Bighorn sheep

Scientific name: Ovis canadensis

How weight is recorded: Carcass weight

Field notes

Appearance

Both sexes are stocky with tan to brown coats and white rump patches. Rams develop massive, curved horns that can exceed 100 cm; ewes have short, thin horns. Males are noticeably larger and darker than females.

Size and weight

Rams: 90–140 kg, body length 160–185 cm. Ewes: 50–90 kg, body length 145–160 cm.

Habitat

Bighorn sheep inhabit steep, rocky mountain terrain with sparse vegetation, ranging from alpine meadows to desert canyon walls. They prefer areas with escape terrain—cliffs and rocky outcrops—and typically occupy elevations between 1,500 and 3,600 meters.

Distribution

Native to western North America from British Columbia and Alberta south through the Rocky Mountains and interior ranges to Mexico. Desert and Rocky Mountain subspecies occupy distinct ranges.

Diet

Bighorn are grazers and browsers, consuming grasses, forbs, and shrubs year-round; they shift toward shrubs and dried vegetation in winter when snow limits grass access.

Behaviour

Diurnal and crepuscular, most active early morning and late afternoon. Social animals that move in bands of 5–15 individuals; rams and ewes often segregate except during breeding. Travel along consistent escape routes and bedding areas.

Hunting tips

Look for tracks in soft terrain near waterholes and on ridgelines; droppings are clustered pellets found along escape routes. Approach from above or use terrain folds to close distance; stalk slowly during early morning when sheep feed on open slopes. Use binoculars to glass likely terrain thoroughly before moving, and exploit wind direction by approaching upwind whenever possible.

Carcass weight

This species is logged by carcass weight — the animal weighed dressed, the way hunting teams normally report it.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 3 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.