The Bison Chronicles

PLEASE BE CAREFUL

They're Wild Critters

they will hurt you

NPS / Jacob W. Frank

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Woman gored after approaching bison in Yellowstone National Park; Always stay more than 25 yards away from bison

. News Release Date: June 29, 2020

Contact: Morgan Warthin, (307) 344-2015

• After a 72-year-old woman from California approached within 10 feet of a bison multiple times to take its photo, the animal gored her. 
• The incident occurred on the evening of June 25, 2020, at the female’s campsite at Bridge Bay Campground.  
• Rangers provided immediate medical care to the woman who sustained multiple goring wounds. She was then flown via helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.  
• “The series of events that led to the goring suggest the bison was threatened by being repeatedly approached to within 10 feet,” said Yellowstone’s Senior Bison Biologist Chris Geremia. “Bison are wild animals that respond to threats by displaying aggressive behaviors like pawing the ground, snorting, bobbing their head, bellowing, and raising their tail. If that doesn’t make the threat (in this instance it was a person) move away, a threatened bison may charge. To be safe around bison, stay at least 25 yards away, move away if they approach, and run away or find cover if they charge.” 
• This incident is under investigation. There is no additional information to share. 
• Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild. When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area, give it space. Stay more than 25 yards (23 m) away from all large animals - bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and coyotes and at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves. If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in close proximity.  

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FAN WING ROYAL COACHMAN

.. Our cool weather interlude has provided some rain and drizzle. This has kept the Firehole River at a temperature that will be, at least, worth trying in the early morning. Get there at sunup and fish the shadows. unless baetids are in your ears or, PMD's in your nose, stick with Soft Hackles and San Juan Worms.
.. Nez Perce Creek - below the bridge can be good with small nymphs below an attractor fly like a Royal Coachman.
.. The Madison River still has the trout eating large black stuff. Try it you'll like it. The neighbors have braved the beaver ponds with success.

BEAD BELLY WORM

.. Down around the Baker's Hole some large residents are feeding right at the interpretive sign on the Montana side of the river.
.. Bits and pieces of the Gibbon River have been yielding dance partners in the deep riffles and under the deep recesses of the shaded banks. In the small meadows at - and above the campground there is a good crop of healthy and feisty Brook Trout that are waiting for a tussle.
..Park safely and exit your car with caution. The mobile condominiums are more reckless this year than in recent memory.

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WALLPAPER:  MADISON RIVER EXPLORER

Can It Be ?

FOUR FIVE CONQUERORS?

Woke For July 3 ?

exclusive or inclusive ?

A NATIVE AMERICAN SACRILEGE ?

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.. Some interesting facts:
1) Washington and Jefferson both held slaves,
2)  Lincoln, though he led the abolition of slavery, also approved the hanging of 38 Dakota men in Minnesota after a violent conflict with invading white settlers there,
3)  Roosevelt, a good Republican, is reported to have said, "I don't go so far as to think that the only good Indians are dead Indians, but I believe nine out of every ten are." He also said, "the most vicious cowboy has more moral principle than the average Indian.” {LINK}
..  For many Native American people, including the Lakota, Cheyenne, Omaha, Arapaho, Kiowa and Kiowa-Apache, the monument is a desecration of the Black Hills, which they consider sacred. Lakota people know the area as Paha Sapa — "the heart of everything that is."
.. So, of course, our president a good Republican,  has scheduled a major event at the monument. We have had our head shaken by this juxtaposition of perceptions in this time of conflict, pandemic and, national unrest.
..  Unlikely as it is, many fly fishers, feather merchants, fishing web sites, and YouTube channels avoid comment on the reality of this moment in history; we are fully cognizant of the sociopolitical atmosphere surrounding us. It is troubling! We cannot avoid comment. Silence is not enough.
.. For this celebration of Independence Day, we're trapped in a little tourist town with 1/4 of the shops closed. Montana is not fully "open" yet. Entitled visitors from around the world are trouping through our village. There are very few face masks present. The grocery store aisles are full of normal appearing folks searching the empty shelves.
.. The surreal aspects of our daily existence are entirely missed by those entitled visitors = fly fishers included. We've lost our part time gig due to closures. We're free to observe from our car, porch, patio, and occasional forays into the grocery store, post office, hardware store and gas station = such an awakening. May this never happen again!

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CADDIS TO GO

.. Yesterday's mid-day thunder boomers brought some hail and cool rains to the neighborhood. The result was a brief respite from the warm weather and a moderate period of excellent evening catching.

.. The Firehole River will be fishable for the coming weekend. Catchable is another question. Temperature spikes to 70°F are already here. Early morning is best - very late evening is a fair bet as well. Stick with soft hackles in the shadows. Don't spend any effort with surface flies unless the critters are crawling in your ears. If so, they are probably caddis of one sort or another.

.. The Madison River has fared better this year. Catching has succumbed to the "Madison Holy Trinity" = caddis. PMD and, soft hackles. A dozen of each should endear you to the local counter help. Remember that surface flies may be drowned and still catch those pesky trout.

COACHMAN HACKLE

.. Early morning should find you parked in a wide dirt spot on the Gibbon River. Get there early and pound the riffles and dark slicks with large nymphs.
.. By noon time refugees from the other rivers will inundate the road and the parking spots. When it becomes elbow-crazy a small movement can continue your catching,
.. The meadows around the museum of the ranger and, upstream are full of brook trout and the occasional grayling. This is a good place to practice your stealth stalking skills. Just about any fly on  the surface will bring strikes. Good, long drifts, are best. Don't be too quick of wrist. The little fish often miss and come back for seconds.

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.. With a few neighbors and, no dogs, we're headed to a secluded bend on the Notellum River at the edge of the park boundary. A small fire just beyond the park line and a few steaks, (nearly a week's rent,) along with a cool one and great fellowship with young skeptics and old grouches should celebrate our independence.😎😎😎😎

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WALLPAPER:  CANNELLINI SOUP WITH BACON GARNISH

Fishing Weather

STARTS TODAY

Don't Miss Out

parking and open water

WALLPAPER:  READY AND WAITING

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.. Yellowstone National Park has many lonely fish. It's time to make friends with a few of them. This is an unusual time in national and Yellowstone history.
.. Visitation through the west entrance is is very low and may set modern records for sparse figures. Check out the west entrance webcam HERE. 

TIME FOR THESE

.. Tonight the rain starts and temperatures will be in the 30's. Tomorrow will see some 20's and, drizzle throughout the early morning and heavy cloud cover until evening.
.. Monday will bring us light snow with nitrogen for the garden and, hatches to die for. Tuesday will be gray and low and damp. Perfect fishing weather - Y'all come!
. Of course the neighbors have made some rapid forays to the rivers and streams, They are eager for the upcoming weather. Starting tonight we will recover from yesterday's unseasonably high of 83F.

Here's a few observations from the neighbors:

THE 'GO TO' FLY

>> Firehole River a bit high and fishing good,
>> Big bugs in the Firehole Canyon,
>> Yellow bugs on the muddy Gibbon River, 
>> Madison River is clearing - rain may slow it's progress,
>> Gibbon River in the highest meadows has light color,
>> Gallatin River cold and clear - wait on this one.
>> Madison River around the west boundary has some outrun snakes. 

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.. Daily fishing reports can be found in the webpages of the feather merchants in the left sidebar.
.. Ask the simple questions when seeking information: "Have you fished where you are suggesting that I go?," "When ?" Ask guides and counter help if they support the 'keep 'em wet' philosophy.

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WALLPAPER:  NICELY MARBLED

Upper Gibbon Closure

FISHY WORK

Killing Non Natives

sept. 2-13, 2019

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.. News release [LINK]
.. E.A. Plan [LINK]

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WALLPAPER: BONELESS PORK LOIN ON ROTISSERIE

KA - - BOOM!

IT HAPPENS

Watch The Tail

follow best advice

..

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.. It's an annual event in Yellowstone National Park. Either by ignorance or defiance there are unfortunate encounters between visitors and wildlife.
.. Yellowstone National Park is not a petting zoo. It is a bit of wild America that has been impinged upon by civilization with the inevitable consequences that pertain thereunto.
.. The civilized footprint in the park grows annually and visitors believe that it is a "safe zone." Nothing could be further from the truth.
.. From quicksand to quick bison - it must be remembered that access is no guarantee of safety. Just ask the fly fishers that wander around in the water near Buffalo Ford on the Yellowstone River.

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QUICKIES:

>> Daybreak on the Firehole River is still a viable proposition,
>> So too, the Madison River,
>> Riffles in the Gibbon River canyon work all day,
>> Gallatin River = all day; beware T-storms,
>> Gulpers getting better on Hebgen Reservoir,
>> Quake Lake at Beaver Creek and the outlet,
>> KEEP 'EM WET.

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WALLPAPER:  SHORTCAKE, STRAWBERRIES, CREAM

Tomorrow

SHOULD BE . . .

Cloudy / Overcast

high/low waters

YNP PHOTO

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.. So it's finally time to visit some friendly waters in Yellowstone National Park.
.. We have been blessed with near perfect conditions on our west side waters: water below bank level. slow waters, clearing waters, trout catching temperature waters, cool overcast skies, bugs hatching, fewer than normal visitors, seasonal help  at the feather merchants.
.. Here's the current river data:
>> Firehole at Old Faithful,
>> Firehole at Madison Junction,
>> Gibbon at Madison Junction,
>> Madison at West Yellowstone.
.. It's been a mighty long time since we could fish them all on opening day. We are greatly appreciative.

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WALLPAPER:  BUTTER GARLIC SHRIMP

Do It Right Now

ENRAGED FISH

Engaged Fishers

nothing is too easy

CONTROL OF RIVERS

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.. It's time to chase the unmolested fish of the Firehole River Drainage. Yes Hortense, fish move to places where fishers seldom visit.
.. The Firehole-Madison-Gibbon river system is geologically controlled by the seams between the Central Plateau and the Madison Plateau.
.. These glaciated plateaus are comprised of different mineralogies and Holocene sediments. These differences contribute to the fertility of the streams. Combined with the thermal discharge in this system the variety of stream chemistry is extensive.
.. Fish know this better than fishers. Fishers can be heard, (at almost any time in any aisle of any feather merchant,) wondering "why."
.. Why are some bugs where they are? Why are fish concentrated where they are? Why do fish move to the places that they do and when they do? And many other "why questions."

FISH ON THE MOVE

.. Not all of the answers are chemical. Some are fluvial. Some are sedimentary. Some are optical or spectral. Some are even hormonal.

A NEZ PERCE EVENING

.. Right now chemistry and temperature have initiated movement of fish along the Firehole River. This activity is apparent both above and below Kepler Cascades: above and below Biscuit Basin as well.
.. Even Nez Perce Creek and the Gibbon River are included here.
..For the fisher willing to walk just a little bit there are  building concentrations of fish in the Little Firehole River and Iron Spring Creek.
.. These concentrations have been growing for the last month or so. This is in response to warming of the Firehole River and chemical imperatives built in to generations of fish during the biological spawning metamorphosis.
.. Other factors such as gravel size, water chemistry, discharge rates and fluvial stability also contribute to this movement. Savvy fishers that want to be catchers should take this into account.
.. The closure of the Firehole River, (from bridge to bridge,) around Old Faithful has a distinct chemistry and a distinct population of fish. Some are perpetual residents, others are seasonal migrants: some are just passing through.

DESTINATION:  UPPER FIREHOLE CANYON

.. South of the upper closure bridge is a deep canyon of the Firehole River. Between this bridge and Kepler Cascades is a fluvial environment that is highly conducive to the success of spawning trout.
.. Flows, chemistry, spectral intensity, and gravel size contribute to this being a destination for spawning trout. The Kepler Cascades  form an upstream barrier to migration and, the north/south orientation provides exceptional year round light and melt water. Pretty nice place if you are a trout.
.. Access into the canyon can be achieved either just upstream of the closure bridge or just down stream from the parking area at Kepler Cascades.
.. Ingress is rather easy. A couple of hundred yards of steep downhill grade will place fishers at excellent catching locations.

BROOK TROUT HEAVEN

.. Egress is a bit tougher. It is steep! Fishers seldom believe that the effort is worth the dozens of submarines that can be brought to hand. So be it.
.. Above Kepler Cascades is the realm of the gloriously colored neon Brook Trout.
.. It seems that the grass is always green, the water always cold and clear, the fish always eager, and the elbows scarce as abalone teeth.

GREEN GOOFUS

.. We're having what passes for Indian Summer up here. Temperatures are in the 70's. The wind has laid down for a few days.
.. The fish are becoming rambunctious. Exotic license plates are blossoming in parking spots in town and the park. There are even rumors of "runners" of heroic proportions being tickled in the big estuaries. Must be time to fish.

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A GIBBON RIVER IDYLL

.. Lately we've been lax in our reporting. It happens.
.. The exigences of catching, cooking, gardening, and cruising around in this fine Fall weather have muddled our blogging genes. So be it!
.. Now and, the next few weeks should bring forth exceptional catching conditions. Evening is for the neighbors - the visitors are all in town scarfing down prime rib and quaffing a few.

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WALLPAPER:  GROUND STEAK BURGER

A Little Dip

FIREHOLE TIME ?

Loving Anomolies

got a soft one ?

TWO SCREEN WALLPAPER : FIREHOLE SUMMER

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.. It is a rare bit of weather that has allowed us to fish the Firehole River this late in July.
.. Granted, we must get up early, (bit of a nuisance,) or, fish late in the day, (not too hard.)

SPARSE CARROT SOFT HACKLE

.. Flows are down and temperature spikes do reach into the high 70's, [LINK-F.] Early morning is safest for the fish and better for catching as well.
.. The fish are hungry and a bit slack-jawed but, will still take a soft hackle with more than a modicum of exuberance. No 20/20 club here. Use a heavy leader and horse them in. No hero shots either. Quick play, wet release and move on. Twelve to fifteen fish before breakfast is just about right.

THE FUZZY YELLOW WHATSITZ

.. The Gibbon River is holding up fine so far. Below the falls and before the confluence has seen an increase in traffic from savvy fishers.
.. There are caddis all day, (few and far between,) and stonefly nymphs galore.
.. Above the falls in the canyon is strictly your favorite nymph game, (until about 6:00 PM.) There are caddis late in the afternoon and even some of the pudgy white millers in the right groves of trees.

THE ORIGINAL WOOLLY BUGGER

.. The big meadows have dried out nicely and are are being visited by fisher folk with legs and knees strong enough to find the dark undercut banks with grass veils and slurping giants. If you have an unweighted nymph that will float you can surely bring home a story.
.. Nothing fancy is required; a prince nymph, a woolly bugger, or even a serendipity with a haircut will be fine.

CLIPPED SERENDIPITY

.. From Hebgan Lake to Madison Junction on the Madison River, the neighbors have been using the Clipped Serendipity with great success.
.. Sink it or float it - makes no difference! For now, this seems to be what the fish want. We're not sure if it imitates a real bug or other sort of food item. But it is working wonders with the cool nights and moderate day time temperatures - - - this is the gobble-it-up offering.

VISITORS DRIVE RIGHT PAST IT

..Our favorite "Culvert Pool" has lately been very rewarding.
.. It's just a few minutes from our front door and is a blessed respite from the hectic traffic jams in town.
.. We shan't name the creek for fear of retribution from the neighbors.

DRIVE BY CATCHING

.. It's just about eight or so miles north of town and you can drive right up to the water's edge, (well almost!)
.. Year 'round the trout jump the rip rap rapids and they park themselves in the pool before this bit of exercise.
.. It's coming on Fall, (zing went the Summer in the high country.) Bigger fish should soon be resting in the pool prior to their aerobics. Great fun just watching them.

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TAKE THE OATH

.. Despite the possibilities of fish-catching on the Firehole River, we suggest that you leave them alone.
.. Both Iron Spring Creek and the Little Firehole River are still running cool enough to provide you with some sport.
.. And then, there is Nez Perce Creek. But, that's another story and, the Mary Mountain bears are still on the prowl.

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WALLPAPER:  SMALL ROAST IN CAST IRON

Out Of Bank

FIREHOLE ROARS

MADISON FOLLOWS

some local gossip

WALLPAPER:  FIREHOLE RIVER HIGH WATER

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.. Better Late Than Never? The Firehole River is now showing discharge rates far above record rates, (FIRE LINK.) It is running at over 900cfs. That is more than 250cfs above record for the date. The gauge height is more than 4.5' above datum = NWS Flood Stage.
.. The Madison River is flirting with flood stage and just waiting for the Gibbon River to fill it up, (MAD LINK). This must be Spring.
.. For those of you that are looking to enjoy the Lowland Madison River, please be prepared for record runoff down there too. With all the tributary water the river is about 300cfs above the daily record, (MAD KIRBY LINK.)
.. Lash on the mud flies and have at it. This is an event that will rejuvenate the river beds. It will rearrange holding water and hides. It will cause curses and disappointments. It is like what we were familiar with not too long ago - on an annual basis.
.. Oh, by the way, a warm and gentle rain is watering the garden. We're glad we got most of it in over the last three sunny days.

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.. In searching for garden supplies, provisions, bills at the P.O. and a stroll through the darker environs of trinketonia we gathered up some interesting bits of local conversation.

SPRING STORM

.. We share them here without prejudice:
>> The folks in Canada are planning to fund a border wall,
>> The big corporations that own bits of this little village are looking to hire Michael Cohen,
>> River guides are drawing straws to see who gets the privilege of escorting Ryan Zinke,
>> Foreign investors from China have gobbled up three campgrounds and RV facilities in our village,
>> Foreign investors from China have gobbled up two working ranches and three small motels in our village,

BOX SHORTAGE

>> Foreign investors from China have built two motels, (and two under construction,) in our village,
>> Only one person now owns all five T-Shirt shops in town,
>> One local family now owns three of the six gas stations in town,
>> Our local fast food joints are among the most expensive in the United States,
>> The local Post Office is understaffed and running out of boxes for the transient visitors and workers.  General delivery mail is running out of space too,

WORKER'S QUARTERS

>> Village merchants are moving in travel trailers and motor homes for seasonal employees - all rentals are full,
>> The new government agency is called the Environmental Pollution Agency,
>> AT&T is looking to hire our one lawyer for advice on a merger with the local radio station,
>> There are openings for the local TSA agents for our single commercial flight into and, out of town,
>> Since the United States Does Not do business with Iran; should we sanction our allies, neighbors and friends?
>>  Two bears were bagged during the Spring Bear Hunt,
>> Visitation to Yellowstone National Park is already showing new daily records for the early season,

..

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WALLPAPER:  CHICKEN FRIED STEAK - MASHED SPUDS