Winter on the Great Plains can be pretty harsh. The cold and snow create conditions inhospitable for us bipedal creatures. The American bison though has lived and thrived here for thousands of years and are certainly built to handle it.

After a snowstorm last month, this cow at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal was covered in snow and while she can handle it, I don’t expect she enjoyed it much. 😉 

It used to be we called these buffalo but that actually was incorrect. While they are part of the same family that includes the European and African buffalo, the bison is its own, distinct species.

It is believed they were called buffalo by early North American explorers due to their resemblance to the Old-World species. Native Americans call them Tatanka, a Lakota word that translated means “bull buffalo.”

With Denver’s latest snowstorm winding down, this big guy was wearing the remnants of his night on the Great Plains.

The herd was on the move this past Saturday, crossing the road at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. This gave me the opportunity to get some nice closeups as they walked around my truck from one grazing area to another.

I imagine that they, like us, are getting tired of the cold and snow and are ready for spring to begin in earnest.

What she really thinks of him. Notice how she waited until his head was turned. 😀

A fun shot of this American bison pair recently. They were actually quite amorous with each other, copulating a couple of times and then hanging out together afterwards. I suspect there will be a calf in their future before long

That sun had to feel really good after the cold and snow the past 36 hours had brought to the plains. Certainly, these guys are built to withstand the harsh, winter weather but you know it isn’t easy.

Just the day before I had photographed this same guy lying down, caked in snow, waiting for the storm to end. Sunday, with it finally over, he was up and about, pushing aside the snow to get to the grass underneath.

The landscape was absolutely gorgeous in its new blanket of white that stretched from the plains to the Rocky Mountains 20 miles away. Taken at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge near Denver, Colorado.

The morning this was taken a couple weeks ago saw me capture some of my best bison pics ever. The action shots got the most of my attention but I have to say, this is one of my favorites too.

The young “red dog” calf was walking with the herd, oftentimes jumping and running just like you would expect a kid to do. At one point, it stopped and watched as a big bull came walking by. I happened to capture the scene, with the little one seeming to look up to its elder.

The calf is starting to change colors to its adult, brown coat, and was the only true calf among the herd. In the coming months though, I would expect there will be a whole new batch of calves to watch.

Captured with my Canon 6D Mark II and Tamron SP 70-200 f2.8 Di.

What a fantastic display of the power of this American icon! As a recent snowstorm wrapped up, the bison were extraordinarily active, seeming to relish the cold and snow.

These two bulls put all that energy to work attempting to one-up each other. Back and forth they battled for 10 minutes, pushing each other through the fresh snow. It was tons of fun to watch these 1,000+ pound creatures battle!

It used to be we called these buffalo but that actually was incorrect. While they are part of the same family that includes the European and African buffalo, the Bison is its own, distinct species.

It is believed they were called buffalo by early North American explorers due to their resemblance to the Old-World species. Native Americans call them Tatanka, a Lakota word that translated means “bull buffalo.”

What an absolutely thrilling encounter this was! The bison at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge are a favorite photo subject of mine. However, they have a lot of land to roam there so it can be hit or miss as to whether or not you even see them.

Yesterday, as a snowstorm wound down, it was a definite hit. The snow and cold had them feeling quite invigorated and extraordinarily active. Among the highlights were five bulls that were having great fun running around chasing each other. These big guys can actually run up to 40mph and they put their athleticism on display.

At one point, they were running on the opposite side of some trees and then turned, coming right at me. All I could do was ‘pray and spray’, furiously snapping pics as they came charging through the snow. It was absolutely thrilling! Perhaps a bit disconcerting as well given their size as they passed only a few feet away. 😉

Kind of a different, fun capture. I have a vision in my mind for a similar, better shot but have yet to get it. This is the closest I have come. The bison were east of me, into the rising sun and with temperatures in the teens, their breath was creating clouds of vapor. I underexposed the shot leaving little more than a silhouette of these impressive creatures of the plains.