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February 10, 2006
The Problem of Bison
I cannot count the number of times that my extracurricular activities have been modified by the presence/movement/mere existence of bison in my still short career at Yellowstone. I've occasionally attempted to look at the hairy, stinky, foul smelling creatures with a semblance of affection. I mean, they are a little bit cute, in that glazed-empty-gaze kind of way. Then, instincts are gratefully roused as I consider the injuries that these creatures can and do inflict on humans. They have short tempers, they are not smart, they are big, and they are fast. If you don't believe me (or if you do), you've got to watch this, it'll knock your socks off. In any case, mindful awareness of bison is critical here at Yellowstone.
Back to the main topic (ME, duh!), bsion have so far affected my life many times. Here are a few entertaining examples:
1) Day 1 at Yellowstone. My movers are carrying my mattress into my new house, and the mattress incites a rioutous reaction from a bison who seemed to be at a safe distance. The bison charges in what seems like just a moment, but the movers are in my house before damage can be done.
2) Ever heard of a bison jam? This is where a narrow 2-lane national park road is blocked by what seems equitable quantities of bison and tourists. The bison don't want to move off the road, in fact, they use roads as thoroughfares. The tourists are elated at their upclose bison encounter. Typically, you'll find me at the back of the traffic jam with the engine shut off because no one's moving anywhere soon. Talk about an interesting commute to work.
3) I interacted closely with a bison during an after-dark run. I came close to running smack dab into the sucker. That would be bad, very bad. In any case, such attempts at darkness runs have been curtailed since then.
Is the picture becoming vividly clear? Additionally, my last post indicated that we met closely with a bison on a recent cross-country ski trip. Avoiding the bison meant traversing through a heavily wooded forest in waist deep snow. Well, basically that means rolling, pulling, pushing, and squeezing one's body parts in manic movements to make forward progess. It was rather comical, but all for a mangy bison.
And then, finally, there's today. All day I looked forward to running in Gardiner, MT. There are many reasons to run there: it's 1000 feet lower elevation, it's warmer, it's flatter, and there are dirt roads and trails. When I got to my normal starting point, I was greeted by hundreds of bison. I kid you not, they were everywhere. I picked down a trail for a short distance until I came too close for comfort to a group of the big guys. Then I tried a dirt road, same problem. My run in Gardiner was reduced to 2 miles. Instead, I had to return home to finish running. It's humorous in one sense, and ridiculous in others.
While I'm keenly aware of the quality of this rant, I'm also keenly aware of how lucky I am to work and play here. Who gets to have the life I do? Very few people. In fact, most people pay good money to get to Yellowstone. Me, I get paid to be here. I like the sound of that! So, yes, I'm entirely greatful for my life. Could they just tie up those bison?
Posted by Meghan at February 10, 2006 1:16 AM
Comments
The guy getting thrown up into the tree really got your point across about why someone might want to keep their distance from a bison. Hopefully there's enough room for all of you, so you can do your runs safely!
Posted by: Alison at February 10, 2006 8:03 AM
don't you wish there was a bison 'dazer' like they have for dogs? just push the button when you get close to one and it'll just move out of your way.
be safe!
Posted by: jeff at February 15, 2006 11:00 AM