On Saturday, November 15, 2008, I got the opportunity to tour The Nature Conservancy's Tall Grass Prairie just North of Pawhuska, OK. My companions were Joe Woolbright (fearless leader), Joe Neal ( fearless birder), Leigh Helm, Beau Long, and his son Taylor. The preserve was in the middle of their annual Bison roundup. The herd is approximately 2,600 animals that roam free on 23,000 acres. The Nature Conservancy owns about 39,000 acres and has 6,000 acres in adjoining easements that make up the preserve. As I said the herd usually roams free and the Preserve is open to the public. It is the largest remaining piece of virgin tall grass prairie in North America. A significant amount of research happens on the property mostly in association with the University of Tulsa and Oklahoma State. The spring and summer offer excellent opportunity for viewing native prairie wildflowers and anytime is great for seeing bison in a wild environment. This is a must see!!!!

This group of about 300 bison is being pushed into the corrals so they can be worked. Conservancy staff and local cowboys check each animal as well as get their weight, vacinate, other injections, and separate the individuals they are going to sell. Each animal carries a unique computer chip attached to its ear for identification. Each calf also has some of its tail hair pulled for DNA testing to maintain the purity of the herd.

This individual was one of four that were able to escape the round up. The rest of the herd will return soon.

Genevieve and Joe Villines have reopened the old Villines Store in the Boxley Valley. They have a number of local artist displaying their art. They have photography, paintings, pottery, and jewelry. They are open on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm from mid February to the first of December. They were gracious enough to allow me to display some of my pics. I have some matted 8X10s (11X14 matts) and 11X14s (16X20 matts).

Recently the Nature Conservancy Staff in Fayetteville received a call, from a young man in Yellville, concerning an unusual crawfish that he had found in a creek. Mike Slay, Karst Program for the Conservancy collected the crawfish to determine it's species. I had the opportunity to photograph the crawfish Friday, November 8, 2008. We had the crawfish in a small aquarium with a black plastic background to keep him close to the glass. The cave crawfish is a male and Mike will use DNA analyses to determine if it is a known species or a new type of cave crawfish. The cave crawfish has no pigment or eyes. It was pretty cool to have the opportunity to take his picture.

The Nature Conservancy hosted a hike and picnic at Smith Creek on Friday, October 31, 2008. I got to Boxley Valley before daylight to shoot the elk. The valley was pretty foggy, but there was a small herd near the highway close to the Ponca put in.

The field day was to start at 10:00. We had about 15 come for the hike. The stormy weather stayed away until we were through hiking the creek. However, a couple of friends and I were spending the night at the creek and a couple of other friends were coming Saturday to hike the creek. Rained until about 2:30, but still had time to set up camp before they arrived.

Saturday we were on Hedges Overlook before sunrise and had a spectacular sunrise along with the colors in the Upper Buffalo Wilderness. The valley was too foggy for elk pics, eventhough a small herd was close to the highway. Back at the creek as we were waiting for the others to arrive, the Ozark Society showed up with 31 people to hike the creek. I have never seen so many people in the creek at the same time. These folks were real hikers. Most of the time we hike an old logging road that follows the creek and take short walks to the creek. These folks walked the entire distance from the sink hole to the springs in the creek. My hat is off to them. Very nice group. Also, had three fellows from the Eureka Springs area hike the creek. We had a nice visit at the springs.

I am trying to find an inexpensive place to rent in or near the Boxley Valley. If anyone knows of anything, please let me know. Just someplace to sleep, fix a meal, and able to be heated, nothing fancy.