I took a drive east, going through Loess Bluffs NWR in northwest Missouri, doing a few drone jobs in Nebraska and Iowa, inspecting an investment property in Sioux Falls, then coming back through the Badlands and Black Hills. It was sort of a walkabout prior to knee surgery on Dec. 1, just a way to get out of the house and prior to impending temporary infirmity.

I originally planned to fly this trip through Omaha to use up a plane ticket, but with the federal shutdown I drove it instead. In addition to allowing me to add the Badlands and Black Hills stops, I was able to bring my big 500mm lens and a tripod. It also enabled me to bring home a few things from Menards, which doesn't have a location in Billings. Going through the Menards in Sioux Falls reminded me of how lame the Home Depot and Lowes in Billings are.

It was a little early for eagles at Loess Bluffs, and it was cloudy, but I got a few images. Maybe the best shot I got was of a little frog that I almost stepped on getting out of the truck to look at the geese.

Loess Bluffs frog

I got a few bison images in Badlands National Park, and saw some pronghorn outside the park. Droning is illegal inside national parks, but not outside, so I got a drone image of a pronghorn herd somewhere in western South Dakota.

Loess Bluffs frog

Droning is legal in Custer State Park, so I buzzed around the wildlife station for a shot of it and the surrounding bison herd. The bighorn sheep in the park were particularly cooperative, hanging around the State Game Lodge for lots of photos, not just by me but several other well-equipped photographers.

Custer Bighorn