Indiana Nature Notes for July

Questions, so many questions…and one for you!

At Kankakee Sands, as we delve into all the layers of the natural world, we have so many questions! University students and our own TNC staff are helping us to answer some of those questions through research. This year alone we have research underway on vegetation, butterflies, birds, bees, Franklin’s ground squirrels, bison…

And we know that our visitors to Kankakee Sands have questions, too! How many calves are there? What was that lizard I just saw? Did I just hear a bobwhite quail? Luckily, we have a dedicated group of volunteer Bison Rangers who are trained, prepared and excited to greet visitors and answer any questions visitors may have.

Our bison rangers have experience with many aspects of our Kankakee Sands conservation work, including seed harvesting, invasive species removal, native plant propagation, trail hiking and hosting outreach programming. If you have questions, they have answers!

Mary Kay Emmrich

Rangering allows me to meet new people, share the area's history, learn about plants and bugs and critters, and talk about bison. I have been in awe of bison since they were brought to Kankakee Sands 10 years ago! I rangered one Sunday several years ago, and the bison were simply magical that day. The whole herd was near the fence line, easy to view, playful—doing all the bison things I knew about but had never witnessed. I was just as amazed as our visitors!

Chrysta Walker

I enjoy visiting with people who stop by, answering their questions, plus sometimes helping them to see the world a bit differently. My favorite memory was when the herd was moving past the fence. One of the bulls stopped to stare at me. He was beautiful! I wonder what he thought of me?

Stephanie Ferguson

Sharing my love of nature with youth groups that pay us a visit is my fave! Sharing fun facts about the bison and then watching them light up with wonder is absolutely pricess! Youth are our legacy for keeping this thing called stewardship alive, and I’m always honored to play a part in shaping future leaders! One of my most memorable experiences while rangering was witnessing the herd of more than a hundred walking out of the north pasture in a single file; it was a quiet moment as they all marched slowly past the east overlook. Then all of a sudden they all began to pick up speed and began running. These massive animals kicking up a long trail of dirt and dust as they went by. At that point the stillness of the moment turned into the thunderous sound of hundreds of hooves as they raced to the other side. It was a beautiful, awe-inspiring sight that I’ll never forget!

Come on out for a visit to Kankakee Sands to experience the beauty and awe-inspiring bison, and bring those questions! If you have questions about our Bison Ranger program, please ask our rangers. Perhaps you’d like to be a bison ranger, too?!

The Kankakee Sands property is free and open to the public, every day of the year, from sunrise to sunset. See you soon!