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Show samaDiminisci Herds of about 600 buffalo live on Antelope Island, a number that will soon be thinned by a roundup and limited hunt. buffalo where The the home Island: roam Antelope By TOM HARALDSEN Editor ANTELOPE ISLAND It stands tall in the Great Salt Lake, the lakes largest island, consisting of over 28,000 acres. After the pioneers first settled in the Salt Lake Valley, it was colonized of sorts by order of Brigham Young. Once a popular tourist attraction, particularly before the lakes rise, it was even the scene for filming of a movie, Union Pacific, starring Randolph Scott. But today. Antelope Island seems almost forgotten. The causeway that once took motorists from Syracuse to its northern shores now sits under three feet of water. A concessionaire that ran boats to the island two summers ago had to abandon that plan last season due to water problems on the island. And its only real residents, aside from personnel from the states Division of Parks and Recreation, are herds of buffalo that have had their way on its hillsides for over 90 years." This year, that will change. As e the first phase of a plan . long-rang- I for management of the island by the state moves forward, those buffalo herds are about to be rounded up, vaccinated, tested, and in some cases, sold. Two legislative sessions ago, the Parks and Recreation division received a recommendation to develop a management program for Jay Christianson, northern region manager for the Parks division, said hunters will be encouraged to seek the older, bigger buffalo, assuming the islands population comes out as expected. The fact is, he said, we arent really sure how our population will come out. We dont know the buffalo. exact numbers, though we estiWe are currently working in mate there are about 600 buffalo on cooperation with the Division of the island. But we do know our calf Wildlife Resources, Utah State population has been small the last few years, so this roundup will help University and public herd manaus determine gers throughout the country on depopulations. velopment of that program, stated Kay Boulter, chief of recreae Because part of the tion services for the division. For the past five months, per- management plan includes bringsonnel from both departments ing other buffalo onto the island, Christianson said the testing will have been building a $500,000 complex near the north shores of the also help determine parts of the island that will be used on Saturcountry where the buffalo on Ante7 Nov. for the first annual lope Island came from, information day, Antelope Island buffalo roundup. that can be used for improved As in other state and national breeding. The island was in private ownparks, the buffalo population will be tested for disease, vaccinated, ership entirely until 1969, when the counted, and thinned out. Three state purchased 2,000 acres for a hunts will be con- state park. The balance of the isducted on the island beginning land was acquired in 1981 for reNov. 28, with only 15 permits creational purposes. The farmissued between the three hunts. house used by cattle ranchers up bull-to-co- w long-rang- limited-numb- er All PHOTOS months roundup, buffalo will be herded into this chute, from where they be vaccinated, tested and sorted out according to age and sex. During next BY until that time was built in 1850, and is acclaimed as the oldest, con- tinuously inhabited building in the state. At that time, the state also received approximately 250 buffalo that were on the island. Buffalo were first introduced to Antelope Island in 1893, and atone time lived with a number of other species of wildlife on the strip. But today, only a few birds and a small number of deer remain as inhabitants with the herds. That will change as well in the future, as state personnel plan on developing a diversity of wildlife, including antelope, elk and possibly big horn sheep to the island. New vegetation will also be introduced in the future. But first will come the roundup, which will be open to the public on Nov. 7, as buffalo are herded into three large drift areas and slowly moved into the corral-testin- g and holding area. Media represen- tatives were taken to Antelope Island earlier this month to preview the operation. The Division feels we have a real good program, Boulter offered. Weve looked at many TOM HARAIDSEN years ahead. All officials involved in the pro- ject, which could last for several days, agree with Boulter that this first year could be a rodeo until we get these animals domesticated. The roundup will be conducted using experienced horsemen and perhaps one helicopter, plus a handful of vehicles. For that reason, media personnel were warned against bringing in their own aircraft. We have areas set aside for the media and public the day of the roundup, stated Alton Frazier, public affairs director for Natural Resources. Well have an orientation the night before we begin, then once the animals are in the holding areas, we will allow the media to come down for a closer look. Transportation to and from the island for the public is being handled by a private concern. More in- formation about that should be forthcoming soon, officials said. Some of the buffalo, about 200 head, will be sold to private individuals who have already submit- ted bids to the state. Buffalo breeding is a big business in many parts of the United States. The limited hunt, which saw 13 permits issued to state residents at $800 apiece, and two permits which went for $1600 each, will help thin the population even more. Boulter was quick to admit that during the roundup, a few buffalo could be injured. He pointed out that in the long run, these efforts of vaccination and treatment are designed to help the population, not hurt it. We are extremely concerned with the buffalo and hope to conduct the roundup in a manner that will not endanger their health. Weve taken every precaution to do out-of-sta- te so. Come November 7, the buffalo who roam on Antelope Island may never be quite the same. But the state personnel working with them hope that that only means bigger and brighter things in the future for wildlife as a whole on the deserted island that these herds currently call home. 3 I This ranch house on Antelope Island was built about 1 850, and is the oldest continuously inhabited building in the state. will O- Some 200 head will be sold to breeders as the state tries to improve the herds breeding and living conditions. other parts of the country where buffalo roundups are held annually. We feel its a program that will be very beneficial to the state in the - Buffalo were introduced to Antelope Island in 1893. Now, the state hopes to reintroduce n sheep. other wildlife, including antelope, elk and big-hor- |