Welcome to The Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn web site.

The Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn is a non-profit organization unselfishly dedicated to the utilization, conservation, and welfare of the desert bighorn sheep.

The Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn offers support to various government agencies associated with the care and protection of the Desert Bighorn.

In addition, we strive to inform the public as to many of the problems involving the desert bighorn sheep and our advancing civilization.

We hope that you will join us in our continuing efforts to protect the natural habitat and way of life for the Desert Bighorn.

Nevada Bighorn History

Estimates of bighorn sheep on the continent early in the nineteenth century conclude that 350,000 to 500,000 native sheep occupied our western states. The westward spread of civilization, uncontrolled hunting, loss of habitat, and lack of wildlife management programs led to a devastating decline in population. Bighorn sheep now number less than 30,000 in North America.

Nevada is home to three subspecies of native bighorn sheep found in North America. Nevada Division of Wildlife surveys indicate that there now over 7,000 bighorn sheep within the state’s borders.

Rocky Mountain Bighorn, numbering some 210 sheep, exist primarily in the Humbolt and Badlands Ranges located in Northeastern Nevada. These sheep are the result of reintroduction programs to establish sheep in historical areas where populations were extirpated due to the adverse impact of man’s intrusions.

The California Bighorn Sheep of generally the northwestern mountain ranges of Nevada now number more than 1,500 sheep. The California Bighorn have thrived due to Nevada’s water projects established by the Nevada Bighorn Unlimited organization.

The Nelson Desert Bighorn Sheep number over 5,300 animals. They occupy the Mojave Desert and Great basin Desert regions of central and southern Nevada. These sheep inhabit some of the harshest desert environments of the nation. The Desert Bighorn have managed to survive the adverse impacts of indiscriminate hunting, loss of habitat and disease introduced by domestic livestock.

Sportsmen and conservationists, in the early 1960’s, created the Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn as an established conservation organization. Since that time the Fraternity has assisted the Nevada Division of Wildlife, the Bureau of Land Management, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service with programs to restore habitat and establish water development projects for the Desert Bighorn Sheep.

The Fraternity has donated, on the more than 100 water development projects completed, an estimated $1.5 million in labor, equipment and funds. All the proceeds that the Fraternity raises go directly towards sheep projects, as we have no salaried staff.

Is your interest in our organization and the welfare of the desert bighorn creating a desire to further your knowledge? Then give yourself a few minutes to view and enjoy the Fraternity’s web site.

Experience the activities associated with the construction of water development projects. View our photo images of the desert bighorn sheep, from the majestic rams with massive horns to the ever-cautious ewes and the inquisitive innocence of the new born lambs.

Keep us in mind and invite a friend or two to look us over and share a memory. Remember, your knowledge helps the Fraternity “Put more sheep on the mountain”. Your involvement makes that happen.

Bill Vasconi
Past President

In Memoriam:

Former fraternity president Bill Vasconi passed away after a battle with cancer.

Thank you Bill for your years of service to the Fraternity you will be missed!
 

In Memoriam - Bill Vasconi

Memorial Fund:

If you wish to make a donation to the Bill Vasconi Memorial Fund, please feel free to send donations to:

Fraternity of The Desert Bighorn P.O. Box 27494

Las Vegas, NV 89126-1494