I’ve never been satisfied with any of my Bighorn Sheep photos. All of my shots come with a disclaimer like “this would have been a great shot if only the ram had bigger horns” or “if only he wasn’t wearing a radio collar”.

Last weekend my wife and I were on our way up to the high country to continue our search for porcupines. Suddenly, she exclaims “sheep! I mean goats! no, no sheep!!!”. I instinctively dive my truck into the next pullout with binoculars, cameras, and lens caps flying everywhere. Sure enough, just 100 yards up the hillside is a flock of a dozen or more Bighorns. Not only are they free of the radio collars and eartags often seen on the flocks along the I-70 corridor, but there are several mature rams with beautiful curled horns.

I spent the next couple of hours observing them and photographing them. As they worked their way down the hillside grazing on fresh greens I was able to capture some of my favorite Bighorn photos ever.

Bighorn Sheep (click to enlarge)