Matthew Mcconaughey's recent family vacation to the Grand Canyon in Arizona almost ended in disaster - after a ram threatened to charge at the actor and his 10-month-old son.

McConaughey, who shares little Levi with girlfriend Camila Alves, hid behind a bush in the Arizona desert with the baby in his arms when the wild beast began kicking up dust in their direction. But the actor admits his manly instincts make him laugh in hindsight - after realizing the animal was merely on his way to find a female ram to mate with.

He says, "I'm holding eyes with this ram getting up real steady.... I need something to get behind in case he charges. I ended up snugging up behind this briar patch... I sat there for about a 15-second stand-off. Then he popped up over the other side of the cliff. Four lady rams were on the other side." (JMA/WNVLEN/KL)

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