# Book Cliffs Bison



## wilderness_sid (Dec 4, 2013)

So I was wondering if anyone knows more about the bison that were transferred to the book cliffs. Seems pretty cool that the state is expanding the bison population and range. I've read too that there is a herd on the Unitah Ouray res. does anyone know how big it is and if and where it migrates off the reservation?


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

My guess is quite a few migrate off of the rez. I have personally seen over 50 (per trip) on several different trips through the rez and that's just the ones I saw. Not real sure of the herd size there, but the tribe has a round-up every year.

It makes sense that more will be seen around the eastern border/fringe areas due to the geography.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Round-up was between 230 and 265. All tested and ear tagged. I would guess as many as 50 were not rounded up, plus or minus.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

As I understand it, there are two herds out there on the Books public land. 

The first is on the Western edge of the Books and is the herd hunted by the tags offered by the DWR. You can look on the hunt boundary description for where they reside. These buff, by and large, have migrated from Ute lands, but are (relatively) permanent residents on public land now.

The second herd was introduced from the Henry mountains a few years ago. At least up to now, this herd has not had tags issued for them. They were released on public land. A friend of mine has found members of this herd twice this year and the herd looks good with a good mix of calves, cows , and some growing bulls. Many of this herd still have the radio collars on them, at least as of this summer. 

There is, no doubt, some intermixing of the two public herds and doubtless some go on and off the rez. as well.

I'm really curious when tags will be offered on the transplanted herd. Anybody hear anything about that?


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## wilderness_sid (Dec 4, 2013)

It's exciting to see more bison herds and that the bison that come off the rez are tolerated. Maybe I'll get a tag one day.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

I think the res will just round up any bison that gets close to their property and sell them off. They don't mind allowing the state of utah to feed them all summer and winter on state land but they don't want the public shooting them.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

Wouldn't it be wonderful to see 50,000 bison living in the wild in Utah? Seems to me that would be something that could easily be done in just a couple of decades.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

LostLouisianian said:


> Wouldn't it be wonderful to see 50,000 bison living in the wild in Utah? Seems to me that would be something that could easily be done in just a couple of decades.


Wont ever happen unless the cattlemen are forced out of business with their grazing rights. Only so much food out there, cant feed both. Thats why the Henery Mts herd is at a fixed size... cattlemen own the remainder of the grazing rights.

-DallanC


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

LostLouisianian said:


> Wouldn't it be wonderful to see 50,000 bison living in the wild in Utah? Seems to me that would be something that could easily be done in just a couple of decades.


I thought I read you had a biology degree.

Never happen anywhere in utah


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

swbuckmaster said:


> I think the res will just round up any bison that gets close to their property and sell them off. They don't mind allowing the state of utah to feed them all summer and winter on state land but they don't want the public shooting them.


Possibly, but to be fair, the tribe specifically donated a few head of buff that were put in with the Books buff transplanted from the Henrys and they were the original owners of the ancestors of the Wildhorse bench herd that we now can hunt.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

swbuckmaster said:


> I thought I read you had a biology degree.
> 
> Never happen anywhere in utah


Wildlife management degree and forest management degree. The state can easily support 50000 bison


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Catherder said:


> Possibly, but to be fair, the tribe specifically donated a few head of buff that were put in with the Books buff transplanted from the Henrys and they were the original owners of the ancestors of the Wildhorse bench herd that we now can hunt.


 Plus another 15 donated to the DWR with this years round up.


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## Dukes_Daddy (Nov 14, 2008)

The TV show Fresh Tracks had a buffalo hunt recently and Randy Newberg made a good point about sportsmen being the best hope to restore wild buffalo. Unfortunately many herd are managed as wild cattle by the tribes and Ted Turner. It's good they are building the herds but a shame to ship such amazing animals to the slaughter house in trucks.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Dukes_Daddy said:


> The TV show Fresh Tracks had a buffalo hunt recently and Randy Newberg made a good point about sportsmen being the best hope to restore wild buffalo. Unfortunately many herd are managed as wild cattle by the tribes and Ted Turner. It's good they are building the herds but a shame to ship such amazing animals to the slaughter house in trucks.


The way that I have seen some of the ranches conduct hunts I would prefer for one to come out of the slaughter house. They load the bison in a trailer and then turn it loose, then it is up to you to shoot it. I would prefer for them to just slaughter it right in the corral. Less wasted meat.


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## Dukes_Daddy (Nov 14, 2008)

Critter said:


> The way that I have seen some of the ranches conduct hunts I would prefer for one to come out of the slaughter house. They load the bison in a trailer and then turn it loose, then it is up to you to shoot it. I would prefer for them to just slaughter it right in the corral. Less wasted meat.


That's my point. They should be left on open range and not rounded up.

Do you remember the movie Bless The Beasts and the Children? Horrible movie showing buffalo gunned down in a corral.


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