The distinct, wide-eyed gaze of a bighorn ewe is a familiar sight in the foothills, often giving the impression you've just given it a fright. This was a common encounter during a recent, brilliantly sunny November day in Sheep River Provincial Park.
A Crystal-Clear Autumn Day
The air was bitingly clear and the sun cast shadows with such sharp edges they seemed capable of cutting. From a ridge overlooking the Anchor D ranch, the view stretched all the way to the mountain-framed Sheep River valley, the clarity so immense the landscape felt within arm's reach.
A light frost coated the grass, and a group of whitetail deer crossing a meadow kicked up tiny explosions of ice crystals with each step. Near Sandy McNabb, horse hoof prints were filled with ice tinted a pale blue, while poplar leaves collected on the ground were delicately edged in white. However, this frosty splendor was fleeting. Despite air temperatures hovering around freezing, the sun's intense radiant energy was already sublimating the ice away.
The Seasonal Shift and the Rams' Return
While the landscape was breathtaking, the primary mission was to locate bighorn sheep. This area is their year-round home, but the social dynamics change with the seasons. Throughout the summer and early fall, the open grasslands where the valley widens are primarily the domain of ewes and their lambs.
Come late October and November, a significant shift occurs. The rams, having spent the summer months in the high country, begin their descent into the valley. They are driven by two powerful instincts: the impending scarcity of food as winter snow blankets their alpine pastures and the onset of the mating season, known as the rut.
An Encounter at Bighorn Day-Use Area
Heading for the large meadow near Gorge Creek to see if the rams had arrived, the question was answered almost immediately. The first group of sheep was found right in the parking lot of the aptly named Bighorn day-use area.
A small herd of three lambs and four ewes was lazily grazing along the grassy edges and among the trees. The lambs were the picture of nonchalance. After a brief, cursory glance in my direction, they returned to their breakfast, their teeth audibly ripping at the grass from just a few metres away. The ewes, embodying their characteristically startled look, were slightly more watchful, keeping a cautious eye on the visitor in their midst.
