News media invited on Bighorn Sheep count on Pikes Peak this Wednesday
A bighorn sheep stares at Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff conducting the annual bighorn sheep herd count on Pikes Peak in 2019 as the sun rises over Colorado Springs.
COLORADO SPRINGS - News media are invited to attend the first of two annual Bighorn Sheep counts on Pikes Peak, Wednesday, July 30. The event is an opportunity for news media to embed with biologists, wildlife officers and volunteers headed to multiple locations on Pikes Peak to conduct a visual accounting of the herd from roadside and on foot.
The annual effort is a key step in ongoing Bighorn Sheep Herd Management by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Southeast Region team. Crucial to the entire process is an accurate assessment of the current herd population and ratio of males to females. The data is used to assess trends in the population size, make hunting license recommendations, and determine current herd health.
The first recorded survey of Bighorn Sheep on Pikes Peak was in 1949 when 205 were counted; annual counts have been conducted by CPW since 1988. The official count in 2024 was 82. Learn more at: https://cpw.state.co.us/hunting/big-game/bighorn-sheep/conservation-and-management
MEDIA REGISTRATION: A mandatory pre-departure media brief is Wednesday, 3:45 a.m. at 4255 Sinton Rd, Colorado Springs, with a planned 4 a.m. departure. Media have the option to embed in Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff vehicles. Attending media should dress for cold weather and optional hiking up to three miles at high altitude. Snacks and drinking water are strongly advised. Media must pre-register by email no later than 3 p.m. Tuesday. Email reporter/photographer name(s), organization and cell phone number to [email protected] For more information, call (719) 466-3927.
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
DISCLAIMER: The Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) website maintains press releases containing historical information that may no longer be accurate. Press releases are dated, which should be noted to determine whether the information provided is current. Please review our current regulations and brochures for up-to-date information.