THE MOUNTAIN SHEEP OR BIGHORN. 



[Ovis montanus.) 



Few wild animals are less well known 

 to the people at large than is the Moun- 

 tain Sheep or Bighorn of the higher 

 altitudes of western North America. It 

 is a native only of the wildest, the most 

 inaccessible, the most wonderful areas of 

 that wonderful mountainous backbone of 

 our continent. It seemingly can only 

 thrive and attain its highest development, 

 both mentally and physically, in these 

 regions of the purest air and of the 

 grandest scenery. It would almost seem 

 that this graceful and keen-sighted ani- 

 mal ascends the dizzy heights of precipi- 

 tous crags not alone as a means of pro- 

 tection from its natural enemies, but also 

 because of an instinctive satisfaction in 

 viewing the stupendous works of Nature. 

 The fortunate few who have seen the 

 Mountain Sheep in its element say that 

 there is nothing more awe-inspiring than 

 the view of one of these creatures as it 

 stands erect upon a rocky ledge, very 

 high up on the mountain side, critically 

 viewing its domain. 



There are several species of Mountain 

 Sheep, all inhabiting the Northern Hemi- 

 sphere. Asia, Europe, Africa, as well as 

 North America, have their representa- 

 tives. All the species frequent only 

 mountainous regions and all thrive onlv 

 at high altitudes. It is said that some 

 of them will ascend to a height of over 

 twenty thousand feet above the sea level, 

 an altitude reached by no other animals 

 excepting the musk ox, the mountain 

 goats and a very few species of birds. 

 It is only in the winter time that Moun- 

 tain Sheep are wont to seek the lower 

 levels of their range. This is not due 

 to the cold but rather to the fact that 

 their pastures of the higher altitudes are 

 deeply covered with snow. In the sum- 

 mer their food consists of the fresh and 

 juicy vegetation of the mountain sides, 

 while in the winter they feed upon the 

 dry grass, mosses and lichens which in 

 many instances are obtained only by 



pawing away the snow. The bark of 

 trees and the young shoots of woody 

 plants are also eaten. These animals, 

 however, never seem to be in a poor 

 condition because of a lack of nourish- 

 ment. 



The Mountain Sheep of our illustration 

 inhabits the higher mountains from Brit- 

 ish Columbia southward to Arizona, and 

 related varieties are found on the moun- 

 tains to the north, south, and west of 

 this range. Their agility and the ease 

 with which they climb the most inac- 

 cessible spots, where man can follow only 

 with great difficulty, affords them their 

 most potent protection. Even the young 

 are as difficult to capture, for they can 

 easily follow wherever their mothers may 

 lead. Proud, indeed, may that hunter 

 well be whose quarry is one of these 

 noble animals. Hunting them has been 

 made much more difficult, for in regions 

 where Mountain Sheep have learned the 

 ways of man they fear him fully as much 

 as they do the wolf. Hunting this Sheep 

 is the finest of sport for the seasoned 

 hunter. While their flesh furnishes ex- 

 cellent meat, the possession of their 

 horned heads is most highly prized by the 

 sportsman. Mr. Hornaday has said, 

 "The head of the male Bighorn is a 

 trophy which appeals to all sorts and 

 conditions of hunters except Indians." 

 Many hundreds have been slain merely 

 for their heads. 



Mr. Hornaday says that the ideal 

 haunts of the Mountain Sheep "are the 

 slopes of high mountains, above timber 

 line, near the edge of the snow fields that 

 are perpetual." Here, in the summer 

 time, they find plenty of food "It is 

 essential, however, that one side of the 

 Mountain Sheep's home ranch should fall 

 away abruptly in ragged lines of rim- 

 rock, with acres of slide-rock below, in 

 order that the Sheep may have the means 

 to escape from their numerous enemies, 

 particularly hunters." 



47 



