The Desert bighorn, its life history, ecology & management / Gale Monson and Lowell Sumner, editors ; contributing authors, Rex W. Allen ... [and others] ; line drawings by Patricia Hansen.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Monson, Gale.

Sumner, Lowell.

Allen, Rex W.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bighorn sheep.

Wildlife management.

Physical Description:

xxii, 370 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Tucson : University of Arizona Press, [1980]

Summary:

"There is quite simply nothing else around that can tell you anywhere near as much about desert sheep, by anywhere near so distinguished a crew of authors."--"Safari." (Animals)

Contents:

1. The Origin and Relationships of American Wild Sheep / Richard H. Manville 1

2. The Desert Bighorn and Aboriginal Man / Campbell Grant 7

Aboriginal Hunting Methods 8

The Desert Bighorn in Rock Art 10

Ceremonial Use of the Desert Bighorn 28

The Desert Bighorn as an Art Motif 32

The Desert Bighorn as Artifact Material 36

The Desert Bighorn as a Food Resource 39

3. Distribution and Abundance / Gale Monson 40

Arizona 41

California 44

Nevada 45

New Mexico 46

Texas 47

Utah (and Colorado-Wyoming) 48

Baja California Norte and Baja California Sur 49

Chihuahua 50

Coahuila 50

Sonora 51

Recapitulation of Desert Bighorn Numbers 51

4. Physical Characteristics / Charles G. Hansen 52

General Body Characteristics 52

Hair and Skin Characteristics 54

Horns 56

Eyes 58

Teeth 59

Exterior Glands 60

Gaits 60

Physiological Characteristics 62

Respiration and Pulse 63

5. Habitat / Charles G. Hansen 64

Great Basin Desert 66

Painted Desert 67

Mohave Desert 68

Sonoran Desert 70

Colorado Desert 71

Baja California Mountain Desert 72

Chihuahuan Desert 73

Habitat Requirements of Bighorn 74

Food 76

Water 77

Topography 77

Climate 78

6. Food / Bruce M. Browning, Gale Monson 80

Great Basin Desert 81

Painted Desert 81

Mohave Desert 84

Colorado Desert 88

Sonoran Desert 89

Baja California Mountain Desert 93

Chihuahuan Desert 94

Miscellaneous Food Habits Data 96

Management Implications 97

7. Water / Jack C. Turner, Richard A. Weaver 100

Water consumption 101

Water Shortages 106

Water Development 107

Water Balance Physiology 108

8. Senses and Intelligence / Charles G. Hansen 113

9. Behavior / Norman M. Simmons 124

Seasonal Activities 125

Seasonal Movements and Home Ranges 127

Daily Activities 133

Daily Movements 137

The Environment and Daily and Seasonal Activities 141

Behavior and Topography 144

10. Reproduction / Jack C. Turner, Charles G. Hansen 145

Puberty 145

Reproductive Season 146

Gestation 146

Lambing 148

Parturition 148

Reproductive Potential 148

Percentage of Productive Ewes 149

Sex Ratio 149

Relation to Nutrition 150

11. Growth and Development / Charles G. Hansen, O. V. Deming 152

Fetal Development 152

Lambs 153

General Growth and Development 156

Growth of the Skull 163

Growth of the Horns 165

Age Determination by Horn Growth 166

Tooth Development 169

Age Determination by Tooth Replacement 171

Age Determination by Size and Shape of the Whole Animal 171

Factors Influencing Growth and Development 171

12. Natural Mortality and Debility / Rex W. Allen 172

Parasites and Disease 172

Other Mortality and Debility Factors 181

Inbreeding 185

13. Predator Relationships / Warren e. Kelly 186

Wolf 187

Coyote 187

Gray Fox 189

Bobcat 190

Mountain Lion 190

Jaguar and Ocelot 193

Eagles 193

Impact of Predators on Bighorn Populations 194

14. Competition / Fred L. Jones 197

Deer 197

Burros 202

Domestic Livestock 207

Other Animals 214

Within Herds 215

15. Population Dynamics / Charles G. Hansen 217

Population Increase 218

Population Composition 218

Group Composition 221

Life Tables 222

Population Fluctuation 230

Population Growth 231

Population Turnover 235

16. Sign Reading and Field Identification / Fred L. Jones 236

17. Population Survey Methods / Norman M. Simmons, Charles G. Hansen 260

Aerial Surveys 260

Water-hole Surveys 265

Surveys by Boat 269

Surveys on Foot and Horseback 270

18. Capturing, Handling, and Transplanting / Charles G. Hansen, Tommy L. Hailey, Gerald I. Day 273

Bighorn Capture 273

Restocking Former Ranges 282

Marking Bighorn 285

19. The Impact of Modern Man / Hatch Graham 288

Modern Man in the Past 288

Man Today 292

The Future Impact of Man 308

20. Habitat Protection and Improvement / William Graf 310

Improvement of Forage Conditions 311

Competitive Utilization and Abuse 313

Water Improvements and Increases 315

Steps To Improve and Protect Bighorn Ranges 318

21. Habitat Evaluation / Charles G. Hansen 320

Factors for Rating Bighorn Habitat 320

Bighorn Habitat Index 335

22. Hunting / Warren E. Kelly 336

Early History 336

Harvest Objectives 338

Considerations Governing the Hunting Seasons 338

Regulated Hunting 338

Poaching 340

Appendix Boone and Crockett Club Official Score Sheet 343.

Notes:

Includes index.

Bibliography: pages 345-363.

ISBN:

0816506892 :

OCLC:

6554165