Bighorn Sheep

[Ralph Thornton]

Here's a few photos taken just west of my house where the Teton Canyon Road enters the Rocky Mountain Front. I'm thinking the big boy is sticking his tongue out at me in the first image!

Somebody coming?

A crop out of the previous image.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Good stuff, Ralph. Love the comp on the second, and the way you are getting stared at in the last.

 

[Pete Askew]

I too really like the second shot Ralph, it is reminiscent of the those 18th Century epic paintings. And I like the way the sheep in the last image moulds into the tree.

 

[Ralph Thornton]

I too liked those trees. Both the large dead tree and the tree right behind the sheep are limber pines. They grow slowly and are usually twisted and contorted by the wind.

 

[Hamish Gill]

You wouldn't want to get into some sort of head butting competition with one of them would you
Nice shots, and well captured, are you far from them?

 

[Ralph Thornton]

You wouldn't want to get into some sort of head butting competition with one of them would you
Nice shots, and well captured, are you far from them?

Thanks. The image with the two sheep is the only full image in the set. The rest were cropped. All images were made with my 5D MKII using a Canon 70-200 f4 IS L lense zoomed to just about 200 mm. I guess I'd say they were close but not too close.

I've always wanted to see sheep like these during the rut when they head butt. That might make for some interesting photos. It must happen in the mountains near me as I see lambs each spring. But I've never been lucky enough to photograph either the lambs or the head butting. Maybe this fall I'll get lucky.

 

[Glenn Clabo]

Outstanding Ralph! I really like the expression on the last one.

 

[Beth Carter]

great series, love the first one.

 

[Ralph Thornton]

Thanks. I think I really got lucky catching these sheep.

 

[Brian Moore]

Very cool, Ralph. I like all the shots but the 2nd's my favorite.

 

[Dan Cattermole]

They're amazing! The shots too.