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Icon Of The Prairie

After being slaughtered to near extinction, there are now sizeable numbers of Plains Bison on various prairie landscapes around North America. To me bison are the most iconic species in the prairie ecosystem.

 

Here's how James Page refers to photographing them in his book, "Wild Prairie".

 

"...But this prairie icon can be a dangerous beast. Equipped with my longest telephoto lens, I took a walk on the wild side of a big bison bull...It is possible to share common turf with most animals, provided you respect their fight-or-flight distance, which is different for each species and for different individuals within a species. Careful observation is required. There is little margin for error. I kept back 300 feet or more, allowing the solitary bull to become aware of me in increments."

 

James' book and his wonderful work posted here on Flickr has given me an appreciation for the prairie that I never would have had otherwise.

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Uploaded on April 13, 2025
Taken on May 1, 2021