Quick Tips
- Vehicle access limited to designated routes
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Desert Bighorn Sheep | 145"-170" | 170"+ |
On The Ground
This zone is located in the Orocopia Mountains south of Interstate 10. California has some great Desert Bighorn Sheep. The areas that they inhabit are remote and desolate, just the way a sheep hunt should be.
In California, the desert bighorn is found in the dry, desert mountains of southeastern California.
Terrain
The terrain in this zone is a wide range of open desert valleys, ridges, and dramatically colored and eroded canyons. The canyons and washes are deep and often extremely long, with exposed walls shaded from bright red to dark black. Despite the harshness of the climate, you should see a wide variety of plants and animals adapted to life in the desert.
Roughly 206 square miles
54% public land
Elevations range from 100-3,800 feet
Vegetation
The vegetation through the zone is typical desolate desert country. Some of the various vegetation types you may encounter are the spiny-leaved Orocopia sage, Alverson's foxtail cactus, Orcutt's woody aster, and the Mecca aster.
Access
Interstate 10 and Highway 111 will be the main access for the zone. The Summit Road will give you access to the east side of the zone. There are a few roads that branch off of the main roads to give access to the interior of the zone. Vehicle access is limited, plan on hiking a lot to find animals.
Camping and Lodging
The Palm Springs valley has the nearest cities that have accommodations. Most of the camping will be primitive remote camping. Camping outside designated camping areas is permitted in BLM areas, as long as the site has been previously used as a camping area. Firewood is scarce throughout the desert, hunters must supply campfire material.
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