You can't flyfish in a buffalo herd...

This weeks cover picture and quote was interesting and a deja vu for me and probably a lot of others on here who have fished YNP.
A few years ago, fishing the Madison in YNP about 6 bison started walking toward my spot. I don't know if they were in rut but it didn't matter. Debbie was already in the car honking the horn and I wasn't far behind. I might be crazy but I ain't stupid.
After getting in the car and snapping a few pics we observed other fishermen along the river packing up and skedaddling for safer places. Jim

I know talk is cheap ...
But let me say standing my ground against a bison does not seem as threatening (I might be able to "buffalo" him),
as one of those hump backed furry monsters ... who every now and again like the taste of fly fisherman!

A friend and I were fishing the Yellowstone River just above Nez Perce Ford (formerly Buffalo Ford) several weeks ago. He was sitting on a log beside the river waiting to see if a cutthroat would rise again that had been feeding a short time earlier when a large bull bison walked behind him, not a dozen feet away. I was fishing a short distance downstream and saw the bison ambling along behind him, as did the dozens of tourists who jammed the roadway with their cars stopped in the middle of the road, apparently unaware that they would soon see a few hundred more bison a couple miles farther up the valley. The big bull was unconcerned about either my friend, or the tourists, and continued to amble along as if he hadn't a care in the world.

Incidentally, me friend and I have both caught several nice cutthroat over 20" long there this summer, and my friend tape measured one that was 24". Still very few fish there in the river this summer, and I had really hoped we'd see more with all of the efforts to reduce the lake trout population in the lake.

Buffalo may appear to be big docile cows but 40+ years of experience in Yellowstone National Park has told me that it is better to give ground than to stay put and see if they just ignore you. This is especially true during the rut that occurs in August and early September in Yellowstone. You don't need to be terrified when you see them but just be alert to their presence. If they start moving in your direction my advice is to go the other direction. You might encounter 90 docile ones but the 91st one may just decide that he would like to give that puny human a thrill. I saw an orney old bull cave in the front end of a VW bus with just one swipe of its head. Better safe than sorry.

This year at the IFFF Fly Fishing Fair in Livingston I bought some fingerless gloves for winter fishing. They are made out of the under fur of Buffalo. So soft and yet so very warm. Looking at that photo of all those Bison, I think of all that tying material, the dubbing from the under fur...........how to collect it is a bit of a problem. Maybe they would like a good wire brush back scratch? :)

Larry ---sagefisher---

You folks do know there is a difference between Bison and Buffalo.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ducksterman

You folks do know there is a difference between Bison and Buffalo.

---

Yep. Bison doesn't have enough syllables to fit the lyrics of the song? Or is that NOT what you meant?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Royce

Yep. Bison doesn't have enough syllables to fit the lyrics of the song? Or is that NOT what you meant?

---

Good point!

They don't like it if you try to rollerskate in the herd, either.

Having watched what they could do to a pickup truck, I would NOT be tempted to stick around to see if they'd ignore me. They are totally fascinating animals.

In the US of A, Bison and Buffalo refer to the same animal. Even Webster's refers to them using both names. But, I would not want to be real close to either one, that is for sure. :)

Larry ---sagefisher---

I had several encounters with them last year in YNP. one day on the Yellowstone there was not a Bison in sight. then within the hour about 30 of them decided to cross in the spot I was fishing. I tell ya no respect. I gave them some room. I figure a large animal with the brain the size of a baseball needs it's space.
a couple of days later on the Soda Butte I had a large herd just staying cool in the shade. they were on a bluff about 15 above me so it was interesting to watch and I figured if they start moving they would have to go 200 yards down river to cross.

I just remembered my first posting on FAOL on 9-16-08 was titled BISON HAIR FLY and tells a story of YNP and buffalo hair. Jim

Just watch this...but of course these kids were just stupid...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXfAYvMrDnE

Bowfin ~ leave to some kids to stir the hornets nest! (LOL)

Some time back, somewhere, someone posted a video of some people along a road looking downward at the side when all of a sudden two kids scrambled up that side with a black bear in hot pursuit, especially after one boy who dove under a parked car to escape the critter! Luckily someone had some bear spray right handy that sent the bear on it's way. Have no idea what those kids were up to and the video nor the poster did say what had gotten the bear "angry".

Sure don't mean to steal Cheffy post here on the bison, but reminds me of a fall fishing trip some years back into Canada where we were warned of rutting male moose. The word was never mind the bear, watch out for the male moose!