We rode to about 8500 feet on Wild Mountain and came to large snowbanks on the north facing slopes.
Daisy likes snow.
On south facing slopes with plenty of sun, the snow was long gone, and pretty yellow balsamroot bloomed everywhere.
What's that up there among the flowers? Why, it's Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep! We saw four of them. All had big curving horns, indicating they were a bachelor herd.
They didn't seem too worried about the humans on horseback about 300 yards down the hill. After watching us with curiosity for awhile, they lay down for a nap in the sun. These photos were taken with our little 10x zoom camera. Daisy never saw the sheep, which were pretty small from that distance, and I guess the wind was wrong for smelling them, too.
Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep are native to this canyon country, and are featured in prehistoric rock art that is thousands of years old. When settlers brought in domestic sheep, the domestics competed for scarce grazing and introduced diseases to which the bighorns were susceptible. Bighorn numbers declined dramatically and they were absent from the area by about 1950. They were reintroduced, starting in 1952, along the Green River not far from the location where we saw them.
They look a lot more interesting (and majestic) than my view of our neighbors goats. :)
ReplyDeleteI love the ancient drawings...Daisy is sure enjoying that snow...
ReplyDeletePretty cool getting to see the Bighorn Sheep. I have yet to see them in the wild. Amazing photo your little point and click got. Some of my photos is with a P&C and it is hard to tell the difference from the big DSLR.
ReplyDeleteThey are very handsome and impressive sheep. It's good that they've been reintroduced.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sight, seeing those big horn sheep. I've seen a few a long ways off.
ReplyDeleteThe petroglyphs are very cool also.
I'm glad the Bighorn Sheep have been reintroduced to this area. They are certainly very majestic animals.
ReplyDeleteWe've had record-setting heat for the past week -- that snow bank made me feel just a little more comfortable.
Seems a true privilege to see the Mt Sheep and know they've been around so long.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post, thanks for letting me ride along. Always a joy to see bighorns.
ReplyDeleteYou got to see the real thing and the petroglyphs, too! We still have snow like that in our yard. My poor perennials will never get a chance to bloom!
ReplyDeleteThe drawings are just amazing!!!
ReplyDeleteLove that sweet photo of Daisy in the snow: Awwwwww!
so cool that you got that close. My dad managed the big horn restoration project for a little more than 30 years. He was even featured on Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom for his work. Marlin Perkins did stay at our home :)
ReplyDeleteHow exciting! I love bighorn sheep!
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