Mid-November.  Still too early to ski.  And while the higher-altitude trails are beginning to be snowed in, here in town the riding is great.  

Besides, it’s hunting season.  It’s probably not the best idea to be rolling through the backwoods on a bike when there are a bunch of guys in camo with high-powered rifles wandering the hills.  

I don’t have any empirical evidence but I’m convinced that some of the animals around here have figured out hunting season.  This time of year, it’s common to see herds of deer with trophy bucks hanging out on the lawns in town.  Much more than usual.  It’s like they somehow know they’re safe within the city limits.  

I’m no hunter but it’s definitely been a good year for spotting wildlife for me.  And while it’s important to pay attention to where you’re going while flying along rocky single track, I’ve got to admit, at certain spots on our local trails, typically spots where I’ve seen wildlife before, I find my eyes scanning my surroundings for the next sighting.

This week I was rewarded with a particularly cool one.  On a trail known as Lil Rattler in the Arkansas Hills just above town, I came around a corner to see four bighorn sheep standing near the trail.  Of course, I stopped to take a look and snap a few photos.  They seemed pre-occupied with something and didn’t pay a lot of attention to me or my bike.

So, I slowly rolled around the next curve on the trail to get a closer look.

Upon further observation I realized what was going on.  I was witnessing the mating ritual of the bighorn sheep.  There were three males (the ones with the curly horns) vying for the attention of one female (the one with the shorter horns).  The males were butting heads and chasing each other around the trees trying to assert dominance and prove their worth as a mate to the female.  The female looked mildly annoyed with her suitors, like she wished they’d just go away and leave her alone.  Or at least come up with something more original than head butts.

It was very cool to see in person, especially so close to town. A short video of that age-old dance.