Yearn to Wander

We played tourist and drove through the refuge. It was a nice opportunity to photograph some big animals in their grassland habitats. Pronghorns, Mule Deer, and Bison were all happy to pose, especially since we were the last guests of the day.

The National Bison Range, part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, was founded northwest of Missoula, Montana in 1908 to preserve the nearly extinct American buffalo or bison. While it is a managed herd of 300 or so bison, they have over 300,000 acres with four habitats: grasslands, wetlands, forest, and riparian to roam. Our 19-mile tour took about two hours because the gravel road gained and lost 2,000 feet in altitude and was full of switchbacks, which required first gear and intense attention. If you want more information about the range et al, check out http://www.fws.gov/bisonrange/nbr/Aboutus.htm, or just enjoy the pictures.