12/18/2025
Happy Holidays from everyone at RitzHolman!
This year's holiday photo and story by Andrew C. Holman, CPA.
Sunset on the Prairie
Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
Osage County, Oklahoma, 2025
This year I visited a large natural prairie near Pawhuska, Oklahoma called the Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve where The Nature Conservancy protects 2,000 wild buffalo (American Bison) inhabiting 40,000 acres. During my visit, I had amazing views of large numbers of bison and magnificent grasslands.
For years I have been tirelessly searching and hoping to find a place where bison roam on natural prairie. Much of the Great Plains have been converted to ranching and farming, so it is challenging to find natural prairie areas that support herds of bison.
On my last night in Pawhuska, it was cloudy and overcast when I decided to take one last look at the preserve in early evening. As I approached the preserve entrance, the clouds began to lift while the sun started setting. It revealed the perfect backdrop to a view I had longed to see. Roughly 100 bison were packed in a tight circular herd feeding on prairie grasses. As the bison moved farther away to continue feeding, I had a lone view of an unforgettable sunset. At twilight, I looked toward the horizon and witnessed a long line of hundreds more bison coming to join the herd. My bison quest was fulfilled!
