Pronghorns at Custer State Park, South Dakota

These Pronghorns were spotted in the gorgeous Custer State Park, a South Dakota state park near Custer, S. Dakota.  We drove along the “Wildlife Loop Road” in the large park.  These deer or elk-like herd animals are not antelope as many people have referred to them as.  There were several small groups of the handsome large Pronghorn roaming free (this is not a zoo), along the road and off in the distance.  These are grazing animals that eat grass and grains.  The males have a distinctive set of “Pronged” horns , which in my mind, resemble a cross between antlers and horns.

I took these pictures on June 11, 2014 in the park.  I also later saw several Pronghorn in Yellowstone National Park the next week.  There additionally were many sightings along the highways in South Dakota and in Wyoming.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  By the way, in the next few blog series, I will be highlighting various wildlife seen while I was out West in South Dakota and Wyoming.  I hope you will enjoy seeing the photographs I took.