Leave the turnpike and head through the Flint Hills, via U.S. Highway 177. Several opportunities for dirt backroads right off this little gem with a view unobstructed for miles. No wires, no windmills, just the beauty of the prairie as it was in the mid to late 1800's when settlers first arrived to the area. One could bike for hours on the side dirt roads and never see another person, well maybe the curious rancher.
Get out of the car. Stand and listen. Meadowlarks in chorus with each other. Watch the swallows dive back and forth, wondering where they go to rest as it's an open prairie with so few trees. The air so crisp and clean, their wings can be heard as they fly near you. The wind produces a faint rustling whistle through the prairie grass. Off in the distance you can see the buffalo, yet close enough you hear their hoofs beat down on the prairie as if the earth were their own personal drum. Storms brew above, growing larger and higher as you watch, a faint bass rumble goes through your body. You are all too familiar with as in Kansas the sky grow dark with anger.
Buffalo
Simply stay from enough away from the animals and they'll have no reason to attack you. The National Park Service recommends staying at least 25 yards away from bison. ... Never hike across a meadow if you see there are bison present. Of course if you've visited the Tallgrass National Preserve you hike in the hills with buffalos. So I was a bit confused as to what the "safety" measures should be. Danyle has been around buffalo quite a bit and was telling me as we hiked if one charges just stand still. Of course, one would never do that, you know charge at us. There are so many that hikers here.
In case of a bison charging, you’re out of luck if you’re in an open area. Bison can run up to 35 mph (three times as fast as the average human). Don’t think you can outrun a bison. You cannot. So my story goes something like this.......
Imagine the two of us enjoying what I just described above. The tranquility of the Flint Hills. We stop at a gate. The warning signs are there letting us know of the buffalo we could encounter. From the picture you can clearly see, just open prairie, Danyle, I and the buffalo.
If the bison stops what it’s doing and looks up at you, that’s a clear sign you’re too close. Back away slowly. Don’t run and make any sudden movements.
If the bison is walking down the trail toward you, either retreat where you came from or leave the trail, giving it a wide berth.
Surprised bison often run away, but may stop and take a closer look at you. Assess the situation and distance. Either back away slowly allowing them to move, or walk around them and keep your distance at all times.
Again, never approach a bison.
If the bison doesn’t move, it’s you who should back away.
We hike a few more minutes into the prairie and spot the herd. One very large male buffalo is off to the side as if keeping watch over the rest as they graze. As we approach, still several hundred feet away the large male bring his head up looks right at us and starts to approach, quickly. He's far from us and we can't see the trail near him. I however decide I may be able to make my half century body go quick enough to make it back to the safety of the electric fence. Danyle begins to laugh at me as she knows there is no way that's going to happen, plus she knew we were far enough away we were not what spooked him. I soon realize it's not what I'm suppose to do - run so I stop. I look back and see a runner who was on the trail going towards us. She's calm and finishing up her run. The large buffalo moved back towards his herd and was back to grazing. I am now exhausted and still too far from the fence to make a difference. I will visit again and will learn NOT to run....well at least to try to fight my instinct of flight.
After I regained my breath, all I could think was how others before us, traveling this area on the Santa Fe Trail, how they handled adversities such as this. This herd was small, maybe 150 or so. Can you imagine a herd of 25,000 or larger being spooked and running? They say the herd would destroy all living things in their path, the grass, trees and leave a earthly dirt trail in the prairie. From the size of this male buffalo I can see why those who travelled west for a new life were made of a grit many lack. I know this grit is in my blood, just need to find it.
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