October 26, 2008 - Bison & Mountain Goats

Diana and I just got back from a trip to South Dakota. We visited the Black Hills and the Badlands. Bison (often called Buffalo) were a common site, especially in Custer State Park. We saw between 300-400 Bison there and that’s where this photo was taken. Bison are our largest land animals and a mature bull can weigh up to 2000 pounds.

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This photo was taken in the Badlands. The golden tone of the Bison’s fur is due to the early morning sunlight. Notice all the burrs that are sticking to its fur. As the bison graze around the prairie, they do a good job of spreading plant seeds.

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This is a young Bison calf. They have curly, reddish-brown fur until they are 2-3 months old. You can see the tiny horns just starting to develop.

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If you are a hungry Bison calf, your mom is big enough so you don’t have to worry about standing in the middle of the road to get your meal. You can be assured that the cars will just wait until you are done. This calf must be at least three months old because it has developed a darker brown coat. Notice the number 8 branded on the calf’s side. During the annual roundup of the Bison, the new calves are branded with the last digit of the year in which they were born.

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Mountain Goats were introduced into the Black Hills in the 1920’s. They have adapted to the area and usually spend their time on the rocky hillsides. However, the only place we saw them was in the parking lot at Mount Rushmore.

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