Buffalo Roundup

     We got up early enough to actually feel a chill in the air (though it didn't last.) Mitch advised us all to wear jeans because of the bugs. By 6 am we all loaded up to head to the stampede. We watched the sky change from the darkest blue to a brightening gold in layers on the horizon until the brightest almost fuchsia neon pink sphere appeared. By the time we made it to North viewing area (almost two hours later because traffic was a slow long line in the park) it was daylight, not a cloud visible in the sky.

 

     Before the event two different locals mentioned that we would actually feel the ground rumbling . When Mitch first saw the line of cars we were joining, he joked “Is this a buffalo roundup or a car roundup?” We all had ideas of what we would see at this new to us occasion.  We found a good spot to spread our picnic blanket and open Grandma and Grandpa’s chairs. Em quickly made friends with a 9 year old girl named Cici, also homeschooled.

    Cici's Mom shared that they live near here, and she also shared a little about what all is done today. She said only the Mom and baby buffalo are in the round up, that there may be a few males in the round up, but they are allowed to roam. The babies are temporarily separated and branded S1 this year, S for state and the last digit of this year. The lighter cinnamon colored babies (look closely at some of the pictures) are two months old or less, their fur darkens quickly. There were two viewing areas; you can see part of the South side opposite us in the pictures.

     We didn’t feel the ground shake, maybe because we weren’t super close. They did run together at the end and even damaged the gate they were being directed through. Unexpected to us were a lot of SUVs out with the cowboys on horseback doing the round up.