November and December is prime time to see our state animal, bighorn sheep, in Colorado. Miles Blumhardt,


If you're wondering how to entertain your out-of-state holiday guests, you're in luck: There's one thing that's really Colorado, and it will be the talk of the table for holidays to come. 

Rocky Mountain National Park draws hundreds of thousands of visitors in fall who come to experience the elk rut — the season when bull elk emit an ethereal scream (or bugle) and sometimes go antlers to antlers for the right to breed.

There is another equally entertaining but often overlooked wildlife show that takes place from November to January right in our backyard.

Colorado's state animal, the bighorn sheep, are in the rut now and are putting on a show in the Poudre and Big Thompson canyons.

 Here is what you need to know to enhance your viewing experience:

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Where do I find them?

The closest place is the Big Thompson Canyon, 20 miles from Fort Collins. The sheep can often be spotted in the first few miles of the canyon along U.S. Highway 34 west of Loveland. The herd numbers about 60. 

Another place to see bighorn sheep in winter is the upper Poudre Canyon, starting around Rustic, 42 miles northwest of Fort Collins, and west for several miles to Big Bend Campground. This herd has about 100 sheep.

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When is the best time of day to see them?

During the rut, the sheep are active pretty much all day long.

What is the best way to view/photograph/video them?

You will likely need binoculars, a telephoto of lens of at least 300 millimeters and a zoom on your cellphone. Sheep are skittish so staying in your vehicle results in better viewing and causes less stress on the animals.

Are they difficult to spot?

Yes and no. Sometimes they are found right along the road. Other times, you will need to safely pull off the road and use binoculars or a spotting scope to look for them. Their  grayish coats help them blend into the rocky mountainsides. Their white rump patch can give them away. In winter, they are nearly always found on south-facing slopes.

Which are males and which are females?

This can be somewhat confusing because both males and females have horns. The horns of females are much shorter and more slender than those of males. Unlike antlers of deer and elk that are shed every year, the horns of sheep continue to grow throughout the life of the sheep, which normally is 10 to 12 years. Full-curl ram horns can weigh up to 40 pounds.

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What is the difference between bighorn sheep and mountain goats?

Bighorn sheep are gray or tan with a white rump and their horns are gray or tan. Mountain goats are white with a black nose and black horns.