I didn't quite realize just how strong the herds are in Waterton Canyon until my first day trip there recently. Bighorn are so prominent in fact, that dogs are prohibited for that specific reason. When I saw all the signs posted at the entrance, then I knew that I was in the right place for some potentially great shots.

Thick clouds made for really low light conditions, and it was a surprisingly cold 24F when I began the hike at daybreak. Very quickly I started seeing bighorn here and there, but I was on the lookout for big rams so I kept on hiking. The wind and cold were not cooperating, so after 5ish miles I headed back after only a couple decent opportunities.

On the way back though, the light steadily improved and eventually I stumbled upon a really nice group of bachelors on the trail. The canyon "trail" is really just a big dirt road that's closed off to cars, and it's a very popular spot for hikers, bikers and runners. The bighorn are accustomed to the locals and the locals are used to the bighorn, so everyone pretty much just goes on about their business when the sheep join the people on the trail-road.

There are so many shots from this trip that it's hard to boil it down to just a few, but here are a couple dozen that I liked from the day. I love the group as they're coming down the road and facing right into the light. Great looking herd. I'll have to get down there again soon to see if I can witness any battles. The rams were super keyed-up as the mating season intensifies. It's such an interesting thing to watch as they rub heads and kick each other in this brotherly/social way in the build up this time of year.