SUMMER CHRONICLE
  Summer is a time of growth in the prairie -- the long, warm days signal prime growing season for everything from elk and bison calves to prairie grasses. Some of our grasses are nearly two feet high by July, and will be eight feet high by early September.
Breeding season for bison is from mid-July to October. Bulls are especially aggressive at this time; if you're visiting us in person and come across bison, be careful and stay in your car! Bison may look docile, but they are easily provoked.
Our elk herd separates into summer groupings at this time: bull elk separate into "bachelor" groups, while cows and calves form protective "nursery groups." A bull elk's antlers grow phenomenally fast at this time -- up to an inch a day.
Biting insects are a nuisance to both elk and
 bison in the summer; both species will "wallow" in dust or mud to protect themselves. A bison wallow can be more than 15 feet wide and a foot deep. If you visit us in person, be sure to watch for these tell-tale signs of wildlife.
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