Was out for a drive this saturday past and on our way home a good number of Bighorns were on the road.
They have obviously had encounters with humans before and had no fear. Even when trying to keep our distance we got swarmed by them.
Scanning the herd I noticed only two lambs from this spring so far, laying by eachother. The first one got up and nudged the second. I thought the one laying there was just not interested in getting up and didn't think anything of it.
Not long after a truck drives up to us with a dog in the back, the sheep all ran up the slope not far away. I like to study their antics and in watching them noticed one lamb missing. Thinking it was just my eyes not seeing it I didn't pay any attention.
Once the truck left they came right back down, one Ewe going behind a stump out of my view. I saw a white flash where she was and when she raised her head there was blood on her nose. Now I was paying attention!
Walked around her position so as not to scare her and there was the second lamb laying on it's side and its head flopped over in an awkward position struggling to breathe.
Not the wisest thing for me to do but out of instinct I ran over to it trying to help. The Ewe had left by this time. It let one sigh go and it was gone just as I knelt by it. What the heck?
A half inch hole inside the front leg had alot of blood pouring out. That's when my Aunt noticed the blood stained stick right beside it. I was so focused on the little fellow I did not even see it. Not sure how long he had been impaled on it but there was only fresh blood on it, I guess not too long.
The way you hear these animals getting picked off by poachers it would have been nice to say we were able to save the little ram, I bet he isn't 7 days old.
Nature has a strange way sometimes.
Pics to come.
They have obviously had encounters with humans before and had no fear. Even when trying to keep our distance we got swarmed by them.
Scanning the herd I noticed only two lambs from this spring so far, laying by eachother. The first one got up and nudged the second. I thought the one laying there was just not interested in getting up and didn't think anything of it.
Not long after a truck drives up to us with a dog in the back, the sheep all ran up the slope not far away. I like to study their antics and in watching them noticed one lamb missing. Thinking it was just my eyes not seeing it I didn't pay any attention.
Once the truck left they came right back down, one Ewe going behind a stump out of my view. I saw a white flash where she was and when she raised her head there was blood on her nose. Now I was paying attention!
Walked around her position so as not to scare her and there was the second lamb laying on it's side and its head flopped over in an awkward position struggling to breathe.
Not the wisest thing for me to do but out of instinct I ran over to it trying to help. The Ewe had left by this time. It let one sigh go and it was gone just as I knelt by it. What the heck?
A half inch hole inside the front leg had alot of blood pouring out. That's when my Aunt noticed the blood stained stick right beside it. I was so focused on the little fellow I did not even see it. Not sure how long he had been impaled on it but there was only fresh blood on it, I guess not too long.
The way you hear these animals getting picked off by poachers it would have been nice to say we were able to save the little ram, I bet he isn't 7 days old.
Nature has a strange way sometimes.
Pics to come.
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