Bighorn Sheep?
#1
Original Poster
Bighorn Sheep?
This should really be in Canada / Alberta but those forums are close to dormant.
I saw some sheep that look very much like bighorn except their horns don't come around pointing towards the front when standing up.
They go up and back and are not as thick or as long.
Are these young or females or not bighorn at all?
I saw a group of them with the classic horns (there may have been one with the shorter horns in the group).
Another day I saw a group and all had the shorter horns that just go up and back.
I saw some sheep that look very much like bighorn except their horns don't come around pointing towards the front when standing up.
They go up and back and are not as thick or as long.
Are these young or females or not bighorn at all?
I saw a group of them with the classic horns (there may have been one with the shorter horns in the group).
Another day I saw a group and all had the shorter horns that just go up and back.
#2
#3
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi! Where were you at in the state. We do have Bighorn Sheep here. The full curl you are thinking of would be a large mature ram. Females have smaller horns with less curvature.
We also have mountain goats which are white in color with smaller horns that do not curl.
We also have mountain goats which are white in color with smaller horns that do not curl.
#4
Original Poster
Thanks for the replies.
I didn't see any bighorns when I was in Glacier NP. However, I did see the following in Banff a few days later.
The first was late a night and is the classical ram.
http://tinyurl.com/lepggdv
The second is the one I was questioning. It appears to be a female.
http://tinyurl.com/kbmrehp
Let's see if they display.
I didn't see any bighorns when I was in Glacier NP. However, I did see the following in Banff a few days later.
The first was late a night and is the classical ram.
http://tinyurl.com/lepggdv
The second is the one I was questioning. It appears to be a female.
http://tinyurl.com/kbmrehp
Let's see if they display.
#5
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 700
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Myer
Last year we saw such a hard like rhe 2nd one at Piegan pass in Glacier.
In france the name is "chamois" or "camoscio" in Italy.
Typic alpine animal. It was rhe first time we saw that in Glacier and effectively there are not bighorn sheep
Erik
Last year we saw such a hard like rhe 2nd one at Piegan pass in Glacier.
In france the name is "chamois" or "camoscio" in Italy.
Typic alpine animal. It was rhe first time we saw that in Glacier and effectively there are not bighorn sheep
Erik
#8
Original Poster
From the photos I'm finding, it appears the young don't have horns yet, the males (rams) have the classic rounded horns and the females (ewe) have the horns that go up and curve towards the rear. They don't go all the way around.
Can anybody confirm or dispute the two sheep in MichelleY's post above?
Erik,
Are you saying that you saw adult females with no horns at all? If so, that may change everything and require a reevalutation.
Can anybody confirm or dispute the two sheep in MichelleY's post above?
Erik,
Are you saying that you saw adult females with no horns at all? If so, that may change everything and require a reevalutation.
#9
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 700
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Females have only very small horns almost non apparent.
I've send you on your email adress a quick research on google france about the "chamois" more a pronghorn than a bighorn sheep- in France bighornsheep are more or less as "bouquetin" but large horns without a circle.
Erik
I've send you on your email adress a quick research on google france about the "chamois" more a pronghorn than a bighorn sheep- in France bighornsheep are more or less as "bouquetin" but large horns without a circle.
Erik
#11
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
saw mountain goats above the highway near Isaak Walton Inn in Montana. Appropriate because they were to mascot of the Great Northern Railway.
Have only seen mountain sheep in Alberta. In early spring, they warm themselves on the asphalt of the highways when the ground is still frozen. Huge group in the middle of the road at Maligne Lake above Jasper when the lake itself was still frozen, maybe end of April? Saw many bear in the edge of the woods north of Banff at same general time.
Have only seen mountain sheep in Alberta. In early spring, they warm themselves on the asphalt of the highways when the ground is still frozen. Huge group in the middle of the road at Maligne Lake above Jasper when the lake itself was still frozen, maybe end of April? Saw many bear in the edge of the woods north of Banff at same general time.
#12
Original Poster
Ackislander,
In Glacier we saw white mountain goats at Grinnell Glacier, Hidden Lake Overlook and Logan Pass.
I only saw a couple of grizzlies this year.
Saw a black bear in Many Glacier (Glacier) and several times in Banff & Jasper. Twice along Maligne Road. Once a mother with 3 cubs.
Male and female bighorn in Banff along Lake Minnewanka road. Twice.
An elk in the town of Banff not far from the falls.
In Glacier also deer and baby and moose and baby at Fishercap Lake in Many Glacier, Glacier.
Also in Glacier, at the start of Grinnell Glacier hike saw a moose and baby.
So, lots of wildlife to be seen.
In Glacier we saw white mountain goats at Grinnell Glacier, Hidden Lake Overlook and Logan Pass.
I only saw a couple of grizzlies this year.
Saw a black bear in Many Glacier (Glacier) and several times in Banff & Jasper. Twice along Maligne Road. Once a mother with 3 cubs.
Male and female bighorn in Banff along Lake Minnewanka road. Twice.
An elk in the town of Banff not far from the falls.
In Glacier also deer and baby and moose and baby at Fishercap Lake in Many Glacier, Glacier.
Also in Glacier, at the start of Grinnell Glacier hike saw a moose and baby.
So, lots of wildlife to be seen.
#15
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 493
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Much ado about nothing.
Chamois are NOT the same as California or Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. Not the same as mountain goats. Not the same as pronghorn (antelope).
There are no Chamois in N. America. So that ends that debate.
There are California big horn in British Columbia (Okanagan Valley)as well as Rocky Mountain bighorn in both BC and Alberta. That is what the OP saw, female big horn, probably Rocky Mountain Bighorn. Rocky mountain bighorn are generally larger than the California (or Sierra Nevada) bighorn. From your first photo Myer it appears to be a young male but without a point of reference to show scale which type is not identifiable. Given location however it is almost sure to be a Rocky Mountain bighorn.
Mountain goats are as noted white and so cannot be confused with female bighorn.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bighorn_sheep
I have sat having lunch within 15 feet of California bighorn at the location of this photo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fileighorns.jpg
Have you ever seen two males butt heads? The sound is nearly indescribable. BAMMMM it's like two huge rocks hitting each other.
Chamois are NOT the same as California or Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. Not the same as mountain goats. Not the same as pronghorn (antelope).
There are no Chamois in N. America. So that ends that debate.
There are California big horn in British Columbia (Okanagan Valley)as well as Rocky Mountain bighorn in both BC and Alberta. That is what the OP saw, female big horn, probably Rocky Mountain Bighorn. Rocky mountain bighorn are generally larger than the California (or Sierra Nevada) bighorn. From your first photo Myer it appears to be a young male but without a point of reference to show scale which type is not identifiable. Given location however it is almost sure to be a Rocky Mountain bighorn.
Mountain goats are as noted white and so cannot be confused with female bighorn.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bighorn_sheep
I have sat having lunch within 15 feet of California bighorn at the location of this photo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fileighorns.jpg
Have you ever seen two males butt heads? The sound is nearly indescribable. BAMMMM it's like two huge rocks hitting each other.
#16
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 700
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
To be or not to be.
Thanks for the precisions.
I was not saying there are "chamois" in America but that those animals pictured by Myers and that we saw last year looked like chamois. And the bighorn sheep looked like "bouquetin".
Different continents, different animals sometimes poûds in more or less depending which seashore you are , american or european.
That is the question
Erik
Thanks for the precisions.
I was not saying there are "chamois" in America but that those animals pictured by Myers and that we saw last year looked like chamois. And the bighorn sheep looked like "bouquetin".
Different continents, different animals sometimes poûds in more or less depending which seashore you are , american or european.
That is the question
Erik
#17
Original Poster
Improviser,
What we saw is what your link shows.
So what we saw are male bighorn (rams with the classic circular horns) late at night and female bighorns (ewe with the somewhat curved horns going back) twice during the day.
And I thought this would be a simple 2 or 3 response thread.
I guess we all have nothing better to do than talk travel and wildlife.
Now that this appears to have been settled, anybody want to talk about anything else on this thread?
What we saw is what your link shows.
So what we saw are male bighorn (rams with the classic circular horns) late at night and female bighorns (ewe with the somewhat curved horns going back) twice during the day.
And I thought this would be a simple 2 or 3 response thread.
I guess we all have nothing better to do than talk travel and wildlife.
Now that this appears to have been settled, anybody want to talk about anything else on this thread?
#19
Original Poster
spiro,
I just got home Thur evening. I've started to delete the ones I don't like and pick the ones I do like.
Also, I had to go through a granddaughter's birthday party that took place the day before I left.
I'll have everything done in the next several days.
I just got home Thur evening. I've started to delete the ones I don't like and pick the ones I do like.
Also, I had to go through a granddaughter's birthday party that took place the day before I left.
I'll have everything done in the next several days.