These are all ewes or immature rams. Only the adult rams have the large, curled horns, while the horns on the ewes and the immature rams are short and only partially curved. Hunters that draw a bighorn ewe license in Montana's lottery system have to make very sure they do not illegally shoot a young ram. The only way to ensure they target a ewe is to get a good look at the sheep's business.
I once saw a mature ram standing in the middle of the East Fork Road, but I didn't have my camera with me. He stood and stared blankly at me as I slowly drove around him. I took it as brave defiance, but now I have come to understand that bighorn sheep may not be the most intelligent of wildlife species.
Darn...you beat me to it...I was going to say that those sheep didn't have very big horns. Loving the blog...keep it up!
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