Showing posts with label Sharptail Prairie Grouse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sharptail Prairie Grouse. Show all posts

Sunday, September 30, 2007

On to North Dakota

Sunday,September 23rd, time to pack up the cavalier again, heading out from the cozy little town of Keystone. During our stay we caught this impressive mountain top home over looking all the goings on in the valley below. It is said to be a private residence presently. Speculation has it that the owners may turn it into a resort in the future.Mountain House(click for larger image) Heading up to Rapid City to reach I-90 west came before sunrise. The route took us from Sturgis up Highway 79. We found the landscape switching from wide open prairie to farming,to combination. My eyes pealed as we traveled; scanning the territory for wildlife. Caught wild turkey feeding in the backyard of a homestead north of Sturgis. Previously we had seen some groups of turkey down by Rockerville and in the Custer State Park. Saw antelope grazing on the range by themselves, with the sheep,in the cow herds and became one of the horses running in the wind. ;) They seemed to be everywhere!Antelope on the Range(click for larger image) The prairie dogs haven't moved this far north yet...Thank goodness. Prairie Dogs(click for larger image) If you decide to travel this route, be prepared for lack of services and facilities close to the highway. Getting closer to the southwestern border of North Dakota we began to see road ornaments that were unfamiliar. Learned that the most frequent one was called Prairie Grouse,either sharptail or prairie chicken. At one point in our travels we almost had the opportunity to bag our own via the "Prairie Chicken crossing the road." ;) A group of 6 thought they needed to fly in front of us. Onward to Jamestown,ND...