Wild Things
When bighorn sheep get gregarious, Tony Bynum is there to capture every clash of horns and each breathtaking leap.
Photograph bighorn sheep
LOCATION IS KEY Bighorn sheep mostly live in the rugged, steep Rocky Mountains of the United States and Canada.
BIGGEST AND THE BEST Known for their massive horns, agile movements in rocky terrain and hard-hitting head-butting ritual, bighorn sheep live in bands or herds. For the most part, the largest of the males, called rams, spend time with other males. During mating season, which is called the rut, rams butt heads and wander though the bands of females. The rut starts in October and ends in late November to early December in the northern Rocky Mountains.
WHEN TO GO Your timing is everything. Bighorn sheep are best photographed during the rut when they are occupied by the drive to mate. Other times of the year you’ll find them grazing, resting, bedded or hiding from predators among the rocky outcroppings. If you don’t have weeks to spend taking pictures, your best chance to see bighorn sheep in action is to visit Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone national parks in mid to late fall when the sheep are visible from the road.