Overview: Alberta bighorn sheep management
The Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) is a species of North American wild sheep that is found in the Rocky Mountains bordering western Alberta. This iconic species is Alberta’s official provincial mammal.
Wildlife management of bighorn sheep has been ongoing in the province since the early 1900s, with earlier efforts centred on setting hunting limits on trophy rams. More recent management planning for this species places a greater focus on habitat conservation, while continuing to regulate hunting to sustain bighorn sheep populations in the long term.
A comprehensive management plan completed in 1993 guides provincial efforts to sustain this species.
Alberta has been registering bighorn sheep and monitoring populations from 1971 to present.
Bighorn sheep monitoring datasets
- Bighorn Sheep Aerial Survey and Population Information 1971-2014
- Trophy Bighorn Sheep Registrations 1971-2024
The above data sets are subject to ongoing review and updates will occur as new information is available.