I hesitate to claim that I've been completely accepted into the herd, but the last two days suggests that this particular herd is not only comfortable with my presence but also content with me in...
I hesitate to claim that I've been completely accepted into the herd, but the last two days suggests that this particular herd is not only comfortable with my presence but also content with me in close proximity. Yesterday (pictures not uploaded ATM), I hiked several hundred feet up the cliffs and I stumbled upon a single ewe. She was VERY close to me and didn't even flinch. I sat down and waited to see if others from the herd would emerge. None appeared, but I spent over an hour with her at close distance. She never moved, which was a huge indicator to me that I had somehow broken through. As I descended, I noticed others from the herd in the distance, but there wasn't any body language that suggested any concern. Today, I began my climb up the same cliff and immediately noticed a few ewes. They, of course, noticed me immediately and I sat down to watch and photograph them. To my surprise, one of the matriarchs approached me and sat down. Other ewes followed. It was a clear sign that not only were they comfortable with me, but I was practically accepted into their group. Of the ~22 sheep, the ewes came and went, many laying down directly in front of me (nearly 50 ft away). The big rams are always a sight to behold, but they drifted slightly west and slightly higher. After an hour or so, I decided to adjust my position. The ewes didn't even flinch as I stood up, grabbed my camera and slowly moved towards the rams. Upon seeing the big guys, I sat down to see how they would react. The biggest and dominant ram drifted a few feet my direct and sat down. A few minutes later, the second most dominant ram drifted my direction and came within 20 ft before sitting down 30 ft away. It was truly amazing to watch them acknowledge my presence and come closer before sitting nearby. These might not be my very best bighorn pictures, but this is unquestionably one of the most memorable and up-close encounters to-date. Everything about their body language suggests that they have accepted me. I spent about four hours with them before deciding to descend and head home. Hopefully more of the same is in store in the days ahead.
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