November 2023

Annual Party and Golf Classic a Huge Success!

Bighorn Institute’s 36th Annual Party and Golf Classic took place at Stone Eagle on November 19th & 20th and was a huge success! The Annual Party Sunday was enjoyed by a sold-out crowd; it was a beautiful evening at a spectacular venue. The food was incredible, friendship plentiful and the auctions lively and profitable! Monday, Dave Stockton and the other pros gave a clinic before sending the golfers out on the course, all of whom seemed to enjoy their day, despite some wind. Congratulations to this year’s winners: Maria and Wayne Carter, Jon Fenster and James Malachowski.

Thank you to all of the participants, golf pros, donors, and volunteers who helped make this year’s fundraiser amazing! A special thanks to Stone Eagle Golf Club for having us and Dave Stockton for hosting the tournament.

La Quinta Fence and Collared Sheep

It was too good to be true for the fence to be completed behind PGA West and Lake Cahuilla by the December 31st deadline. It’s now projected to be finished by January 31, 2024, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) plans to herd the sheep out of the urban area in May 2024.

In preparation for the sheep to be closed out of these two areas, CDFW captured and radio-collared 7 ewes on November 15th so there are more sheep to track post-fence. It’s important to know where they go and see how they adapt.

*A newly collared ewe browses on the golf course.

Traveling Ram

It seems the rams of Palm Springs would rather be in the Rancho Mirage mountains! Well, at least the two collared rams anyway. The past few months, we’ve been telling you about a collared ram from the San Jacinto Mountains of Palm Springs spending a couple of months in the northern Santa Rosa Mountains (NSRM), but he’s now back in Palm Springs. In early November, his collared counterpart followed suit and also crossed ranges and was with other sheep in the NSRM. It was a surprise because his collar has failed and we can’t track him so we just happened to see him while tracking some of the collared ewes. It was a great surprise to say the least! As of late November, he was still in the NSRM as he was spotted by a hiker that reported him to us. This is why it’s so helpful for people to report their sheep sightings to us, particularly with photos. If you have friends who see sheep while hiking, please ask them to report their sightings to us along with any photos they have. The easiest way is by email: bi@bighorninstitute.org, but they can also use the Messenger app and message Bighorn Institute. Thank you!

*The recently spotted San Jacinto collared ram with ewes in the NSRM as seen from a distance.

Member Hike

It’s that time of the year again! Get ready to grab your hiking boots and binoculars and come out hiking with us to look for sheep! Our first Member Hike this season will be Monday, December 11th and we would love for you to join us. Space is limited, no dogs, and you must RSVP for this first come first served hike. To sign up or for more information, please call us at 760-346-7334 or email us at bi@bighorninstitute.org.

In Need of a Christmas Gift?

Need a special gift for the person who has everything? Here are some ideas and the best part is that the proceeds go directly to helping the endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep! It truly is a gift that keeps on giving. So, if you have been racking your brain, trying to think of something truly unique and memorable to get your loved one this Christmas, look no further, we’ve got you covered:

Give a gift membership to the Institute – memberships start at just $25/year, are tax-deductible & they can join our member hikes!
Adopt a Bighorn – $100 for a lamb, $150 for a ewe or ram: www.bighorninstitute.org/adopt-a-bighorn
Feed the captive herd for a week - $150 (donation only-not actual feeding)
Help track radio-collared bighorn for a month - $500 (donation only – not actual monitoring)

To donate, please visit our website www.BighornInstitute.org, email (bi@bighorninstitute.org) or call us at 760-346-7334.

Year-End Gift

It’s time once again to think about a year-end gift. Would you consider supporting the sheep and Bighorn Institute’s research and conservation efforts? Donating is easy, just click to donate online, mail us a check, or you can give a retirement contribution through your wealth management company. Our tax ID number is 95-3700081. Bighorn Institute is privately-funded and we strive hard to keep our expenses as low as possible so that your generous gift can go to Peninsular bighorn sheep conservation. Thank you!