Ice and snow crunch beneath my skis
My fingers are numb
But I am sweating
The distant sound of nothing draws me in
Quiet, peaceful, soundless nature
I bask in the few rays of sun peeking between trees
My gaze is drawn to movement in the brush
A chipmunk climbs a tree
Geese create commotion in the creek
A coyote stares me down
Before trotting back into the dense forest
In the distance I see movement
A bush in the breeze or a Bison grazing?
The lump turns to acknowledge me
Before burying itself in the snow for a nap
One continues grazing right before me
He eats his grass while I eat my clif bar
I am tired from the ski
He is tired of running from people who wish to harm him
We sit in silence
Close to silence
The geese continue chattering
He exists for himself
For his kind
For nothing else
He is immovable
Resilient
Beautiful
I am honored to spend a moment in silence with this creature
And hope a silent, peaceful life awaits him. 
The Magic Of Sharing A Moment With Bison In Yellowstone
I was six years old when I first saw bison through the window of our minivan in a line of cars parading through the roads of Yellowstone, as dozens of bison walked alongside us. Honestly, I was terrified. Even though I was protected within our trusty Toyota, I could feel the power of these massive beings, a power that held generations of knowledge, and trauma.
I heard about Buffalo Field Campaign while eavesdropping on a phone call my roommate Mora was having with BFC’s volunteer coordinator. After she hung up, I was eager to hear more about BFC and how I could also get involved. Throughout college, I have spent a lot of time learning about environmental justice and wilderness conservation, but I had not yet volunteered with an organization dedicated to protecting wildlife. It felt like an opportunity I didn’t want to let pass me by, and I’m glad that I secretly listened in on Mora’s call.
Once I arrived in Montana, I was astounded at the winter landscape before me. I was even more astounded to learn that this had been a mild winter, as it was the most wintery winter I have ever seen! When we arrived at BFC’s picturesque cabin, covered in snow and icicles, I knew this would be an experience unlike any I’d had before.
Life moves slowly during winter in Yellowstone. Compared to last winter, there has been little movement of buffalo beyond the Park onto the National Forest. As sad as I was to not see more wildlife, I was glad to know buffalo were where they could not be hunted.
On my first morning patrol, we were greeted by a fox trotting in a bank of snow near the road. It was an amazing introduction to the many other wildlife I would see during my stay. During ski patrols and while traveling to and from Bozeman, I saw elk, deer, bighorn sheep, coyotes, swans, and best of all, bison. Although nowhere near as many as I saw as a six year old, I was equally amazed to see five massive bulls while skiing in the Park. It was so special to see such magnificent beings just going about their days, napping in the snow, grazing, running, just being. There is something so magical about sharing a snowy moment with wildlife who live lives so unlike my own.
Witnessing these bison in such an intimate setting blew my mind. The six year old me would have been astounded too. The work that BFC is doing to continue protecting bison in their natural habitats is extremely important. The care and dedication to ending the slaughter of native bison is apparent in each staff member's actions within the campaign. I am inspired by the amount of knowledge BFC draws from Indigenous voices, both past and current. The values of respect and integrity are apparent in how BFC regards both the native people and native wildlife of this land. I am honored to be a part of this mission to protect the future generations of wild buffalo, and am extremely grateful for the care and hospitality that was shown for me as a BFC volunteer. I am already eagerly planning my next trip back to Yellowstone :)
~ By BFC Volunteer Sage Brozovich
