My kids used to eat their spaghetti a lot like this guy was eating his grass. 😉

Taken this past November, this young ram was one of about a dozen Bighorns hanging out along the South Platte River in Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver. There is a lot of recreational traffic in the canyon so the herd there is very used to people allowing you get up close and personal with them.

Found across much of western North America, Bighorn Sheep are adept mountain climbers, best known for the adult male ram’s monstrous horns. While the animals are social, rams and ewes typically only meet during mating season. Diseases from European livestock and overhunting had caused the animal’s population to drop precipitously by the early 1900s. Thankfully conservation efforts have been successful in helping the sheep rebound since then.

An image of one of the senior members of a herd that hangs out in a canyon southwest of Denver. These guys are very accessible (if you don’t mind walking or biking a few miles) and always seem willing to have their picture taken. Those well-worn horns on this ram no doubt tell a story of a life in the rugged Front Range foothills. They have seen countless battles and show the wear and tear of the times it has fended off challengers.

The Bighorn Sheep is the Centennial State’s official animal and to me that is quite fitting. Just like the terrain and many of its people, these animals are very rugged, strong and tough. The animal is found in many places in the state’s high country.

Even though this guy was a bit too young to compete with the big guys, he wasn’t shy about showing off to the photographers. Taken back in November in Waterton Canyon, Colorado during the annual rut, there wasn’t a lot of real action taking place when I was there. That didn’t make visiting with these creatures any less fun though.

The Bighorn Sheep at this location are quite accustomed to people so you are able to get in close proximity and truly begin to appreciate their power and majesty. Found across much of western North America, Bighorn Sheep are adept mountain climbers, best known for the adult male ram’s monstrous horns. While the animals are social, rams and ewes typically only meet during mating season.

So darned cute! This young one was as interested in me as I was in it last month in Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver. This image gives you a good look at the kind of terrain these awesome animals call home. It is amazing how adept they are at navigating the rocks and cliffs, even at a young age.

The Bighorn Sheep is the Centennial State’s official animal and to me that is quite fitting. Just like the terrain and many of its people, these animals are very rugged, strong and tough. The animal is found in many places in the state’s high country.

Diseases from European livestock and overhunting had caused the animal’s population to drop precipitously by the early 1900s. Thankfully conservation efforts have been successful in helping the sheep rebound since then.

One of the senior members of a herd of these powerful creatures southwest of Denver. You can just tell from those worn, beaten and cracked horns that this big guy has seen his share of battles and I would bet won most of them.

The Bighorn Sheep is the Centennial State’s official animal and to me that is quite fitting. Just like the terrain and many of its people, these animals are very rugged, strong and tough. The animal is found in many places in the state’s high country.

Diseases from European livestock and overhunting had caused the animal’s population to drop precipitously by the early 1900s. Thankfully conservation efforts have been successful in helping the sheep rebound since then.

This young ram was certainly keeping close watch on me as he walked by. I was taking pictures of him and about a dozen others in a herd in the foothills southwest of Denver as they gathered along the road. There wasn’t much action that day but plenty of opportunity to snap pics of these cool dudes. This particular one was moving around the perimeter of the herd and passed right nearby allowing me to get this close up and allowing it to get a good look at the guy with the camera. 😉

Found across much of western North America, Bighorn Sheep are adept mountain climbers, best known for the male #ram’s monstrous horns. This particular ram was only a couple of years old so his horns were not overly impressive. While the animals are social, rams and ewes typically only meet during mating season.

This was a really cute, fun scene to watch this past weekend. A young Bighorn Sheep ram puts his head down and tests one of his elders. Certainly the big guy could have flattened the juvenile if he wanted and instead simply put his head down as well and nudged ‘junior’ back a bit.

Mating season for Bighorn is gearing up and I had hoped to get the opportunity to see and photograph some of the big guys clashing. Unfortunately that wasn’t to be as this was the only big ram in the area at the time. I will have to give it a shot again, perhaps this weekend.

The Bighorn Sheep is the Centennial State’s official animal and to me that is quite fitting. Just like the terrain and many of its people, these animals are very rugged, strong and tough. The animal is found in many places in the state’s high country. Diseases from European livestock and overhunting had caused the animal’s population to drop precipitously by the early 1900s. Thankfully conservation efforts have been successful in helping the sheep rebound since then.

A picture for #TBT to June when I was in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada.

We had enjoyed a very relaxing morning at Miette Hot Springs and were on our way back to camp when we happened across this pair of little ones as well as eight ewes. The adults were quite comfortable with my family and another watching them and paid us little attention. The young ones though seemed fascinated by all the attention and put on quite a show of bounding around the side of the mountain then stopping and seeming to look to make sure we were watching.

Found across much of western North America, Bighorn Sheep are adept mountain climbers, best known for the male ram’s monstrous horns. While the animals are social, rams and ewes typically only meet during mating season. The young are kept on high ledges to help protect them from predators.

You can tell by the look for the horns on this guy that he has seen his share of fights in his years on the mountain. They are weathered and worn and even the ends are chipped off and his size showed that he was clearly one of the senior members of the herd. In fact, of the 15 bachelors we saw hanging out together on the top of Logan Pass in Glacier National Park, he definitely appeared to be in command.

While the males were all getting along at the time, in another few weeks the rut will be starting and that friendliness toward each other will be gone. Raging hormones and the need to mate will take over and those horns will once again be getting a workout.

A bit of a Lord of the Rings reference for those that might catch it.  It is amusing to me too that in a way these Bighorn Sheep look a bit like Balrog. Ha!

These rams were working their way through the parking lot at the Logan Pass visitors center in Glacier National Park back at the end of June. They were part of a larger bachelor herd of 15 or so that gave me many photo opportunities. Needless to say, I did not try to pass.