CUSTER STATE PARK ABOUNDS WITH
WILDLIFE IN SOUTH DAKOTA
August 23, 2015
Custer is probably the best state park in the country we’d say. Located in the Black Hills it encompasses 71,000 acres (approximately 78 miles) of spectacular terrain and is home to an abundance of wildlife that roam free and protected. JR and I like to travel on the gravel side roads. They were clearly marked on the park maps, and circled through the center of the park. Traveling closer to early morning or towards evening we were able to see wildlife up close.
We did not see very many animals
from the paved road, but once JR and I took what Robert Frost refers to as the
road less traveled by (the dirt gravel roads) we are able to spot more wildlife
up close.
Our early morning drive along
the Wildlife Loop Road brought sightings of 8 pronghorn antelopes, a herd of
bison crossing the road, a hawk resting a top a telephone pole, mountain blue
birds, black birds, a coyote on the run, old lone bison bulls, prairie dogs
galore, and three white tail deer.
Late September 2015 marks the
50th Anniversary of the Annual Buffalo Round Up at Custer State
Park. Often bison drift into an area of their own. That is where volunteer
cowboys on horseback and park staff come into play. The number of buffalo the
park grassland can support depends upon rainfall and the available rangeland
forage. The park does not supplement their food. The annual buffalo roundup is
to allow for inventory to ensure the herd does not exceed 1,450 buffalo on the
range per year). The roundup has been in conjunction with the fall auction sale
to manage the size of the herd and to provide an opportunity to brand and
vaccinate the calves.
It must truly be a sight to see--- a herd of 1,300
buffalo rumbling across the plains driven by cowboys and cowgirls on horseback
into the buffalo corral complex. It takes one back to days gone by and lets
viewers catch a glimpse of old west history. “Rawhide, keep them doggies movin”,
the whips will crack. If we were still
here on the last Friday in September seeing 1,300 buffalos stampede would be
exciting.