It
could also be adopted by other northern polygynous
Bighorn sheep and mountain goats are highly
polygynous and sexually dimorphic alpine ungulates
for which activity budgets during the pre-rut and
the rut have been previously quantified (Pelletier
2005; Mainguy & Coˆ te´ 2008). In both species, males
decrease foraging time by 42–59% during the rut
compare with periods outside the breeding season.
Bighorn sheep and mountain goats also share similar
mating systems in which dominant males defend
one oestrus female at a time (tending tactic),
whereas subordinates attempt to obtain matings by
pursuing females (coursing tactic; Hogg & Forbes
1997; Mainguy et al. 2008).