Show Roundup continues on Antelope Island Continued from Page 13 uid then “you have to crawl before you walk walk before you nm" Many stumbled thoce first flew years But now the parks diviskn — like the bison — arenmning foil speed ahead Some of the park ringers who were there those first couple years were around for the 11th annual bison roundup Tfen years ago they were somewhat suspect of the news media and its prying reporters and cameras The park and some rangers had been not too long before the center of a controversy surrounding the killing of an island buffalo allegedly to be tested for brucellosis A blood test is all that is required to test for brucellosis and after the bison was killed park rangers were accused of lulling the buffalo simply for a barbecue This tilne around was a different more pleasant encounter Much of the guesswork has been eliminated in the past decade and memories of the brucellosis barbecue had long faded Fortner ranger Latsson took much of the heat back then This year he was back at his former workplace but this time as a retina ranger who transformed his passion for buffalo into a foil time career As er of a pair of private part-own- buffalo ranches Larssoo is more at ease around the hairy bovines these days He's learned a lot And not only is the roundup running more like a well oiled machine a decade later but so too is Antelope Island State Park Purchased by the state in 1983 for $47 million Antelope Island is today for more than die winter range for cattle it was previously In 1987 Great Salt Lake was just receding from an historic high level The road or causeway connecting the island to the mainland west of Syracuse was washed away The causeway was closed from 1983 to 1993 The only way to and firom the island was by boat or aircraft Few people taking part in those first few roundups were spared the trip by boat And considering all the people and all the horses that took part in those first roundups getting it and them all oo Antelope Island required considerable effort Ibday a fresh ribbon of asphalt stretching across the lake welcomes tourists literally by the thousands lo die park Some of the park's amenities are even newer than the rebuilt causeway Now there is a visitor center and gift shop and marina and a buf-nl- o herd dud seems to take the annual roundup in stride Photo right: A bison la secured In the taking chute is ny nossigsr ctiscks ms IJnfiMicuon wq a a m — Photo above: Volunteer Grant Robins preda a biaon down a chute where they are checked one by one Veterinarian Chad WkUaon prePhoto far pares a vaccination The Biaon herd on Antelope Wend rv among Ia ins nmniNK n n§ oourery mwmg ram moat deakafate for sate mar ossig groups'! togsMriiy haiooplMiiGhBM trucks Mi owr and ooralttw bison hai iwsi hnlrBnra iso ns ink nosing ares rnaio0vn Story: John J Wise Photos: S John Wilkin |