Grand Slam Club/Ovis and KUIU Conservation Direct Fund Record Bighorn Sheep Translocation

In early 2025, Grand Slam Club/Ovis (GSCO) and KUIU Conservation Direct responded to a critical conservation emergency involving desert bighorn sheep in Southern Nevada. Severe drought conditions had drastically reduced available water and forage, creating an unsustainable situation for the sheep population. As part of its emergency strategy, the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) planned to remove up to 150 sheep from the Muddy Mountains to reduce pressure on dwindling resources. However, the department did not have funding allocated for such a large-scale effort.

Recognizing the urgency, GSCO and KUIU Conservation Direct stepped in, and $300,000—including collars—was allocated to fund the capture and relocation project 100%.

In June, representatives from GSCO and KUIU traveled to Overton, Nevada, to assist NDOW with what became the largest desert bighorn sheep translocation in history. Over six days of coordinated capture operations, 139 sheep were successfully relocated to three distinct sites:

• 58sheep were released into the Cortez Mountains in northern Nevada, a region previously unoccupied by bighorns.
• 43were moved to the Tobin Range to strengthen a small, existing population.
• 38were transported to a nursery herd managed by Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources, with transplant efforts supported by the Utah Wild Sheep Foundation.

The outcome was remarkable: a new herd was established, an existing population was strengthened, and a vital nursery program received significant reinforcement.

This ambitious project was led by NDOW’s expert biologists and dedicated staff, whose meticulous planning and execution turned a potentially devastating scenario into a landmark conservation achievement. We are honored to have played a part in this success story.

Special thanks go to the GSCO members and KUIU customers whose support made this possible. Gratitude is also due to the many volunteers—including those from Nevada Bighorns Unlimited and The Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn—who worked tirelessly in temperatures exceeding 100°F.