When you think of bison you probably imagine somewhere like Yellowstone National Park with mountains covered in snow, or maybe the rolling plains of the Midwest. But what if I told you we have a population of wild bison roaming around one of Florida’s best state parks? Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is located just south of Gainesville, and it is one of the most unique and biodiverse environments in the state. The park protects a 23,000-acre section of the Florida Wildlife Corridor and is home to a herd of wild bison and Spanish horses which thrive in the prairie landscape.
To revitalize the state park and return it to what it was like before colonial settlement, 10 bison were introduced to Paynes Prairie in 1975 from the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. Since then, the herd has grown to almost 2,100+/- bison which serve as a reminder of what North America used to look like.
Here's a great article about the Park:
https://www.southernliving.com/paynes-prairie-state-park-8736921
https://www.southernliving.com/paynes-prairie-state-park-8736921
That is awesome. I did not know. I did know about the Buffalo herds on the east side of the Mississippi and them migrating from the Great Lakes to the Gulf for eons. I wonder why we haven't heard of any Yellowstone like events in FL (crazy tourists vs. Buffalo)?
ReplyDeleteJeffery in Alabama
I'm just surprised we haven't seen a Florida Man being launched by one of these beasts after trying to poke one in the shitter.
ReplyDeleteMmm! Grilled Bison steak anyone?
ReplyDeleteI’ve had bison before, but just once. In my humble opinion, beef is tastier.
DeleteNote that you CAN buy "bison steak" from several ranches, such as:
Deletehttps://jhbuffalomeat.com/collections/best-seller-bundles
although you will have to cook it yourself.
Needs one more sign: "Do Not Enter unless you can run faster than 15 miles per hour. The bull does 14, and a bit more when he's motivated."
ReplyDeleteBison can run up to 35 miles per hour. If you are going to warn them, it is best to not lie!!!
DeleteBack in the early '60s, a family who were in our church owned a ranch in Orange County, Fla. They had 4 Buffalo's of which a couple were quite tame. I remember when we would go on a tour of the property. The Buffalo's would come up to the truck
ReplyDeleteand be feed by hand from the ranch owner's.