Best Time to See Bighorn Sheep in the US
July, June and August is the best time to see bighorn sheep in the United States. This is a national picture built from 29,018 verified iNaturalist observations across 11 states, showing when and where bighorn sheep are most active.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself.
29,018 verified observations of bighorn sheep in the US, recorded across 12 months of the year on iNaturalist.
When bighorn sheep are recorded in the US
Peak month
July
3,954 records (13.6% of the year)
| Month | Observations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1,404 | 4.8% |
| February | 1,587 | 5.5% |
| March | 2,113 | 7.3% |
| April | 2,322 | 8% |
| May | 3,244 | 11.2% |
| Junepeak | 3,660 | 12.6% |
| Julypeak | 3,954 | 13.6% |
| Augustpeak | 3,281 | 11.3% |
| September | 2,318 | 8% |
| October | 1,837 | 6.3% |
| November | 1,818 | 6.3% |
| December | 1,480 | 5.1% |
Bighorn Sheep you are most likely to see
| Species | Verified observations |
|---|---|
| Bighorn Sheep | 22,204 |
Across the country, bighorn sheep sightings peak in July, when 3,954 of the 29,018 annual observations are logged, about 13.6% of the national total. Nationwide activity stays high through July, June and August.
The best states to see bighorn sheep by recorded sightings are Canada (6,814), California (5,418), Colorado (4,311), Nevada (2,573) and South Dakota (2,010). Each state page below breaks the year down month by month for that state.
The bighorn sheep you are most likely to encounter nationwide are Bighorn Sheep, the most-recorded species across all states combined.
Best states to see bighorn sheep
- bighorn sheep in Canada6,814 sightings, peak July
- bighorn sheep in California5,418 sightings, peak February
- bighorn sheep in Colorado4,311 sightings, peak July
- bighorn sheep in Nevada2,573 sightings, peak April
- bighorn sheep in South Dakota2,010 sightings, peak June
- bighorn sheep in Montana2,008 sightings, peak July
- bighorn sheep in Utah1,865 sightings, peak April
- bighorn sheep in Arizona1,621 sightings, peak March
- bighorn sheep in Wyoming1,362 sightings, peak May
- bighorn sheep in New Mexico789 sightings, peak June
- bighorn sheep in Idaho247 sightings, peak July
Most-recorded bighorn sheep species nationwide
- Bighorn Sheep22,204 records
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see bighorn sheep in the US?+
July is the single best month nationwide, with the broader peak running through July, June and August, based on 29,018 verified observations across 11 states.
Which states are best for seeing bighorn sheep?+
By recorded sightings, the top states are Canada, California and Colorado. Canada leads with 6,814 verified observations.
How many bighorn sheep sightings are recorded in the US each year?+
About 29,018 verified bighorn sheep observations are logged on iNaturalist across 11 states with enough data to chart a seasonal pattern.
What kinds of bighorn sheep live in the US?+
The most-recorded species nationwide are Bighorn Sheep, based on all-time iNaturalist counts.