Look Into My Eyes!

Majestic and agile, the Rocky Mountain bighorn shee​​​p is a prominent figure on the steep and jag​ged walls of Colorado's canyons.

​Despite its iconic status and current prominence, the bighorn sheep was near extinction at the turn of the century. Diseases introduced through European livestock and unregulated hunting had decimated populations throughout the West, and only a smal​​​​​l number of​​ the native sheep remained in Colorado in the early 1900s. But, thanks to the creation of the North American Model of Wildlife Con​servation​​ and the work done in Colorado over the past century bighorn sheep are doing very well.

I was heading up to Rocky Mountain National Park one day and decided to take a longer route through Loveland and the Big Thompson Canyon. I noticed a herd of female bighorn sheep. I stopped and began shooting some pictures. In the back of my mind I was hoping to see a male, with the large iconic horns. After about 20 minutes, this very protective male began to stare me down. I remember his eyes being glued to me as I took pictures. Once he realized I was not a threat, he and the herd moved on.  It was an incredible experience.

Location: Big Thompson Canyon, Colorado