Custer State Park

There is a drive through Custer State Park where one can follow the “wildlife loop” and see the restored buffalo herd, prairie dogs, ground squirrels, wild donkeys, hawks and pronghorn antelope all on one drive within their natural environment. 

One at a time we spotted each of the above types of wildlife and had an opportunity to photograph them.  While I would have liked seeing the buffalo closer than we did, it was still marvelous to see them at all against a backdrop of the golden, rolling hills of South Dakota.  This is their mating season so it was also probably in our best interests that we were a good distance from them.  Saved from extinction, these magnificent animals now enjoy a tranquil life except for a roundup each fall that occurs to brand the current year’s calves.  I would guess that is also a time when they do a count of the population.

The prairie dogs were enjoying their day and the sun with youngsters scampering about while the adults kept watch for the lurking hawk.  The ground squirrel was merely interested in getting from one side of the road to the other when we spotted him.

The donkeys while “wild” have apparently been corrupted by handouts from cars and dutifully blocked traffic looking for any of us to share a treat of some kind.  Oblivious to the cars, they stood in the road going about other business also when a colt began nursing with his mother. 

The pronghorn antelope were warier.  The males seem to stand about alone, while we saw four apparent females wandering in a group.

The film “Dances With Wolves” starring Kevin Costner was filmed in the area.  It is easy to see how you can step back in time driving through the park’s rolling hills with all of its wildlife.  This is when you are grateful the States and the Federal Government have set aside places where we can all enjoy such wonders.

And all of this occurring in just one lovely day.  Life is good.