Winter Wildlife: Bighorn Sheep

Winter is approaching. And with it comes opportunity for interesting if not fascinating wildlife photography.

Over the next few weeks I provide some "Winter Wildlife" Photos.


Here now, Bighorn Sheep (photos taken in Alberta, Canada):

New Year Babies: Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

The New Year brings new life and new hope. So why not a series on Wildlife "Babies"?


Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Ewe, nursing her lamb:

Bighorn Sheep

Canyon Lake: Desert Bighorn Sheep

Pardon the interruption. I'll get back to my "5" Star Photos tomorrow. Saturday I had the opportunity to play "tourist." Christine and I met our daughter and her family at Canyon Lake which is near Tortilla Flat along the Apache Trail 60 miles east of Phoenix. The agenda:  a picnic and Steamboat Ride on the Lake. The "Dolly Steamboat" took us up into the canyon where we not only had some wonderful scenery, but got to see some Desert Bighorn Sheep grazing along the canyon walls.  So, I thought I'd share a few of those Bighorn Sheep photos. The black streaks in the last two photos are marks from years of "waterfalls" during the monsoon season.

Finding Bighorn Sheep is sometimes challenging even when they are in the area you are looking. First, they could be far away. Binoculars or a spotting scope may even be necessary.  Second, they "blend." Mother nature has provided them with a camouflage coat making it difficult to spot them. Often the best way is to look for the "white rump." In the above photo there is a Bighorn. You'll have to look closely to find it.

Here is a closeup using a 400mm lens of the same shot as above. You can now see the Bighorn more easily. He's looking down at us.

A little later two Bighorns were grazing on the vegetation. I took 15 or so photos -- most of which the Bighorns had their head turned or pointing down as they were eating, so it took a while to get the one I wanted. And here it is (above).

On the return, we spotted six Bighorns. Love the little guy on the left going into the cave. This photo also gives you a good idea of the setting. It's a sheer cliff. The many caves provide shelter.

Bighorn Sheep II

This photo turned out better than I thought. It wasn't a big Ram with 40 pound horns, just a female. But, she is standing on the edge of Mt. Evans Colorado, proud nonetheless. The drop below her? Well, both she and I are at about 14,100 feet. I didn't actually walk right up to the edge, but I imagine the drop was several thousand feet. In the photo you can barely see the trees below. Since the tree-line is about 10,000, it's a pretty severe drop. Note the little tuff of her coat on the end of a horn.

Bighorn Sheep Ewe

Bighorn Sheep

Continuing with my "5" rated photos, we get to Bighorn Sheep. First up, a small group of lambs I photographed early one morning in the mountains at Yellowstone National Park.

Bighorn Sheep Lambs

Pairs of Two: Eleven

A couple more "fighting pairs":

First, two young Bighorn Sheep Rams. They seemed more like playing than trying to establish dominance. 

Bighorn Sheep (Clemon Mountain, Washington)

 The two Bull Elk here stopped jousting when they saw me. But within a couple of seconds they were jousting again.

Elk (just outside Jasper National Park, Alberta)

Crossing Paths

Sometimes you happen to be in the right place at the right time. Such is the case with two photos of animals which normally don't get along and aren't seen together.

First up, Bighorn Sheep and Elk. Now this isn't a great photo. But, I honestly don't know how I could have captured these two herds which were on the side of Clemon Mountain (25 miles northeast of Yakima, Washington along the Naches River).  They were at least 400 yards away from me. But if I was any closer I would not have be able to get both herds in the photo

Bighorn Sheep and Elk Herds

In the following photo a fully grown male Grizzly Bear,weighing probably 1000 pounds or more was feasting on a buffalo. The Gray Wolf was patiently sitting about 75 yards away. As soon as the Grizzly Bear stopped eating and started walking away, the Wolf got up and started walking toward the buffalo. It provided me the opportunity for the perfect photo, Bear and Wolf together.

Gray Wolf and Grizzly Bear

Finding Bighorn Sheep

"Now, a few words on looking for things. When you go looking for something specific, your chances of finding it are very bad. Because of all the things in the world, you're only looking for one of them. When you go looking for anything at all, your chances of finding it are very good. Because of all the things in the world, you're sure to find some of them."  Admittedly, that is not my quote -- although I love it and, as a wildlife photographer can really appreciate it. The quote is from the movie "The Zero Effect." I have found Rocky Mountain  Bighorn Sheep in British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, Idaho, Mountana, Wyoming, and Colorado. I have found Desert Bighorn Sheep in Arizona, which I have talked about before. 

Now, a few words about photographing them. Finding them is not always easy. Photographing them is often impossible as in this case at Yellowstone NP in Wyoming. In the first photo, well, you'll need to see the second photo also because it is nearly impossible to see the Bighorn Sheep in the first photo. There was no access or way to get up the mountain to photograph them.

Bighorn Sheep photo taken with a 400mm lens.

Same photo "zoomed" in photoshop.

Sometimes roads get you up into the mountains where photographing can be easier -- that's if you find them. The next three photos were taken at 14,000 feet on Mount Evans in Colorado.

Now a few words about luck. Putting yourself in the "place of most potential" increases you chances of being lucky. That is to say, you probably wouldn't have much luck finding Bighorn Sheep in downtown Tucson -- or New York City for that matter. But, in the mountains of Jasper National Park in Alberta Canada, I have gotten lucky several times. This photo was taken with a 28 mm lens. I was in my Jeep and the Ram was only five feet away from me.

Advent Calendar - December 15th

I love my winter trips to Canada. It is partly because the setting is so different and the white of the snow provides wonderful contrasts. Here a lone Bighorn Ram stood on a mountainside pushing the snow away with his horns and nose to get to some grass below. He gave me "the look" every now and then. But in most of these wildlife photo ops, I try to be very still with no big hand motions to let the animal know I mean no harm. That allows them to continue to eat without fear. Photo taken along the Columbia Icefields:

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Ram in Snowy Alberta, Canada

Hoofed Animal Babies

Bighorn sheep are most vulnerable when young. Predation primarily occurs with lambs which are hunted by Coyotes, Bobcats, Lynxes, Bears, Wolves, and Mountain Lions. Golden Eagles will also try to cause lambs to fall from great height. Adults are more dangerous and predation is generally restricted to Mountain Lions.

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Lambs

Mountain Goats occur at higher elevations and in colder climates and thus their predators are fewer in number. They will come down from higher elevations in the Spring to look for "salt licks". This is when they are most vulnerable to predation. But, as a general rule they spend most of their time at higher elevations than their predators. Even still, like with the Bighorn Sheep lambs, Golden Eagles will try to cause the lambs to fall to their death.

Mountain Goat with Kid

Mothers with Babies (or sometimes dads): Bighorn Sheep

Prior to the mating season or rut, the rams attempt to establish a dominance hierarchy that determines access to ewes for mating. It is during the pre-rut period that most of the characteristic horn clashing occurs between rams, although this behavior may occur to a limited extent throughout the year. Ram's horns can frequently exhibit damage from repeated clashes.  Females exhibit a stable, non-linear hierarchy that correlates with age. Females may fight for high social status when they are integrated into the hierarchy at 1–2 years of age. 

Rocky Mountain Bighorn rams employ at least three different courting strategies. The most common and successful is where a ram follows and defends an estrous ewe. Tending takes a lot of strength and dominance and thus ewes are more receptive to tending males, feeling that they are the most fit. Another tactic is coursing which is when rams fight tending rams for temporary access to defended ewes.  Ewes tend to avoid coursing males so the strategy is not effective. Rams will also employ a blocking strategy. They will prevent an ewe from accessing tending areas before she even goes into estrous.

Bighorn ewes exhibit a six-month gestation. In temperate climates, the peak of the rut occurs in November with one, or rarely two, lambs being born in May. Most births occur in the first two weeks of the lambing period. Pregnant ewes of the Rocky Mountains migrate to alpine areas in spring, presumably to give birth in areas safer from predation but are away from areas with good quality forage.  Lambs born earlier in the season enjoy greater survival than lambs born later. Ewes that give birth late in the season are at an earlier stage of lactation when forage quality declines and may not produce sufficient milk to ensure lamb survival. Newborn lambs weigh from 8 to 10 pounds (3.6 to 4.5 kg) and can walk within hours. The lambs are then weaned when they reach 4–6 months. The lifespan of rams is typically 9–12 years, with 10–14 years for ewes.

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep: Ewe nursing Kid

Today's Old Photo

Today's photo goes back to March of 1997. As you can see there is still some snow on the ground. These were Bighorn Sheep of the Cleman Mountain herd at the Oak Creek Wildlife Area in the Washington Cascades.  During the winter, feed is put out for them at 9:00 AM. You can watch as they come over the mountain and down to the feeding station. It takes them a good 30-45 to come all the down. They typically arrive 15 minutes or so before the food arrives. So, they can a little "frisky" waiting. Oh how I wish I had a better camera back then. I was only 50 yards from these Bighorns. The "horn clashing" between these two rams was deafening. It sounded like two large blocks of wood hitting each other at the speed of sound. Once they finished eating (maybe an hour or so) the headed back up the mountain and out of sight. It is a wonderful spectacle if you ever get a chance to see it. The closest town is Yakima -- maybe 15 miles away.

Two Bighorn Sheep Rams doing their "manly" thing.

HOOFED MAMMALS: Bighorn Sheep Stories-IV

In going over my Bighorn Sheep photos and previous posts, I realize I have shown you most of my better Bighorn photos. However, I did find one that dates back to the mid-nineties when I was -- once again -- traveling in Alberta along the Columbia Icefield. This time it was summer and a little easier for me to get around on foot. The Canadian Bighorns seem a little less skiddish, and willing to sit still or continue to forage while you move around; at least as long as you don't make any quick motions or act aggressively in any way. This particular Bighorn seemed interested in me -- and interested in getting his photo taken. I had to climb a bit to get it, but in the end thought it worth the effort:

HOOFED MAMMALS: Bighorn Sheep Stories-III

One of the things I love about Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goats is their ability to scale high rocky cliffs. I love photos like the one below. Now of course, it isn't a great photo. However, you get a great idea of the terrain that these animals call home. In the first one there is a Bighorn ewe in the middle of the

photo just at the skyline:

In the next photo, I have zoomed in so you can get a little better look:

Both photos were taken with a 400mm super telephoto lens. You can appreciate the fact that trying to get close to this particular ewe would be difficult if not impossible. It makes you appreciate it when you able able to find one this close as I did in Western Montana:

HOOFED MAMMALS: Bighorn Sheep Stories-II

As you head out of the town of Jasper, Alberta toward Hinton you have Jasper lake on the left and Talbot Lake on the right. Before you get to Miette Hot Springs Road you find a "mineral lick". Mineral licks are rocky areas high in mineral content, which attracts animals. This is a good spot for Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. Over the years I have photographed a great many Bighorns in this area:

Occasionally, they will come all the way down to the road creating a "mini" traffic jam. Now we are NOT talking Yellowstone here. We are talking five cars, not a hundred and five. What they want is to drink from the Athabasca River. Here is a Bighorn family making such a trip:

HOOFED MAMMALS: Bighorn Sheep Stories

I am moving on to Bighorn Sheep. Hopefully, they will all be stories I haven't written about before. Bighorn Sheep had been classified into seven subspecies, but DNA testing now shows there to be just three: Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep found in the Canadian and US Rocky Mountains and throughout the northern parts of the US; the Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep found only in the Sierra Nevada Mountains; and the Desert Bighorn Sheep found in the Southwest Mountain Ranges. Between 150 to 200 the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep live on Clemon Mountain, part of the Washington Cascades. Each winter they come down to the Oak Creek Wildlife Area near Naches (on the Eastern side of the Cascades). Grasses and hay are put out for them each morning around 9:00. If you get there around 7:30 or so you can watch as small bands of 7 to 10  appear on the top of the mountain and start the long trek down. It might take them an hour or so but they end up waiting -- a hundred or so yards away -- for the hay to arrive. There is a parking lot for 15 cars or so, and then a fence to keep people from getting too close. As the Bighorns arrive they become restless and playful:

Young males practice being tough:

Even older males have a go at it:

Occasionally, they will notice you:

When the food comes they gather much closer.

This ram came walking up to the fence where I was. Hence the eye contact in the last photo: 

The Bighorns are around for an hour or so, then start back up and over the mountain, each band following the route they came down. Wonderful sight. And, wonderful way to see these magnificent animals in the wild.

Mount Evans: Part Two

Continuing with my journey and Mount Evans:

The Mountain Goats I found on Thursday, (July 28th). But, I had also gone up Mount Evans on Monday, the 25th. At 14,100 feet (the last turn before the top) I found about 12 Bighorn Sheep; all Ewes or Lambs, no Rams. Here is a young Ewe standing at the edge with a drop of I'd guess 1500 feet just a half step away:

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep comprise the largest number of Bighorns. The Desert Bighorns, here in Arizona, and the California Bighorns on the West Coast are subspecies and make the total of the US population of Bighorns about 44,000. About 15,000 exist in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta and British Columbia. When I found them on Mount Evans, the Bighorn Sheep, like the Mountain Goats were shedding their coats. This is the hottest it ever gets on Mount Evans: 50 degrees, so to them this is "short-sleeve shirt" weather.  The photo below gives another perspective on the terrain:

While some of the Bighorn Sheep were grazing, a young one was content to contemplate life:

On Thursday, while I was sitting on a rock photographing the Mountain Goats, I turned around and saw this Bighorn Sheep Ewe standing precariously on a rock behind me about midway down the mountain slope:

Wild Babies - Part IV

And, lastly, babies nursing:

White Tail Deer with Fawn

Elk with Fawn

Bison with Calf

Bighorn Sheep with Lamb

Javelina with Piglet