Bighorn sheep on the rocks west of Colorado Springs

If you spend time in the foothills west of Colorado Springs, keep an eye on the rock. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep — Colorado’s state animal — are built for steep ground, with thick, curling horns on the rams. They live on cliffs and rocky slopes in the mountains, and people sometimes report seeing them in the steep, rocky country of the Pikes Peak foothills.

They are a real treat to see, and the rules for watching them are simple. Keep your distance and use a camera zoom or binoculars instead of stepping closer. Crowding a wild animal stresses it and can push it onto roads or away from the food and shelter it needs. Never feed them. Human food and the habit of being fed are bad for sheep and can make them act in ways that get them hurt.

Dogs should be leashed and kept well back, since a loose dog can scatter a herd or trigger a defensive charge. Spring is lambing season, a time to give the animals extra room.

Sightings are never promised, and that is part of the fun. Watching wildlife well is part of living here. For where and how to view bighorn sheep safely, and for the species itself, see Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s bighorn sheep and nature-viewing pages.