That is when the bashing of the horns of the males will take place. Bighorn sheep are seasonal breeders and females typically produce one lamb per year. Take the Zion Mt Carmel Highway through the tunnel. Bighorn sheep are well-equipped for climbing steep terrain that keeps them from predators. Named after their curved horns, the Bighorn sheep is a species of sheep native to North America. There's a very good chance you'll see these animals when you visit Big Sky, Montana.. Bighorn sheep live in the town of Big Sky and the surrounding mountains of Southwest Montana. Desert Bighorn rams have a tight narrow curl, while Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep have a more splayed horn conformation with a less pronounced curl. Bighorn sheep visits to Sheep Lakes are hit-and-miss, but generally occur between 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Groups between one and sixty sheep move from the ridge on the north side of the valley, across the road and stay up to two or three hours before reversing the trip back to the high country. Note the wide flare of the Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep horns, which are smaller in size but far wider than those of the larger Desert Bighorn… In each band of rams there is a dominance order. Gestation lasts from 150-180 days. Rams begin mating at about seven or eight years old. The best place to look for desert bighorn sheep in Zion is on the east side of the park. Bighorn sheep take their name from the male's large, curved horns. Big Sky Wildlife Spotlight: Bighorn Sheep. Twins are rare. During a 4-year period, births occurred during 7 months of the year, but 87% of young were born in February–April and 55% were born in March. The dominance hierarchy of bighorn sheep is important in determining an individual’s access to resources and mating opportunities, and is based primarily on horn and body size. We examined temporal breeding patterns of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) in the Peninsular Ranges of California to determine the degree of seasonality and identify potential selection for seasonal breeding in this low-latitude desert environment. Bighorn sheep are dying in the California desert, and experts aren't sure why. Reproduction. Larger groups are observed during August and September, which is the peak of the breeding season. Rams and ewes travel in flocks separately, except during mating season where competition is fierce and age usually wins. Bighorn Sheep Reproduction. Bighorn sheep are seasonal breeders and females typically produce one lamb per year. Population of desert bighorn sheep once consisted of millions of sheep. State officials have recovered 20 dead sheep since early December. Breeding: The breeding season or rut generally extends from july through september. News for Bighorn Sheep Hunting in 2019 The Fish and Game Commission has adopted regulations for a new bighorn sheep hunt zone in San Bernardino County. Take the Zion Mt Carmel Highway … Within a few weeks of birth, lambs form bands of their own, seeking out … Desert bighorn may give birth at any season, but most births occur from January to April. Huge collection, amazing choice, 100+ million high quality, affordable RF and RM images. The mating season is called the rut. Desert bighorn sheep inhabits rocky deserts, mountains and foothills covered with sparse vegetation. Click on images to enlarge them Below is a video my hiking buddy @outsidescapes shot of our day at Zion. Key words: bighorn sheep, mountain sheep, Ovis canadensis, reproduction, reproductive cost, sea- sonality, southern California Reproductive strategies, which evolve