Coming Home to Custer

Returning to Custer, South Dakota, always feels like coming home to us.  We have spent time here most summers since our first visit in 2010, first at Broken Arrow RV Park, and for the last several years at Custer’s Gulch RV Park.  We love the Black Hills, and are enjoying roaming through them again.  This is a view from the 3.5 mile walk we take in the forest adjacent to our RV park.

A few days ago we took a drive up the Needles Highway.  We stopped for a look at the Needle’s Eye, 

then headed for the narrow tunnel into the interior of the park.  

There was a small traffic jam in the tunnel; at first we couldn’t see what the problem was.  Then a car moved and we saw two beautiful mountain goats blocking traffic.  John and I were excited, because although we have heard CSP has a population of mountain goats, we had never seen them.

They were licking the walls of the tunnel, perhaps to get salt from the rocks. 

We tourists had a field day taking photos of them.  They were not at all concerned about people or cars…or even Rue and Kota peering out the window at them.  I guess they aren’t “dog broke” like sheep or cattle who are accustomed to taking orders from stock dogs.

And speaking of wildlife….  Since we have been coming to Custer, we have frequently traveled a few miles east to Rapid City.  Coming and going, we have passed Bear Country USA. on the outskirts of Rapid.  We always dismissed it as “just another tourist trap.”  However, this year we were camped beside a couple who were effusive in their praise of the attraction so we decided to visit.  We weren’t disappointed.  There aren’t many bears in the Black Hills, at least not roaming wild, but there are plenty of them in Bear Country.  

We arrived on a cool, cloudy morning and began our drive-through tour in the elk pasture.  We saw this handsome fellow lounging beside his shelter.

From there, we proceeded to the reindeer enclosure, where this one was busily cleaning the velvet from his antlers of velvet in preparation for the fall rut.

It looks painful, doesn't it!

His larger friend had completed this task, and there were only a few scraps of skin still clinging to his rack.  

Depending on the source, the reindeer is either a “close cousin of” of a "mostly-domesticated version of" the caribou.  They are handsome animals.  I read that, in the summer their hooves become sponge-like to give them traction on the arctic tundra.  In the winter, they shrink and tighten, exposing the hoof rim which can cut through ice and snow and allow them to forage.

There were bighorn sheep, too.  I thought this one looked especially wise.

A couple of mountain lions were napping in front of their den.

But then there were the bears…and bears…and more bears!  My camera could only capture some of them, but I counted 24 in this group alone.  All of them are black bears, even though some are brown or cinnamon colored.  They were feeding together on what appeared to be snacks of hamburger buns, hot dogs, and lots of carrots, which appeared to be a favorite.  

The timber wolves share the bear habitat and the treats they were enjoying.  The wolves were wary of the bears, but I didn’t see any hostile contact.  The bears just asserted themselves if they wanted the food and the wolves were careful to stay out of reach.  

The bears and wolves also have access to a lovely water feature.  Several bears were enjoying it while we visited.

The entire habitat is well-kept, lush and inviting.  Enclosures are spacious, with plenty of shade.  

Trees and logs were scattered about, and the bears appeared to have their favorite spots.  Everywhere we looked were dens and sheltered areas where the animals could escape from the sun, weather or each other.  If you couldn’t be a wild bear or wolf, this would be a pretty good gig.

After we finished the driving tour, which also included sections with bison, pronghorn and deer, we parked the car and did the walking tour.  There was an enclosure for a grizzly bear, but we didn’t see it.  The rest of the exhibits were for smaller animals that are native to the area.

The badgers were small and active. I barely had time to focus and shoot before this one scurried away.

A pair of ground hogs were sunning outside of their den.  They are also called woodchucks, and I have never seen one except on Ground Hog Day when Punxsutawney Phil is brought out to predict the end of winter and coming of spring.

This inquisitive fellow is anything but exotic.  The raccoon is ubiquitous, and in the eyes of many a real pest.  This one was so beautifully posed, though, that I couldn't resist a photo.

Among the other animals were these beautiful lynx, 

And the bobcat couple.

A pair of coyotes were having a friendly tussle.

The red fox was quite striking.

These three timber wolf pups were almost grown.

And I don’t want to forget the bear cubs.  These six little cuties were all born at Bear Country.  We were told that when born they were the size of “a stick of butter.”  They remained with their mothers until three months of age, then they were removed and hand-raised because of the danger that they would be killed by the male bears.  They were a little too large to be cuddly, but they were full of energy and very entertaining.

We enjoyed seeing all these animals, especially in habitats so spacious and well-cared-for.  It’s not the same as seeing them in the wild, but nevertheless worth a visit.