ND Bighorn Population

[CatDaddy]

https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/record-north-dakota-bighorn-sheep-count/

 

[Auggie]

 

[Bfishn]

What the heck, what ramp is that at?

 

[guywhofishes]

What the heck, what ramp is that at?

McKenzie Bay I reckon?

Google Earth image lines fuel tanks and crapper up with photo taken from ramp anyway.

Never been there myself.

 

[Auggie]

McKenzie Bay I reckon?

Google Earth image lines fuel tanks and crapper up with photo taken from ramp anyway.

Never been there myself.

Yes McKenzie Bay. I now know to always scribble out backgrounds when holding a good picture fish.

 

[Bfishn]

I figured it was McKenzie, just wasn't sure. I don't make my way back in there to often but will have to keep my eyes peeled, would be pretty cool to see some while fishing.

As a side note, goat island by Indian Hills actually has goats on it the last few years and people routinely stop by and feed them, in fact they come running when a boat starts to pull up. I secretly kind of want to see someone get head butted by an ornery goat, but so far they have seemed pretty tame.

 

[tikkalover]

ND Game and Fish records record count of bighorn sheep​

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - The survey revealed 378 bighorn sheep in the western North Dakota badlands.

Of the 378 sheep counted, over 100 were rams, 234 ewes and 40 were lambs.

A bighorn sheep hunting season is tentatively scheduled for 2026.

The status of the season will be determined September first -- following a summer count.

 

[Silver]

Only 40 lambs for 234 ewes?

 

[KDM]

Only 40 lambs for 234 ewes?

Coyote, bobcat, and Mt Lion predation would be the top guesses from me.

 

[luvcatchingbass]

Only 40 lambs for 234 ewes?

Just below 20% recruitment is probably not a horrible number when it comes to wild sheep these days even though it sounds bad to us. Between weather, food availability, disease and predators plus you are assuming that all 234 ewes got bred. Pneumonia is a very wild big sheep killer and 90%+ if a lamb gets it you may as well call it a death sentence.

 

[guywhofishes]

A typical lamb percentage in a bighorn sheep survey is highly variable, but for a stable or healthy population, managers often look for ratios of roughly 25 to 35 lambs per 100 ewes (or approximately 15%–20% of the total population surveyed).

However, recruitment rates can range widely—from 10% to over 50%—due to factors such as disease, weather, and predation.

Key Takeaways on Bighorn Sheep Lamb Percentages:

• Healthy/Stable Population: A ratio of 30 or more lambs per 100 ewes is considered strong.
• Marginal/Low Recruitment: Ratios often dip to 10-20 lambs per 100 ewes in struggling herds.
• Seasonal Variability: Ratios are usually higher in summer surveys (~40–50:100) and drop significantly by March, when lambs are closer to one year of age and recruitment is truly measured.
• Environmental Impact: High lamb mortality (often caused by pneumonia) can severely reduce these numbers.
  

For instance, a 2025 survey in North Dakota found 40 lambs per 234 ewes (approx. 17 lambs per 100 ewes), which was described as "well below average" due to pneumonia. A more encouraging survey in Idaho's Middle Fork Salmon River showed 198 lambs per 578 ewes (approx. 34 lambs per 100 ewes).

https://gf.nd.gov/news/9149#:~:text=Wed, 04/01/2026,lamb recruitment observed in 2025.