Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A • W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 32 D espite appearances to the contrary, Bison are strong swimmers and cross the hefty Yellow- stone River without hesitation. ey enter the current and swim directly across with geometric economy, exiting the other bank in the shortest distance. Bison tend to favor specific crossing sites year after year, regardless of season or conditions. e winter of 2015 was unusually mild for Hayden Valley, with the first Grizzly spotted in mid-February, several weeks earlier than most years. e Yellowstone River for the most part flowed wider than normal. Days of subzero temperatures were followed by days of warmer air that sent the ice along the river into retreat only to advance again in the bitter cold of the night. e width of the river and extent of the ice changed liked the tides. By February 20, in a shallow bend of the river about 100 yards downstream of one the favored crossing sites, six bison carcasses lay tangled and frozen. A few ravens and bald eagles picked at the portions above the water, but for the most part the carcasses were intact and as solid as concrete. We snowshoed in to take a closer look at the carnage and found an old bison skull on the bank, and I promptly remembered that the spring before I photographed a Grizzly on a bison carcass in the same area of the river. Perhaps this crossing is good in three seasons out of the four. While watching the birds and pondering the scene in front of me, two bull bison appeared out of the trees across the river from us several hundred yards upstream and proceeded to the cross- ing spot 100 yards upstream from the carcasses. e bull in the lead, was older, larger and evidently wise. He stopped on the thick ice near the shore and looked across the dark river at the ice on the opposite bank and then slowly turned back to the snow on shore and moved downstream, not stopping again until he was almost directly in line with the carcasses. ere he began his crossing, the smaller bull fol- lowing. e ice did not cover the edges of the river here, nor was the water was so deep that they had to swim. e bulls crossed easily and without incident, although they did cast anxious looks at their breth- ren on their way past. ey clambered out, shook the water from their thick fur and walked along a bison trail into the trees and up towards the road. e following eve- ning we stopped our snow-coach where we could see the carcasses. Upstream, at the crossing spot, was a bull bison standing near or on the ice, looking across the river. Two coyotes appeared out of the trees and moved towards the old bull. He did not budge. e coyotes pushed harder and the bull took a half step. Both the bison and the ice held firm. e coyotes continued on their op- portunistic way. Had the coyotes tried this maneuver before? Had the tricksters learned to herd the bison to their watery grave? How many, if any, of the six dead downstream were the direct result of the coyotes? We decided to watch the bull a bit longer and sat in the coach with binoculars raised as the light faded. Suddenly the ice broke and the bison disappeared into the inky river. He was completely submerged, but came up and began swimming the most direct route to the other side where he encountered a thick barrier of ice well before his hooves could touch the rocky bottom. Only his massive head was above water as he tried repeatedly and without success to break/swim through the ice that had abruptly brought his crossing and maybe his life, to an end. A BISON'S CLOSE CALL Watch a moment-by-moment account of the bison's close call: www.distinctlymontana.com/bison161 DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL article and photgraphy by CINDY GOEDDEL

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