The wildlife in the Black Hills always amazes me. Several months ago my wife and I were driving between Hill City and Sheridan Lake, when we came upon a herd of bighorn sheep. I’d seen bighorns before, down in Custer State Park and the Wind Cave area near Hot Springs, but never this closely or this many at one time.

It was a rainy, cool day in May and the herd looked rough. Winter here in the Black Hills had been long and difficult and they were all showing signs of it. There were around 20 bighorns in this group, which seemed to be made up completely of ewes and a few very young lambs.

Despite busy traffic along this stretch of highway 385, the herd was within a few feet of road, pawing the ground for any food they could gather. We took a good look and hoped the best for this herd as we drove away, flashing our headlights at the oncoming traffic, in hopes of helping the motorists and the animals.

Fast forward to today. I was down in the Hill City area again and as I rounded a corner, there they were! In the same location, just southwest of Sheridan Lake, the same herd of bighorns. They were about 20 strong, mostly ewes and lambs, and all looked to be healthy and in good condition.

This time, however, they had an additional member of the family with them – a big, mature ram. His presence is a sure sign that the seasons are changing. I was able to snap the photo of him above, before they moved off into the trees.

It was exciting to see the same herd of animals and know that they made it safely through the summer. Bighorn sheep, once nearly extinct, are one of the more exciting and rare animals to see in the Black Hills. There are established herds of bighorns in Custer State Park and the Badlands, with a few others scattered around the area.

Next time you’re near Sheridan Lake, keep your eyes peeled and you might also catch a glimpse of this herd. Hopefully this winter will be a little easier on them.