A local and photogenic Montana Bighorn Sheep bit the dust! Snail Horn was a ram that lived near Quake Lake. I remember seeing him a few times during the late summer rut. He would be chasing ewes around the cliff area just west of the Slide Inn.
Bighorn sheep are common in this area. The Rams hang out in bachelor groups until the Rut makes them compete to mate with the females. Big Rams get the prime pickings since they wear the biggest curled horns. Females also carry smaller horns.
Ram Horns are made for combat . The horns alone can weigh more than the entire skeleton. These battle helmets evolved to curve, so that they can distribute the shock of headbutting impacts. Rams may get a headache but can head “But” for 24 hours without stopping. Rut lasts a month each season.
Salt loving Rams and sheep have four chambered stomachs to process the protein rich, high fiber foods that grow at high altitudes. They are nicknamed “The Masters of the Rocks.”…