What I have managed to see of this season’s rut of bighorn sheep has not been particularly dramatic. I witnessed no head butting, and only one coupling.
Even during the rutting season, rams often hung out together. Ewes did likewise.
To human eyes, this ram has a particularly sly look about him as he sniffs ewes for pheromones.
This ram demonstrates his interest in mating by curling back his upper lip (the flehmen response). This gives him an enhanced detection of the pheromones emitted by ewes in oestrus.
A ewe tries to escape as two rams, each intent on mating with her, chase her up a slope. If anything happened, it was out of view beyond the brow of the hill.
Meanwhile, at the base of the hill another pair does mate.
These are wonderful shots. Where were they taken?
Jean, alas, of the various herds of bighorn sheep I know of in the vicinity of the Lake, this one was on private land.