Earlier this week I took a day off and the family drove up to Pawhuska, Oklahoma to visit the Tallgrass Praire Preserve owned by the Nature Conservancy. It was my third trip there in the last year but neither Sweetie nor SuperPizzaBoy had seen it before.
They have bison, lots of bison, all over the place.
They have grand vistas of sky, rolling hills, and trees.
There are also birds, including this (What I think is a killdeer?)
She was yakking at us. We must have been too close to a nest or something. We left here alone.
The Preserve, formerly a working cattle ranch, has oil wells, apparently existing in harmony with the bison.
And there were spring breakers photographing everything in sight.
Including each other
The preserve encompasses 39,000 acres much of it the bluestem grass that the bison love to eat. Here is a link to travelok.com with some more information and describing how to get there from where you are.
On the way home to Tulsa, well outside the Preserve, we came upon a prairie fire. It was spectacular.
It’s been dry and windy lately. Hey smokers don’t be tossing your butts out the window!
We also passed this ranch gate. We’re guessing it is to the ranch home of the Pioneer Woman. But that is just a guess. If you have never checked out her blog you need to. It is something else.
Wonderful shots of the bison. Your photos remind me of Yellowstone. Your bird is the Killdeer, they are pretty birds. Do you think the fire was started by people tossing their cig butts out the windows. I have seen it happen here before, i would not be surprised.
Love those bison photos. I will have to try and make a trip to the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve sometime
An Arkies Musings
How nice to see the prairies as they must have looked when the first European settlers arrived.
What a nice preserve and lots of bison. They do look bigger than the canyon’s beefalo. Sure hope the fire was under control.
I lived many years in SW OK and miss the rolling prairies. Those vistas are breathtaking.
What wonderful images! I just love seeing those beautiful bison.
Oh, and we take pictures of each other taking pictures, too. 😉 Sometimes I think we all have cameras growing on the ends of our noses.
Ha! i think i’ll come and stay with you for a while… 🙂 Great pics and yes The Pioneer Woman is something else indeed!
thanks
Leontien
The Preserve is a beautiful place. Last year a Killdeer built her nest right at the entrance to our driveway. Bless her heart, she was a nervous nilly at least a few times a day as we came and went. She just didn’t realize we wouldn’t hurt her nest for anything.
Now that is a great way to spend a day with the family. I would love to see the place, and will try real hard to do so. I have a hard time conceiving of millions of buffalo roaming at one time. And I use to go to the Pioneer Woman’s site, but kinda got away from it because it was almost the same thing everyday. But them my ADHD does things like that to me all the time.
That is spectacular!! Makes me wanna take a trip out west.
LOVE how you were taking pics of each other…too precious.
You guys are gonna have to adopt me. I feel like I’m missing out on tons of grand sights!
Have a great weekend!
What great photos for the day! I love the bison and it is like stepping back in time/history. So sorry to see the wildfires though, they can be so destructive! You guys are such fun to watch taking pictures of each other! Gives me a huge smile for the morning! Enjoy your weekend!
Sylvia
I don’t know what was more spectacular… the bison or the fire. Your photos brought out the best in both of them.
Thanks for the day out Yogi 🙂 I had a great time seeing the sights.
Sure enjoyed tagging along on your visit to see the bison… not something I see often. 😉 Looks like you had a fabulous day with great shots for souvenirs.
Amazing shots of those bison!
Great CC post! It’s a shame that we’ve lost so much of our native tallgrass prairie! Glad to see the Nature Conservancy working to preserve it! Love the Bison pics… they are among my favorite animals!
Looks like an awesome place to visit where the bisons run wild. What’s all that smoke in the background?
Looks like a fun, woodsy run… except for the fact plant, and maybe the energy drink.
The nap afterward was well-deserved, I’m sure.
I’m ashamed to say that I don’t think I have ever seen a bison! The first and second pictures are really cool, a piece of the wild wild West!