June 26-July 11, 2017
Custer State Park is 22,000 acres [in comparison, Walt Disney World is 27,000 acres] and borders the(Black Hills National Forest and Wind Cave National Park on three sides. It’s rich with wildlife. Some animals, like the white-tailed deer we saw frequently and the group of elk we saw after dark, didn’t get photographed. We were luckier with some other species.
Bison
The Park’s two herds of bison are often seen around Wildlife Loop. We saw them at a distance one afternoon and up close one evening and one morning. The herds are carefully managed to ensure adequate grazing is available. The herd was started in 1914 with the purchase of 36 animals and now numbers about 1300.
Pronghorn Antelope
Usually when we try to photograph pronghorn antelope, we get the retreating end. One animal on a hill let us get a couple of shots from the front, and one grazing at the side of the road was, happily for us, more interested in eating than getting away.
Prairie Dog
Here is our designated prairie dog representative. We had fun watching these guys alert–will try to get video next time of one as it springs up on its hind legs to warn its neighbors of approaching danger (us).
Big Horn Sheep
While this picture doesn’t show the beauty or majesty of big horn sheep, we were surprised to find this little group avidly grazing on something right at the side of the main road through the Park.
And, for the sake of keeping the animal pictures together, here are the pictures of the mountain goat at the Cathedral Spires hike.
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