Conservation and Management
Video: 'Livin' the Wildlife' Bighorn Sheep in Colorado
Conservation in Action
Bighorn Sheep in Colorado
Despite its iconic status and current prominence, the bighorn sheep was near extinction at the turn of the century. Diseases introduced through European livestock and unregulated hunting had decimated populations throughout the West, and only a small number of the native sheep remained in Colorado in the early 1900s.
Thanks to the creation of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and the work done in Colorado over the past century bighorn sheep along are doing very well. This model takes funding from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses to invest into wildlife management, research and habitat enhancement.
Bighorn Sheep Access Program
The Bighorn Sheep Access Program provides public access for bighorn sheep hunting on private lands in Colorado through the formation, or continuation of partnerships with private landowners. Through this program, hunters can play an important role in assisting CPW and landowners in managing bighorn sheep populations on private lands.