Big Old Ram
They say he is one of the largest bighorn rams in Colorado -- as far as I know he is the only ram on record with over a 50 inch curl -- died of old age on the southern end of Fort Carson.
The ram died Nov. 28 2005, the Colorado Division of Wildlife said Tuesday. He had spent most of his life with a herd of bighorn sheep that plied cliffs on private property along the Arkansas River between Caon City and Pueblo.
Biologists who had long observed the distinctive ram speculated that younger, more dominant males pushed him out of the herd this summer, and he moved east onto Fort Carson's vast landholdings.
Fort Carson military and wildlife officials first saw the ram on the southern end of the base in late August and kept watch on him since. They reported the ram was showing signs of old age -- including decreased muscle mass and fatigue -- and had become unafraid of humans.
A Fort Carson wildlife official went to check on the animal Nov. 28 and discovered it died just hours earlier.
An autopsy revealed the ram was 12 to 13 years old -- a long life for a bighorn sheep.
The exam also revealed the animal suffered from heart and lung problems, arthritis and a chest infection. It also had broken several ribs sometime in the past.
I was stationed at Fort Carson when they picked him up.
Comments
That was a truly impressive animal.
Archery_hunter33 – That was a truly impressive animal. Most of us will never see a big horn sheep with horns even close to that size of curl that ram had. Heck most of us will never be close to ANY big horned sheep! So thanks for sharing those amazing photographs. I know that this is as close as I will likely ever come to a monarch of the cliffs like that. I can’t help but wonder how heavy all that head gear is. Horns like that have to weigh what – ten pounds each? Or maybe a combined total of twenty five pounds all together for both of them? Even though he would have been an amazing addition to any hunter’s trophy wall, I think that it is pretty neat that that old ram was able to live out his full natural life and basically die at peace in his old age. Let’s hope that we are all so blessed when are day comes. Let’s hope too that he has passed along a good healthy share of his impressive horn growing DNA into the gene pool for future generations as well. I think that we would all like to see a few more big horn rams like him running around the heights for years to come!
Big old Ram
Beautiful, a true master in his own rite and domain. Great pictures, they will keep his image alive for others to enjoy for a long time to come. I wonder, if he had not have had heart and lung problems, along with a chest infection, just how many more years he could have lived. They are magificent creatures, and as many years as I had lived in Colorado, I had never seen one as big and old as him.
Truly a Blessing to see such an animal
Thanks for the photo's. It is awesome in seeing such an animal of class in finishing his life out and being found. Just awesome!
He scores 195 5/8 B&C
He scores 195 5/8 B&C
That is truly a Big Old Ram!
That is truly a Big Old Ram! WOW!!!