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Desert Bighorn Sheep hunting is limited due to the ongoing restoration of sheep numbers throughout their range. The Desert Bighorn ranges from Nevada and California to west Texas and south into Mexico. There is also a rare group that inhabits the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. the Desert Bighorn has a lifespan of 10 to 15 years. It takes a ewe two years to reach sexual maturity. Mature males can weigh up to 280 lbs. The Desert Bighorn has adjusted well to the desert and does not require any drinking water in the winter time as it utilizes the moisture in green vegetation. During the summer, the Desert Bighorn will drink every three days. Like the Rocky Mountain Bighorn, the Desert males engage in signature battles over access to females. The full rush head butting can get extremely violent and results in one male exerting dominance over the other. Human infringement is directly responsible for the decline in Bighorn numbers. Mining, grazing, and depletion of waterholes, drought, poaching and predation have all worked together to push the Bighorn to the low numbers that exist today.

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