Bighorn Sheep Lamb Up On a Cliff in the National Elk Refuge

A bighorn sheep lamb scrambles along a right on MIller Butte in the National Elk Refuge.

After receiving a nice tip that a pack of wolves has been seen in the National Elk Refuge, I immediately headed out there. While I didn’t see any wolves that particular day, the bighorn sheep were out and about grazing near the base of Miller Butte. There was a larger herd near the road, but this little lamb had separated itself from the main group and began wandering around a small ledge a bit higher up. Just watching a bighorn sheep scramble along a ledge, even one as young as this lamb, is a pretty amazing experience given the sure-footedness of these creatures.

For the more observant visitors, you’ll notice that the cliffs are pretty bare given that it’s February here in Jackson Hole. We’ve been in a bit of not just a dry spell, but also a warm spell. Temperatures have been up in the 30s recently, which in my opinion is entirely too warm. Hopefully winter will come back soon because I was really looking forward to another few months of snow.

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