Wyoming bighorn sheep rut

[wytex]

Sheep are starting to get after it around here. The rams in the canyon area should be pretty visible for a while. Found this band along the highway n state land.

 

[MT_elk]

Very cool!

 

[wytex]

Sheep are still in the same area and quite a few deer out today but only got pics of one buck. This nice young 4 pt has potential.

 

[OverlordBear]

Great pics especially of the rams in the snow.

 

[elkrchr]

Great photos, keep them coming!

 

[wytex]

Well, a pretty sad update on the Sybille ram I took pics of. We were looking for the sheep again today, when we noticed a bunch of magpies near the highway on the state section. We slowed to see what they were feeding on and saw the curl of ram's horns in the brush as we drove by.
We stopped and let the G&F guy we know at Sybille what we found so he could collect the head and then went to move snow and feed horses. Called the GW and by the time we got back to the Sybille facility we had the ok to take the head and get it plugged.
Spouse will get him cleaned up and our taxidermist will reattached the horns for us.
He looks to be 9 yrs old and judging by the scavenging and decomp he lived about a week after I took the snowy pics. Evidence on the highway of a vehicle strike we were told by G&F and he made it out of the right of way onto public section that is why we are able to keep him.
Sure hope he got to do some breeding before he got hit, a tight curl but he flares out very nicely. Looks like the vehicle or road broke a little bit off of the left tip.

 

[Mtnhunter1]

Well that sucks!
Happens here in MT way to often also.....he WAS a beautiful ram.

 

[geetar]

Wow what a bummer! Like you I hope he passed his genes on before dying.

 

[Cheesehead]

Sad to hear

 

[wytex]

1st step. Now waiting for the horns to rot loose then we can boil it before getting the horns re attached.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Dang! But cool you got to keep the skull!

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

I took a pic of a ram in Sybille Canyon a few weeks ago. Not the greatest pic but I am wondering if it may be the same one.

 

[wytex]

His left side looks a little longer but I do believe he lost a little bit of that tip on the highway.
You may be right, haven't seen any other full curls around lately.
The ram was hit near School Creek on the state section corner, not far past Shirley's big house on the right of the highway.
Usually see some rams near Morton Pass as well this time of the year.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

I thought his left side looked longer too but if your ram got hit by a car it mostly certainly could have been broken. I think where I saw this one was a little west of school creek. Who knows. Cool to see them in there though.

 

[HandgunHunter]

We will be collaring a bunch here soon.....

 

[wytex]

Helicopter counts start over here when the weather cooperates.

 

[wytex]

Caught these ram out in the snow storm Saturday.

 

[GoWyo!]

I was in Denver Thurs and Friday, was going to come home via the Canyon on Saturday, but opted to go home Friday night when I heard about 10-15" forecast. What did you end up getting? Great pix All.

 

[Bigjav]

Well goes to show you that you can’t stockpile them. Such an awesome looking ram, what a waste

 

[EYJONAS!]

Some great pics on here, and a very bitter sweet moment. Thanks for sharing