These photos were taken in Yellowstone National Park at the end of May, 2012, just after the most recent snows had melted. At this time of year male and female bighorns travel in separate herds. When the males came into view from the road, a ram jam quickly developed as everyone stopped to get photos and the Park Rangers struggled to move traffic and maintain adequate distance between the eager sheep watchers and the grazing sheep. Luckily for us photographers, the bighorns seemed to ignore the growing crowd.

1. Male bighorn in early spring grass.


2. Male bighorn picking his way through sagebrush habitat.


3. Male bighorn finds a warm spot to chew his cud. This was the first sunny period after a week of cold, wet, snow storms. When they reached this sunny slope, some of his herdmates stretched out, face down, to sunbathe.


4. Part of the ram jam, photographers maintain the correct distance from the grazing male bighorns. Photographing animals here in northcentral Yellowstone was much less crazy than in the tourist-clogged western parts of the Park.


5. After the males drew close, a herd of bighorn ewes appeared about a hundred yards away. They are shedding their winter coats.

Cool capture

Those goats are absolutely beautiful. Well done

Outstanding set John, great detail and contrast int hose images.

Great shots! Love the first 3, thanks for sharing them.

Excellent shots John

Great exposure and very sharp!

These are very nice and some very good details. The first one stands oout for me.