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Bison in Snow: December 19, 2008

The first time I saw the bison in the snow at Broken Kettle Grasslands, I wasn’t sure what I was looking at. They blended in so well because the snow covered them. They were lying fairly close to one another and they looked like brown tree stumps sticking up through the snow.

Clearly the bison are well insulated and hardy. They are completely unfazed by the weather. In fact, bison generally face into the wind unlike cattle that will try to get out of the wind. The bison easily move up and down the hills. They have been eating snow for their moisture intake. And now, their mineral consumption is way down.

We’ll be opening up the other pasture right around Christmas Day to give them some more space – another 125 acres. We don’t want them to get bored in the first pasture. The exact timing will depend on the weather. Check back in a few weeks for pictures of them in their larger space.

Happy holidays from Broken Kettle Grasslands.

Other Entries:

• First Calf Born: (April 20, 2009)

• Trap Pasture: (October 28, 2008)

• More Rain: (October 24, 2008)

• Arrival (October 23, 2008)