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ANTELOPE ISLAND STATE PARK — Sean Lindsay, 6, sat atop his dad's shoulders watching the bison shuffle and kick as they made their way through the chute.
"Can you do your bison sound?" Don Lindsay asked his son.
Sean made low grumbles in his throat.
They watched as one of the bison made its way to the front of the squeeze chute. One of the rangers used a clamp to pinch its nose and pull its head to the side while others checked the bison's internal chip for its age, weight and health history.
"Sorry!" Sean's mom, Carol Lindsay, called as the rangers finished the checkup and released the bison to join the rest of the herd.
Between 700 and 800 bison will make their way through the chute during the annual thee-day inoculation process on Antelope Island.
"It's kind of what we work toward all year long," said Jeremy Shaw, Antelope Island State Park manager. "People think Antelope Island, they think bison. It's neat to be a part of it."
It's kind of what we work toward all year long. People think Antelope Island, they think bison. It's neat to be a part of it.
–Jeremy Shaw, Antelope Island State Park
All of the bison are gathered the previous week during the annual bison roundup. Shaw said the animals' tags are checked, they get any necessary shots, and the females get a pregnancy test.
"The biggest part of what we're doing when we bring them in here is sorting them for sale," Shaw said. "We'll sell between 200-250 animals this year, and that's just to keep the range healthy."
The bison to leave the island will be sold in an auction at 10 a.m. next Saturday at the park office. Shaw said the auction is open to the public and anyone can bid.
The public is also welcome each year to attend the roundup and the inoculation.
"This is my first time to see this great animal, giant animal," said Xiaowoen Wu, a 28-year-old from China. She is in Utah training to become a teacher and visited Antelope Island with two other teachers to see the bison Saturday.
"I think they are very unhappy about this," she said as the bison kicked and clattered in the chute behind her. "I see they are so happy when they are set free."
The animals are free-range, Shaw said. The only time they are corralled is during the 10 days the rangers check on their health each year.
Li Zhang, 25, said the experience was once in a lifetime.
"You can see the really dangerous animals running in front of you," she said.
Zhang also said she thought the sorting process was interesting.
"Maybe they will go to the national park, or go to a farm or just be somebody's meat. You don't know what's your future awaiting for you," she said.
But Dan Liu, 25, said she was amazed by the efficiency of the park rangers.
"Like, how we can test them, and they are so giant, and they can beat us, but we use a lot of tools and think of a lot of ways to control them, to manage them," she said.
Shaw said the park gets about 4,000 to 5,000 visitors for the bison inoculation but hopes to see that doubled in the future.
"Come out and enjoy the island and what it has to offer," he said. "Hopefully they build a love for not only Antelope Island, but the bison as well."
Email: ebench@ksl.com
