Texas Bighorn Society

Significant Accomplishments

Investing in Bighorn Restoration in Texas Since 1981 

     By 1960 the last of Texas native desert bighorn sheep had vanished from the state. Although their value was recognized, and efforts begun to protect and restore the herds that once roamed the rugged mountains of West Texas as early as 1903. and carried further with the establishment of the Sierra Diablo Wildlife Management Area in 1945, the effort had come to a standstill by 1980. About this time a few diehard bighorn fans decided that this just would not do! In 1980 the Texas Chapter of the Foundation for North American WIld Sheep (FNAWS) was started, and in 1981 the Foundation for the Texas Bighorn Society was formed under the leadership of Dr, James "Red" Duke to breathe life back into the restoration effort. The first project undertaken by these determined individuals was the construction of a brood facility on the Sierra DIablo WMA designed by Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist Jack Kilpatrick, at a cost of over $200,000.00. After the successful completion of that incredibly ambitious undertaking the two organizations merged in 1985 to form what is today know as the Texas Bighorn Society and the stage was set for the return of bighorns to our state!

     Following is a partial list of projects and investments made by this group that was in a large part responsible for the sucessful program that has brought numbers of these magnificent animals back to levels not seen since pre-settlement days.

1982-83 - Construction of a brood facility and cave shelters on the SIerra Diablo Wildlife Management Area. Upon completion this facility was donated to the State of Texas. Begining in June sheep donated by the states of Nevada and Arizona were transplanted to the facility and the restoration of bighorns to Texas had begun!

1984 - TBS member, director, and ultimately president Bill Leach purchased the Utah desert bighorn permit at the FNAWS Convention in Nashville. He convinced the state authorities to let him capture a ram for use in the Texas breeding program. This action inspired the governor of Utah to donate three additional sheep to Texas.

1985 - TBS member and Texas rancher C.G. Johnson donates his 23,000 acre Elephant Mountain Ranch to the state for the express purpose of restoring desert bighorn sheep to Texas.

1986 - Twentyfive sheep from the Sierra DIablo brood pens were transplanted to the newly formed  Elephant Mountain WMA. At the FNAWS Convention in Nashville TBS member Doc Thurston purchased the first permit to legally hunt a bighorn in Texas since 1903 for $60,000.00. The money raised by this permit funded the transplant of sheep form Nevada to the Baylor and Van Horn Mountains.

1988 - Water guzzlers were built at Molcajete Springs on Elephant Mountain WMA, and on High Lonsome peak on the Lado Ranch in the Van Horn Mountains.

1989 - Installed a water storage tank on the McAdoo Ranch in the Sierra Diablo Mountains

1990 - TBS built a horse and mule trail on Elephant Mountain, and funded a study on long range plans for the desert bighorn sheep in Texas. This year we also assisted in the release of 27 sheep onto the Black Gap WMA. The first sheep in modern times to be harvested out of the Sierra DIablo WMA was taken by David Abbey of Dallas, and a guzzler was constructed in the Beach Mountains.

1991 - Two guzzlers were built on the Black Gap WMA.

1992 - Victorio Canyon in the Sierra Diablo Mountains was the site of two more guzzlers built by TBS this year.

1994 - 20 sheep from Nevada were transplanted to the Black Gap WMA in October of 1994.

1995 - Black Gap WMA  received two guzzlers built by TBS this year.

1996 - Two slick rock guzzlers and a crash shack were built on the Black Gap WMA in March of 1996.

1997 - With the help the Water for Wildlife Foundation of Lander, WY two guzzlers were built in the Del Norte Mountains, and a slick rock guzzler was constructed on Elephant Mountain. The guzzler at Molcajete Springs was also rebuilt during this work project.

1998 - Two slick rock, and one conventional guzzler were constructed on the Black Gap WMA.

1999  - Two additional slick rock guzzlers, and one conventional guzzler were built on the Black Gap WMA  in March or this year.

2000 - In the most ambitious work project ever, a total of six slick rock guzzlers were built this year. Three were constructed on the Beach Mountain Ranch, two on the Baylor Mountain Ranch, and one on the Sierra Diablo Ranch.

2001 - An interpretive exhibit about bighorn sheep in Texas was sponsored by TBS  at the world renowned Ft. Worth Zoo's "Texas Wild" area. Anchoring this exhibit were three life size bronze sheep donated by TBS to the zoo. In March of this year two guzzlers were constructed in the Sierra Diablo Mountain range. Also this year a 'first of its kind" web camera was installed on Elephant Mountain WMA.

2002 - This years work project repaired guzzlers and replaced drinkers in the Sierra DIablos and on Elephant Mountain WMA. Also during 2002 TBS purchased and donated to the state a fuel trailer to be used during the annual bighorn surveys as well as during TBS work projects.

2003 - Nine guzzler locations were refurbished on the Black Gap WMA  during the annual TBS work Project. At the 2002 TBS Roundup in Dallas the first ever TBS Special Permit was auctioned off for a record $102,000.00 to Mr. Glen Thurman of Mesquite, TX.

2004 - The old "soft-release" pens on the Black Gap WMA were re-furbished by the TBS volunteers during March of 2004. In October TBS committed $200,000.00 to the land swap between TP&W and the Texas GLO which consolidated what had been checkerboarded parcels into manageable areas for both organizations. The TBS contribution to this deal allowed more than 4000  acres to become a permanent addition to the Black Gap WMA.

2005 - A conventional guzzler was built on the north end of Elephant Mountain WMA.

2006 - Mr. Walter Ford purchased the second TBS Special Bighorn Permit for a new record of $105,000.00 at the Roundup this year. 2 conventional guzzlers were built on the SIerra Diablo during our annual Work Project.

2007 - An additional $100,000.00 was allocated to Texas Parks and Wildlife for the purchase of in-holdings within the Black Gap WMA. During the annual Work Project a "Super Guzzler" was built on the Sierra Diablo WMA. This guzzler featured two collection aprons and feeder hoses to three different drinker locations and allowed for the possibility of hauling water by truck to the main holding tanks. Also in 2007 TBS was honored with induction into the Texas Conservation Hall of Fame for its work on reintroduction of desert bighorns to Texas.

2008 - Two conventional guzzlers were built on the Baylor Mountain Ranch north of Van Horn, Texas. TBS committed $45,000.00 to the re-establishment of bighorns in the Big Bend Ranch State Park. This amount was matched by the Dallas Safari Club and an additional $10,000.00 was committed to the effort by the Wild Sheep Foundation. A new web camera was installed at Elephant Mountain WMA.

2009 - Two conventional guzzlers were built on the Lado Ranch in the Van Horn Mountains, and the old guzzler built on High Lonsome in 1988 was reworked by the hard working volunteers of TBS during our March Work Project.

     The Texas Bighorn Society works closely with Texas Parks and Wildlife, private landowners, other critical stakeholders such as CEMEX, Big Bend National Park, and Big Bend Ranch State Park, as well as enlisting the help of like-minded partners to ensure that future generations of Texans will be able to enjoy bighorns and the other wildlife that inhabits the incredible country of our Trans-Pecos region. The support of our committed members have, and will continue to play a crucial role in this unique success story,

     We thank all those who have made this possible, and encourage you to be a part of all this as we continue writing the chapters of one of the most amazing conservation stories ever written.