Colorado Desert Sheep... MRS

[CoHiCntry]

Since I took a rocky mountain bighorn sheep in Colorado I've been applying for desert sheep. I noticed something interesting in this years MRS for S62. They say there's only 5% public land??? I don't see how thats possible. In the mule deer section they state unit 62 has 70% public land. I know the boundaries aren't exactly the same but it isn't that different. I'm familiar with unit 62 for deer and elk hunting and know there's a ton of public land. I guess my question is... are they saying where the sheep tend to live is only 5% public land, or are they just way off? Thanks...

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I think it is a typo.

 

[ScottR]

Since I took a rocky mountain bighorn sheep in Colorado I've been applying for desert sheep. I noticed something interesting in this years MRS for S62. They say there's only 5% public land??? I don't see how thats possible. In the mule deer section they state unit 62 has 70% public land. I know the boundaries aren't exactly the same but it isn't that different. I'm familiar with unit 62 for deer and elk hunting and know there's a ton of public land. I guess my question is... are they saying where the sheep tend to live is only 5% public land, or are they just way off? Thanks...

I will ask Brandon, see what is going on there.

 

[CoHiCntry]

I will ask Brandon, see what is going on there.

I'd appreciate that, thanks!

 

[hoshour]

That's a typo. The sheep habitat in S62 is virtually all on either BLM or national forest.

Since I'm the one with primary responsibility for the square mileage worksheets, it was likely my error, not Brandon's.

 

[hoshour]

If you haven't played around with Colorado's excellent Hunting Atlas you should. It will show you the units and the land ownership for BLM and national forest.

Make sure to pick the right species at the left and switch between terrain, aerial and topo views.

http://ndis.nrel.colostate.edu/huntingatlas/

 

[CoHiCntry]

I posted this question in 2015. Nothing has changed in the MRS since then. It still states 5% public land every year in the MRS. This year it has some comments that say "S62 also has the easiest terrain but is almost all on private land"...

I know for a fact unit 62 isn't 5% public... what I'm still trying to figure out is if it's only 5% public where the sheep are in the unit? Is that what is being conveyed? I can't seem to find out anywhere else for certain either.

 

[Dark Mavis]

I smell a conspiracy. I bet Hoshour keeps listing that to keep you from putting in for that area, so that he can get drawn for that unit instead of you.

It would make my head explode trying to get some of the spreadsheets that those guys play with to act right. Lots of data, and I can definitely forgive an occasional typo.

 

[CoHiCntry]

I smell a conspiracy. I bet Hoshour keeps listing that to keep you from putting in for that area, so that he can get drawn for that unit instead of you.

It would make my head explode trying to get some of the spreadsheets that those guys play with to act right. Lots of data, and I can definitely forgive an occasional typo.

Thanks. My post isn't really trying to be critical of Eastmans or Hoshour. I'm actually trying to figure out what the real story is. Whether they are saying where the sheep are is only 5% public or what? No where can I get this information and no other resource I've found say's anything about the unit being almost all private.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Thanks. My post isn't really trying to be critical of Eastmans or Hoshour. I'm actually trying to figure out what the real story is. Whether they are saying where the sheep are is only 5% public or what? No where can I get this information and no other resource I've found say's anything about the unit being almost all private.

No conspiracy.....pretty simple tho, just get a Hunt Colorado land status chip, download Garmin Basecamp and plugin the chip. WOW, everything is right on your screen. The Unit is mostly BLM & NF!! Works for me.

Call Colorado P & W in Grand Junction or Montrose and talk to a Biologist that specializes in Sheep is another option.

 

[CoHiCntry]

I know the unit is mostly BLM & NF... I've hunted it numerous times since I was a kid. I'm trying to figure out if they are trying to say that WHERE the sheep hang out is only 5% public. It hasn't kept me from applying for the unit every year. I was surprised to see them back up this number of public % in the comments section though. I just want to make sure I'm not missing something. I've called the biologist out of the Montrose office. He doesn't like returning calls and is never in the office. I've dealt with him in years past. Nice enough guy, just hard to get a hold of.

 

[JimP]

Here is a map of the bighorns range in Colorado.

http://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Maps/Bighorn_Overall_Range.pdf


I talked to the biologist out of the Montrose office once. It took him 3 or 4 weeks to return my call.

 

[CODAK]

If 5% is sheep habitat public land and 1% of people draw... those chances are low to a. draw a tag, then b. find one on public...

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I've been applying for the 20 years I've lived here in Colorado. Nothing for me, but one of my neighbors drew and got his desert sheep. I have seen plenty of them and I can tell you they like the roughest, rockiest country that is pretty nasty to hunt. Neighbor found his ram (along with 5 others) bedded down on a ridge below a cliff. Watched them for several days before the season and saw that they came down to water every day at about the same time. Opening day they followed the same pattern....left with one less ram in their group.

Applied again this year......maybe my year. Better be soon as I'm getting a little old to be chasing sheep.

 

[CoHiCntry]

I just talked to a guy on Rokslide who hunted it with his dad in 2009. He confirmed it's almost ALL public. Not sure where they got off track with this one? Might make for better draw odds considering it's the only Colorado desert sheep hunt for non-residents this year and everyone reading the MRS thinks it's basically all private

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

If you look at Google Earth, you will see some pretty nasty canyons that are running east to west in the middle of the unit. Looks to me it is in BLM portion of the unit. Bet this is where you'll find them.