That’s not a race you’re gonna win, ponies. 🙂
I rolled up to see a couple of bands grazing below the road just moments before the little resident herd of pronghorns (there are about 20 or so hanging out together and very visible in Spring Creek Basin lately) made *their* presence known (to me, at least). But as the pronghorn bucks and does started moving up the hill toward the horses, high spirits in both species kicked in, and all I had to do was aim and hold down the shutter button!
Pronghorns are fascinating mammals – the fastest in North America. While they are numerous in many parts of the West, they’re NOT so numerous in western Colorado, and because of that, they’re not hunted here. Seeing a group of 20 is a cool sighting of a fairly big group (most of the rest of the year, they’re in much smaller groups). Also very fun to see: pronghorns racing along with the mustangs!
Pretty soon, I think curiosity took over on the part of the horses (or they *knew* they weren’t going to win any races!), and they stopped to watch as the pronghorns sped past.
If you’ve never seen pronghorns on the run, you’re really missing out. Even at what for them, I imagine, is a relaxed pace, they’re fast. And seeming effortless!
Each group eventually disappeared from my sight … but pretty soon the horses appeared again, coming toward my area of the hill as they grazed. When I walked out a bit, I saw the pronghorns, settled down in a group, napping and grazing. This human was feeling the peace. 🙂
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 