View allAll Photos Tagged bison_calves
A bison calf seems to be evicting a Brown-headed Cowbird. Actually, the calf was running around aimlessly as bison calves frequently do, and the bird just happened to be in its randomly chosen path.
This is the last in my brief young wildlife series and my last post for a couple of weeks. Wilderness awaits.
Young Plains Bison calves are prone to bursts of energy during which they run around at maximum speed, jump, spin and exhibit other rambunctious behavior. It's one of my favorite things to observe in nature and never ceases to make me laugh.
This is the last of my random series and my last post for a week. Heading to the high country for some cooler weather and hopefully some photo ops with my favorite wildlife subjects.
Bit of good karma finding this bison pair out and about @ Minneopa State Park.. central Minnesota. Other: American bison calves often nostalgically referred to as 'red dogs'.
Visitors: Invited to check out my photostream and albums for portfolios of various seasonal wildlife/scenics/florals. Any comments (or) favs submitted sincerely welcomed.
One of the new Bison calves at Elk Island National Park. I spotted this youngster during an early morning visit. I had to quickly cover some rough ground and my hands were shaking with excitement when I pushed the button. I would prefer a sharper image but the calf was out of sight behind mama moments later
Wild American Bison (calf), Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Bison births usually occur between March and May. A female, called a cow, will give birth after a gestation period of nine months. Usually, she will give birth to only one young at a time, though twins have been recorded. Bison calves are born big. American Bison calves weigh a massive 30 to 70 lbs. at birth, according to the U.S. Department of Interior. A calf is protected not only by its mother, but also by the whole herd. Title adapted from the classic western folk song sometimes called the "unofficial anthem of the American West" - Home On The Range by Dr. Brewster Higley.
A couple of bison calves sharing their pasture with some Brown-headed cowbirds in the valley known as Jackson Hole. Grand Teton National Park.
A little early practice for two young bulls at least seven years shy of being capable of battling like the two I posted yesterday. Thanks to James Page for enlightening me on the age of maturity and prime mating years of Plains Bison. For more info on that, read James' comment below.
Fast forward about 6-7 years and the bison calf I posted yesterday will look like this.
As I mentioned yesterday, our third trip of the year started in western South Dakota, visiting two national parks and one state park.
All three of these parks have substantial herds of Plains Bison. In May we have the fun of watching the cavorting bison calves hanging out in large groups with their moms. We see the giant bulls too, which tend to stay away from the cows and calves and are either solitary, like this one, or spending time with a few of their buddies.
For the last few years, we schedule a visit to Badlands National Park, Custer State Park, and Wind Cave National Park in western South Dakota in mid-May to view and photograph the newest generation of bison. All three parks have healthy populations of Bison, though in our experience, Custer is the most reliable place to see them.
The young bison calves (aka red dogs) are cute and entertaining. We never tire of seeing them. Here, the calves, moms and some "teenagers" relax in a Custer State Park meadow.
Bison calves tend to be born from late March through May and are orange-red, earning them the nickname “red dogs.” Calves change to a dark brown within a few months. Bison calves stay with their mother for about a year. This poor calf was born in the late fall and faced winter conditions at a young age without his mother. Regrettably, he must fend for himself as orphaned calves are not accepted by other bison cows.
I was unaware that weak claves were forced from the herd. Perhaps this is an exception as the rest of the herd paid little attention to the orphaned calf. However, one young cow took exception and brutally assaulted the calf. The pillorying of this weak, injured orphaned calf was horrible. The young cow forced him away from the herd.
I was looking for bison calves last week at Elk Island Park, They hadn't arrived yet but I did see this handsome gull:)
Continuing in random mode, I picked this shot of a Plains Bison cow her perfectly contented calf for today's post.
We found them in Custer State Park, South Dakota.
Bison cows are fiercely protective of their calves. This little calf seems to feel very secure and comfortable next to its mom. Predators such as bears and mountain lions are present in Custer State Park but they don't normally prey on bison calves. With protective bison moms weighing in at up to 1,000 pounds, the predators prefer safer prey like deer.
After ten years of regular trips to the TGP, this was our first mid-day visit.
We typically arrive early morning, as the bison are more active feeding the first two hours after sunrise.
The herd was about 1/4 to 1/2 mile deep occupying/crossing the road and about 3/4 mile wide.
This was the largest group for us to view after dozens of great trips to the TGP.
Fortunately there was a few dozen 2025, red, newborn calves in the herd.
We even saw a couple tourist cars get captured in the road.
First year bison calves can get a little rough at the end of the nursing season when the mother's milk start to dry up. This calf kept forcefully head butting mom's udder, enough to make her jump. Amazingly, she didn't get angry and try to chase the youngster away.
Bison calves tend to be born from late March through May and are orange-red in color, earning them the nickname "red dogs." After a few months, their hair starts to change to dark brown and their characteristic shoulder hump and horns begin to grow.
Yellowstone National Park
Wyoming USA
We were hoping to see lots of new bison calves during our visit to the badlands and Custer State Park in South Dakota. But we were a few days early for prime viewing. In fact we didn't see a single cow or calf in the badlands. They prefer to find secluded places out of the public eye for birthing. When the calves are a few days old the moms are less cautious and calves are easy to find, many times very close to roads in the park.
Luckily, during our day in Custer State Park, we did spot a few cows with calves but they were a substantial distance from the road. We slowly walked in their direction to get a little closer but being very careful not to disturb them. Finally I had a decent photo op of a calf nursing...still pretty far away but as close as we felt comfortable approaching.
This calf was only few hours old, evidenced by the fresh umbilical cord and the afterbirth having not separated from the cow. Hopefully it isn't disturbing to anyone to see.
Bison adult and calf encounter @ Minneopa State Park, central Minnesota. Imaged 18 July 2023. Other: Bison calves have the nick name 'red dogs' regarding that reddish tint to their hide.
Visitors: Feel free to explore my photostream & albums for various seasonal pix of wildlife/scenics/florals.
Bison calves and mothers photographed at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge on the morning of April 17, 2021.
Two Plains Bison calves, watched over by the mother of at least one - possibly both - appear unsure about the thing that has rolled to a stop close by. That would be my Toyota car blind, of course, and I believe that most wildlife view it as some form of strange noisy beast, maybe a big red cow. I didn't linger long. The Grasslands bison are habituated to people and cars, so a longer encounter is within acceptable limits, but I had been shooting for most of the day and was tired.
Winter light. Prairie light. Mix the two and you often get something very special. It helps to not mind the cold. I often find myself procrastinating about going out to shoot in the cold, but I have never regretted an outing, so it's really all about motivation.
Sometimes I have to trick myself: "I know there'll be a badger today!" Usually there isn't, but then I find something else. The important thing is to get out there, see what's being offered, and respond accordingly. If not a badger, maybe bison; if not bison, maybe hoarfrost; if not frost, maybe the way the late light hits the curve of a snowdrift at the edge of a coulee. The next week or so will be devoted to keeping an open mind and finding something to shoot when there's really no plan or goal.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 2020 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Happy Tatanka Tuesday. I can't take credit for this photograph unless guiding counts. When out watching the red dogs (bison calves) in the early morning, I set up my camera settings and handed it to my friend Wilson for him to use while I worked with another camera. He shot and framed this curious calf quite nicely. Way to go Wilson. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, June 2024
Best viewed large. All rights reserved
Another shot in my bison rut series. Two more after this one.
The youngsters in the bison herd put on quite a show, mimicking all the adult rut activitty, including the flhemen response, head butting and, as seen here, mounting. They were a constant source of fascinating and entertaining behavior.
The Elk & Bison Prairie at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area is a gated 700-acre preserve featuring elk and bison that can be viewed from the comforts of your vehicle. As you drive down the one-way loop through the prairie, you'll see beautiful native grasses, trees, small streams and landscapes as the land looked hundreds of years ago. During the spring months, you'll see new bison calves huddling close to their mothers. In summer, the prairie grasses and flowers come alive. Breeding season begins with the bulls become more aggressive. Fall months bring the unmistakable "bugle" call from the elk as they holler out for their mates. There's nothing quite like the sound a bugling elk makes!
Elk (like the female seen in the photograph above)are the second largest member of the deer family behind the moose. The elk in the prairie originated from Elk Island National Park in Alberta, Canada. Because park officials frequently test the health of the elk herd, they are able to offer elk to other states for release into the wild. Only bulls have antlers. They shed them each spring to grow a new pair. Antlers can grow up to one inch a day and weigh up to 40 pounds. Elk spend most of their day in cover (like above) and graze in late afternoon or evening.
-- Technical Information (or Nerdy Stuff) --
‧ Camera - Nikon D7200 (handheld)
‧ Lens – Nikkor 18-300mm Zoom
‧ ISO – 800
‧ Aperture – f/7.1
‧ Exposure – 1/50 second
‧ Focal Length – 300mm
The original RAW file was processed with Adobe Camera Raw and final adjustments were made with Photoshop CS6.
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11
The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the following link: www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/
This completes the current Bison set - moving backward from old age to fresh and new (although people coming late to these three pics will see them in reverse order of uploading - which, of course, is the normal progression of any creature through life).
Every winter I see a few red calves, indicating later than usual births. Bison calves are red at birth; the coat gradually turns darker as they grow up. Although they must be extremely vulnerable at this stage, they have a fearsome mother to nurture and protect them, and - very important - in this park, no predators. In some places, wolves or grizzlies will take down a bison when they can; here, the apex predator is the coyote, an animal much too small for that dangerous task. I've found several dead bison over the years, and they were all mature bulls that died shortly after the midsummer rut, suggesting they were gored and fatally injured in a fight for the right to mate.
The herd I was watching this day had at least three red calves, all of them cute as can be.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2020 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Bison on the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve, Oklahoma.
The left side of the road is dark as the result of the controlled burn on the Prairie. The right side of the road is typical vegetation and grass for the Autumn/Fall.
Please press L for best view. Thank for viewing.
The Elk & Bison Prairie at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area is a gated 700-acre preserve featuring elk and bison that can be viewed from the comforts of your vehicle. As you drive down the one-way loop through the prairie, you'll see beautiful native grasses, trees, small streams and landscapes as the land looked hundreds of years ago. During the spring months, you'll see new bison calves huddling close to their mothers. In summer, the prairie grasses and flowers come alive. Breeding season begins with the bulls become more aggressive. Fall months bring the unmistakable "bugle" call from the elk as they holler out for their mates. There's nothing quite like the sound a bugling elk makes!
Elk (like the male seen in the photograph above)are the second largest member of the deer family behind the moose. The elk in the prairie originated from Elk Island National Park in Alberta, Canada. Because park officials frequently test the health of the elk herd, they are able to offer elk to other states for release into the wild. Only bulls have antlers like the one above. They shed them each spring to grow a new pair. Antlers can grow up to one inch a day and weigh up to 40 pounds. Elk spend most of their day in cover (like above) and graze in late afternoon or evening.
-- Technical Information (or Nerdy Stuff) --
‧ Camera - Nikon D7200 (handheld)
‧ Lens – Nikkor 18-300mm Zoom
‧ ISO – 800
‧ Aperture – f/7.1
‧ Exposure – 1/50 second
‧ Focal Length – 300mm
The original RAW file was processed with Adobe Camera Raw and final adjustments were made with Photoshop CS6.
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11
The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the following link: www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/
Yellowstone was filled with new life last week, with much of the bison's land free from snow and new grass available. In one herd we spotted nearly a dozen new calves. At one point we drove out to West Yellowstone, and on the way back, we met a procession of 60-70 bison in the other lane, headed west. We stopped with other cars to watch them pass by, mothers, babies and bulls staying neatly in their lane until they passed out of sight.
The Nachusa Grasslands is a 3,800 acres (1,500 ha)[1] restored tallgrass prairie near Franklin Grove in Lee County and Ogle County, Illinois. It is managed by The Nature Conservancy staff and volunteers.[2]
History
Prairie restoration in the spring
Most of northern Illinois was tallgrass prairie at the time of statehood in 1818. In the ensuing century, the vast majority of this prairie was plowed up for arable farmland.[3] A Nature Conservancy planning process, aimed at building a restored tallgrass prairie ecosystem in Illinois, commenced in 1985; the first major land acquisition of 400 acres (160 ha) occurred in 1986.[4] By 2022, the total current acreage had grown to over 4,100 acres (1,700 ha).[1][2]
In February 2020, a fire destroyed the site's pole barn along with much of the equipment used to care for the preserve.[5] The replacement plans include expansion to allow more space for convening volunteers, partners, scientists and community leaders.[5]
Bison reintroduction
Bison in enclosure at Nachusa with Illinois Nature Preserves Commission sign
The Nachusa Grasslands planning process called for running up to 100 American bison (Bison bison, also commonly known as "buffalo") on approximately 1,500 acres (610 ha) of the preserve.[6][7] Thirty bison from the Wind Cave bison herd were released in October 2014.[8] This was the first conservation herd in Illinois.[9] The bison were added to the approximately 700 species logged at the prairie. In April 2015, free-range bison calves were born, adding to hope that the Nachusa herd could be managed so as to be self-sustaining.[10] As of July 2015, 14 calves have been born at Nachusa.[11] By 2023, the summer herd size was 120-130 and the winter herd size was 90-100.
The Nachusa Grasslands is a 3,800 acres (1,500 ha) tallgrass prairie conservancy located near Franklin Grove in Lee County and Ogle County, Illinois. It is managed by The Nature Conservancy staff and volunteers.[1]
Most of northern Illinois was tallgrass prairie at the time of statehood in 1818. In the ensuing century, the vast majority of this prairie was plowed up for arable farmland. A Nature Conservancy planning process, aimed at building a restored tallgrass prairie ecosystem in Illinois, commenced in 1985; the first major land acquisition, of 400 acres (160 ha), occurred in 1986.[2] More acreage has been added to create the current open space of 3,800 acres (1,500 ha).[1]
The Nachusa Grasslands planning process called for running up to 100 American bison (Bison bison, also commonly known as "buffalo") on approximately 1,500 acres (610 ha) of the preserve.[3] Thirty bison were released on the Nachusa Grasslands in October 2014.[4] The bison were added to the approximately 700 species logged at the prairie. In April 2015, free-range bison calves were born, adding to hope that the Nachusa herd could be managed so as to be self-sustaining.[5] As of July 2015, 14 calves have been born at Nachusa.[6]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nachusa_Grasslands
Here is a interesting video..
From the 2021 crop, beautiful day on the Prairie. Check out those teeth, perfect!
Best view, please press L.