Columnist Barb Henderson: Where the Desert Bighorn reigns

Barb Henderson

Friday, Jan. 24, 2003 | 10:12 a.m.

Barb Henderson is an outdoors enthusiast, freelance writer and producer/host of outdoors radio television programming. Her column appears Friday in the Sun.

The Desert National Wildlife Range was established on May 20, 1936 primarily for our state animal -- the Desert Bighorn Sheep.

The sheep family is comprised of the female, called an ewe; the young, a lamb; and the male, a ram.

His majesty, the ram, stands at an average of 34-36 inches at the shoulder and weighs about 160 pounds.

Currently, an estimated 700 sheep call the steep, rocky mountain terrain of the range home.

Even with the use of a spotting scope and glassing with a good pair of binoculars, you'll probably have a difficult time viewing sheep -- after all there's ample room for them to dwell.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Desert Wildlife Range originally was called the Desert Game Range with 2.25 million acres, which extended south past Mt. Charleston through Red Rock Canyon. In 1966, it was reduced to nearly 1.6 million acres covering more than 2,300 square miles and renamed.

Interestingly, of the more than 500 National Wildlife Refuges throughout the country, the Desert National Wildlife Refuge is the largest in the lower 48 states.

Putting it in perspective, the refuge is large enough to cover the state of Rhode Island twice and six Washington DCs -- and still have room left for 15,000 football fields.

Prior to heading to the range, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reminds visitors to check fuel, water, spare tire and to notify someone of their travel plans.

The entrance to the range can be reached by traveling on U.S. Highway 95 north approximately 23 miles from Las Vegas. A sign on the east side of the highway marks the four-mile gravel road to the Corn Creek Field Station where you can register and pick up a free map.

Currently, a portion of the Mormon Well Road on the range has been temporarily closed due to construction activities. Northeast travel, originating at Corn Creek Field Station, is prohibited beyond Sawmill Canyon. The Mormon Well Road is closed to westbound traffic from the intersection of U.S. Highway 93 and Mormon Well Road. Construction is expected to continue for a few more weeks, at which time the road will be reopened.

For more information, contact the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) which consists of four Southern Nevada Wildlife Refuges: Desert National Wildlife Range, Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge, by calling (702) 515-5450. Or visit the office at 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive in Las Vegas and/or click onto the Internet at: www.desertcomplex.fws.gov.

Briefs

Until next week, enjoy the great outdoors!