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Buford Posts: 459
12/24/2019
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Looks like there will be more chances to hike in the rain this week and maybe snow if the level drops low enough. Yesterday afternoon the snow level was ~6000 feet, Rabbit was dusted. I was not hiking Rabbit. I hiked elsewhere in the park and got soaked after midmorning.
I was not expecting or looking for sheep. I didn't know they frequented the area we were hiking in. I heard the rams cracking heads first before finally spotting them. There were ~20 on the slope. This is the most sheep I have seen in one place outside BPC or the Santa Rosa Mountains. I don't know which ewe band the sheep belong to. The sheep were far away and the light was poor so none of the photos are that great.
There are at least eight in this picture:
The park service must know they are here because some of the ewes were wearing the biologist mandated tracking devices:
Braving the cholla minefield:
Freshly decapitated cacti that still smelled like sheep:
Some extra pictures from a couple weeks ago I hadn't posted yet:
How to scratch an itch with four legs and no arms
edited by Buford on 12/24/2019
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Links to my photos: ABDSP photos, Bighorn sheep photos, ABDSP time lapse video, Wildlife photos (mainly birds)
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Britain Posts: 604
12/24/2019
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Nice sheep shots!
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Cant drive 55
Britain
http://icorva.com
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ziphius Posts: 911
12/24/2019
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Nice! Great barrel cactus feeding sign too! Interesting that they are utilizing the cactus in the cool, wet season.
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http://www.coyotelearning.org
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tekewin Posts: 371
12/27/2019
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More strong photos, thanks!
That is a bunch of sheep. Looks like many are tagged. The scratching shot was good timing.
I saw a bighorn busting up a barrel cactus and eating the pieces. Didn't know they did that. Maybe it's more for the water content than food content?
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tommy750 Posts: 1049
12/29/2019
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Nice pics Buford! Looks like the sheep were in your back yard. What lens you using?
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Buford Posts: 459
12/29/2019
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I'll have more pictures posted over the next couple days from this weekend. I can't help but run into sheep in the park, even when not looking for them. When I find them, I have to take a few pictures.
@tekewin They use the barrel interior for moisture. I poked it with my trekking poles. The water content was crazy, almost water melon like inside. I actually got some pictures this morning of one busting open a barrel. All the cacti are swollen with water from the recent rains. They eat the barrel dried flowers too. During the sheep count I have seen them go down a hillside and systematically eat the dried flowers or fruit from every barrel top.
@tommy750 I don't have a fancy setup. Just a sony a6400 and a Sigma 150-600C for most sheep pictures. I think S22 is my backyard now. It doesn't hurt that some of the sheep pictures are from the BPC herd and used to people.
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Links to my photos: ABDSP photos, Bighorn sheep photos, ABDSP time lapse video, Wildlife photos (mainly birds)
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Scooter Posts: 114
12/29/2019
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I was on the fire that burned over Granite Mountain about 5 years ago. The bottom of the dry barrel cactus burns quite well, when they burn at the bottom the cactus falls over. With several broken off never able to grow again I cut one open and ate it. The crew thought I was crazy !! I explained I would never get this chance again as I would not cut into a living barrel cactus. Anyway it was very moist and tasted like a not ripe honeydew mellon.
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deborah Posts: 115
12/29/2019
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Thanks for sharing the pictures. There are so many sheep! It's really interesting that they get into the barrel cactus like that. I didn't know that they do that.
And Scooter, it sounds like you were in such unique circumstances to be able to try one. I can imagine you really did surprise some folks. 
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
12/30/2019
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Amazing sheep pictures. Thanks for posting those.
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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