Antelope Island Bison Roundup

By Adrienne Rubin

“Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word,
And the skies are not cloudy all day.”

The Western United States are famous for wild, wide-open landscapes, but there are few places where the buffalo still roam and the deer and the antelope play.  The vast herds of bison which were once at home on the range are now long-disappeared, with only a handful of herds remaining.

One of these herds can be found on Antelope Island, a Utah state park occupying the largest island in the Great Salt Lake. Introduced in 1893, the Island bison have since become one of the largest and oldest publicly-owned bison herds in the country. Visitors to the Island enjoy the trails, on foot and by bike, but most of the land is left to the wildlife, which enjoys abundant grazing, free from human interaction or interference. Home to bison, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, mule deer, porcupines, badgers, and coyotes, the Island is a sanctuary from the ever-expanding metropolis just across the water.

Separated from the mainland by just a short drive across a long causeway, Antelope Island is just a few miles away but a world apart.  Tawny prairie grass covers the barren landscape, which rises up steep hillsides to jagged rocks crowning the spine of the island.  A handful of bent and twisted trees line the bottoms of steep ravines, but the landscape is otherwise as empty as the surrounding lake. The water is mirror-still, changing colors with the hours of the day, reflecting the vast, cloudless sky and the distant, snow-capped peaks beyond the water. Dead trees dot the salt flats, bleached white in the sun, standing out like frozen strikes of lightning against the endless sky. When the water is low, it is possible to cross on foot, but the wildlife stays on the Island where the grazing is plentiful and the visitors are few.

Once a year though, every October, visitors flock to the island by the thousands for the annual Bison Roundup, when the herds are gathered by rangers and volunteers on horseback and moved into winter holding pens. Some come to ride and some come to watch, but all come to experience a piece of the West, in a place as wild as the bison.

Wild they are – don’t let the wooly, awkward appearance of the bison fool you – although they are seemingly docile, ungainly-looking grass-grazers, they are far more formidable than their herbivorous nature suggests. Weighing up to 2,500lbs and standing up to 6ft tall, they seem cumbersome and clumsy, but are actually very nimble and tremendously fast, faster than horses, and having no natural predators makes them fearless. Their agility, acceleration, and aggression make them a force to be reckoned with – especially when on horseback.

Bison are notoriously ornery, but only become aggressive when provoked.  Although rounding them up could easily be considered provocation, doing so with horses and riders is less stressful on the bison than doing so with vehicles, and less likely to incite them.  The goal while herding bison is not to provoke them, but to coax them gently, which is why so many riders are essential.

50 mounted park rangers are joined by some 250 volunteers on horseback, many of whom travel from around the country for the event, bringing a festive atmosphere to the weekend as riders gather before the Roundup. Friendships are formed as stories are swapped around campfires, riders who attend year after year telling tales of unruly bison and previous Roundups gone awry. Cowboys clad like characters from an old western contrast with their shiny, brand-new RVs and smart phones, bringing the comforts of home to the remote and historic Fielding Garr Ranch where the Roundup will begin.

“Bison are easy to move,” says Jeremy Shaw, the park manager, “in the direction they want to go. So if you’ve ever worked cattle, forget everything you’ve ever known about moving cattle. Bison don’t work like that.”



First-thing in the morning, before 300 riders mount up, we meet to discuss safety and strategy for the Roundup. The objective is not to force the bison to move – bison can’t be forced to do much of anything – but rather to tempt the bison to move in a given direction by spreading riders out and closing off any other options. Riders are reminded not to get ahead of or too close to the bison – all it takes is one rider in the wrong place at the wrong time to change the direction of the whole herd, with disastrous results. Likewise, pushing them too hard or too fast can make or break the Roundup. Most importantly, bison don’t tend to be deterred by much – they don’t go around or over things, they go through things, so if they are coming in your direction, you get out of their way as fast as you can.

Tingling with excitement, I mounted up with 300 other riders, more than I have ever seen or ridden with at once. Glancing around me, riders seemed excited and eager, some apprehensive, but most of the horses were calm – these are ranch horses, and this was just another day at work for them. We flowed out of the ranch and into the tall prairie grass, where we fanned out into small groups all moving simultaneously north.

We rode for two or three miles before coming across the first small herds of bison. Riding well-behind the front lines of the left flank, I was halfway up the hillside with a sweeping view out towards the water. Riders in the red team on the right flank were guiding a herd from the shoreline inland, and riders to the left, on the green team, were cajoling a smaller group down from the steep upper hillside. The blue team maintained a steady line of riders spread out across the center. Now and then, individual riders would dart out towards the bison and crack a bullwhip, encouraging the herd to keep moving or preventing an individual bison from breaking loose.

The bulls among the herd dwarfed even the largest cows. Obstinate and easily provoked, they are the most dangerous, and riders gave them a wide berth to avoid confrontation. Stubborn bulls who didn’t want to move with the herd were left behind. In the holding pens they only cause trouble, battling for dominance, so they are instead left to their own devices, robust enough to survive on their own through the winter.

The hardest part of the Roundup, for both the bison and the horses, is Heartbreak Hill, the point where the bison are driven over the spine of the Island. At this point, different herds which have been herded by different groups all come together, like streams into a river, and rest while the riders sit by and eat the sandwiches we have stashed in our saddlebags. After lunch, the bison – nearly 800 strong now – are eased down the far side of the hill and into the final stretch of the Roundup. Here, there is the widest margin for error, as the terrain narrows between the lake on the left and the bluffs on the right. The herd are moved into a bottleneck towards the gate at the far end, kicking up a cloud of dust beneath their hooves as they trample across the rocky ground. I almost lose sight of them in the dust, just hooves and tails here and there. The bison are tired at this point – as are the riders – so they seem to moving forward complacently, but that can change in an instant.

Riders suddenly emerged from the dust ahead, shouting, “Go! Go! Go!” as they came galloping towards me. Horns appeared behind them as bison came charging out of the rolling, billowing dust, and like the other riders, my horse and I turned tail and ran as fast as we could.

Like a river parting around rocks, bison darted on either side of me, effortlessly passing horses, darting and dodging left and right between the riders. For a few minutes it was complete chaos of thundering hooves, and then the dust settled. A few dozen bison had broken through the rider ranks, and by the time I had my bearings again they were halfway up the hillside behind us, and some had run out into the salt flats, already tiny specks in the distance. The rest of the bison were still clustered in the corner by the gate, visibly agitated but holding steady. We let them calm down for a few minutes before gently nudging them towards the gate again. Once the first few crossed the threshold, the rest followed easily.

After the horses had been untacked, fed, watered, and settled in for the evening we headed over to the Fielding Garr Ranch for a chili dinner hosted by the park management in the historic barn. We recounted and relived the highlights of the day as the last pink rays of sunshine hit the snowy peaks across the way, above their shimmering reflection in the lake.

“This place is so peaceful and yet so wild. When you visit it, it changes your heart,” says Jeremy Shaw, the park manager.

Captivated by the barren beauty of Antelope Island’s desolate landscape, and fascinated by the unique and epic event I was fortunate enough to participate in, I’m already hoping to attend again next year. Now I know what to expect when herding bison on horseback, but more than that, I can look forward to seeing familiar faces and the camaraderie of the campground, taking in sweeping views from atop the Island’s spine, and watching an event like none other unfold before me while doing what I do best – adventuring on horseback.

Check out our video of this incredible event:  

My Horseback Bucket List part 2

In the first segment of this piece, I listed some of my favorite riding adventures I've already been on, and here are some of the adventures I haven't gone on yet!

1. MACHU PICCHU

This is such a Mecca for backpackers and hikers, one of the biggest attractions of South America as a continent as a whole, and such a wonderfully not-so-easy place to reach. But, to be completely honest, despite being from Colorado, land of the 14ers where hiking is so much more than a hobby, I don't love backpacking. In the sense of traveling, yes, I do, but as far as hiking up mountains carrying heavy stuff? No, I don't love it. But I do want to see Machu Picchu before I die, and I think riding a bus up the mountain is cheating. So how about on horseback? Having a big animal to carry all your heavy stuff while you hike, or to carry you as well, is why humans started riding horses in the first place.

2. WILDLIFE SAFARI IN AFRICA

Luckily, I'll get to cross this one off my list very soon. I've gone on wildlife safaris in South Africa, and ridden horses, but not at the same time. Of course, to do this safely, you want to be riding on a game reserve that only has non-dangerous game. I would hate for someone, anyone, particularly myself, to get pulled off a horse by a lion or some such hungry carnivore, but galloping with giraffes and zebras would be pretty incredible. 

3. FOXHUNTING IN ENGLAND AND IRELAND

I've foxhunted for years now, here in Colorado, and I absolutely love it. Not just the thrill of the chase, but the sense of community, and of course, the potluck, because I'm all about the food. I've been lucky enough to foxhunt in France, which was very different, but England is where it all started and I should like to experience that. Plus, I hear all these stories about crazy foxhunts in Ireland, and even though it sounds absolutely terrifying-flying over huge stone walls and immense muddy ditches, Still, I think it's something I have to do.

 

4. CASTLES OF EUROPE

While we're on the subject of wild rides in Europe...OK, this one isn't as specific as I promised by creating this list, but it has a lot of possibilities. As a child, I was obsessed with castles. I wasn't one of those girls who wanted to grow up to be a princess (unless the princess got to ride horses), I mean, I did dress up as one probably at some point or another, but I was always more interested in the castles themselves than the royalty within them. I would research the floor plans so I could imagine walking the halls, and even draw out my own castle layouts. My dad told me about Neuschwanstein castle as a little girl, and when I finally went there with him at the age of 20, it was just as magical as it would have been when I was 9. When my family road tripped around France and Italy as a child, I hated museums, loathed old churches, and generally complained about most touristy things, but I loved castles. I would LOVE to ride from castle to castle in Bavaria, Germany, along the Loire Valley in France, through Tuscany in Italy, or somewhere in southern Spain (or anywhere else that has beautiful castles, I wouldn't complain).

5. VINEYARDS AND WINERIES

This one is pretty similar to 4. In France, in Burgundy or Aquitaine, or in Italy, in Tuscany or Umbria, would be a fabulous place to ride through vineyards, taste different wines that have been made by the same families for centuries, and experience the rich culture and lifestyle of these areas. This spring in South Africa we will be going on a winery tour in Stellenbosch, South Africa's famous wine country, but just for one day. I'm still excited though. 

6. MONGOLIA

Now these are folks who really know a thing or two about horses. The Mongolian conquered most of the known world on horseback, centuries ago, and although they have lost their prowess as conquerors, they are still world-renowned horsemen. I think I could learn a lot from them, it is a beautiful and vast, empty landscape, and their culture is something so different from anything I've ever known, I think it would be a truly eye-opening experience.

7. EL CAMINO DE SANTIAGO

This pilgrimage from southern France all the way to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, is as historically significant as it is beautiful. Again with the hiking though, if I have the option to ride a horse instead, I'll take that any day. I'm so in love with France and Spain, and this region in particular, (having lived in Basque country, where the Camino begins) so I'm interested in the Camino for non-religious reasons, and I think walking it on horseback would be so much more personally gratifying for me than on foot. What appeals to me the most is the spirit of generosity along the trail; people who take in pilgrims/hikers/riders, allowing the travelers to enjoy a cultural experience along with the scenic surroundings.

My Horseback Bucket List part 1

A friend and I were chatting recently, about life, and travel, and things we hope to accomplish. So often I hear questions like, "what's your favorite place you've ever been?" or "what's the greatest trip you've ever taken?" Despite the frequency with which I get asked, I've never really come up with an answer. Every trip I've taken, every place I've visited, every incredible experience I've had, has been unique. Different places are beautiful, special, moving, and personally rewarding for different reasons, and in most cases, it has a lot more to do with the people I share it with; people I met somewhere along the way. These, too, are different every time, and come from such a diverse range of backgrounds and walks of life.

I loved living in Brazil because of the inner peace I found there, because for the first time in my life I didn't have a job and I didn't have to, and I could thoroughly enjoy every single hour of every single day. It was liberating, but I couldn't have done it forever. Eventually I would have needed some sort of purpose, for self-fulfillment. France always felt like home, having spent so much time there growing up. The culture felt like my own, with nuances I understood and traditions I embraced. Every time I spent time in France, I come back to my own culture feeling like an outsider, but going to France always feels like coming home. I loved everything about living there, the culture, history, landscape, and food, obviously, but mostly the people. The French get a bad rep for being cold and unwelcoming, but I've never, ever seen that side. (Granted I speak the language like a native, which helps immensely). I've been received there with nothing but open arms, smiles, and an incredible generosity, welcomed into people's homes, families, and hearts. South Africa came to feel like home as well, and I was lucky to have some very amazing adventures while I lived there. Just by accident, I landed in the right place, with the right people, at the right time, and everything clicked, which is why I can't wait to go back. 

So back to my friend and I. I spend a lot more time thinking about the places I've been, that I wish I could go back to, and not nearly enough time thinking about places I would still like to go. I do think about it, sure, but I have these fuzzy ideas of places that are a bit blurry, as if in a fog. Australia...Indonesia...India...Scandinavia. Places that hold a particular interest, but for no particular reason, something about them just calls to me. But I asked my friend what was on his bucket list, and he said he felt like he had already checked most of them off. For him, I could tell this gave him immense satisfaction, as he is someone who likes to check off lists and reach goals, and it gives him a sense of accomplishment. For me, if I check everything off my list, what would be left? What would I have left to strive for? Not to mention, for every single item I check off the Bucket List, I add at least 10 more, so the list is pretty long. SO I decided to come up with a condensed version, and in light of this particular context (Equescapes) I've put together a list of places I would like to go and things I would like to do on horseback. But first, here's a list of my top 5 favorite horseback adventures I've already been on.

1. RIDING ON THE BEACH

There's just something magical about galloping across the sand, ocean spray in the air, and the sound of crashing waves. It never gets old. I never thought my first beach ride experience would be on the black sand beaches of Iceland, wearing a parka (see separate entry below), and since then I've left hoof beats in the sand in Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Brazil, South Africa, and everywhere I get the chance.

2. FOXHUNTING

I joined the Arapahoe Hunt in Colorado in 2011 and never looked back. Each and every hunt is unique, and every single one an adventure (sometimes for better, sometimes for worse). It's a wonderful community of horse-people, one which extends far beyond our club. I've been welcomed as a guest to foxhunt in France and South Africa, and every hunt club has its own particular customs, despite upholding many of the same traditions. 

3. POLO IN ARGENTINA

Watching the Argentinian Open and seeing the world's best polo players ride some of the fittest ponies on the planet was an exceptional experience. However, although I rode a lot of polo ponies and sort of played polo when I lived there, I never actually played on a team or in any kind of official match. so I still want to go to Argentina and feel like a polo player, not just a rider who kind of sort of pretends to know a thing or two about polo and gets to stick and ball on the farm.

4. ICELAND

I was only 15 when I went to Iceland, and I would love to revisit it. I went with my whole family, and I have to give credit to the ponies - those little guys are tough, hauling guys the size of my dad and uncles up and down mountains all day. The landscape was surreal; sometimes it felt like we were on another planet. The Icelandic Pony is one of the world's purest horse breeds, since horses are not allowed to be imported into Iceland, and once they leave, they cannot come back. Only Icelandic horses born in Iceland are gaited; they develop the gait due to the rough landscape, and a foal born to gaited parents who have been exported elsewhere will normally not be gaited.

5. COLORADO

This list could not be complete without including my home state, which boasts beautiful landscapes to ride through, a thriving horse community, a competitive show circuit, a rich ranching history, and herds of wild mustangs. What a perfect place to ride! 

What's the most epic equestrian adventure you've been on? We would love to hear your stories, see your photos, and we're always open to suggestions so let's plan an adventure together!