Posted December 28, 2023
November, along the Big Thompson Canyon
November has become my favorite month to photograph bighorns. September is a great month for photographing elk and the changing foliage in Colorado, but as the photographic opportunities of those subjects wains in October, the bighorn “season” begins! Perfect timing! By early December, a few permitted hunters line up to take the biggest rams, and for all practical purposes, the bighorn photography season is over. I can start looking forward to winter snow opportunities.
Needless to say, I am enjoying the area bighorns! The steep and rugged canyon walls make a great backdrop. Lime green lichen is often found clinging to the rock formations⏤amplifying the already spectacular environment.
The Big Thompson Canyon spans a distance of roughly 22 miles from the mouth of the canyon near my home to Estes Park. Luckily for me, the best bighorn terrain is in the first 10 miles. I can make a couple of trips a day during the peak times.
I had several good days with the bighorns this year. Four or five herds roam the 10 or so miles of bighorn terrain, but they are not always in view. With no cell service, its really a matter of making the drive and hoping to be in the right area at the right time. During the rut window, the small herds come down for water or to lick the salt from the roads. I was never really able to establish a consistent “schedule” or time of the day to help time my trips. A little patience and persistence pays off, however.
Photo Gallery
Images captured with a Sony A1 and Sony 200-600mm lens or a Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens.
