The Arizona Game and Fish Department, in cooperation with the Dolly Steamboat and the Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society, is offering an educational workshop and guided Canyon Lake boat tour to see and learn about desert bighorn sheep, one of Arizona's most charismatic native mammals.

Desert bighorn lambs are born in March and April or later, and June is the best time of year to get a chance to see and photograph young lambs and family groups of sheep in areas accessible by boat.

This special event is broken into two parts:

Friday, June 13 classroom session. Held 7-9 p.m. at the Arizona Game and Fish Department's Mesa office, 7200 E. University Drive. This fascinating presentation will give attendees the chance to learn about bighorn sheep and their significance, natural history, and conservation. The session, presented by Amy Burnett and Bill Burger from Arizona Game and Fish, is free but pre-registration is requested. Space is limited to 70 people. To register for the classroom session, please contact Amy Burnett at (480) 324-3548.

Saturday, June 14 Canyon Lake bighorn sheep viewing tour on the Dolly Steamboat. The scenic three-hour tour leaves from Canyon Lake Marina at 7 a.m. and provides a great opportunity to see desert bighorn sheep in their natural environment. Canyon Lake Marina is located about 14 miles northeast of Apache Junction on Highway 88 (the Apache Trail). Cost is $32 per person, $29 for seniors. Space is limited to 139 people, the number of passengers the Dolly can hold. To register for the boat tour, call the Dolly Steamboat at (480) 827-9144.
"This is a great opportunity for people to learn about bighorn sheep and the conservation efforts of many different agencies and stakeholder groups," said John Dickson, wildlife manager in the Canyon Lake District for Arizona Game and Fish. "Participants are encouraged to bring a camera, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and binoculars. Snacks and drinks will be provided compliments of the Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society."

Dickson advises participants to dress comfortably and appropriately for the weather. Much of the Dolly Steamboat is air conditioned, but the outside temperatures will be hot.

"June-July is the time of year the bighorns stay pretty close to water and come down for a drink," he said. "The hotter it is, the better the opportunity to see the sheep along the lake's shore."

The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD's programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Director's Office, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Mail Stop WSFR-4020, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Director's Office as listed above.