The Bighorn Rut
Okay, y'all.
In Colorado, towards the end of October, we start to get excited! We dress warm, load up our gear, and head to the canyons. We excitedly scan the canyon walls, looking for tell-tale white butts. If we're lucky, we'll hear the crack of horns and skulls meeting, the noise reverberating against the canyon walls.
We're looking for bighorn sheep. This is the time of year when the sheep are in the rut and the rams passionately pursue the ewes.
Here's the thing: the ewes don't make it easy. Neither do the other rams!
While searching for the bighorn sheep in the canyon today, we spotted an ewe being pursued by two rams.
She paid no mind to the steepness of the terrain as she pounded around the rocks, the rams hot on her tail.
The rams stayed close, with the larger and older of the two directly behind the ewe.
As the ewe turns the corner, the larger ram turns back to his opponent.
The younger ram sees the move and lowers his head, bracing for impact.
Both rams displayed determination, eyeing their opponent until the moment their skulls met.
Their heads and skulls meet, the sound cracking out against the canyon walls.
They continue to push and shove each other.
The older of the two rams digging in and using his larger size as a roadblock for the younger ram.
At one point, he looks up and sees that the ewe has continued running from them both.
As the younger ram was still shoving against his side, the older ram turns his attention back to his opponent.
The younger ram is persistent, forcefully pushing the older ram.
They shove each other, not noticing their precarious position on the cliff face.
The older ram makes a mistake.
By using so much force against the younger ram, he has actually given the younger one an opening...and he sees it!
The younger ram bolts ahead of his opponent, with the older ram hot on his heels (hooves)?!
The older ram hits him, just as he's jumping up on a rock. The younger ram slips but recovers quickly!
The younger ram narrowly avoids the rest of the older ram's force, barely getting his back legs above the rock as the older ram comes crashing in.
When the older ram realizes he failed to keep his opponent there, he recovers and makes his way up the rock face.
He has some ground to make up!
He catches up to the younger ram and the ewe at the top of the rock.
The younger ram can feel his opponent's presence behind him as he leaps off the rocks. The ewe has also surprised him by turning suddenly.
The older ram has his opponent squarely in his sights.
As the younger rams slides on the rock face, the older ram makes his move.
He comes crashing down with all his force on the back end of his opponent! Rams usually butt heads...but this is head butt, no?
The younger ram struggles to gain his footing as the weight and power of the older ram pushes into him. Under the tree, the ewe isn't waiting around to see who wins.
Dirt, hair, dust, and pine needles fly as they shove into each other.
The younger ram works to regain his footing, his attention still on the escaping ewe.
Both rams scramble after the fleeing ewe and chase each other (and her) around the trees. When they emerge, they are all three hauling ass down the steep rock face.
The younger ram was first, hot on her tail!
They leap over rocks with surprising speed and agility.
The older ram is catching up to them just as she turns the corner.
The younger ram feels the pressure and does...a move? He jumps to mount her mid-run!
As you can imagine, his move didn't work.
As the ewe jumps away, the older ram races (swings?) around the rock.
They race up the steep rock face.
Leaping over rocks, barely avoiding landing on each other.
As the ewe reaches the top, she turns. The older ram slams into the younger ram, lifting him off his feet and shoving him into the rocks.
There is some desperate pushing and shoving for a moment before they recover.
The younger ram races after the ewe again, with the older ram close behind.
The older ram hits his back legs, knocking them out from under him for a brief moment and the younger ram struggles to recover.
The repeated blows made an impact on the younger ram and he slows, allowing the older ram to take the lead. As the older ram closes in on the ewe, the younger ram slowly makes his way across the rock face, leaving the pair alone.
Although the older ram won the ability to mate with the ewe, the entire battle took it out of him.
He stood panting for several minutes, tongue out, dazed and exhausted.
This...this is her prize! Love is a killer, am I right?!
