Pronghorn in Prairie Dog Town: Throwing a big party……Taken a few miles outside of the Thunder Basin National Grassland.
Northeastern Wyoming is America’s Serengeti
There is so much going on here I don’t know where to start. The two dogs left center belly to belly instantly caught my attention. That action is what I cued in on in the camera. There is a lot of activities. Pronghorn walking about, trying not to step in a hole. The herd were more or less passing through town. I’m not sure what the attraction is with an area full of pitfalls. Many an animal has broken a leg this way. Running through here would throwing the dice. Sooner or later your going to fall into one.
This is a “ways” out with a long lens. There is NO way to get this kind of image if your anywhere close to the dog town. Even these guys know about sticking your head up with cars around. They get “educated” very quickly as people shapes are known to make boom noises. Those are followed by a crack or oblivion depending on the abilities of the rifleman.
Ranchers really don’t like the damage they do to the pastures. The denuding of the grass around the town is the obvious thing. Prairie Dogs can carry Bubonic Plague as well as fleas are a problem in certain places. They are very cute of course which doesn’t make it easier to deal with a prize horse that stepped in a Prairie Dog Hole going across a pasture. Unchecked, they will take over a field in a few years.
Location: Northeastern Wyoming near the Thunderbasin National Grassland. Campbell County Wyoming.
Title Pronghorn in Prairie Dog Town.