I’ve taken a lot of bison photos over the years. My frequent trips to the Niobrara Valley Preserve have given me extraordinary access to bison in an expansive and gorgeous landscape – something I’m very grateful for. I’ve had one big gap in my bison coverage, though, which is that I have almost no photos of bison in snow. Until now.
While Kim and I were on our holiday break adventure at the Niobrara Valley Preserve in late December, I finally got the chance to hang out with some bison in the snow. As the multi-day snow storm was winding down, I ventured out with the pickup one morning and came upon a small group of bison. The weather was frigid and gusty, but the overcast skies were starting to break up a little and the snow fall had lightened up considerably.
When I first approached them, the bison trotted off over the hill, but not like they really meant it. I let them settle back down and then edged closer with the truck until we reached a tacit agreement that I’d keep a certain distance if they’d resume their grazing. We kept that up for about an hour before I finally backed slowly away and left them quietly munching away in the hills. It was a serene and gratifying experience. I hope you enjoy this selection of photos from that morning.
The Prairie Ecologist 
These are wonderful! Thanks for sharing Chris~
Beautiful!
And I’m used to seeing them all raggedy with part of that winter coat gone, but here they still have the whole coat and what beauty! Thanks!
Excellent photos! I have always had a special affinity for bison.
Great! I can almost smell them.
Well done Chris, love the image and the write-up. Sounds like an amazing preserve.
You’d think they’d all be alike, but look at their different topknots. Thanks.
Love the close-up individual facial expressions. Each bison seems to be responding to your presence in a different way, and letting you know what it is.
Chris, you have done it again. The wisp of frosty breath, the stare down gaze and the uniqueness of each is captured as if we were there witnessing these massive creatures.
What an experience to see them in the snow covered prairie landscape!
Thank you so much 😊
Chris, thanks so much for this, and every post! We are not getting the snow in Missouri the way you do or the way we used to, so it’s a treat to see these giants in the cold. Gratefully
Beautiful photos but the middle group photo is smashing! the way the grass hummocks and the bison humps mimic one another is texture and color is brilliant!
Wow, you sure have awesome experiences! I enjoyed sharing in this through your awesome photos!
Beautiful photos!