Tom and Pal Leeson 
Swiping horns, two males contest the 
spot on which the smaller one had 
been lying, above. The larger male, 
which was dominant, won the spot 
from his subordinate after a few 
harmless swipes. Males engage in 
such competitive behavior 
throughout the year, but with the 
approach of the breeding season the 
seriousness of the bouts escalates. 
The goats’ sharp horns can inflict 
heavy damage to an opponent, and 
the loser of a bout can be killed. In 
general, dominant males do most of 
the breeding. Some subordinate 
males may not breed at all. On 
Mount Angeles, right, mountain 
goats forage through the winter 
snows. If the snow cover is heavy, the 
goats will move below the 6,000-foot 
elevation in search of food. 
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