Texas Rams Home

Texas is ramming head-first into sheep restoration, bringing the once- Natives are sharpening their bows and bolstering ammo reserves in preparation for the wooly invaders.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has announced its baaaa-d idea to reintroduce these woolly warriors to the Franklin Mountains this fall, as if we needed more sheepish behavior from our officials.

"It's a proud moment for Texas to see these sheep back where they belong, even if it's just a bunch of rams butting heads."

The Lone Star State has fought to recover this species since 1954, with 11 free-roaming flocks now calling Texas home. But let's not get too sentimental, these fluffy friends were once extinct in the state due to overhunting and disease, proving that there's nothing a good ol' fashioned hunt can't fix.

And let's not forget the real threat: the invasive African aoudad, aka Barbary sheep. These foreign invaders were released by ranchers in 1957, and now compete with our native sons for resources. It's time to lock and load, folks, and give these aoudads a one-way ticket back to Africa.

So, grab your rifles, Texas, and keep those shoulder blades wool-free. We must protect our state from the fluffy onslaught, one ram at a time.

Fast Facts:

• Texas has approximately 1,500 desert bighorn sheep across its western regions, from Big Bend to El Paso.
• Overhunting and disease from domestic sheep wiped out the species in the '60s.
• Hunting permits are required, with a bag limit of one ram.
• The repopulation of the Franklin Mountains herd will begin in October, so watch out for flying fleeces!