Jen Shoemaker Photography & Art

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I realized I never posted about a very exciting and yet scary moment last summer, August 2025 during my visit to Custer ...
05/25/2026

I realized I never posted about a very exciting and yet scary moment last summer, August 2025 during my visit to Custer State Park. It was at the beginning of Rut Season and I was photographing bison in the Custer Wildlife Loop. Things were starting to get spicy between the bulls trying to catch the eye of the ladies in the herd.

I was standing up in my Jeep with the top down when a fight started way far off in field between two bulls. I thought...whew, luckily I have a zoom lens. It got closer and closer...and closer!
These fights usually didn't last too long before one of the bulls gave up.

There was an SUV behind me and one of the girls was standing up in her sunroof recording it. Next thing you know it is coming right up behind her SUV and she ducks down into the truck. It then crosses the gravel road right behind her SUV and up onto the embankment and keeps pushing toward my Jeep along the embankment. I'm frantically clicking away, so excited and can't believe how long and far this fight has gone on for.

Now it is right next to my Jeep across the gravel road on the slight embankment and so close I can barely get any photos with my zoom lens because they are just too close. They are maybe 10 ft from me when finally they end!

My heart pounding, thinking...OMG I can't wait to see all the shots I just captured...the winner suddenly turns and breathing heavily...looks right at me...as I'm still standing up in my Jeep. I slowly look away and sink back down into my seat as to not upset him or appear to challenge him in any way. He walked toward the tail end of my Jeep and passed within a foot or two of my rear tail light. Wow! So exciting and scary all at the same time.

So here are some of the shots I got in order of taking them. Honestly, I don't even know how they were clear! I was so frantic! 🤣

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Excuse Ma’am! Do you have any carrots?🥕 As I was taking photos of a couple b***os taking Siesta‘s under a tree, I sudden...
05/24/2026

Excuse Ma’am! Do you have any carrots?🥕

As I was taking photos of a couple b***os taking Siesta‘s under a tree, I suddenly felt a little nudge at my back. I turned around to find this little cutie!
She was being so polite asking for a carrot or two 🥕🥕 motioning for the back door of my Jeep where she seemed to know that my cooler would be stored.

This was definitely the most polite , sweet b***o in Custer State Park! ❤️

How could I resist that face? 🥰

***osofcuster Black Hills Travel South Dakota Custer State Park Custer, SD

These silly little Cinnamon babies also known as Red Dogs, were so entertaining to watch. What little troublemakers the...
05/22/2026

These silly little Cinnamon babies also known as Red Dogs, were so entertaining to watch. What little troublemakers they were! 🤣

They were playing in the water puddle then rolling in the dirt, chasing each other around and taunting the mother's who were just trying to enjoy a little peace and quiet.

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Meet little Nutmeg🥰as I have named her. Last Saturday evening was my last night in Custer State Park after spending 9 d...
05/22/2026

Meet little Nutmeg🥰as I have named her. Last Saturday evening was my last night in Custer State Park after spending 9 days photographing the beauty of this amazing park when I came upon a small herd up on Oak Draw in the Wildlife Loop. As I watching the herd slowly meander toward the sunset sinking over the hills, I noticed a tiny little bison, a cinnamon or red dog. But this little one was different than the others. Much smaller than any I had seen all week and not the cinnamon color like all the others, but a darker, nutmeg color.

I watched her intently as she tried to catch a nap but Mom kept encouraging her to move with the others toward the hills. When forward progress would slow or stop, she would lay down again, her tired little legs didn't want to carry her any further. Then Mom, again would nudge her to get up and move onward.

I watched her until she moved up into the shadows of the darkening hills and I couldn't find her in crowd of bison closing in to protect the young from the scary things in the dark.

A perfect ending to my trip to Custer, SD and a little one I haven't been able to stop thinking about all week. I hope my little Nutmeg grows big and strong!

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Last night as the sun started dipping behind the mountain, I came upon a small herd of bison up on Oak Draw. This littl...
05/17/2026

Last night as the sun started dipping behind the mountain, I came upon a small herd of bison up on Oak Draw. This little one lay in the field among the giants and a few other cinnamons. Much smaller than the others and the others...Maybe her name should be Nutmeg?

Her mom stayed close to her, snuggling with her and cleaning her. Still a few signs she was pretty newly born. I watched for a long time as the last burst of sunlight lit the field up brightly with an orange glow and then shadow as it dipped behind the black hills.

The herd meandered upward to higher pastures and the little one scurried along with another cinnamon, learning the ways of the herd, staying close to her mom.

My heart melted a little watching her wander into the night shadows with her family, knowing she is free to roam and hope and skip with the other little ones. I hope she grows up to be big and strong and will be a good momma someday too to carry on that lineage for future generations to come. 🦬

Places like Custer State Park are such a blessing!

You can order Prints of these and more of my photographs at https://everlastingmemoriesphotography.client-gallery.com/gallery/wildlife/baby-bison-nutmeg

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Omg!!!! I just got my dream shot!!! My heart is beating out of my chest! Watch for the final edit later! 💓💓💓💓
05/16/2026

Omg!!!! I just got my dream shot!!! My heart is beating out of my chest! Watch for the final edit later! 💓💓💓💓

Meet Patches, Custer State Park's first baby B***o of the 2026 season! He is a little bored without any playmates yet, ...
05/16/2026

Meet Patches, Custer State Park's first baby B***o of the 2026 season! He is a little bored without any playmates yet, since he came a little earlier than usual.

If you have been to Custer State Park before, you know about the "Carrot Tax" and the famous Custer B***os are the Tax Collectors! This one guy may have looked lost in the middle of the road but HE KNEW...it wouldn't be long until people would come flocking and taxes would be paid! 🥕🍎🥕

It was perfect timing, as a huge car club came through and many had convertibles and no way to get around rolling up the windows! 🤣🤣🤣

I had a little alone time with Patches and the b***os before everyone got there to capture some sweet moments between this baby and momma.❤️

Travel South Dakota ***o Custer, SD

Last night was a dream!!! After searching for the elusive group of bachelor big horn sheep, I finally found them in an...
05/14/2026

Last night was a dream!!! After searching for the elusive group of bachelor big horn sheep, I finally found them in and the moment didn't disappoint!

These big boys grazed in the field in front of the looming wall of steep cliffs that they use for shelter, as darkness crept in. Dark rain clouds coming in from the west, so no sunset.

I will not forget this evening anytime soon!

⚠️Cuteness Overload Ahead! Your Heart will melt at how sweet these Prairie Dog Babies are!!! ❤️ I couldn't get enough ...
05/14/2026

⚠️Cuteness Overload Ahead! Your Heart will melt at how sweet these Prairie Dog Babies are!!! ❤️

I couldn't get enough of them!
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What a whirlwind it has been so far in the Black Hills! I've tried to edit but I figured it was more important to captu...
05/12/2026

What a whirlwind it has been so far in the Black Hills! I've tried to edit but I figured it was more important to capture the photos while I'm here and I can always edit when I get home! But...I wanted to share a few photos along the way!

On Saturday, I got to meet one of the most talented photographers, Callie Andrew Wood Burning and Photography Made By Callie who I've been in awe of her photography of the mountain goats in Spearfish Canyon on Facebook.

We hung out all afternoon in the Canyon watching the mountain goats and it was so amazing!!!! These beautiful animals KNOW just how beautiful they are...they pose for photos every chance they get! 🤣 We even had one of the little guys come down the embankment, cross the road and walk right at us...passing just feet from us and then head down to the stream.

Here are a few photos from that day! What a dream come true! Thank you Callie!!! 🥰

Travel South Dakota Spearfish, South Dakota

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Ramsey, MN
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