Published December 14, 2025
Bighorn Sheep
These mountain acrobats adeptly navigate the steep canyon walls of the Big Thompson Canyon. The sheep are intriguing to watch and both fun and challenging to photograph. That’s if, and when, I can find them!
By all accounts, the sheep population in the canyon is drastically smaller this year. This follows years of trophy hunting and massive losses caused by the Alexander Fire. Possibly, some of the herds have moved to different zones ⏤ or they are choosing to stay away from the roadways this year? At any rate, it has been a tougher year for bighorn photography.
I hope you enjoy the photos from the late season rut! MJ
Bighorn Sheep Gallery
Gear & Settings
Shooting Info
These photos were taken handheld with a Sony A1 ii and a Sigma 60-600mm lens.
I set the aperture to F/7.1 to F/8. The shutter speed was set to 1/1000th second, and the ISO was set to Auto ISO. The resulting ISO settings ranged from around ISO 1000 to ISO 5000.
Additional Pages from Previous Years
Bighorns After the Fire (2024)The Season of Bighorns (2023)
Bighorns of the Big Thompson Canyon (2022)