Page 174 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2023 DISCOVERING TURKEY

8:30 a.m., and in only 20 minutes saw a group
of four bison huddled in the road, where they
probably had stayed the night. Their fur and
manes were mottled with snow and they ap-
peared sluggish, as if they hadn’t yet had their
first cup of coffee.
More than once our vehicle came upon bison
marching down the road in groups of five to
twelve. Drivers must stop to let the bison sort
themselves out, allowing passengers to take
pictures from inside the coach. Eventually our
vehicle could ease past the herd. The bison are
apparently accustomed to this practice, as
they hardly ever react. On a few occasions the
bison were far enough away so we could get
out and take pictures, but if they took notice
of us our guide hustled us back into the
warmth of our cab.
Encountering bison in their natural habitat
is a breathtaking sight, and seeing them in
winter is a lesson in survival. Subzero temper-
atures in Yellowstone are common, but the
area’s enormous geothermal fields mean the
rivers don’t freeze over. On our visit it was
common to see bison, their fur caked in snow,
huddled along streams or ponds. Our guide
observed that some of the bison appeared un-
dernourished, as winter and the struggle for
forage sapped their strength. We saw several
mama bison caring for calves, and our guide
pointed out that some of those females might
also be carrying an unborn calf, as March and
April are the typical months for giving birth.
The strain on the mother bison as the winter
drags on is harsh.
During our tour we passed a coyote feeding
on a bison carcass that lay on a riverbank. Our
guide told us that she had seen an old bull tot-
tering around and later it lay lifeless on the
riverside. Its death, however, meant life for
another animal.
Yellowstone’s other great draw is geother-