The Great Appalachian Valley is home to some of America’s greatest stories and legends. Today, the critters hunted by the likes of Davy Crocket and Daniel Boone still thrive in this little- known strip of wilderness. In the shadows of the mountain range, skunks, raccoons and coyotes are just some of the wild players who continue to embody a frontier spirit.

Within the hidden life on a farm, wildlife in America’s heartland often face a life fraught with risk and danger. In order to share the abundant ecosystem with farmers and their tools, caution rules for animals on the fringes: in the field, above the hayloft, and hidden under plow.

Northern Minnesota—the Land of Ten Thousands Lakes—is a lush realm of forests and wet bogs. But in winter, it’s governed by snow and ice. Timber wolves search widely with their powerful noses, while great greys— the largest owls in North America—plunge deep into the snow for a meal.

East meets Wild West in the Badlands of South Dakota. Herds of bison roam the grasslands—as much at home as the mustangs on a nearby mountain plateau. Pronghorn and elk test their antlers for the right to mate. Just like the frontier heroes before them, cowboys navigate this land of rugged beauty by horseback.

At America’s center, the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio Rivers combine their strength and transform into a juggernaut that splits the nation. Thousands of snow geese arrive with winter, and river otters hunt within breaks in the ice. Come spring, alligator snapping turtles emerge from the depths to lay eggs under the safety of night