My Mountain Boy slowed down the truck as he drove around the bend and saw the small herd of big horn sheep nonchalantly standing in the road, and then he inched forward slowly as I zoomed my camera in too far and snapped pictures of these guys through the windshield..............
As we approached we had both assumed that the sheep would veer either to the left or right and free up the two lane highway that they were effectively blocking in both directions, but they did not.
Instead they unexpectedly made their way from the side of the road to the center of the road, bunched up closely in a circle and we sat watching them, realizing that for a few moments (as a herd) they did not know which way to go.
By this time we had stopped on the highway and patiently waited for them to make a move, having no intention of rushing them.
Winter in this cold and rugged western environment is tough on wild animals.
They mostly survive the conditions but we did not want to spook them, cause them to run in fear or panic, cause them to burn much needed energy reserves.
They needed to store and conserve as much energy as they possibly could to make it through one more tough winter, and so we patiently waited for these guys to make their collective decision..............
A couple of minutes later they one-by-one walked across to the opposite side of the highway, and then one-by-one easily jumped the guard rail..............
This very beautiful male - obviously the leader of the herd - pulled up the rear and I was lucky enough to capture this picture are he cleared the rail..............
As this last of the herd jumped over the guard rail LC began to slowly ease the truck forward and we watched as a couple of the sheep headed across the narrow, snow covered field and then disappeared into the trees, while others began to graze quietly in the field.
Still driving slowly, LC pulled over to the shoulder of the road (on the opposite side of the road) just beyond the guard rail.
The grazers were directly behind us, LC turned off the truck, and we quietly sat and watched them grazing through the back window.
Surprisingly the large male crossed behind the truck and wandered back into the road.
As he passed by me I snapped these pictures, and LC and I excitedly whispered to each other because we now had big horn sheep all around us.
The grazers were slowly grazing their way towards us, those who had headed into the trees reappeared to join their compadres, and Big Man Big Horn Sheep was to my right, and crossing directly in front of me.
It was all very exciting and magical and quietly wonderful.
Jamie watched the action out the window and never made a sound, apparently as mesmorized by them as her humans were.............
Two sweet young ones following the male across the highway................
And females grazing their way up to and then passing the truck, before they also crossed back over the two-lane to rejoin their male and their babies................
The herd rejoined.
It was a wonderful encounter.
Pleased to see them all back together, it was time for the three of us to again move on...............
With all of the stops and starts we had had during this trip through the national forest, we realized that it was time to soon begin thinking of heading back towards home.
Before turning back though, we made one more stop at a pull off that we have stopped at many times, probably 10 miles or so from the East Gate of Yellowstone.
This stop took us down a long gravel road that leads directly down to an access point of the Shoshone River.
It is a beautiful and quiet spot filled with all the things that I love - the river, the mountains, the endless pine trees and beauty of the forest.
As always we had the place entirely to ourselves.
In all the times that we have stopped at this place (both winter and summer), we have never ever had to share it with anyone else................
A look back at our pull off as we headed back towards the highway.............
We passed our herd again as we began our long drive back to Cody...............
LC stopped the truck right on the highway again so that I could take these last few pictures of our herd.
As I was furiously snapping pictures we were surprised to see the male walk onto the road and look directly at us.
LC and I wordlessly looked at each other in surprise at this unexpected gesture, and then turned our attention back to the male, mesmerized by him.
He watched us for about 30 seconds and then simply turned his back on us and slowly wandered back toward his herd.
Surprisingly we never saw even one buffalo on this trip but we saw many big horn sheep.
The sight of them is always outstanding. We are in wonderment every time we see them. We are enamored by them every time we see them.
They are magical.................
They had not been there when we headed out but on the way back we saw this large herd of elk grazing and resting in a huge pasture in Wapiti...............
It was an extraordinary trip.
Trips to the Shoshone National Forest are always extraordinary.
And each time we come back from one of these quiet adventures we are reminded of just how special Wyoming really is.............
An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language.............Martin Buber
