Bighorn Business Thrives In Wisconsin

Bighorn Business Thrives In Wisconsin LIVESTOCK Sheep/Goats “I wish I was 20 years younger because raising and selling bighorn sheep is a fascinating business ” says 77-year-old Paul Canik “We’ve just met so many fascinating people through this business ” Canik and his wife operate Beaver Creek Full Curl Ranch in Butternut Wis and sell a variety of Bighorn breed rams and ewes to hunting customers throughout the U S Over the past 20 years Canik’s sheep flock has numbered as high as 600 sheep of a variety of breeds: Black Hawaiian Texas Dall Corsican Painted Desert and Rocky Mountain Bighorn hybrid crosses “I hunted deer in Texas for 20 years and was fascinated by the Bighorn sheep on those Texas hunting preserves ” says Canik “I decided it would be fun to try raising them on our farm back home in Wisconsin ” Canik recalls leaving Texas with a load of sheep on a 70-degree day and by the time the truck arrived in northern Wisconsin the temperature had dropped to 40 degrees below zero Some of Beaver Creek’s customers are now also buying ewes and rams for breeding “Some hunt clubs are starting to raise their own rams so there’s a growing market for ewes ” he says Canik says they sell all their rams at 3 mo of age because older rams tend to fight and break their horns which lessens their value In recent years Canik has raised some Katahdin sheep a hair breed that is raised primarily for its superior lamb chops and lean meaty carcasses “Katahdin sheep produce delicious meat and they’re low maintenance and easy to care for The ewes all produce twins and we’ve had no problem getting rid of the ewes Just put an ad on Craigslist and the phone starts ringing ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Paul Canik Beavercreek Full Curl Ranch Buternut Wis ph 715 769-3938; www beavercreekfullcurlranch com

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