Overview
Aerial view of Sawmill Canyon high elevation summer range.
Mixed group or rams, ewes and lambs on Sierra east-side during winter. Photo by Steve Yaeger.
The Sawmill Canyon herd is one of the original native Sierra bighorn herds, and has been used as a source for translocations to many other herds in the Sierra, including Wheeler Ridge (1979), Mt. Langley (1982), and Laurel Creek (2015). Bighorn in this herd are most accessible for viewing on low-elevation winter range near the front of Sawmill Canyon from December to early April, depending on snow conditions. Many Sierra bighorn in the Sawmill Canyon herd travel back and forth to the Mt. Baxter herd regularly. In the summer of 2021 we estimated there were approximately 70 sheep in this herd.
Sawmill Canyon Herd Movement Data
Events
- 4/16/2023 7 bighorn are known to have been killed by lions in Sawmill Canyon since January, including a ewe that was captured 4 days prior to lion predation.
- 7/15/2021 Wrapped up a large survey of the entire herd, accounting for 35 ewes and 16 lambs.
- 4/3/2019 A group of over 90 sheep was seen on the north side of Sawmill Canyon. There was a mix of both Sawmill and Baxter herd unit sheep which is fairly rare to see them mix together.
- 7/18/2018 21 sheep plus 8 lambs were seen by field staff on the North side of Perkins Peak. Seeing many lambs in a group is always a good sign!
- 3/1/2017 36 sheep were seen near the mouth of Sawmill Canyon.
- 9/15/2016 On our summer survey of the Sawmill herd unit we spotted 51 sheep. Many were seen near Pinchot Pass right on the PCT!