WILDLIFE IN THE AMERICAN WEST By Cheri Kay Clifton

As western authors, we know that the settings are as important as our characters and plots. We want our readers to get a clear and vibrant sense of the western locations in which our stories take place.

One way I use to engage my readers and enhance the believability of my fictional books is to be sure to include the sights and sounds of western wildlife common to the story’s location, be it in the prairies, great plains, mountains, or deserts.

Below is a compilation of commonly found wildlife in the Western United States.

GREAT PLAINS & PRAIRIES:

American Bison

Pronghorn Antelope

Mule Deer

Black Tailed Jackrabbit

Whitetail Deer

Prairie Dog

Ferret

Coyote

Grey Wolf

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Badger

Golden Eagle

Prairie Falcon

Prairie Chicken

Western Meadowlark

MOUNTAINS ELEVATION 5000 & ABOVE

Elk (Wapiti – is a Native American word meaning “white rump)

Blacktailed Deer

Bighorn Sheep

Rocky Mountain Goat

Grizzly Bear

Black Bear

Mountain Lion

Bobcat

Wolf

Beaver

Porcupine

Tree Martin

Great Horned Owl

Peregrine Falcon

Moose

Mountain Cickadee

Downy Woodpecker

Mountain Jay

Western Bluebird

DESERTS:

Blacktail Deer

Pronghorn Antelope

Desert Bighorn

Antelope Jackrabbit

Coyote

Desert Woodrat

Mountain Lion

Jaguar

Desert Tortoise

Roadrunner

Trap Door Spider

Gila Monster

Harris Hawk

Common Raven

Quail

Desert Sidewinder Snake

Desert Iguana

Stink Bug

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Grab your reins and read the epic historical western romances

in the Wheels of Destiny Series.

Book 1, Trail To Destiny - A turbulent cross-country journey

of heated passion, bitter vengeance and a haunted

past lead Grey Wolf & Laura on their Trail To Destiny.

Book 2, Destiny's Journey - Family deception kept Jennifer O’Malley from marrying her first love ten years ago, West Point officer, Glen Herrington.  Now a Civil War widow, she leaves war-torn Richmond, determined to find her destiny.  She makes the long journey west in search of Glen, only to discover he is a notorious outlaw with a price on his head.