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Days of the bighorn sheep are here |
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Thursday, December 01, 2011 07:34 |
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By MILES BLUMHARDT, FORT COLLINS COLORADOAN
Lost between the autumn elk bugling and winter bald eagle watching seasons is one of the more compelling wildlife viewing opportunities in our area.
Or maybe it's the holiday rush or the ever-increasing shorter days that obscures this spectacle.
But if you take a weekend day and drive slowly or pull off U.S. Highway 34 between Loveland and Estes Park, you are likely to see our state animal, the beautiful Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. November and December are prime time to see these animals as they migrate down from higher ground. Another place to spot the bighorn sheep is on Interstate 70 near Georgetown.
Photos of bighorn sheep around the state
What makes this time even better for viewing is that rams are in the rut, or breeding season. And that means you just might catch two rams battling it out for breeding rights by running at each other and ramming heads, which results in a clatter that can echo off the canyon walls.
Colorado is home to the largest population of bighorn in the U.S., with an estimated population of 7,000. The Big Thompson Canyon herd is estimated to number around 90 animals. Two herds in the Poudre Canyon have an estimated population of 75 combined.
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