Bison Quest Documentary airing on the Sundance Channel October 8, 2009

I’ve promised so many people to “let them know” when I heard the Sundance channel would be airing the documentary that they shot up here at our ranch, that I figured I’d better get with it and put something on the blog. We just heard the definitive date – so here you go.  The actual full length documentary will air on Tuesday, 13 October at 8 pm (so the website says). The series is “Big Ideas for a small planet” and the episode is “Leisure”.  To see a little clip of it, go to the link and just click on the buffalo picture in the clips at the bottom http://www.sundancechannel.com/big-ideas/video/ They came last year to film us the day we got a huge snowstorm. Ironically enough, they were here for three days and the day after they left, all of the snow melted and we had gorgeous weather for the next month. If you don’t like the weather in Montana – wait five minutes. No kidding.

Pam

Helping a Bushy-tailed Woodrat (packrat) move out. September 26, 2009

Fall is a time of dispersal for many of our local wildlife neighbors.  So it came as no surprise when we started catching bushy-tailed woodrats (commonly known as packrats) in our live traps that we had set in the cook tent.  We knew we were getting visitors checking out the kitchen.  While we weren’t sure of the identity of some of them (though we have a better idea now – more about that in another post), others were leaving very definite “calling cards”.  Now, first let me make it clear that the packrat is adorable.  I don’t mean in a “mousy” sort of way, I mean in a “big eyes and round ears and fluffy tail” sort of way.  They register high on the cuteness scale.  And, as one guest was surprised to learn, “packrat” is not  just a made up name for people who collect things – it came from this furry critter, who will pack away anything they can get their adorable little mitts on.   But they have one overriding attribute that makes them an obnoxious tenant (aside from the fact that they make nests under the stove, run off with any item you didn’t nail down, chew holes in towels and potholders, and leave brown “pellets” everywhere).  They stink.  I don’t mean a mild, slight mousy odor.  I mean an acrid, sharp, and lingering odor that permeates anything associated with them.  That smell is absolutely and unequivocally not something you can live with.  So, as good neighbors do, we assisted our packrat family in relocating.

Packrat relocation 101: The move

Checking out the neighborhood.

Settling in (more like skedaddling, actually)

Finished cabins at Bison Quest camp September 6, 2009

Well, we finally finished the cabins between guests!   The last step was the chinking between the logs – so no more bugs getting into the cabins.  Now we’re gearing up for our September “internship” week where we get to put our guests to work for a few days before running down to Yellowstone National Park for an overnight tour.  Our first day of  “work” will be checking out, cleaning, and repairing the numerous bird houses, while hiking on the ranch.  We’ll let you know how that goes!  And we’re also going to do some fencing and clearing brush – even some burning if we get any rain (I LOVE to burn slash – bit of a pyro, I think !

The buffs check out the cabins and the guests check out the buffs!

Surrounded by the herd

Keeping Baby Safe August 17, 2009

Safe babies.

Really safe babies!

If you look at these two pictures, and you’re observant, you will see a common thread.  Look at where the babies are.   What you should be noticing by now, is that the youngsters are all grouped together.  And, they’re grouped pretty much in the middle of the herd.   Bison, like many herd ungulates, keep their young in the middle of the herd so that predators have to go through all of the adults to get at the calves.   Now if you were a bison calf, wouldn’t you feel safe with all of those buffalo tons of horns and hooves surrounding and protecting you!

Summer film crews July 25, 2009

You know, last winter we were complaining that the only time we ever got film crews is when it was snowing, but it seems that we were wrong.  We’ve had two film crews here at Bison Quest this summer and were so proud that we could show off our place when it’s full of flowers and greenery!  The end of June, we had Matt and his crew from Pure Life Productions LLC spend a few days with us and we were quite thankful that our wildlife and flowers all stepped up to the plate!  The whole crew kept exclaiming and ohhing and ahhing over everything they were catching on film and we just puffed up with pride.  Matt will be sending us a high definition promotional dvd as a “thanks” for being able to shoot here at Wild Echo, and we’re really looking forward to it.  They were a fun bunch and we really enjoyed having them – we’ll let you know when the dvd comes out.

We also had a visit from Flying Horse Communications, who were so impressed with the beauty of the ranch that they wanted to shoot here for a commercial.  We’ll let you know when that one airs as well!

Craig is interviewed by Pure Life Productions

Goshawk Surveys in the Black Hills July 24, 2009

I know a number of you have been on my case for not posting for the past few weeks.  But what’s a girl to do?  Believe it or not, there are still people in this world (and I’m one of them) who actually don’t have computer access every day of my life.  When we are in the midst of many of our wildlife surveys, we just don’t come across that many internet cafes.  Heck, we don’t even come across many cafes!  And, for those of you who would like to know what little critter keeps us so entranced, here’s a picture of a goshawk chick sitting in his nest waiting for the folks to come home with the chow.

Goshawk waiting for chow

Goshawk chick in the nest

Yellowstone Grizzly bears and Black bears and more grizzly bears and black bears July 10, 2009

We just returned from Yellowstone National Park where we had the pleasure of escorting some of our guests.  One of our guests was willing to get up early in the morning and go on a wildlife safari with us to see what we could find.  And look at the treat we stumbled upon!  Although we usually can find grizzlies, we can’t always find them so accommodating.  This fella was busy digging up roots and we had a blast watching him for about an hour.  After he left, we went a little further to find a young black bear eating flowers.  When we returned to the hotel to pick up the rest of our guests, they kidded us saying, “Ok, now find us a couple of bears during “decent” hours.”  And you know what was really amazing – we did (we won’t tell anyone that it was totally by accident, of course)!

Grizzly digging for roots

Black Bear youngster enjoying a flower salad

Coyote in the limelight June 10, 2009

I just went and picked up the remote camera yesterday.  One of our chickens had died (no, not TDC) during the winter and I had placed it down in one of our forested drainages to see what would come to it.  Well, we got lots of curious deer – most of whom are recognizable as the deer who frequent our yard – and one coyote in the limelight (or flash in this case)!

Coyote in the limelight - or flash

Our buck

Cabin up to the loft June 9, 2009

The cabin up to the loft floor.

Cabin continued June 8, 2009

More pics of the cabin as it goes up.  It’s moving  fast despite working around guests, weather and irregular material deliveries!