Copyright 2010

On a hike in the western slopes of Rocky Mountain National Park, my son Sam and I left the rest of the family behind and took out on our own. We had selected this trail specifically to hope to see the Rocky Mountain Bighorn. I had seen one just once before, years earlier at a distance, during the winter months near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. That particular ram strutted out on a snow covered mountain foothill remarkably, and ironically, close to where the National Museum of Wildlife Art is currently located, and held a perfect profile.

This time I was hoping for a little closer encounter, with my camera at the ready. Sam and I had hiked up along a rocky ridge for a number of miles, constantly looking and listening, when we determined to turn around. "No luck today" we thought and continued back along the trail. We had almost reached our car when I suddenly heard what I thought was a “bleat.” I told Sam to stop and listen and we heard it again. By the sound of it, I honestly thought that it was a stray calf, and for a moment wondered whether there was public land grazing in the area, given our proximity to the parking lot. We scanned the rocky cliffs above us and saw nothing. We were just about to move on when we noticed some gravel up above disturbed and saw just the head of a bighorn ram emerge over the edge of the rocky outcropping. He stood there and bleated just once more and then disappeared. I could hear the activity of others behind him but we never saw them. Eventually they moved on.

It wasn’t quite what we were hoping for but exhilarating nonetheless - our objective had been achieved. Years later, we had our chance to be up close and personal with several herds of these majestic and acrobatic creatures in Yellowstone.

I painted this ram with just the head exposed, looking directly at the viewer with a sideways eye. You may notice that I positioned the eye precisely in the middle of the canvas, using the curl of his horn to draw your eye into his. Locking you into a close encounter. I positioned him high in his rocky, snowy element, where he reigns supreme - how else to convey his majesty.

- Rob Dreyer