Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Faces

[Teton Chuck]

I had fun photographing the faces of this bighorn ram and ewe. Up close and personal.

[NorthernFocus]

That's pretty close, Chuck. I'll bet that was interesting. Beautiful eyes.

[Nicks Pics]

Really neat Chuck. They really look different when they're close. Were these in captivity?

[Shadowman]

Nice series.

[selig1656]

Thanks for the close ups , pic #2 seems better composed and the eyes are captured nicely.

[IzzieK]

I like them both, Chuck...the first one is warmer. I like the colour of its fur. Forgive my ignorance but if the other one is an ewe, why does it have a horn? Is it because it is younger and when it grows up it will become a ram? I am not joking about this question...just in awe of ewe's place which has a horn.

[Texas Dave]

I like your second shot. I've been digging animal portraits lately since I recently ran across a photographer that did a series of animal portraits that "humanize" the subject. Your shot reminds me of that...and nicely done as well.

I actually do know someone that looks like a goat too.

[Suzan J]

Well, they certainly are up close, aren't they. I think I would have been a bit intimidated by those horns. Very nicely done.

[JohnRostron]

I like them both, Chuck...the first one is warmer. I like the colour of its fur. Forgive my ignorance but if the other one is an ewe, why does it have a horn? Is it because it is younger and when it grows up it will become a ram? I am not joking about this question...just in awe of ewe's place which has a horn.

If I can put my retired Zoologist's hat on for a moment, lots of females in the sheep/goat/cow/antelope family have horns. They are not usually as big as those of the males. I would guess that they would be used for defence rather than the headbanging that the males use them for. Offhand, I can only think of one antelope (the Nilgai) in which the female is hornless.

John

[Teton Chuck]

Thanks to all. The sheep are wild, not in captivity. The come down to the road and lick the cars for the minerals. These sheep we a few feet from me, but I stayed in the car. I wouldn't like to be butted by one.

John is correct. The ewes, females" do have horns, but not as large as the rams, males. When they are young it is difficult to tell males and females apart just by the horns. I have been doing some animal portraits lately. They take time and luck, but I enjoy the up close and personal feeling.

[Stagecoach]

Sheep portraiture at its best.

[IzzieK]

Thanks John and Chuck...I have seen these creatures before in person and I always have that question in my mind although I know that the Ram is a male or I should say I have made up my mind that the Ram is a male animal. Then when we reached home, the only place my shots will go is in the hard drive. I soon forgot about them. When I joined CiC my ignorance shows. Hope you both forgive me and my questions...I didn't mean to be a nuisance.

[JohnRostron]

. Hope you both forgive me and my questions...I didn't mean to be a nuisance.

Not at all, Izzie, it just gives me a chance to show off!

John

[Teton Chuck]

Hi Izzie, You're far from being a nuisance. I suspect that part of the confusion lies with the fact that male deer have antlers and females don't. The antlers fall off each winter and new ones are grown in time for the fall mating season. Horned animals grow horns and keep them for life. John was right about horns of females of some animal groups being more common. Now you know.:_)

[BCrose]

Nice shots. We have many of these in my area. They seem like cattle to me now as they do not even seem to be bothered by humans. Local authorities have even set up feeding stations to get them off the highway. Unfortunately their acclamation to us humans has cost them dearly as every once in a while the Rams are poached for their horns. We had a record sized Ram in one of the herds a few years back that was found dead with horns removed. Sad that there are people resorting to this for a trophy on their wall.

[Teton Chuck]

Monte, thanks for sharing your story. I don't think the poached horns are a trophy. I think they are a badge of shame.

[IzzieK]

That is a sad story, Monte...I am sorry to hear that kind of atrocities committed to such beautiful animals...

[BCrose]

I didn't mean to hijack the thread with this gloomy info, upon seeing these beautiful images it just reminded me of the reality of what happens much too often with wild animals, not just these majestic creatures.

[flashback]

Hi Izzie, You're far from being a nuisance. I suspect that part of the confusion lies with the fact that male deer have antlers and females don't. The antlers fall off each winter and new ones are grown in time for the fall mating season. Horned animals grow horns and keep them for life. John was right about horns of females of some animal groups being more common. Now you know.:_)

In Caribou (Reindeer) both males and females grow antlers.
Another note: Antlers are bone that is initially covered in skin and hair (to supply nutrients for the bone growth), branch off as they grow and are shed annually. Horns are a keratinized substance that are permanent and grow throughout the life of the animal. Also, horns never branch. (And now you know...a little bit more.)

[Teton Chuck]

Thanks Jack. One exception to horned animals. The pronghorn actually a a branch - a prong. They are unique among horned animals. If all these animals would read the books about them it would be far less messy. :-)