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RMBS
collaborates with numerous Federal and State agencies, other non-governmental
organizations, and private consulting firms to further bighorn sheep
conservation, research, and hunting opportunities throughout the United
States.
RMBS
has provided financial resources, equipment, and/or volunteer personnel
over the past 30 years for numerous projects, as described below.
2007
Projects
Conservation Projects | Education & Research
2006
Projects
Land Conservation
| Education
Projects
Before 2006:
Land Conservation
| Habitat Enhancement
| Management and
Research | Conservation
Education | Miscellaneous
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2007
Projects
The RMBS is pleased to present this summary of donations and project assistance provided to various organizations during 2007. These funds were raised through the donations by bighorn sheep and goat advocates throughout North America. Funding sources include license auctions and raffles, optic and rifle raffles, our annual convention and membership dues.
Our sincere thanks go out to all contributors who made 2007 such a great year. We look forward to your participation again in 2008!
Conservation
Projects
Love Meadow State Wildlife Area
Approximately $3000 was donated to reseed and improve water distribution at the Love Meadow State Wildlife Area. This popular sheep viewing area is located along Chalk Creek some ten miles south of Buena Vista, Colorado. The RMBS was also instrumental in acquiring this winter range and erecting bighorn sheep interpretive signs and a viewing stand along the county road.
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Clear Creek County Court House Bighorn Sheep Mount
$500 was donated toward completion of a full size bighorn sheep mount to be placed in the foyer of the Courthouse. The sheep was harvested illegally and will be part of a display to explain the importance of bighorn sheep along the I-70 corridor and the penalties involved with illegal harvest.
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Carmen Island Census
$5000 has been donated to the Organization Vida Silvestre to assist with desert bighorn sheep census projects on Carmen Island, Baja Mexico. The Carmen Island desert sheep are an important source of translocation stock to historical sheep ranges on the Baja peninsula.
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Horse Thief Ranch State Land Lease
The Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society continues to hold the grazing lease on this state land along the Arkansas River between Buena Vista and Granite Colorado. The lease helps protect this important lambing, summer and winter range area.
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Education & Research Projects
Rocky Crate-FNAWS Endowed Chair, Washington State University
$3,000 was donated to on-going bighorn sheep disease research at the College of Veterinary Medicine.
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Colorado Division of Wildlife Hunter Orientation
The RMBS continues to support this annual seminar, which provides information and education to all sheep and goat license recipients.
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Colorado Youth Outdoors
$10,000 was again donated to this important program, which provides outdoor education to high school students in member schools throughout Colorado. The curriculum includes hunting, fishing, outdoor survival shooting and other outdoor related activities.
An additional $3000 was donated to support the program at Roosevelt High School in Johnstown, Colorado.
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Becoming an Outdoors Woman Program
RMBS sponsored two attendees at the “Outdoors Woman” program in Estes Park, Colorado.
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College Scholarship Program
A $1000 scholarship was provided to a College Student enrolled in an Environmental, Forestry or Biology program.
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2006
Projects
The Rocky Mountain
Bighorn Society donated or committed funds to eleven different projects
during 2006. These commitments total $73,620 that will be used for research,
study, public education, habitat improvement and other needs that will
continue to assure that our Colorado State Animal, the bighorn sheep
will survive and thrive in our constantly changing environment.
The Rocky Mountain
Bighorn Society also donated a total of $16,000 to educational programs
in Colorado during 2006.
Conservation
Projects
Jaw
Ridge-Debeque Canyon
A check
for $10,000 was delivered to the BLM to be used with other funds
to enhance bighorn sheep habitat at the upper end of the canyon
where sheep were introduced four years ago. Habitat work will
include treatment of cheat grass, removal of pinion/juniper
along the canyon rim and reseeding where necessary.
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Sagauche
Creek Corridor Protection Project
RMBS committed
$6,500 for conservation easement on the Sutherland Ranch along
Sagauche Creek. This Trust will be administered through the
Colorado Cattlemen's Land Trust and is part of an on-going project
to protect the longest remaining undeveloped pass in western
Colorado. RMBS has previously donated $30,000 to other phases
of this project.
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National
Bighorn Sheep Center, Dubois, Wyoming
A check
for $4,000 was sent to the National Bighorn Sheep Center for
development of a new interactive exhibit. The RMBS was instrumental
in the founding of this center and continues to support the
interpretive center located in the vicinity of the famous Whiskey
Mountain sheep herd.
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Fryingpan
River Road Sheep Signs
$600 was
donated to install sheep warning signs in a high use area to
warn motorists of bighorn sheep crossing.
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Granite
Colorado Interpretive Bighorn Signs
$4,000 was
donated to the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the Greater
Arkansas River Nature Association to create two large signs
to be placed at the Granite State Wildlife Area along the Arkansas
River. One will explain the life cycle of bighorn sheep and
the other will explain the role RMBS plays in preservation and
enhancement of bighorn sheep herds in Colorado.
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Pikes
Peak Population and Lungworm Treatment Study
RMBS has
committed $1,920 toward ewe pregnancy testing as part of this
important research study in the Pikes Peak and Dome rock area.
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Black
Ridge Desert Bighorn Monitoring and Assessment Project
$15,000
has been approved to assist CDOW with this research project
regarding desert bighorns along the Colorado River west of Grand
Junction.
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Glenwood
Area Drop Net Funding Project
RMBS approved
$2500 toward the purchase of a drop net system to be used on
Bighorn Projects in the Glenwood Springs area. Radium State
Wildlife Area Habitat Improvement $17,500 has been approved
for habitat improvement at the SWA along the Colorado River
west of Kremmling. Bighorn Sheep are expected to be reestablished
in this canyon during 2007.
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Avalanche
Creek, (S-25) Sheep Distribution and Lamb Survival Study
RMBS
has approved a donation of $10,000 for purchase of sheep collars
to be used as part of a new sheep research project in the Avalanche
and Crystal Creek area west of Carbondale.
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Glenwood
Canyon Bighorn Sheep Study
$1,600 has
been approved to purchase radio collars for placement on ewes
in the Glenwood Canyon area.
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Education
Projects
Colorado
Youth Outdoors
RMBS donated
$10,000 to the Colorado Youth Outdoors to support the central
administration of the CYO program in all the high schools included
in this program. The CYO program is designed to teach students
a variety of outdoor skills including fly-fishing, survival,
hunting, shooting and other outdoor related activities. RMBS
also donated $3,000 to open a new CYO program at Roosevelt High
School in Johnstown, Colorado.
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Outdoors
Woman
RMBS donated
$1,000 to this program, sponsored by the Colorado Division of
Wildlife. This donation covers the tuition for 2-3 women to
participate in the program at Estes Park, Colorado.
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Park
County 4-H Shooting Sports Program
$1,000
was donated to the Park County 4-H to help develop a new shooting
range for the group.
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Scholarship
Program
A $1,000
scholarship was awarded to a Western State College student.
The annual scholarship is awarded to an outstanding Biology/environmental
Science or forestry related student in Colorado.
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Past
Projects
Land
Conservation
Lease
of Horse Thief Meadow
The State
of Colorado State Land Board gave RMBS a ten-year renewable
lease on the 400 acres known as Horse Thief Meadow, which is
prime, year-round sheep habitat. RMBS has been leasing this
property since 1991.
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Middle
Creek Ranch Conservation Easement
The Middle
Creek Ranch is part of the Seguache Creek Conservation Easement
Legacy Project, which was spearheaded by the Colorado Cattlemen's
Agricultural Land Trust. They were starting to experience housing
development in the area. With the conservation easement in place,
however, the landowners agreed to curtail development and keep
the land for agricultural use. The Middle Creek Ranch is in
prime bighorn sheep habitat. RMBS worked with the Colorado Cattlemen's
Agricultural Land Trust along with other conservation organizations
to put this easement together and assisted financially with
the project. This easement benefits bighorn sheep as well as
the other large and small game in the area.
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Flying
X Ranch Conservation Easement
The Flying
X Ranch is part of the Seguache Creek Conservation Easement
Legacy Project, which was spearheaded by the Colorado Cattlemen's
Agricultural Land Trust. They were starting to experience housing
development in the area. With the conservation easement in place,
however, the landowners agreed to curtail development and keep
the land for agricultural use. The Flying X Ranch is in prime
bighorn sheep habitat. RMBS worked with the Colorado Cattlemen's
Agricultural Land Trust along with other conservation organizations
to put this easement together and assisted financially with
the project. This easement benefits bighorn sheep as well as
the other large and small game in the area.
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Purchase
of Love Ranch Meadow, Chaffee County, Colorado
The purchase
of this 11-acre site was a cooperative effort involving RMBS,
the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the International Order of
Rocky Mountain Goats, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, and
the Colorado Wildlife Heritage Foundation. Although it is a
relatively small parcel, the meadow and adjoining mountainside
is vital, historical winter range for bighorn sheep, mule deer,
elk and mountain goats. Our efforts have curtailed further residential
development and created a valuable wildlife preserve.
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Ranch/Owyhee Canyonlands Conservation Easement, Southwest Idaho
Conservation
easement for sheep habitat obtained in partnership with the
Nature Conservancy and other conservation organizations.
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Cross Ranch Conservation Easement
Conservation
easement for sheep habitat obtained in partnership with the
Nature Conservancy and other conservation organizations.
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Habitat
Enhancement
Water
Guzzler Installations in the Upper Arkansas River Canyon
The bighorn
sheep in this area were crossing railroad tracks to get to the
Arkansas River, their main water source. The Colorado Division
of Wildlife wanted to install two (2) water guzzlers in the
area to keep the sheep from being killed on the railroad tracks,
especially since there is a significant herd of bighorns in
the area. RMBS assisted both financially and with labor for
the installation of the guzzlers.
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Prescribed
Burns
With RMBS
providing the necessary funds, the United States Forest Service
conducted large scale prescribed burns. The objectives of these
burns included removing trees and shrubs which had invaded the
meadow areas thereby creating more nutritious forage, opening
migration corridors, and reducing the spread of parasites. Two
of the areas that received funding were the Poudre Canyon, Larimer
County, Colorado and the Tarryall Mountains, Park County, Colorado.
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Various
Habitat Improvement Projects
RMBS provided
funding and volunteer assistance to the Colorado Division of
Wildlife for various habitat improvement projects in Waterton
Canyon, Clear Creek, Grant, Georgetown, Love Ranch, Anderson
Gulch and Horse Thief Meadow areas of Colorado. These projects
involved brush removal, fertilization of winter range, and reseeding
to alter species composition and improve plant nutrient content
as well as palatability.
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Management
& Research
Population Dynamics in the Curecanti National Recreation Area
With RMBS
providing the funding, the National Park Service personnel researched
the population dynamics and factors limiting lamb recruitment
in a transplanted bighorn sheep herd in the Curecanti National
Recreation Area.
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Purchase of Trapping Nets, Neck Bands, Radio Transmitter Collars, Radio
Receivers and Vaccines for use by the Colorado Division of Wildlife
RMBS purchased
necessary equipment for use by the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
RMBS members also participate with the Colorado Division of
Wildlife in the baiting, trapping, radio collaring/tagging,
medicating and transplanting of sheep herds around the state.
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Sheep
Surveys
RMBS members
participate in sheep surveys throughout the state of Colorado
and in the Encampment River Canyon area of Wyoming. Volunteers,
under the direction of field biologists and local wildlife managers,
scout summer ranges and observe the sheep without disturbing
them. The purpose of these studies is to determine estimated
herd populations, lamb survival rates and the animals' general
health.
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Holy
Cross Wilderness Area Bighorn Sheep Reintroduction
The Holy
Cross Wilderness Area is historical bighorn sheep range. RMBS
volunteers assisted the Colorado Division of Wildlife with the
transplanting of bighorn sheep from the Rampart range area.
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Aerial
Population Surveys in the Culebra Peaks Region of the Sangre de Cristo
Mountains
The Colorado
Division of Wildlife Salida office flew the Culebra Peaks Region
to do a bighorn sheep survey to determine the number of sheep
and the sex ratio. RMBS assisted financially.
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Education
Construction
of the Bighorn Sheep Viewing Center in Georgetown, Colorado
RMBS and
the Colorado Division of Wildlife constructed the Bighorn Sheep
Viewing Center in Georgetown, Colorado. This facility provides
people of all ages with the opportunity to view bighorn sheep
in their natural habitat.
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"Living
On The Edge" Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goat Viewing Guide
RMBS, Colorado
Division of Wildlife and the Rocky Mountain Goats Foundation
worked in conjunction to produce this informative guide on both
the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and mountain goats. RMBS provided
funds and photographs as well as reviewing the layout and written
material. The Viewing Guides are distributed throughout Colorado,
at DOW functions, viewing centers, and from RMBS.
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Colorado
Youth Outdoors
RMBS provides
funds to assist the Colorado Youth Outdoors (CYO), a nonprofit
organization, with their efforts in teaching Colorado's youth
about hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities. Many if
not most of the children have never been introduced to hunting
or fishing prior to the program. One of the requirements to
participate in the program is that you have one of your parents
participate with you. This has opened up the world of outdoor
activities to many adults too and brings the parent and child
closer as they have something in common that they can share.
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"Elementary
Education Activities Workbooks" - The Colorado Foundation for Agriculture
RMBS provided
funds to produce the Elementary Education Activities Workbooks.
These 40 page booklets are a way to educate youngsters about
wildlife in Colorado. The workbooks were offered and/or sent
to all Colorado public grade schools. Ten thousand copies were
produced.
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Love
Ranch Viewing Center, Chaffee County, Colorado
The Colorado
Division of Wildlife built a wildlife-viewing center in this
historical winter range for bighorn sheep, mule deer, elk and
mountain goats. RMBS assisted with the signage.
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National
Bighorn Sheep Interpretative Center, Dubois, Wyoming
RMBS has
assisted the National Bighorn Sheep Interpretative Center with
raising necessary funds to help build and run the center from
it's inception. We have also assisted with various educational
seminars throughout the summer months, both financially and
by giving seminars.
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Becoming
An Outdoors Woman Scholarships - A Hunting Heritage Project
The Becoming
An Outdoors Woman Program aims to break traditional barriers
for women in outdoor activities, such as hunting, fishing, horseback
riding, camping, outdoor cooking, shooting sports, hiking, photography,
wildlife watching and animal calling. The Colorado Division
of Wildlife accepts applications from women throughout Colorado
that are interested in participating in the Becoming An Outdoors
Woman program. Every year there are applicants that would love
to participate, but can't afford it. The Colorado Division of
Wildlife works with RMBS to set up scholarships for these women.
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Colorado
State University Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society
RMBS has
helped the Student Chapter in their fundraising efforts by giving
them financial support and RMBS memberships and merchandise
to use at their annual banquets.
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Operation
Game Thief (OGT) Trailers
RMBS provided
financial assistance to Operation Game Thief (OGT) for their
purchase and outfitting of two new OGT trailers. The trailers
are used throughout Colorado at various functions, including
Sportsmen Shows.
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Miscellaneous
RMBS, in joint ventures with the Foundation for North American Wild
Sheep, has raised $1.7 million dollars from Bighorn Sheep, Mountain
Goat and Moose auctions and raffles between 1989 to 2004. The proceeds
of which have been returned to the Colorado Division of Wildlife for
habitat and herd health projects throughout the state of Colorado.
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© 2005-2008 Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society |