This beautiful ram is a prime example of a mature male bighorn sheep. His eartag indicates that he is part of a scientific study. Large, stocky body of the males often makes them seem like oil drums on legs. These horns grow throughout the life of the animal and its age can be estimated by the size of the horns. In the fall, the mating season occurs from late October through December.
Sheep display a large variety of complex mating behaviours that are fascinating to observe.
It is a lot like being in a bar with a bunch of hormone enraged humans. The males engage in a complex array of macho behaviours intended to intimidate other rams into subservience. They then guard the females from other males. It's an age old behaviour which is disturbingly familiar. What's actually happening is that the ram is passing the scent past his Jacobson's organ on the upper palate of his mouth.