Drove up to Gibson reservoir this January with my brother. On the way back down a full curl Bighorn ram crossed the road in front of us and went down the bank towards the Sun River. We jumped out of the pick-up and got to the top of the bank just in time to see the big boy jump from the river bank right into the middle of the river. It was only about 40 yards away. It made a huge kersplash like the fattest kid in school doing a belly flop off the high board...only this was unbelievably graceful and majestic. It then was quickly to the opposite shore and trotted off up the mountain. Gorgeous! It was one of those scenes I will never forget that makes me glad I had the blessing of being present at that place and time. God bless Montana!

Took this Sheep in the mountains near the Chinese border. Are Bighorn Ram's horns curled this way or are they different? Could you post a picture of one?

Naveed

Wow! Now, that's what you call a "full curl" ram, Naveed! Congratulations! :D

No, the Rocky Mountain Bighorn does not attain the length and curl of your ram.

The big ones will have curls coming down to about where yours start turning backwards.

My company has a Cellular Tower/ Equipment that I maintain near Zortman, Mt. I have seen some big beautiful rams up there from time to time. But, of course the mining area is closed off to all of the public. I keep putting in for my sheep tag in the area that is open in hopes of drawing a tag and seeing one of those big bruisers. One has to be able to dream right.

BigSky

I used to fight fires for the BLM in the summer. We did our training up near Zortman. The highlight was helicopter training. We'd get to go for a short flight and we'd spot the bighorns while we were up there. It's a special little place.

Wow! Now, that's what you call a "full curl" ram, Naveed! Congratulations! :D

No, the Rocky Mountain Bighorn does not attain the length and curl of your ram.

The big ones will have curls coming down to about where yours start turning backwards.

Thanks Mr. Kdub,
Just set things straight, this is a Marco Polo Sheep male(They have a white coat). I thought rams are also the same family so I posted the picture. We have the some other Rams also but they are mostly found in dry and bare mountains and their horns are not that big. The guy holding it is my mentor and partner in hunting (regularly that is). Now he's moved to Canada. I used his double barrelled rifle to take this animal. Belive me Sir, there where bigger ones in the distance but the retrieval would have been near to impossible.

Naveed

naveedlohi,
That is a beautiful Marco Polo, and I wouldn't worry about those bigger ones that were out of reach! I remember seeing a Marco Polo for the first time at a taxidermy shop and after my lower jaw hit the floor, the taxidermist explained what it was...I thought it was a Rocky Mtn ram. Here's a link showing pics of a Rocky Mtn ram, a fine animal, but not carrying the headgear that the Marco Polo does.

http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&q=Bighorn+Sheep&btnG=Google+Search

Here's a link to pictures and measurements of the record rams of the 4 types of North American Sheep. You'll see why we envy your Marco Polo ram.

http://www.boone-crockett.org/bgRecords/WorldRecordsDetail.asp?area=bgRecords&type=SHEEP

The Bighorn is the sheep of the northern and central Rocky Mountains. I believe the Desert Sheep is a subspecies of Bighorn that lives in the southern Rocky Mountains and down into Mexico. Some of our Southwestern USA members are more familiar with that area than I am.

The Dall Sheep lives in the Yukon, Alaska, and the western edge of the Northwest Territory, roughly from 60 degrees north to the Arctic Circle (66 degrees north). The Stone sheep is a darker subspecies of Dall that lives south of 60 degrees north, to about 55 degrees north, at the north end of the Rocky Mountains.

Bye
Jack

naveedlodhi,
That is a beautiful Marco Polo, and I wouldn't worry about those bigger ones that were out of reach! I remember seeing a Marco Polo for the first time at a taxidermy shop and after my lower jaw hit the floor, the taxidermist explained what it was...I thought it was a Rocky Mtn ram. Here's a link showing pics of a Rocky Mtn ram, a fine animal, but not carrying the headgear that the Marco Polo does.


Thanks Shawn and Jack,
But you guys shouldnt envy me. I envy you guys coz of the real nice country and natural habitats, plentiful game and stuff. When I saw Shawn's tree cutting pictures in another thread (weather) and when every one else jumped in with their stories of tree cutting that got me envious. Believe me friends I would rather live in a place which is natural like yours then the concrete jungle I presently live in. I loved it when I was visiting USA (Virginia, D.C., Maryland, Newyork and Florida) and the people I met in all the four states I travelled were very kind and helpful. I wished dearly to hunt a white tail deer coz we don't have any in my country. I didn't know that this was such a big trophy. I turned down two more invitations after that coz the ride to the area was well.... not very smooth in the plane. You've got to cross a couple of worlds highest peaks and the ride becomes bumpy. I'll be waiting for the next invitation eagerly this time.

Naveed