Where The Buffalo Roam
First, let me start by saying that this is a true story which is still unfolding as I share these details with all of you.
@knarly327 and I moved away from the geographical area that we are originally from in 1995. Many of our family members still live in the same area where they were born. They never moved away (like we did).
Our Brother-in-law is no exception.
In fact he and @knarly327's sister still live on the same homestead that's been in my Brother-in-law's family for 7 generations. It's a 100 acre farm.
Originally, the land was used to grow crops.
Beef cattle, pigs and chickens were also raised to feed the entire family and any surplus produced was sold for cash. This let the family buy additional supplies and the things that they couldn't produce themselves like cane sugar and salt.
Our Bother-in-law has 13 other brothers and sisters.
In the early 1960s (when he was born) a family with fourteen children was still considered an average size for a family who farmed. Each one of the kids grew up learning how to produce and grow their own food and how to fish and hunt. Everyone did and these skills were considered basic life skills for the area, in that time period.
To This Day, Our Brother-in-law Still Runs A Deer Hunting Camp That Is Situated On His Family's Land
To hunt deer (in this section of Canada) a special license is required by law. This license is called a "tag" and usually (once a person pays for their yearly deer hunting license) they are granted a "tag" for either a doe (female deer) or a buck (male deer). The tags are randomly assigned and by law, if you're granted a doe tag (for example) you are only allowed to shoot a female deer. If you are caught by a Game Warden without a tag or with an animal that doesn't match your tag, or during a time that you shouldn't be hunting, you will be heavily fined. In addition, your guns and vehicle can be confiscated on the spot and you can even go to jail. It is considered quite a serious offense.
As deer hunting was coming to an end this year, our Brother-in-law was able to capture the photograph (below).
Normally, This Ridge-line Would Be Populated By Deer
Instead, the silhouette looked like a lone American Buffalo!
Yeah, everyone at the hunting camp concurred. It looked just like an American buffalo.
A few farms away (about 10 miles or 16 kilometers) there is a farmer who is currently raising a herd of American buffalo. Our Brother-in-law paid a visit to this farmer to inquire as to whether this farmer was missing an animal from the herd. The farmer reported that (in fact) he had lost the animal in the Spring but had written it off because American Bison can run really fast and it couldn't be caught or re-captured. Several attempts were made, but to no avail. The farmer was amused that the bison was still alive, but had pretty much wiped his hands of the animal out of pure frustration.
Next, our Brother-in-law spoke with the authorities. You know, just to find out where exactly they stand on "wild buffalo".
(I'm sure that's not a question, they field every day.)
He was told that no special license was required and that if the animal started destroying crops or became a threat, he would be well within the law to take action.
These are recent "trail camera" shots from close to our Brother-in-law's deer hunting camp.
I'm not an expert, but this looks like a 4 year old buck to me. Buck's have antlers and usually the number of points on their rack ( a rack is what a set of antlers is called) denotes how old the animal is.
This (on the other hand) looks like a young female American Bison to me. LOL!
Imagine the surprise one would have to know that you have a wild American Bison on your land!
I have no idea folks, what's going to happen to this beautiful animal. It's a bloody wonder it has even survived this long, considering it has had to learn to forage, find fresh water to drink and hasn't been shot or taken by wolves, coyotes or cougars.
I welcome your comments and I invite you to follow me on my journey... I will be very surprised myself if there is ever a dull moment. ;D
Merry Christmas Everyone!
May you each be blessed with peace, happiness and prosperity.
~ Rebecca Ryan
I would have been sos cared to get near one ! I remember I used to see deers and saw a bear two times in my backyard when I used to live upstate in the moutions and not I totally freaked out
I have seen a few wild bears in my life and it does make the hair on the back of your neck stand straight up!
Thanks for your comment @journeyoflife!
Anytime and merry Christmas :)
This is an amazing and interesting story and I hope the bison gets to enjoy it's life roaming around up there! Those are some amazing creatures, I hope the hunters give it a pass so that others can enjoy it's beauty and these little surprises of showing up on game cameras and on ridge lines.
As far as hunting regulations go, it sounds like there pretty much the same in both countries. I'm sure there's some differences but everything you said is the same here. Very serious penalties and you can lose all your shit!
Here's a quick funny story that just popped in my head. At one point when I was a patrol sergeant, one of the areas I would pass through was extremely populated with deer. We had spot lights all over our cars, especially on the top lightbar. It was very common to pass by a field and notice some eye's sticking out. At that point, I would hit my spot light to look at all the deer in the field. It was a habit more less. One night I did that and I noticed blue lights flashing behind me in the distance. I knew there was no emergency traffic in the area so I thought it was one of my suborniates wanting me to stop to talk or something. I was wrong. I noticed the vehicle was not one of our own police cars but a truck with blue lights. Once the truck caught up to me he turned his blue lights off. We both pulled over in to a church parking lot (I'm confused as hell as to who this person is and what he thinks he's doing.) He was a game warden and he had a remote controlled decoy set up in that field trying to catch people spot lighting lol. Well, he caught me spot lighting for sure! I was amazed at how realistic that damned deer looked lol.
Wow! That's a great story. Can you get charged for shining spot lights on deer at night time?
I've never heard of that as a game offense.
I suppose this practice could make poaching deer easier...?
YES! If you're doing it for hunting purposes though. Shining a light in their eyes causes them to pause and stare in to the light.
Interesting story we have here. I have lived my whole life in Metro cities. So, have never encounter these type of thing ever in my like. But i would be scared as shit if this happened to me.
That is very interesting Rebecca. When I grew up as a kid in Southern Ohio.
Even though I roamed the woods for miles and had seen many different small game animals. I never saw one whitetail deer in all those years.
Now of course. They are nearly as common as cows in the country I grew up in.
Imagine what I would have thought if had seen a buffalo back then?
Since I have been known as one that talks a lot. That would have put my mouth in overdrive. Ha ha
Great post Rebecca. And thank you so much for the greetings for all of us.
Surely everyone will send your greetings and blessing back to you.
Thank you.
Francis
Isn't that incredible! Not one whitetail and now (as you say) they are a dime a dozen, it seems.
One of my neighbours (who lives less than 5 miles from me) had a 21 point, deer taken on his land. I saw the picture and that Buck was massive. I'd guess, easily 600 lbs and in full rut, I might add.
Now that's some power.
These animals are not taken for sport. They feed people.
I don't know if deer and buffalo can mate. I guess we will find out in the Spring. LOL!
Let's get our friend the buffalo through winter first. I didn't know you had wolves in the area.
(Hey Francis. It is Canada here.)
OK. Enough said.
If there are other buffalo in the area or nearby. That is likely where it will make it's home.
Francis
Well, you would think that would be the case. It seems like this buffalo has chosen not to go home to the buffalo herd and is preferring to live in freedom (I might add) with the deer. Who knew that they would be hard to catch? LOL! I just think that's funny. They're such a massive animal.
very intersting story...nowadays , in city life i dont remember when i saw a big animal (buffalo)....and i never saw a deer in my lifetime... these are completely extinct in my area..
We live out in the country and Canada has a lot of undeveloped space. There are lots of forests and fresh water lakes that support a considerable amount of wildlife. Many people have these trail cameras set up now and most photos are captured in the wee hours of the early morning. This is the first time that I have ever seen a buffalo that isn't in captivity. It is highly unusual. Thanks for your comment.
@rebeccaryan,
Wow this is an interesting story! I don't think this Bison will die in this winter time! Their bodies build to live in cold weather! So, this animal will survive! But the thing is what hunters will do to him/her! Better capture that animal and bring it to the farm!
Thanks for sharing this great article!
Cheers~
Merry Happy Chrustmas Rebecca mam...
Actualy I'm realy like and respect Ur ideas...
U give to us...more different posts every day...that is uncommon topic...
Wel done dear....
The Buffalo once roamed the land. Now they are considered a nuisance. Oh how things change.
It is a fascinating story. It is amazing that this animal is still surviving in the wild, considering that it once was domesticated. It just instinctively knows what to do and I'm guessing that it is now calling the herd of wild deer, it's new family. ;)
Female Buffalo needs a male to escape.
Very interesting story to read you posted @rebeccaryan. I think Its a Xmas gift @rebeccaryan gives to steemians.
I think so too @dragonking! It is such a gift to see one of these magnificent creatures living off the land.
@rebeccaryan, I read your whole interesting article. Main topic is stunning one "where the Buffalo" . You family have big farm those days. Buffalo is awesome animal around the world. Lot of hunters try to kill them for their meat. I hate hunters always. I know they did their hunting for live those familiar. But World has lot of jobs. Why kill animal and stay live?
I ask you now what happened yours biggest farm? have it yet?
Thanks for the article.
Thank you for commenting @mudushanka! I know it seems barbaric to still be killing animals for food. This bison is still alive and looks like it isn't starving in the wild. It has simply decided to eat what the deer are eating. Buffalos also have really thick coats, so I would think it can handle the cold winter temperatures and exposure to the elements. It is an interesting story. :)