Nebraskaland Magazine
One of Nebraska’s great assets is the variety of animals that can be found when traveling from one end of the state to the other. Just as the landscape changes as one heads westward, so do the set of creatures one is likely to see.
Within a short drive from Chadron I have a fair chance of seeing pronghorn, mule deer, elk and the occasional swift fox or golden eagle. And, of course, one of the state’s most prominent media darlings, the bighorn sheep, makes its home in our butte country.
When it comes to wildlife viewing, June has been a great month for me. Tips and guidance from friends and coworkers helped me view and photograph a variety of the animals unique to this end of the state.
Bighorns enjoy the most rugged buttes and canyons of this part of the state – being able to scurry up and down steep canyons and buttes serves as a reliable defense mechanism and great entertainment.
If rugged buttes aren’t your style there’s the swift fox, which enjoys the sea of short grasses and rolling hills of which so much of our land consists. Watching swift fox pups play is something everyone should have on his bucket list. I wasn’t set up for video the day my son and I were watching the foxes play in Sioux County as a small thunderstorm was approaching, but did get a short clip with an iPad that might help set the scene. (You’ll want to watch at full screen if you want a chance to see the action.)
And, although northwestern Nebraska may not be known for its wetlands, we do have a few “puddles” that attract a variety waterfowl. I was certainly glad to see a flock of American avocets land near my blind at a small lake just before sunrise one morning this week.
Beautiful creatures, all.
A Frightening Takeoff
In order to see bighorns, sometimes you need to be willing to hike across those buttes and canyons they call home.
During a recent outing at Chadron State Park with Commission wildlife staff members Laura Woodrum, Rick Arnold and Todd Nordeen, I found myself climbing a steep canyon wall to get to the other side.
During the climb I popped my head over a ledge, only to see two beady eyes and a bald head within arm’s reach. With such an occurrence, it takes a person what seems an eternity to answer the question, “Exactly what creature am I dealing with, here?”
Before I could answer the question, the unidentified critter flapped its wings several times — beating me over the head while gaining enough clearance to fly away.
As the mysterious beast was flying down the canyon, I got a good look at it and turned to see the nice clutch of eggs on which the animal had been sitting.
The evidence proved my adversary to be a hen Merriam’s wild turkey that had previously decided to nest in the exact area that I chose to climb. With my heart still beating rapidly and images of flapping wings firmly imprinted in my mind, I made my descent and found another route up the canyon wall.
Of course, the photographer in me soon asked the question, “Why, oh, why, couldn’t a video camera have been strapped to my head during the encounter?”
We did manage to get close to some bighorns that day — four magnificent rams that seemed to be in much better shape than me.
