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Pribbs
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Joined: 13 Aug 2010
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Location: Sammamish, WA |
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Pribbs
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 Fri Feb 14, 2014 10:45 pm |
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North of Vantage, the cliffs along the Columbia River in the Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park are home to a large herd of bighorn sheep. I've never seen more than 3 sheep on my hikes here, until today.
I hiked along the rim of the cliffs overlooking the river and soon spotted 3 sheep below. After a while I got to where I decided to turn around. I looked down and didn't see any sheep. Then I looked up and almost right in front of me, 13 sheep were staring right at me!
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Hikingqueen
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Joined: 12 Nov 2007
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SUPER COOL! 
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olderthanIusedtobe
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Joined: 05 Sep 2011
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Location: Shoreline |
That is really cool! I see mountain goats frequently, but bighorn sheep very rarely. Saw a few on a cliff right by the north entrance of Yellowstone and again on a cliff up above the John Day River in Oregon on a rafting trip. Both times they weren't particularly close. I've been in Glacier NP several times which has a healthy population of them, but haven't encountered them there. They must be fairly rare in Washington.
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gb
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Joined: 01 Jul 2010
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gb
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Sat Feb 15, 2014 12:50 pm |
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I am seriously not trying to be a smart ass here, but those sheep look like domestics to me.
From Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals | Quote: | | Muscular body with thick neck, color varying from dark brown above in northern mountains to pale tan in deserts belly, rump patch, back of legs, muzzle,and eye patch white. Short, dark brown tail. Rams have massive brown horns that curve up and back over ears, then down, around, and up past cheeks in a C shape…. |
The only photos I have of Bighorn Sheep come from near Wilcox Pass and they match that description while the sheep in your photos don't look as muscular, are whitish-grey in color and there are no males with large, curving horns in your photos. There is some brown on the shoulders visible in some of the photos.
If they are Bighorns they aren't nearly as muscular and there are no large males in the group.
I don't doubt there are Bighorns in the Vantage area (also other places in the state) I just don't think these particular sheep look like Bighorns. I am not an expert but all Bighorns I've seen are brownish to tan (I've seen them in the Canadian Rockies, at Glacier National Park, at Red Rocks, in the Maze area of Utah, and on 97 near Entiat).
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olderthanIusedtobe
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Joined: 05 Sep 2011
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Location: Shoreline |
There are different subspecies of bighorn sheep. There is a desert variety. None in the photo appear to be adult males with a pronounced full curl to their horns. If there was an adult male I think the musculature of the body would be noticeable. I do not think these are domestic.
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olderthanIusedtobe
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Joined: 05 Sep 2011
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Location: Shoreline |
Males may be separate from the herd this time of year. Soon love will be in the air and they will want to be near the females.
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Ringangleclaw
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| gb wrote: | I am seriously not trying to be a smart ass here, but those sheep look like domestics to me.
From Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals | Quote: | | Muscular body with thick neck, color varying from dark brown above in northern mountains to pale tan in deserts belly, rump patch, back of legs, muzzle,and eye patch white. Short, dark brown tail. Rams have massive brown horns that curve up and back over ears, then down, around, and up past cheeks in a C shape…. |
The only photos I have of Bighorn Sheep come from near Wilcox Pass and they match that description while the sheep in your photos don't look as muscular, are whitish-grey in color and there are no males with large, curving horns in your photos. There is some brown on the shoulders visible in some of the photos.
If they are Bighorns they aren't nearly as muscular and there are no large males in the group.
I don't doubt there are Bighorns in the Vantage area (also other places in the state) I just don't think these particular sheep look like Bighorns. I am not an expert but all Bighorns I've seen are brownish to tan (I've seen them in the Canadian Rockies, at Glacier National Park, at Red Rocks, in the Maze area of Utah, and on 97 near Entiat). |
They sure don't look domestic to me.
Source:http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/health/pneumonia/herds.html
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Gil
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Gil
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Sat Feb 15, 2014 2:57 pm |
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Nice! What a treat for you ! Thanks for sharing those. (And they are desert bighorns.)
Friends help the miles go easier.
Klahini
Friends help the miles go easier.
Klahini
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olderthanIusedtobe
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A little googling revealed that desert bighorns are considerably smaller on average than rocky mountain bighorns. A large male of the latter can get up to 500 lbs.
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gb
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gb
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Sat Feb 15, 2014 4:10 pm |
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| olderthanIusedtobe wrote: | | A little googling revealed that desert bighorns are considerably smaller on average than rocky mountain bighorns. A large male of the latter can get up to 500 lbs. |
The Bighorns I saw in the Rockies were quite large and muscular (males greater than 400 pounds) than any individuals in this group. I saw them from as close as twelve feet. The Desert Bighorns I've seen in the desert of Utah and Nevada were only perhaps 175-250 pounds but were much browner than these guys. These are much lighter in color.
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Pribbs
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Joined: 13 Aug 2010
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Location: Sammamish, WA |
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Pribbs
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Sat Feb 15, 2014 5:08 pm |
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There is probably a cave nearby where the big males are sitting on their thrones while all the others are out and about. I have yet to spot a full grown ram in these parts. And although the sheep are rather elusive, they aren't too rare. Yakima River Canyon has a lot and many other area across the North-central and SE parts of the state. Whatever subspecies they are, they are no doubt bighorns.
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More Cowbell
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Joined: 01 Jul 2006
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Location: Alive on Earth |
Around 50 years ago they tried to "plant" antelope in that area. Didn't work though as there weren't enough grasslands and they didn't survive.
“If you want to forget all your other troubles, wear too tight shoes.” - Unknown
“If you want to forget all your other troubles, wear too tight shoes.” - Unknown
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wildernessed
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Joined: 31 Oct 2004
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Location: Wenatchee |
 I always try to remember where the herds are around central WA. and return at times to see if I can get a glimpse of them. Early in the year there is a large herd around Cape Horn. The world record Big Horn was taken by a hunter in Swakane Canyon a few years back.
Living in the Anthropocene
Living in the Anthropocene
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Ringangleclaw
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| More Cowbell wrote: | | Around 50 years ago they tried to "plant" antelope in that area. Didn't work though as there weren't enough grasslands and they didn't survive. |
A good synopsis of antelope in Washington
http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01156/wdfw01156.pdf
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Tag Man
side hiller
Joined: 20 May 2008
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Location: Where the roots all twist... |
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Tag Man
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Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:14 am |
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Saw these guys at Umtanum Canyon this past fall.
 2013-10-19 Umtanum Hike-73
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