October 27, 2007

Buffalo Gals at the 2007 Buffalo Roundup

The 21st Annual Bison Roundup on Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake ended on Saturday, October 27. Actually, most of the action was over by last Thursday afternoon. The big herd was gathered and corraled on Wednesday - 525 head. There were three groups of strays and breakaways that needed to be rounded up on Thursday - leaving the rank bulls until Friday or Saturday - when helicopters are brought in to bring them them in. I arrived Wednesday afternoon and camped with my horse Target to the light of a big full moon. Next morning I met up with some riders I knew and some new friends. We headed over a ridge looking for a bunch of about fifty head - cows, calves and bulls that had broken from the big herd the day before - and that had charged horses and riders in making their escape.

Two of us caught up with them before anyone else managed to find them. We began working them over a rise in the direction of the drift fences and corrals. The bulls took off in the opposite direction. We headed off the cows that wanted to follow - but a couple were as rank as could be. One in particular charged me and my horse at least five times. Having a mad mama buffalo come at you with her horns and head a shaking is something you don't easily forget - especially when you and the buffalo have made eye contact. I made the comment that these critters are twice as rank as range cattle - I was corrected - no it is closer to five times. They are just wild animals - pure and simple. You have to be on your guard. But it sure is a lot of fun getting in on the action. As we worked the herd, some more riders came up the ridge and pitched in. It was chaotic for a few minutes as the herd split in two, but eventually we got them into the drift fences and then into the corrals.

There were moments of fast riding and scenes reminiscent of a Frederic Remington or Charlie Russel painting. The image of a rider named Rondo Ericson chasing a three big bulls down a draw at full speed and then me taking up the drag and working them with him is something I will always remember - the actual experience overshadows anything any artist could ever paint. The speed of horses, the pounding hooves of both horse and bull, the heavy rhythmic breathing and snorting of the buffalo . . .

There is a group of trail volunteers on the Island - all good riders who all worked the roundup and then organized a moonlight ride for anyone that wanted to go. We spent some enjoyable minutes together at a trail crossing. I couldn't resist the urge to mention them in this entry as the Buffalo Gals - which by the way is the title of a popular folk tune about Buffalo, New York - but these are the real deal. Here below is the text of the song. There are some photos of the gals and the roundup in an adjacent post - don't miss them. By the way, follow this link for a You Tube video of the first day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBFBUK3QkJI (With thanks to Cynthia Furse)

Buffalo Gals

Buffalo Gals, won't you come out tonight,
Come out tonight, come out tonight.
Buffalo Gals, won't you come out tonight
And dance by the light of the moon.

As I was walking down the street,
Down the street, down the street,
A pretty little gal I chanced to meet,
Oh, she was fair to see.

Buffalo Gals, won't you come out tonight,
Come out tonight, come out tonight.
Buffalo Gals, won't you come out tonight
And dance by the light of the moon.

I stopped her and we had a talk,
Had a talk, had a talk,
Her feet took up the whole sidewalk
And left no room for me.

Buffalo Gals, won't you come out tonight,
Come out tonight, come out tonight.
Buffalo Gals, won't you come out tonight
And dance by the light of the moon.

I asked her if she'd have a dance,
Have a dance, have a dance,
I thought that I might have a chance
To shake a foot with her.

Buffalo Gals, won't you come out tonight,
Come out tonight, come out tonight.
Buffalo Gals, won't you come out tonight
And dance by the light of the moon.

I danced with a gal with a hole in her stockin',
And her heel kept a-knockin', and her toes kept a-rockin'
I danced with a gal with a hole in her stockin'
And we danced by the light of the moon.

Buffalo Gals, won't you come out tonight,
Come out tonight, come out tonight.
Buffalo Gals, won't you come out tonight
And dance by the light of the moon.





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