Capture powerful images of mighty rams battling for dominance during Jeff Parker’s Bighorn Rut Photo Tour 2024.
Male bighorns in head-to-head combat makes for one of nature’s most spectacular scenes. As a wildlife photographer you don’t want to miss this!
December marks the peak of mating season — a.k.a., the rut — and Jeff will get you to the right place at the right time to shoot the action.
Western Wyoming hosts one of North America’s largest populations of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. Each winter hundreds of bighorn move into the region’s river valleys providing photographers with excellent access to the action.
With outer hooves shaped to grasp protrusions on rocky slopes, bighorn rams don’t just go at it on flat surfaces. It’s not unusual to see them fighting on the side of steep cliffs.
Rams can weigh more than 350 pounds. Their compact, muscular bodies include strong necks that bear their famous curved horns, which average 30 pounds and measure up to 3-feet long and over a foot in circumference at the base.
Jeff’s Bighorn Rut Photo Tour 2023 takes place in the shadow of the rugged Absaroka Mountain Range. The Absarokas border the eastern edge of Yellowstone National Park and rise over 13,000 feet high. With their jagged silhouettes, these peaks make striking photo subjects themselves so, while our focus will be on the bighorn activity, be sure to pack a landscape lens!
We may also see deer, bison, eagles, magpies, ravens, and elk so keep a lookout for them and other wildlife. But truly, it’s those rutting rams that you’ll want to watch and photograph with your keenest eye so you can go home with the most dramatic images possible.
Jeff Parker’s Bighorn Rut Photo Tour 2024 is limited to five (5) photographers. ~ TWO (2) SPOTS LEFT ~
~ ALL-INCLUSIVE ~ Your photo tour includes SINGLE-occupancy lodging, meals & ground transportation
WHAT YOU CAN LEARN ON THIS TOUR:
- How to get sharp action shots
- When & why to raise your ISO
- How snow can affect your image
- What makes a good wildlife image
- Other technical aspects of field photography
A note about instruction on my photo tours:
Since skills levels vary so much on photo tours, I don’t typically focus on structured lessons during these events (my workshops, however, are a far different story — they are all about structured instruction).
Instead, on photo tours, I tailor my teaching to individual needs done on a one-on-one basis. Please do not be shy about telling me what you need! And be sure to schedule your one-on-one time with me when I pass the sign-up sheet around at our Welcome Dinner.
ITINERARY:
PLEASE NOTE: This is an estimated schedule and we’ll do our best to stick to this itinerary, but certain conditions may necessitate changes. Good photographic experiences will be our goals at all times.
December 9, 2024 (Monday):
Plan to enjoy a 6:00 pm Welcome Dinner together (time may be adjusted once we know photographers’ flight arrival times).
During our Welcome Dinner, I’ll go over the plan for our upcoming days of photography fun while we all get to know one another & pass around the sign-up sheet so you can schedule your one-on-one time with me.
After dinner, settle into your comfy room for a great night’s sleep. You’ll have your room all to yourself as your tour includes SINGLE-occupancy lodging.
December 10 & 11 (Tuesday & Wednesday):
Rise and fill up on a warm breakfast then bundle up and head out for a day of photographing Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep.
These winter days are short so we’ll plan to remain out for the day, eating a casual lunch in the field.
Around sunset, we’ll return to town. There you can peel off your layers, take a hot shower and enjoy a tasty dinner. After dinner, you should still have time to download the day’s images so you can problem solve with Jeff in time for the next day’s shoot if you need to.
December 12, 2024 (Thursday):
It’s our last day in the field. Let’s make it an extra good one!
After breakfast, just as you have the last two mornings, bundle up.
And, as before, plan for a casual lunch chomped in the field between wildlife action shots.
After we’ve shot out the daylight we’ll finish up our final shoot and head back to Cody.
We’ll enjoy our final dinner together with our new friends as we relive the experiences of the last few days.
December 13, 2024 (Friday):
If you don’t have an early flight, enjoy lounging in your warm bed a bit longer this morning! Then eat a leisurely breakfast at the hotel.
When you’re ready, we make sure you get to the Cody airport in time for your flight home. When you get home, be sure to reach out to your new friends – and to me! – to share some of your images and memories.
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Lodging (SINGLE-occupancy)
- All ground transportation once in Cody, Wyoming
- All meals (lunches will be in the field)
- Snacks & water in the field
- A one-on-one session with Jeff
- Tips for meals
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
Transportation to and from Cody, alcoholic beverages, trip insurance, medical costs, laundry or other personal costs.
LOGISTICS, EQUIPMENT & SUCH:
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
We will be photographing bighorn from terrain that’s mostly flat. Unless you decide to venture off, you’ll be capturing your shots not far from our vehicle. There’s no need during this tour for significant walks or any hiking.
IMPORTANT! ~ Please do keep in mind that this time of year in this region it is extremely cold and you will need to dress accordingly. Temps could be below zero (not common, but definitely possible) and you may be out in such temps photographing the rutting animal action.
ARRIVAL:
Please plan to arrive in time to join us for our 6:00 pm Welcome Dinner.
We’ll pick you up at the Cody airport so you don’t have to worry about transportation once you arrive in Cody.
The airport is officially called “YELLOWSTONE REGIONAL AIRPORT.” The airport code is COD.
Both United and Delta Airlines have regular flights into Cody by way of Salt Lake City (Delta) and Denver (United). Arrival times are between 12:40 and 1:30 pm so if you have no flight issues you should arrive in plenty of time for the 6:00 pm Welcome Dinner.
However, depending upon where you live, you may need to stay the night in Salt Lake City or Denver or take a red-eye to Salt Lake City or Denver.
LODGING & MEALS:
Single-occupancy lodging is included in this tour. (Sorry, no discounts for double-occupancy.)
All meals are included in the tour from dinner on December 9 through breakfast on December 13.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
We’ll send out more info, including a personal-item packing list, as your photo tour grows closer.
In the meantime, wondering what sort of photography equipment you might need for this tour? Check out the EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST for this Bighorn Rut Photo Tour 2024.
NOTE: You do not have to own or bring everything on the checklist! It’s a list of recommended equipment. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask!
GENERAL INFO / SIGN UP:
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- DURATION: Three (3) full days & four (4) nights, including the evening of the Welcome Dinner
- DATES: Monday evening, December 9 — Friday morning, December 13, 2024
- SPACE FOR: Five (5) photographers ~ TWO (2) SPOTS LEFT ~
- PRICE: $2,795
- DEPOSIT AMOUNT: $500.00
- PAYMENT DUE DATES: The remaining balance will be due 60 days before tour begins.
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CANCELLATION POLICY
Please read our Cancellation Policy before purchasing. (Follow the provided link or go to link under “MORE” on sidebar to the right.) Thanks!
LIABILITY WAIVER:
At the start of each event, we’ll ask you to sign this liability waiver. We encourage you to review it before signing up.
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