iN PHOTOS: Deer, bighorn sheep stuck in a rut in Kamloops, Okanagan

It is rutting season for deer and bighorn sheep in Kamloops and the Okanagan and the displays of dominance can be loud and entertaining.

The season for the bighorn sheep rut runs from October to January, where rams fight for dominance to collect a harem of ewes by facing each other, rearing up and smashing horns together in very physical battles.

Dominant rams often have horns that make a full curl which takes seven or eight years to grow with each horn weighing up to 15 pounds, and the winning ram will do most of the breeding for next spring’s lambs, according to Bighorn Sheep Rut.

Rutting season for deer is underway from mid-October to December. The males will fight other males to win attention for females, rubbing their antlers on trees, scraping the ground with their hooves, and pushing each other around, according to the BC SPCA.

This month photographers were able to capture the rutting ungulates in action along with a few stunning looks at mature male ungulates with curling horns and full racks.

The BC SPCA advises the public to give deer lots of space, keep dogs leashed and pick little dogs up if a deer is near during this time.