Scat

As an individual, I am not normally into scatology. But while hiking in the wilderness, it really is the best way to know what creatures are around that have their eyes on you.

At Elk Island National Park in Alberta we shared the woods with, surprisingly enough, not elk but plains bison. These big animals are almost as numerous as the mosquitoes. We hiked 21 km over 2 days and you really had to watch where you put your feet.

It was like taking a stroll in a cow field. With really big cows. But we knew for sure that they were around us.

Our first sighting of bison was along the road, a single bull grazing by the campground entrance.

Whether in a herd or alone, these park kings are totally unconcerned about anyone else’s agenda. They will stroll across the road at will, and regardless of traffic will get to the other side and immediately decide to go back again. They can do this for hours, occasionally stopping mid road to stare down an impatient little Honda. 

Even inside our truck we found it intimidating when one large patriarch chose the middle of our lane and walked straight toward us. All we could do was stop and wait and hope he swerved.

We were a lot less protected on our last encounter. Walking along a trail, dodging bison pies, we met a bull coming in the opposite direction. All three of us stopped, apprehensive of each other. After raising his snout to catch our scent, Daddy Bison continued on, confident that he had the right of way. We graciously allowed this, scrambling uphill into the raspberry bushes.

Bison weren’t the only ones we shared the woods with. As the trail wound among the numerous berry bushes, we saw lots of other droppings. Bear, for sure.

Scat!

I mean, Shoo!

W