Counting Sheep

By Briana Ross, ABF Institute Coordinator

Photos by Scot Martin

Though it’s not what most would call a “good time,” I was intrigued by the idea of spending three days in the desert counting sheep. For three years, my better judgment had kept me away, but this year my curiosity won over and I signed up to participate—along with 60 other desert-loving volunteers—in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park’s Annual Bighorn Sheep Count.

“Are you crazy?” was the reaction from most of my friends and family. Maybe… Count organizers Mark Jorgensen and Steve Bier warned of heat exhaustion, heat stroke and dehydration. Sitting comfortably in my air-conditioned office, I started to get a little nervous.

For 40 years Anza-Borrego Desert State Park has held its annual sheep count on the weekend closest to July 4. The Park purposefully chooses one of the hottest months of the year because bighorn sheep need to visit watering holes every few days during this dry time, making their whereabouts fairly predictable.

I was assigned to count at the 4th Grove of Borrego Palm Canyon, along with two partners, both veteran sheep counters. To avoid a scorching late-afternoon hike into our site, we decided to leave at 3:00 a.m. It was quiet and cool as we began our four-mile trek into one of the most frequently visited areas of the Park. The looming canyon walls were covered in moonlight, making it look like another planet.

As temperatures slowly began to rise with the sun, I focused on the gorgeous scenery around me, if only to keep my mind off the heavy pack on my back. And, as if to play a cruel joke on us backpackers, we actually passed six palm groves before arriving at “4th Grove.” Go figure. So after close to four hours, we finally arrived at our “fourth” grove.

Each morning of the count, we carried our supplies from our base camp to a ridge overlooking the canyon and set up a shade structure that provided some protection from the punishing heat. Using binoculars, we scanned the distant ridgelines and canyon slopes with increasingly aching arms, hoping to spot the elusive bighorn. The sheep’s ability to blend into their surroundings was both astonishing and frustrating. Many of my excited calls of “sheep!” turned out to be, upon further investigation, only rocks.

However, when we eventually did spot a sheep, all memory of the previous hours of frustration and boredom disappeared. It was exhilarating to see a ram poke his head up from behind the ridge or spot a ewe on the move across a slope. Filled with excitement, we used spotting scopes to determine their sex, age and any identifying characteristics. This rollercoaster of emotions is what filled our 10-hour days on the ridge.

I was relieved when a light breeze blew throughout our first day. Having feared sitting in motionless and stiflingly hot air, I was grateful for the wind. But by the next day, the breeze turned to gale force winds, nearly taking down our shade structure. The powerful gusts continued throughout the night, leading to a very restless night’s sleep.

Sheep counters who stay overnight at their sites, however, are treated to breathtaking sunsets, sunrises and peaceful evenings after counting is done. After a grueling day in the heat, it was an amazing treat to relax in the shade of palm trees next to the creek. I had no idea the desert could be so lovely in the middle of the summer.

When all was said and done, our site recorded 8 of the total 255 sheep counted. The numbers were down from last year’s total of 354, but park officials are not concerned by the drop, saying the daily temperature highs of 110, 103 and 102 degrees were “too cool” to ensure that sheep would need to come down for a drink.

By the end of the 3-day adventure, I figured that I’d be racing my co-counters out of the canyon. But on that last day, to my surprise, I dreaded my return to civilization. I had relished my slow, simple and somewhat sweaty days in the canyon, observing the unhurried world of the bighorn sheep. I left the canyon feeling satisfied with the knowledge that my efforts will help to keep our endangered bighorn sheep population healthy. So, when it comes time for the annual bighorn sheep count next year, count me in.