Big Bone Lick

T. David had a chance to visit Big Bone Lick State Park and was pleasantly surprised to discover a herd of bison.  The bison are part of an effort to ensure their continued existence in the United States.  These magnificent beasts once ruled the prairie, but indiscriminate hunting reduced their numbers to less than 1000.  Through conservation efforts and "captive" herds, such as the one at Big Bone Lick State Park, bison are no longer an endangered species.

For more great bison photos, check out T. David’s collection of photos of “The Bison Bunch.”

There’s a good reason the bison are kept in a gated area at Big Bone Lick State Park…

For the second time this year, a bison attacked a tourist at Yellowstone National Park.  On Wednesday around 11:30am, a 55-year-old California man was taking pictures of a bull bison that had wandered into the Bridge Bay Campgrounds.  The two were about 10 feet apart when the bison charged.

The man sustained a “puncture wound” to his upper thigh.  He was treated at Lake Clinic then transported to St. John’s Medical Center in Jackson, Wyoming.  His injuries are not life threatening.

Earlier this summer, a bison tossed a 50-year-old woman from Spain into the air.  She was talking on a pay phone at the time.

Bull bison can stand six feet tall, weigh up to 2,000 pounds, and run up to 30 miles an hour.  Bison can and will attack humans at any time, with or without provocation.  Bison are especially dangerous during the next few weeks because it’s their mating season. 

Yellowstone Park regulations require that visitors remain at least 25 yards away from most animals, and at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves.  Tourists who violate this rule can face a citation and fine, or of course an animal attack.

Story at Local News 8

Melissa is a homeschool mom to three beautiful children ages 12, 10, and 3.  They use Charlotte Mason’s educational philosophies of learning the natural, everyday hands-on life way.  They especially enjoy learning and growing together beyond the classroom doors in God’s amazing creation in nature.

On Wednesday they went on a very fun field trip with some of the other families from their co-op to Big Bone Lick State Park.  Their naturalist guide taught the kids three different sessions on bison, animal tracks, and survival in the wild.

Melissa was surprised to learn that bison are quite dangerous.  They do not like anyone or anything in their territory and will quickly charge to eliminate it.  And the fact that they can weigh up to a ton, run 40 mph (humans can’t run that fast, even Olympics competitors), and can leap over 6 feet, she wouldn’t want to get in their space.  Bison are primarily all muscle, and that is how they are so powerful.

 See more photos on Melissa’s blog

Jana took a bunch of nice photos of the winter foliage and buffalo at Big Bone Lick State Park.  Check out Jana’s entire photo set.

Check out the the Big Bone Lick photo galleries at the Cincinnati Enquirer:

In this Enquirer photo by Patrick Reddy, a herd of 17 bison roams a new 40-acre pasture at Big Bone Lick State Park.  The herd includes a 2,200 pound bull and three calves.  The herd was moved from an 18-acre plot that had been its home for about 15 years.

Big Bone Lick Bison photo gallery

Big Bone Lick gallery #2