SheepA Dall's Sheep mother and twin lambs travel along the steep Alaska Range. (Photo David A. Murray)

Tiny rockslides were created with every step of the ascent. Leaning into the face of the steep slope helped to balance the heavy pack strapped around aching shoulders and a sore back. Each tentative step became a balancing act as well as a test of endurance, persistence, and common sense. Balance, endurance, and persistence are self-explanatory under such conditions; but common sense needs some explanation. Common sense comes into play after trudging up a steep incline, loaded down with literally thousands of dollars worth of camera gear, precariously balancing every step while trying to keep up with sheep that cruise up a rocky mountainside as if it was a walk in the park! There comes a time, while gasping for air, that you start to evaluate not only the common sense aspect of how much further you should go, but also your sanity!

The Alaska Range offers spectacular vistas of open tundra and taiga shadowed by hills and mountains of unparalleled beauty and scope. This rocky mountainous habitat is home to many of the world's most legendary mammals, such as the Grizzly Bear and Gray Wolf. However, there are many other critters that also call this rugged environment home, one such inhabitant is the not-so-famous Dall's Sheep.

Dall's Sheep are small to medium sized members of the sheep family. Adults stand about three to four feet in height, four to five feet in length, and weigh between 100 to 200 pounds. As with most mammals, the females tend to be on the smaller end of the scale, in height, length, and weight, while the males are at the upper end of the species size and weight.

The predominant color of the Dall's Sheep is white. Occasionally, a yellowish or brown highlight is present in the white coat, but any other color is very faint and can vary from season to season. The only exceptions to the white coats are the Dall's Sheep that live in the Yukon region. This subspecies of Dall's Sheep are individuals in a "black phase," although some that have interbred with the white sheep are varying shades of charcoal and gray. This "black phase" subspecies of Dall's Sheep are referred to as Stone Sheep.

The Dall's Sheep lambs are born on secluded and perilous cliffs after a five and one-half month gestation period. Most ewes, or females, give birth to a single lamb, twins (as pictured here) are rare.

The birthing location is specifically chosen among high, rugged, inaccessible cliffs to escape predation of the newborn lambs. Although one inescapable predator that accounts for the loss of many newborns, no matter how high or inaccessible the cliff, is the Golden Eagle. These eagles can easily carry away an unsuspecting newborn lamb, or as the newborn attempts to avoid the eagle, it sometimes falls to its death and is then picked up by the Golden Eagle and carried away.

Luckily for most lambs, Mother Nature has provided the newborn with exceptional balance and climbing ability. Most lambs, within 24 hours of birth, can follow their mother off the birthing cliff and travel over rough terrain with relative ease. The youngsters stay close to mother for three to five months and are then weaned.

Wolves are the Dall's Sheep primary predator, although Grizzlies, Black Bears, Wolverines and Lynx are also a threat.

It probably is understood, but photographing these critters is an enormous amount of effort, expense, and risk. As with all critters, there are locations that offer more accessibility than others do. However, in almost all situations, climbing is involved and this is particularly the case with photographing the lambs. Protective mother sheep know that to keep their youngsters safe, they need to keep them inaccessible to predators. In a flat, open habitat, a wolf pack can easily separate the lamb and mother, which will inevitably be the end of the lamb as well as possibly the mother.

To successfully wildlife watch or photograph sheep, you should always stay parallel or below your subject. As climbers, sheep feel safe and secure when they know that they can escape to higher ground; and if chased or pushed they will quickly move to unreachable heights. Naturally, for wildlife watching, a good pair of binoculars is the answer.

For photographing Dall's Sheep, a telephoto lens in the 500mm to 600mm range is essential equipment. The best technique is to follow the sheep in a parallel direction, and periodically stop to fire off a few frames. This process is slow, and patience, persistence, and hard work, is necessary to accumulate even a small amount of publishable images.

Hiking along steep terrain is difficult; then when you add the balancing act of carrying a tripod with a mounted camera and telephoto lens over your shoulder, it also becomes very dangerous. Don't attempt this unless you have several years of wildlife photography experience under your belt; there are no pictures worth the price of potentially a fatal fall.

Good shooting!

For questions or comments, P.O. Box 59, Southport, ME 04576 or e-mail: mail@davidamurray.com.

Register now for David A. Murray's Wildlife & Outdoor Adventures Photo Tour to the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Sept. 14-19. For more information, call 633-7192, visit the Wildlife & Outdoor Images Gallery at 17 Commercial St., Boothbay Harbor, or visit www.davidamurray. com.