You Wanna Rumble?

[Andrew Merwin]

I hiked ~1-1.5 miles & climbed ~800’ in YNP to see, for the first time in my life (and I'm an old f**t), Big Horn Sheep in rut. Although I was unable to capture an image of the rams fighting, I did hear & witness it & I am here to tell you that it is spectacular. I will go back next year.

I spent 6+hrs. with a herd of 50-60 sheep that were so unconcerned with my presence that they frequently grazed with 10’ of me. It did get a little hairy when they chased & fought with each other & I was just something to go through.

I thought I would need my 500mm + 1.4, but at the last second I took the 100-400 instead. I am very glad I did since I was close enough that I frequently shot @ 100mm.

Here is one of the images that I made. The ram on the right is trying to get the ram on the left to fight by kicking him in the belly with a stiff front leg.

MrkIV, HH, FF, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/400, +.33ev, 285mm, focal pt on right ram eye.
Sharpened, curves adjustment. I was sitting on the ground with my elbows on my knees. The day was cloudy & the temp @ ~18˚F.

[Harshad Barve]

Lovely image , liked the pose of both and nice habitat colors too
TFS

[Sid Garige]

Awesome details and exposure Andrew. Its all worth it. Like the comp and interesting behavior.

Correct me if I am wrong. I thought bighorn rut is around 1st and 2nd week of Dec. Are they rutting early this year?

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Andrew, really like this, things are really coming along for you now, perfect. Be interesting to visit some of those old images a while back and compare. ;)

TFS
Steve

[Andrew Merwin]

Correct me if I am wrong. I thought bighorn rut is around 1st and 2nd week of Dec. Are they rutting early this year?

I thought that also & was surprised when I contacted the YNP rangers, asked when the sheep rut started, & they told me early Nov. Apparently, the sheep rut ends in Dec.—at least in YNP.

Be interesting to visit some of those old images a while back and compare. ;)

Steve, I did review some of my old images that I posted here, reread the comments, & got a very good photographic lesson. BPN has been extremely helpful to my improving my photographic skills. :D

[Steve Kaluski]

Great Andrew, I'm pleased.

Don't think there is any point straying across the pond, you have everything you need here and in your backyard. :D

[Andrew Merwin]

Great Andrew, I'm pleased.

Don't think there is any point straying across the pond, you have everything you need here and in your backyard. :D

Point taken.

[Stu Bowie]

Good poses from both of them, and I do like the detail. Good comp, and the only thing I would do in this, is maybe tone down the BG a tad.

[Rachel Hollander]

Andrew - well done, nice behavior, pose and comp. It's interesting how light the horns are, the ones i've seen seemed much darker. I wonder if it has to do with the rut.

TFS,
Rachel

[Steve Canuel]

Fun to watch, isn't it. Detail and colors look good. I like the sage brush BG.

[Andrew Merwin]

Andrew - well done, nice behavior, pose and comp. It's interesting how light the horns are, the ones i've seen seemed much darker. I wonder if it has to do with the rut.

TFS,
Rachel

Thanks all for your comments. I appreciate them.

Rachel, Big Horn Sheep range in color from light brown to gray-brown to dark brown. I think the color of the horns depends on the body color. All the sheep I have seen in YNP are light colored with light colored horns. The sheep I have seen with a dark body color have dark horns. I suspect their color has to do with the color of their environment; a light colored environment = lighter light colored sheep.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Andrew - the ones I saw near Slough Creek in 2008 had darker horns so interesting to know but it makes sense (so as not to stand out to predators).

Rachel

[DanWalters]

Great comp and I like the interaction. It is quite the sight to see them going at it!

[sam walker]

well done andrew. Worth the effort of the climb A true wall hanger.
Sam