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Message: <blockquote data-quote="guywhofishes" data-source="post: 485451" data-attributes="member: 337">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:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Healthy/Stable Population: A ratio of 30 or more lambs per 100 ewes is considered strong.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Marginal/Low Recruitment: Ratios often dip to 10-20 lambs per 100 ewes in struggling herds.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Environmental Impact: High lamb mortality (often caused by pneumonia) can severely reduce these numbers. </li> </ul>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).<a href="https://gf.nd.gov/news/9149#:~:text=Wed%2C%2004/01/2026,lamb%20recruitment%20observed%20in%202025" target="_blank">https://gf.nd.gov/news/9149#:~:text=Wed, 04/01/2026,lamb recruitment observed in 2025</a>.</blockquote>

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