Use springs, water in depressions, and human-made sources. Move to bedding areas at night. Bad weather may restrict activity. Migrate between winter and summer ranges. Montane populations spend the summer in alpine habitats, moving downslope into canyons in winter.
Home range includes summer and winter ranges and routes of travel between.
Winter range generally is smaller, but desert bighorns have smaller ranges in summer because of water restrictions. There is no territorial defense. Groups of ewes stay in distinct ranges, with little interchange between groups. Rutting occurs in November and December in northern populations, and may be yearlong for desert bighorns, peaking in August and September. Gestation is 5.5-6.0 mo.