Sheldon NWR (northern Nevada)

[todd_west]

<p>As mentioned in my <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-

fetch-msg?msg_id=007PGE">other recent thread</a>, I'm planning a trip

to southeastern Oregon in a week or two. I've previously visited the

Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge (Hart NWR) and the Werner Lakes, but am

planning to dip into northern Nevada this time and visit Sheldon NWR

since the little bit of information I've come across about Sheldon

NWR suggests most of the pronghorns winter in Sheldon rather than

Hart.</p>

 

<p>Since there's virtually nothing written about Sheldon NWR, I

thought I'd inquire here and see if anyone's actually been there and

has recommendations on where to go as a winter wildlife and landscape

photographer since I've come across hints most of the refuge is not

accessible in winter.</p>

[slide]

I did a bit of research on Sheldon NWR back in November but never made it there. As I recall the most helpful info I could find on locating pronghorns came from some public agency's reports (website) for hunters which gave good descriptions of the areas (they break the area into zones) as well as some info on where and how likely you are to spot them there.

 

Another place to check out near there is Klamath NWR. I was there last week and although I didn't find any pronghorns, reports at the visitor center indicated that they are often seen in the area.

 

-slide

[m._huber]

You will probably need to gas up in Deno, where you should be able to get local info and conditions. Today, the temp is 45F which means muddy roads as mentioned in other thread. It all is spectactular country. I was surprised to see how right you are about the amount of info. You seem to be a good enought driver to get by if the roads are dry. Good or truck tires are a good suggestion.

[m._huber]

Just talked with a fellow who knows the area well. He said most of the area is impassible in the winter, and he is not one to make such statements causually. He said that the worse part was that the snow would cover and hide the mud ruts, so it was easy to break through the snow and get stuck in a rut.

 

He also said if you want to go don't go by way of Calif. and Vya because it's a steep, winding road covered with snow, but go by way of Big Springs and Catnip Reservoir.

 

As you probably know, the Pacific Coast is experiencing a warm storm front which will make things quite sloppy.

[todd_west]

I'll be coming down from Rome either on 292 (Fields-Denio) or, worst case, up 140 from McDermitt. I'd be seriously surprised if any of the approaches from Vya were drivable (particularly Bald mountain). Rather like the Owyhee area, I'm hoping to drive 140 the refuge and do some overnight or day hikes from the road depending on what's permitted.

[todd_west]

Sheldon is more like a national forest than a wildlife refuge. Antelope evidentally use Gooch Table at the north end of the refuge as a winter feeding ground because it's blown clear of snow, but the refuge mostly appears to be a chunk of land which became a NWR because a small part of it antelope winter habitat. There's not even a vistor center at Sheldon; you have to go to Hart NWR for that. Main emphasis is on camping and fishing and a couple of mines which sell opals to the public in season, though there are some token ponds for migrating birds and some wild horses and burros live on the refuge. When I was there, the refuge was mostly snow free and there were no sign of antelope. Presumably, the lack of snow at lower elevations meant they didn't need to resort to the tables to find food and were therefore lower down in better weather. I did find a half dozen of the wild burros and a few common species of waterfowl (goldeneye, mallards, canadian geese) which were extremely skittish. Things would be better during migration, but Sheldon is easily outclassed by the Warner ACEC and Hart and Malheur NWRs. There are some interesting views, notably looking up to the Pueblo mountains from the eastern edge of the refuge and in the layered strata south of Duferrena ponds. I wasn't able to get into the southwestern quarter of the refuge. The roads there were high enough to still be under snow and the weather was high winds alternating with whiteout snow flurries.