landowners and find win win solutions to difficult issues. Use relationships with other states to identify source herds for future sheep transplants.

07/01/2024

06/30/2025

2025

This position coordinated efforts to secure the desert bighorn nursery facility, assisted with transplants, installed and maintain guzzlers, and coordinated between UDAF, DWR, and conservation organizations.

This position allowed for more time to be dedicated to managing bighorn sheep. This position also greatly improved coordination with conservation partners.

This position allowed for more management focus on bighorn sheep across Utah.