AP PHOTOS: Bison roundup conjures bygone days of US West
Posted December 25, 2018 6:00 am
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Once a year, hundreds of horseback riders gather on an island in Utah's Great Salt Lake to nudge bison toward holding pens in a roundup of one of America's largest and oldest public herds.
Bison have occupied Antelope Island, about 25 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Salt Lake City, for more than 120 years, after a dozen of them were brought there by a homesteader. Today, several hundred bison roam the island, which is now a state park.
The animals are rounded up each fall so they can receive health checkups and vaccinations and be affixed with a small external computer chip that stores health information.
They are then released back on the island or sold at a public auction to keep the herd at a manageable level of about 500. The island has no natural predators to keep the herd from growing, and there's a limited amount of grass for the bison to eat, park ranger Charity Owens said.
This year, about 700 bison were pushed into corrals during the 32nd year of a roundup that conjures memories of a bygone era of the American West.
Some of the horseback riders wore old Western clothing, and many donned wide-brimmed cowboy hats. Yells of "Yip ... h'yah" echoed across the island as the riders worked to keep the bison marching through wild grasses on hilly terrain.
Anybody can volunteer to be ride horseback during the roundup, but officials cap it at 250 per year, normally reaching that limit.
Rider Jess Reid, 69, a real estate broker from Park City, said the excitement of the event keeps him coming back.
"Running your horse full speed with stampeding buffalo," Reid said. "I just don't know where else in the world, hardly, you could do that?"
FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2018, file photo, riders on horseback herd bison during an annual roundup, on Antelope Island, Utah. This year, about 700 bison were pushed into corrals during the 32nd year of a roundup that conjures memories of a bygone era of the American West. The animals are rounded up each fall so they can receive health checkups and vaccinations and be affixed with a small external computer chip that stores health information. They are then released back on the island or sold at a public auction to keep the herd at a manageable level of about 500. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2018, file photo, riders on horseback herd bison during an annual roundup, on Antelope Island, Utah. This year, about 700 bison were pushed into corrals during the 32nd year of a roundup that conjures memories of a bygone era of the American West. The animals are rounded up each fall so they can receive health checkups and vaccinations and be affixed with a small external computer chip that stores health information. They are then released back on the island or sold at a public auction to keep the herd at a manageable level of about 500. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2018, file photo, riders on horseback herd bison during an annual roundup, on Antelope Island, Utah. This year, about 700 bison were pushed into corrals during the 32nd year of a roundup that conjures memories of a bygone era of the American West. The animals are rounded up each fall so they can receive health checkups and vaccinations and be affixed with a small external computer chip that stores health information. They are then released back on the island or sold at a public auction to keep the herd at a manageable level of about 500. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2018, file photo, riders on horseback start their annual bison roundup, on Antelope Island, Utah. This year, about 700 bison were pushed into corrals during the 32nd year of a roundup that conjures memories of a bygone era of the American West. The animals are rounded up each fall so they can receive health checkups and vaccinations and be affixed with a small external computer chip that stores health information. They are then released back on the island or sold at a public auction to keep the herd at a manageable level of about 500. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2018, file photo, riders on horseback herd bison during an annual roundup, on Antelope Island, Utah. This year, about 700 bison were pushed into corrals during the 32nd year of a roundup that conjures memories of a bygone era of the American West. The animals are rounded up each fall so they can receive health checkups and vaccinations and be affixed with a small external computer chip that stores health information. They are then released back on the island or sold at a public auction to keep the herd at a manageable level of about 500. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2018, file photo, rider Kyann Betz looks on before the start of the annual bison roundup, on Antelope Island, Utah. This year, about 700 bison were pushed into corrals during the 32nd year of a roundup that conjures memories of a bygone era of the American West. The animals are rounded up each fall so they can receive health checkups and vaccinations and be affixed with a small external computer chip that stores health information. They are then released back on the island or sold at a public auction to keep the herd at a manageable level of about 500. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2018, file photo, a rider looks on before the start of the annual bison roundup, on Antelope Island, Utah. This year, about 700 bison were pushed into corrals during the 32nd year of a roundup that conjures memories of a bygone era of the American West. The animals are rounded up each fall so they can receive health checkups and vaccinations and be affixed with a small external computer chip that stores health information. They are then released back on the island or sold at a public auction to keep the herd at a manageable level of about 500. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2018, file photo, a rider's boots are shown during an annual bison roundup, on Antelope Island, Utah. This year, about 700 bison were pushed into corrals during the 32nd year of a roundup that conjures memories of a bygone era of the American West. The animals are rounded up each fall so they can receive health checkups and vaccinations and be affixed with a small external computer chip that stores health information. They are then released back on the island or sold at a public auction to keep the herd at a manageable level of about 500. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2018, file photo, the Buffalo Corral sign is shown during an annual bison roundup, on Antelope Island, Utah. This year, about 700 bison were pushed into corrals during the 32nd year of a roundup that conjures memories of a bygone era of the American West. The animals are rounded up each fall so they can receive health checkups and vaccinations and be affixed with a small external computer chip that stores health information. They are then released back on the island or sold at a public auction to keep the herd at a manageable level of about 500. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Nov. 1, 2018, file photo, bison enter the corral, where they'll receive vaccinations and health screenings following the annual roundup, on Antelope Island, Utah. This year, about 700 bison were pushed into corrals during the 32nd year of a roundup that conjures memories of a bygone era of the American West. The animals are rounded up each fall so they can receive health checkups and vaccinations and be affixed with a small external computer chip that stores health information. They are then released back on the island or sold at a public auction to keep the herd at a manageable level of about 500. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Nov. 1, 2018, file photo, a bison is locked in place while receiving vaccinations and health screenings following the annual roundup, on Antelope Island, Utah. This year, about 700 bison were pushed into corrals during the 32nd year of a roundup that conjures memories of a bygone era of the American West. The animals are rounded up each fall so they can receive health checkups and vaccinations and be affixed with a small external computer chip that stores health information. They are then released back on the island or sold at a public auction to keep the herd at a manageable level of about 500. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Nov. 1, 2018, file photo, a bison is locked in place while receiving vaccinations and health screenings following the annual roundup, on Antelope Island, Utah. This year, about 700 bison were pushed into corrals during the 32nd year of a roundup that conjures memories of a bygone era of the American West. The animals are rounded up each fall so they can receive health checkups and vaccinations and be affixed with a small external computer chip that stores health information. They are then released back on the island or sold at a public auction to keep the herd at a manageable level of about 500. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Nov. 10, 2018, file photo, a bison is released back on the island after receiving vaccinations and health screenings following the annual roundup, on Antelope Island, Utah. This year, about 700 bison were pushed into corrals during the 32nd year of a roundup that conjures memories of a bygone era of the American West. The animals are rounded up each fall so they can receive health checkups and vaccinations and be affixed with a small external computer chip that stores health information. They are then released back on the island or sold at a public auction to keep the herd at a manageable level of about 500. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
The Associated Press
FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2018, file photo, riders on horseback start their annual bison roundup, on Antelope Island, Utah. This year, about 700 bison were pushed into corrals during the 32nd year of a roundup that conjures memories of a bygone era of the American West. The animals are rounded up each fall so they can receive health checkups and vaccinations and be affixed with a small external computer chip that stores health information. They are then released back on the island or sold at a public auction to keep the herd at a manageable level of about 500. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
The Associated Press
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.