Rocky Mtn. bighorns at Greer

[billrquimby]

Those of us who live in Greer (part of the year, in my case) have been watching the Rocky Mountain bighorns AZGFD captured in Morenci and released up here. I did not take the photo I've attached (a friend did), but I've seen this pair of young rams multiple times, and came close to hitting the one with a collar with my truck when it stepped onto the road as I was coming around the curve at Hall Creek two or three weeks ago.

 

Until recently, there was a larger ram running with this pair, which makes me wonder if it was one of several unlucky sheep that have been killed by cars since the first release.

 

This morning, these two rams were feeding at the edge of the forest on the road to Eagar, less than a mile east of the Greer junction. Until I stopped to watch them, cars and trucks were zipping past, their drivers apparently not seeing them. Soon after I stopped, there was a minor traffic jam.

 

Bill Quimby

 

[naturebob]

Thats neat stuff. I hope they do well up there.Thanks for sharing BIll..............BOB!

[ready2hunt]

Live it up while you can. The wolf pack on the west side of Greer will be thinning them out soon I'm sure.

[Guest 300ultramag.]

here

[billrquimby]

Ready2hunt:

 

Wolves are all around Greer, and not just to the west of us. They've also been IN Greer. My wife and I watched a pair of them harass a bunch of elk in our driveway a couple of years ago, and last September I heard them howling on the hill above our cabin for four or five mornings in a row when I left an hour before daylight to go elk hunting.

 

The thing about the bighorns they've released up here is that the places we're seeing them are at the edge of our antelope habitat where there is very little escape cover.

 

Wild sheep aren't the brightest critters on four legs, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised about the habitat they've chosen. What is surprising is that coyotes haven't gobbled 'em all up.

 

Bill Quimby

[BMart]

When I was on my antelope hunt in unit 1 last year I glassed up some sheep just SW of antelope mountain. I didn't know there were sheep in the area and almost fell off my chair when I saw them. Then I drove down the road and saw all the signs warning drivers they were there. haha.

[Non-Typical Solutions]

Bill,

We had a similar encounter a while back, I posted the video we took....here it is again! It is fun seeing them but I gotta admit spooky watching traffic fly by when they are bouncing all over the place.

 

[billrquimby]

I drove into Springerville today to get groceries and there were five ewes exactly where you videoed that herd, Non-typical Solutions.

 

Another place we see cliff carp often is on the curve at Hall Creek leading into Greer. They feed within just a couple of feet of the pavement. The problem with them hanging out there is that drivers can't see them until it's almost too late.

 

Bill Quimby

[Non-Typical Solutions]

We didn't get video but that same group finally jumped up in the middle of the pavement and ran for quite a distance before the went over to the north side of the road.......right down the middle of the road.....