Bolstering bighorns: Northern Utah rangeland finds new purpose as nursery for wild bighorn sheep

Promontory • The gate on the back of the trailer swung open with a sharp, metallic groan, piercing the quiet of the high-desert prairie on a sweltering early-summer evening.

Dozens of onlookers stood fixated on the opening, their silent anticipation providing dramatic effect as they waited for its inhabitants to emerge.

One horned head appeared first, tentatively scanning the surrounding landscape before stepping out and breaking into a mad dash. Several others quickly followed, bolting across the open field and quickly blending into the rocky hillside in the distance. After another brief lull, several more followed suit, then a few more.

A couple of minutes later, a large ram hopped out and effortlessly bounded away to join the rest of the herd, and the journey was complete.

Having just endured a 500-mile ride in a hot, crowded trailer from southern Nevada to the remote Promontory Peninsula of Box Elder County, these 20 desert bighorn sheep were clearly elated to stretch their legs. They joined an existing herd of 22 that has spent the past six months on an 1,100-acre fenced enclosure that Utah wildlife officials say will be a crucial source of bighorns in the state for many years to come, providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for hunters as well as viewing opportunities for wildlife watchers and photographers.

Acquired in 2023 from a longtime ranching family in the area through a partnership between sportsmen’s groups and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, this wide-open expanse of pristine land now serves as a “nursery” facility that provides healthy bighorns for suitable areas throughout Utah.

Read more at hjnews.com.

This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aim to inform readers across the state.

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Bolstering bighorns: Northern Utah rangeland finds new purpose as nursery for wild bighorn sheep

Bolstering bighorns: Northern Utah rangeland finds new purpose as nursery for wild bighorn sheep

Bolstering bighorns: Northern Utah rangeland finds new purpose as nursery for wild bighorn sheep

Bolstering bighorns: Northern Utah rangeland finds new purpose as nursery for wild bighorn sheep

Bolstering bighorns: Northern Utah rangeland finds new purpose as nursery for wild bighorn sheep