Full Curl

The exploitation of the West pushed wild sheep into remnant ranges and decimated their numbers. But values are changing. For a growing number of people, just knowing that healthy bands of wild sheep are still a part of our natural heritage adds to the quality of their lives. Indeed, the sight of sheep is heart-pounding excitement, and providing memories for a lifetime and stories to tell grandchildren. Full Curl is your invitation to be a partner in management of wild sheep on your national forests.

NEW - Publication A Review of Disease-related Conflicts Between Domestic Sheep and Goats and Bighorn Sheep By Timothy J. Schommer and Melanie M.Woolever, 2008 RMRS-GTR-209 Download pdf file 425 KB Letter to Partners announcing the RMRS-GTR-209 (txt 1.97 KB) (pdf 23.7 KB) Additional Publications Research between bighorn sheep and domestic sheep and goats can lead to respiratory disease and fatal pneumonia in bighorn sheep.		Sheep & Goats In the News Award Winning Program Award Information BLM-FS Conservation Project award was presented to the West-slope Bighorn Mountains Cooperative Initiative. Melanie Woolever, USFS and Steve Ferrell, Wyoming Game and Fish accepted the award. It was presented by Anne Zimmermann, USFS/WFW Director and Dwight Fielder BLM. The award was presented at the 2009 North American Wildlife and Natural Resource Conference. Elk Country Award: Individual Achievement - Melanie Woolever, R2, Wildlife Program Leader won the Elk Country Individual Achievement Award from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. It was presented at the 2009 Elk Camp - Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation annual conference.
We reviewed experimental methods and evidence regarding respiratory disease in bighorn sheep relative to domestic sheep and goats based upon the contact hypothesis and categorized by experimental approach. Although efforts to identify organisms causing pneumonia in bighorn sheep following contact with domestic sheep have identified multiple bacteria species, the complete range of mechanisms/causal agents leading to epizootic disease events are not completely understood. However, based upon the effect of disease transmission, spatial and/or temporal separation between domestic sheep and goats and bighorn sheep is prudent when the management objective is to maintain bighorn sheep populations. NEW - Maps of Domestic Sheep and Bighorn Sheep Thirteen downloadable state maps are posted on the following Forest Service FTP site. The maps reflect the work done in September and October, 2008. Note: This FTP site is accessible outside the Forest Service. If you can't access it, try again later; access isn't always consistent. ftp://ftp2.fs.fed.us/incoming/r2/bhs_state_pdfs

Inventories of occupied and vacant habitats help establish priorities for range restoration or restocking only. Keeping track of sheep with the aid of collars and radio transmitters helps biologists learn of their movements and home range needs.

Water

Sheep are absent from even the best forage and cover when water is not available. Developing springs and installing watering devices such as catch dams, holding tanks and "guzzlers" are the kind of projects that volunteer partners make possible.

Goals of Full Curl

1. Restore the quality and quantity of wild sheep habitat to generate an increase of 150 percent in population and 300 percent in recent recreational opportunities.
2. Foster partnership, cooperation and understanding among government bodies, private organizations, landowners and the general public in support of wild sheep conservation.
3. Provide opportunities to participate in habitat restoration through volunteer efforts and financial contributions.
4. Implement US. Forest Service plans to achieve wild sheep management objectives.

Partnerships

Other partners in this program are the State wildlife agencies of AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, ND, NM, NV, OR, SD, WA, and WY.

How you can be a Partner too!

• Join the Wild Sheep Foundation or Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society.
• Look for a future posting, at this site, on new and on going field work needing volunteers.
• Start watching sheep in the wild! Falcon Press produces a series of state wildlife watching guides. Check out the one for Colorado.

You can also find locations for viewing wildlife, plants and fish through our NatureWatch 'Viewing Sites' website at "inature".

Sheep Biology

• Desert Bighorn Council
• Northern Wild Sheep and Goat Council
• Wild Sheep Foundation - Kids Link

References & Publications

• A Review of Disease-related Conflicts Between Domestic Sheep and Goats and Bighorn Sheep; Schommer, Timothy J.; Woolever, Melanie M. 2008; RMRS-GTR-209
  Download pdf file 425 KB
  
  
• A Process for Finding Management Solutions to the Incompatibility Between Domestic and Bighorn Sheep; Tom Schommer and Melanie Woolever; (white paper) August 2001;742 KB pdf
  Download pdf file
  
  
• Transmital Letter of the final Bighorn/Domestic Sheep document;19 KB pdf
  Download pdf file
  
  
• Selenium/pH/Precipitation/Sheep Lamp Survival; 21.4 KB pdf
  Download pdf file
  
  

Learn More

You can find out more about Wild Sheep by contacting one of these organizations:

Wild Sheep Foundation 720 Allen Ave. Cody, WY 82414-3402 Phone: 307.527.6261

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society PO Box 8320 Denver, CO 80201-8320 Phone: 720.201.3791

Full Curl Coordinator for the Forest Service

Melanie Woolever
USDA Forest Service
Renewable Resources Staff
PO Box 25127
Lakewood CO 80225
Phone: 303-275-5007
Fax: 303-275-5075
Email: mwoolever"at"fs.fed.us