Buffalo on Parade

They sure were and we were the end float in the parade. It was funny we try and do the wildlife loop in Custer State Park at least a couple times a week. I like being one directional when we do the loop in the same direction every time. Once in a while Roy will change directions. I am so glad he does, I also think he has a direct line to the head buffalo. This day we happened to be first in line behind the herd. Most of the action was in front of the car and was captured on the dash cam. (best $100 buy ever).

Don’t Argue

The first complete stop occurred when this little calf decided to come hang out in front of the car. Roy started to inch up to get it on its way. Mom was having nothing of the sorts as it was nursing time. I look over and this cow is snorting and huffing to get to her calf.

I do think the calf on the left was wondering if he could partake in a lunch break also.

drink up

It is amazing how a group that large moves with a single purpose and nothing else matters. I did try to get a few pictures of the action happening on the side of the road but it was more like where’s Waldo.

My efforts then turn to watching the road where we were treated to some more bonding of cow and calf. This video is titled ‘Enter stage right’

grand entrance

This little one was just brutal he was not giving up for anything.

mine

It was funny watching the head butts and the determination.

Heading down the road a little further we start getting crowded by the big guys. I am posting the video I took and then the dash cam and you can see why I was quite jerky. The buffalo was a tad close. I was thinking that might leave a mark.

close enough

With the action being active on the road I decided to add to my mirror pictures from a mirrorless camera, here are two of those.

After about a half hour we decided to move on down the road. As it seems the timing was perfect. We passed a mower that clips the weeds on the shoulder of the road going towards the buffalo.

I did not take odds on who won the battle.

I can enjoy these parades all the time.

A Day for Catching UP

After a drive down to Hot Springs SD for some things I had to do at the VA. We decided to kick back and relax sorta the trailer had to get cleaned and so did I. I spent the remainder of the day visiting with 2 parrots and watching Roy help a complete newbie figure out what was wrong with their trailer. Sometimes the fix is the simplest thing, a blown circuit breaker. Once that was fixed her thing worked.

I’ve been to a few VA hospitals and clinics but nothing compares to the VA facility in Hot Springs SD. It was built in 1907 and most of those buildings are still in use. It is on a bluff overlooking Hot Springs. It was originally a Sanitarium and used the medicinal waters of the hot springs to treat anything from lung problems to skin issues. Battle Mountain Sanitarium as it was called only cost $150,000 for construction and another $20,000 for equipment. Pricey for that day and age. Today It serves Veterans with mental health, kidney dialysis, TBIs, and an urgent care. As for how I was treated everyone was attentive and very helpful, which was refreshing. I plan on going back down to this VA and will take pictures of the grounds to share. I did get one picture of the grounds. There was this lone white lily.

After getting one prescription and trying to figure out how to get another prescription filled, we decided to do lunch. I have not stopped at a DQ for lunch in a long time, today was the day.

On the ride home we stopped by a known hang out for prairie dogs and of course my camera was out and snapping photos. He was just sitting there like a potato. It summed up how I felt after a long day of waiting around. I did see some prairie dog porn but didn’t photograph it. I have to say they are interesting to watch but the holes are everywhere busy colony for sure. This colony is on the way to Wind Cave National Park. I can and probably will sit for hours watching these little ones play and run around this trip.

We try and drive wildlife loop at every opportunity this trip around seemed like it was going to be a bust. (plus I forgot the apples for the burros). We get to one of the visitor’s centers and haven’t seen ANY buffalo which is rare. So, after taking a short cut and still seeing no buffalo I almost give up hope. We turn a corner, and it seemed like the whole herd was there. Interesting that they were this far away from the usual stomping grounds. We stayed here moving a few feet every time, some because of my picture taking but mostly because the buffalo own the road. You don’t go until they say you go.

We also decided to take some interactive pictures of a few of the brave prairie dogs next to the buffalo.

It felt good to sit back and relax today. Next, we check out some water falls on our drive of Spearfish Canyon.

Buffalo Sightings

I can’t say we set out to go find buffalo on a certain day we just go driving. They will show themselves. This year we have gotten off the main roads onto the dirt roads, I’ve gotten better photos because of this. Yes, I do have lots of photos but I do not think I could ever have too many. The buffalo is a magnificent beast, they could crush you but are so gentle to their young. I have noticed that there are bulls that seem to keep away from the herd that you will see wandering around the park, you never know what you will find around a bend.

A great example of this; we were going after more pictures of the burros but when we got there we did not stop to take pictures there were too many people. I’ve explained these JAs are beggars and they draw a crowd. This was not a unproductive trip though, because right down the road there was a herd of buffalo off a dirt road. Roy drove past them and made a u-turn in a wide spot in the road so I could take pictures from a different angle. ( I love Roy’s ability to help me stretch my photography limits. ) So looking down on the vastness and also seeing all the cars on the dirt road observing them up close puts a whole new twist on things. I wonder what they think of being watched, or if they care. They care sometimes if they are snorting and shaking their head you are too close.

As I am taking pictures from the hill top I see a part of the herd start to charge towards the hill then more joined in. I am outside of the car taking photographs running through my head how quick can I move if they all charged up the hill. (answer: not that quickly.) I did venture away from the car because Roy told me they would not be here that quickly. Something spooked them so the flight instinct took hold of them. Once things settled down they started to return to the side of the dirt road and I realized that I would not be enveloped by buffalo we headed down to the dirt road to join the crowd.

It is amazing to see all the cars doing a snail slow progression to get the perfect buffalo picture or at least a cellphone snap shot. The park allow tours to find the wildlife. One of these Buffalo Safaris has multiple jeeps and because they are on a schedule they will bypass the line of cars. They looked like a colony of ants as we had about 10 of these hop the line. I think it was funny looking. I am not sure if I’ve covered this before but this year there has seemed to be a bumper crop of babies. They grow so fast, when we first arrived most of them looked young and had no horns, now you are seeing little horns appear and they seem to be putting on weight.

Once we moved up the line we did not want to travel all of the dirt road again Roy pulled a 3 point turn to head back down the road. This is where we were held up by a buffalo. His or her thought was using are car to lean on while chewing the grass. Slowly he/she moved on but not before I captured the sights and sounds of him/her next to the car. I looked up about this time and saw a mom and her calf headed towards us on the road. I much rather would have this type of traffic delay anytime. As we are winding down seeing buffalo on both sides of the road. I see a big bull standing alone on a hill looking over his domain. Perfect end to the buffalo safari.