Spend any time watching these massive beasts and you discover they really like to scratch themselves on things. In this case, a tree serves the purpose but I’ve seen them use fence posts, road markers and just about any other vertical object they wander by.

These massive animals were hunted to the brink of extinction in the 1700s and 1800s with as few as 750 reported by 1890. Their numbers have since rebounded with about 500,000 now living on public and private lands. This one was part of the herd at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.

Parents know the frustration of dealing with young kids and their runny noses. You tell them over and over to blow their nose and yet their sleeve and hands seem to be the go to solution for them. What is a Bison calf to do when in a similar situation? For them the tongue appears to work as well as a human child’s sleeve. Have a great day, everyone!

Yes, a Bison’s horns are primarily used for defense, but one side benefit of them is that they come in handy for scratching those places you can’t reach otherwise. 😉 ?

Probably one of my favorite pictures I have taken this month. This young Bison calf and its mother were stuck like glue to each other on a chilly morning a couple of weeks ago. I don’t know if animals have emotions in the human sense but it sure seemed like it as I watched them interact. The affection they displayed toward each other, dare I say love, sure seemed evident and heartfelt. Such a privilege to witness it.

Soft eyes, fuzzy fur and a face anyone could love. This American Bison calf was nothing short of adorable in my opinion.

While the rest of the herd was busy grazing, this young one seemed more interested in the guy with the camera in front of his face. It walked to within about 20 feet and just stood there, gazing intently as if to purposely pose. The bison was born this past spring and while it has grown considerably, it has a long ways to go to catch up in size to the adults.

These massive animals were hunted to the brink of extinction in the 1700s and 1800s with as few as 750 reported by 1890. Their numbers have since rebounded with about 500,000 now living on public and private lands.

Taken at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado.

I was fortunate enough to come along just as the bison herd at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal was ambling into the public viewing area yesterday morning. Soon I found myself surrounded by dozens of them which afforded me tons of photo opportunities.

This pair stayed side-by-side the entire time and truly seemed to have an amorous attraction. They would rub against each other, take turns licking their companion. Their calm and gentle interaction made one forget just how massive and intimidating these animals really are.

An interesting side note… I didn’t notice at the time but one of the female’s horns is considerably smaller than the other. I don’t know that I have ever seen that before as they are usually quite symmetrical.

This massive American Bison was walking with its herd at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge when it stopped in its tracks. It raised its head and did what is called the flehmen response – a curling of the lips and closing of the nostrils.

Many mammals do this and then inhale deeply allowing them to get a better sampling of a particular smell that interests them – kind of like a human taking a big whiff to smell something. You most likely have seen horses do this and I have seen deer and elk do it as well. This was the first time I saw a bison do it though.

In the background you see Denver’s famous ‘cash register building’, formally known as Wells Fargo Center. It is the third tallest building in the city at 698 feet high.

A very pleasant surprise this morning seeing this young one at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado, USA.

The herd just happened to be crossing the road when I came through and while all were impressive, I couldn’t help but be focused on this little one.  He / she is probably only a month or so old.

While Bison are born year-round, most come in the late spring.  All the other calves in the herd were born at about that time making this one a bit of a late arrival.

Why are new calves called ‘red dogs’  I have no idea other than their coloring.  Likely a nickname that goes back to the Old West.

Going through old pics I came across this one from New Year’s Eve 2013. The sun had just come over the horizon and I was facing east so it was tough to get decent pics. Despite the quality, it was a lot of fun to watch these two battle it out for 10 minutes. Have a great weekend and don’t labor too hard! 😉

Here in Colorado we actually had snow yesterday morning on top of Pikes Peak (elevation 14,114 feet). That isn’t particularly unusual but it is a sign of the change of seasons to come in the not so distant future. I figured I would mark the occasion by posting a pic with some of the white stuff as well.

This bison had been brushing aside the snow at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge to get to the grass on the day after Christmas last year.