Big Bone Lick

PBS’ Nature Series includes American Buffalo: Spirit of a Nation.  Here is a brief introduction:

Buffalo were the lords of the prairie.  To European settlers traveling across America’s Great Plains in the early 1800s, the prairie wind was a constant companion: a gentle whisper echoing across the vast sea of grass that carpeted the center of the North American continent.

Sometimes, however, the rumbling of thunder could be heard in the distance, though no storm clouds could be seen.  Then the ground would begin to tremble, and suddenly the astonished newcomers would be surrounded by a thundering herd of hulking animals that stretched further than the eye could see.  The majestic welcoming committee made it clear that the settlers had, at last, arrived in the buffalo nation — a land where tens of million of American Bison held sway.

The NATURE program American Buffalo: Spirit of a Nation tells the sad story of how the buffalo nation was destroyed nearly a century ago by greed and uncontrolled hunting — and how a few visionaries are working today to rebuild the once-great bison herds.  It offers a remarkable portrait of America’s last significant wild bison herd, made up of a few thousand animals living within Montana’s Yellowstone National Park.  And it highlights the efforts of Native American leaders dedicated to bringing back the animal that once gave life to their tribes.

Episode Introduction
Order the Video from PBS

Big Bone Lick State Park has a minor problem thanks to frisky visitors who take the park’s name too literally.  Park naturalist Todd Young says that even though the name refers to the large animal bones found on the salt licks, people often stop at the park to enjoy some “inappropriate behavior.”

Big Bone Lick gets its fair share of flashers and suggestive pictures taken in front of its sign, but park officials have also caught some couples in the act.  “It does go on here,” Young said.  “If we ever see people doing anything they shouldn’t do, we remind them that it’s a state park and kids are around.”

Despite the occasionally naughty behavior, Young says Big Bone Lick is a “very fitting name.”

Story at FlashNews

The bison population in Yellowstone National Park continues to rebound after a massive die-off in the herd two winters ago.  More than 1,600 Yellowstone bison were killed in 2008 as they attempted to migrate to lower elevations in Montana in search of food.

The summer 2009 population show 3,300 bison, including 2,800 adult and yearling bison and 500 calves.  That’s up from a total of 2,900 bison at the end of last winter.

Animal control official capture and slaughter bison who leave Yellowstone park to prevent the spread of the disease brucellosis, which can cause pregnant animals to miscarry.  Unchecked, the disease can be devastating to the cattle industry.

Story at FoxNews
More National Park News

Get into the Halloween spirit during this frighteningly fun day at the park on Saturday, October 3, 2009.  Participants will learn how to turn cheap everyday items into spooky and scary Halloween decorations.  From these hands-on and how-to demonstrations, beginners and long-time haunters alike will absolutely freak out over these clever ideas to spook up your haunted yard or Halloween party.  There will be goodie bags and door prizes for participants.

Make-and-take projects include night eyes, PVC ever-last candles, and cobwebs.  Hands-on demonstrations include corpsing a blucky skeleton and making a cemetery fence.  You will also learn how to find cheap prop material and Halloween party ideas.

Contact Todd Young at (859) 384-3522 or todd.young@ky.gov for more information.

TheBassmaster95 posted a video on YouTube showing him fishing at Big Bone Lick State Park.  Here is his report:

“I guess fishing was just okay.  Not one of my good days though.  The bluegill in there are pretty small, as you can see.  The first time I went to Big Bone Lick State Park, I was catfishing.  Well, I thought the place was just abundant with catfish until I actually hooked what I thought to be a catfish.  It was a bluegill.  That was what had been biting my chicken liver.  So I decided to go bluegill fishing down there.  Like I said, it was a slow day.  I was using size 8 or 10 eagle claw salmon egg hooks.  They are a great hook for bluegill because they are so small.  Another good thing to have is a small bobber.  If you are fishing with a lot of bait stealers, you need to be able to detect those tiny bites that you can’t detect with a big bobber.  Some times your bobber may only be moving in a direction and you don’t even know that that is a fish biting.”

The Telecommunications Board or Northern Kentucky is featuring Big Bone Lick State Park, the birthplace of American Paleontology, in a free video called “Discover Northern Kentucky: Big Bone Lick Today.”

Discover Northern Kentucky is an award-winning documentary series that explores our Northern Kentucky neighborhoods from yesterday and today, our rich traditions, landmarks and historical places.

Watch the Big Bone Lick video