The Kirchoff Prairie is a wild and wonderful place to see nature as Texas intended. One of the neat things is its constant change depending on the season and the amount of rain it receives. The Blackland Prairie of Texas is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the United States with less than 1% remaining due to row-crop farming and overgrazing. This soil is so fertile that, due to the prairie grass, it makes for fantastic agricultural land. However, it's fertile because of prairie grass...remove the prairie grass and you deplete the soil's nutrition. To bring back this vital ecosystem, many smaller farms, like here, are being restored with prairie grasses. Many actions are simulated to show what would have occurred in nature. For instance, while finding this geocache, you might see cattle grazing, which simulates the roaming herds of buffalo that were once prevalent in this area. Some areas are occasionally mowed, and the grasses sold, as feed for cattle. Turns out prairie grass versus standard hay is significantly higher in nutritional value for grazing and is actually preferred.
From this location, you can see a wide expanse of prairie grasses, specifically the Big 4: Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Switchgrass, and Indiangrass. Here is a photo of some clumps of switchgrass from later in the season after we've had a lot more rain. One of the great things about using Texas native plants is when the rains occur, the prairie explodes with growth.
Along with the rain, you might see thousands of wildflowers, such as indian paintbrush, Engelmann's daisy, day lilies, and yes, even bluebonnets. However, even when there is a profound drought, the prairie will still have occasional flowers because these plants have very deep root systems. One of the most welcome sites, that indicated the land was returning to native prairie, was the increase in native wildlife, such as Bobwhite quail, bobcats, armadillos, and dickcissels. Interesting to note is that dickcissel don't nest in boxes or trees. Instead, they build their nests about 2 feet off the ground in tall grasses. In this area, it is very common to see these birds nesting in the Spring.
Another very common bird you might see from this location is our mated pair of Crested caracara ( Mexican eagles). They will build their nest high in a tree from which they can overlook the prairie in search of food. In 2025, they built their nest straight ahead of this location, but without binoculars it will be hard to make out. However, you might see them flying overhead. Remember if you see one, always look for the second, since they are found together.
To provide water on the prairie, during times of drought, there are multiple guzzlers that have trail cameras set up to record wildlife. It is through these cameras that we see our family of bobcats, such as these cute kittens:
All of the geocaches are accessible 24/7 and are located outside of the property. However, visitors are always welcome to tour prairie, with prior arrangement. The site is designated an eBird Hotspot due to the vast variety of species that can be found. Cornell Lab eBird lists the property as KirchoffPRS and designates it as a "restricted access" Hot Spot. If you would like to collect a smilley, while also doing a bit of birding or nature walking, feel free to arrange a visit on the Kirchoff Prairie's Native Prairies Association of Texas website or just send a message to me through this forum. Please do not try and visit the prairie itself, if it has not been arranged, as the prairie is sometimes used for grazing cattle (including bulls) and various areas will be blocked off with electrical fencing to keep them contained. We hope you enjoyed visiting our magical prairie and feel free to share any pictures of wildlife you spot.
Please return the cache exactly as you found it so others can enjoy the hunt. There is enough room for small trinkets and trackables.