WAFWA Update - Texas
SHEEP STATS
JURISDICTIONAL WAFWA SUMMARIES PROVIDING IN-DEPTH, STATISTICAL SHEEP INFORMATION.
Desert Bighorn Sheep
Populations
Historically, desert bighorn sheep occupied 15-16 mountain ranges in the Trans-Pecos Region of Texas. It is estimated that as many as 1,500 desert bighorn sheep inhabited these mountain ranges in the 1880s, and possibly 2,500+ prior to 1880; however, by the early 1960s, native Texas bighorns had been extirpated. Early restoration efforts focused primarily on captive propagation and subsequent releases. Desert bighorns from various states, including Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Baja California (Mexico), were brought into Texas to help with captive propagation.The population steadily increased to levels thought to be present in the 1800s. As a result, in December 2010, Texas began actively capturing free-ranging desert bighorns on a 2- to 3-year cycle, and translocating them to restore unoccupied habitat, as well as to supplement existing populations. These efforts resulted in population growth to approximately 1,500 animals in 11 of their historic mountain ranges, where the population estimate remained for several years.
In the last 3 years, the population has declined to less than 1,000 animals, possibly due to disease. In November 2022, at the conclusion of annual aerial surveys, a total of 785 animals were counted (Figure 1).
FIGURE 1
2002-2020 Statewide desert bighorn sheep survey summary.
Disease and Herd Health
The first known disease event was detected in Fall 2019 in one population (Van Horn Mountains), followed by another in Spring 2020 in a distinct population (Black Gap Wildlife Management Area). Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae was found in both disease events.The Black Gap population appears to have since stabilized with a 2022 survey count of 117 animals and a ratio of 33 lambs per 100 ewes. The Van Horn Mountains’ population is still struggling and only 6 animals were observed during the 2022 surveys. However, 2 weeks after surveys concluded, 16 animals were observed in the survey area. Close monitoring continues in both populations.
Licenses and Harvest
In 2018, the permit issuance and allocation system was changed from the system that had been in place since the late 1980s when desert bighorn hunting was reinstated in Texas. This change, which issues no more than 20% of the standing Class IV rams observed at time of survey, promoted the increase of permits and maximized hunting opportunities.Since 2018, a total of 82 permits have been issued. Of those, 67 permits were issued to private landowners, and 15 to the State (auction and public draw system) with a 93% success rate. Due to the recent disease events and population decline, only 7 permits were issued in the 2022-2023 hunting season, which ends on the last day of July.
— Froylán Hernández, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
