Saturday, May 02, 2009

 

Badlands 3 - Animals

Animals were something we truly wished to see a number of on this day. The locals told us the reality was we'd see few. HA! We saw lots of animals. Here is a magnificent mature buffalo (locally called bison). He was within 25 feet of the road.
We were also told that big horn sheep and other wild mountain sheep would be almost impossible to spot. We saw them twice. This fellow was across a long meadow, and lord bless my 10X zoom.
There is actually a prairie dog town on the Badlands loop. We saw them by the hundreds all along the West half of our loop trip. They scampered about and often met face-to-face as if communicating.
More common were deer. We saw many groups of them....all without antlers. They were about 250 feet away in this shot and still watching me as I took the picture.
Wild turkey. Male showing his entire plumage as he courted a female nearby. Again the zoom was full out and thus not as clear a picture as I'd like to have taken.
The animals were a great part of the day...but only a part.

We finished the day tired, but full of memories of the many things we had seen.

Tomorrow off to Rushmore, Crazy Horse and the Black Hills.

Duke

Comments:
We were at the Badlands just about a year ago. It is absolutely beautiful, and you're right... lots of wildlife out and about! Thanks for the memories... :)
 
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