The Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep occupy the cooler mountainous regions of Canada and the United States. The bighorn sheep is a species of sheep in North America named for its large horns. These horns can weigh up to 30 pounds (14 kg), while the sheep themselves weigh up to 300 pounds (140 kg). Two hundred years ago, bighorn sheep were widespread throughout the western United States and Canada. The Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep is the provincial mammal of Alberta and the state animal of Colorado and incorporated into the symbol for the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Bighorn sheep are hunted for their meat and horns, which are used in ceremonies, as food, and as hunting trophies.
A program of reintroductions, natural parks, and reduced hunting, together with a decrease in domesticated sheep near the end of World War II, allowed the bighorn sheep to make a comeback. In 2009, the California Department of Fish and Game issued 21 permits for the hunting of bighorn sheep, and 19 permits for the 2010-11 hunting season. Bighorn sheep are hunted for their meat and horns, which are used in ceremonies, as food, and as hunting trophies. They also serve as a source of eco-tourism, as tourists come to see the famed bighorn sheep in their native habitat. A mounted trophy Bighorn Sheep may make the perfect addition to your trophy room as a treasured memento of your Bighorn Sheep hunting adventure.