The Beast

Today, I came face to face with the beast.
Wow.

So, here is what transpired.
Bella and I head off with the tractor to feed the cows and sheep.

While Bella ties up the dogs to feed them and closes the gate,
 I  survey the pasture,
keeping my eyes open for newborn calves.

I ponder for a moment why all the cows and sheep are all on one end of the pasture.
But, no real big deal.

In the distance I see a lone cow,

a good indicator of a possible baby.

We head off in that direction.
As we get closer my mind cannot comprehend what my eyes see.

Big and black.
Cow?

No, too big.

Moose?

Possibly

I look again..
a Bison?

What?

Yep, this humongous,
huge bison bull is standing in the field
between our cows and sheep.

The cows are nervous,
the bull is parading around,
a young heifer hightails it away from this beast.

We get closer,
the bull moves off.

Elegantly he jumps the electric fence,

he gallops off down the alfalfa hay field,

he moves down the fence,

he contemplates and

clear jumps the next fence.

My mind is spinning,
my heart is pounding.

Where did he come from?

How did he get in?
(our farm is surrounded by...bison fence)
What is he doing here?

I phoned the RCMP ( our cops)

to ask if someone had perhaps put  in a "missing bison" report?
Nobody had.

Anyway, he ambled off into the distance,

the cows breathed a sigh of relief,
 and were happy to go and eat the hay bale.

Boy, am I pleased that the big dogs were tied up,
I am not sure what their response would have been,
they have run off moose before
but a bison bull,
 is a whole other story.

Aaaah,

 just another day in High Prairie.
Have a good weekend.