On December 8, 2003 personnel at the Muscoda Bison Farm along volunteers from throughout the Nation conducted the annual Bison Roundup, an inventory of the herd kept by the Ho-Chunk Nation.  A daylong event, the roundup involves the inoculation of each animal protecting them from pink-eye and respiratory ailments, recording each animals weight and age, and finally tagging each head, as a means of tracking the herd.

The Bison Project recently acquired 90 head previously held in South Dakota, making the current count 264, said Heritage Preservation Director, Larry Garvin.  Following the roundup 12 other females are scheduled to be sent to South Dakota, part of the Nation’s exchange program with the InterTribal Bison Cooperative. In the exchange program, typically females between one and two years old join the herds of other tribes as a means of preventing any in-breeding that could led to genetic defects in the herd.  The current head count at Muscoda plus an additional 17 bison being held at Whirling Thunder Ranch in Tomah, should allow, said Cecil Garvin, Project Manager at Muscoda, the Farm to conduct slaughters on a regular basis. That would in turn allow the regular distribution of bison meat to those tribal members suffering with diabetes.  He added that the Ho-Chunk Legislature has

The herd awaits the weighing, tagging, and inoculation process.

Richard Snake, Muscoda Herd Manager, works hard to tag a bison.

Volunteers keep the bison moving.

approved a budget that allows for additional slaughters and an increased distribution schedule.

     This year’s roundup started on a sad note.  Preparing for the roundup eight bison were found dead or were found suffering and needed to be put down.  It is believed that most of the eight were among those recently acquired from South Dakota and Cecil Garvin stated that the combination of the unusually warm weather and the stress brought on the herd in the roundup process led to the animals just lying down and dying or becoming too ill to survive.  Both Cecil and Larry Garvin stated that the animals likely were already stressed as a result of the trip from South Dakota and that arrangements were already being made to have the meat from those animals processed and distributed.

Placed in holding areas the day prior to the actual roundup, some of the animals seemed reluctant to move through the gates leading to the inoculation, weighing and tagging stations.  Those brought in from South Dakota were especially hesitant during the process, and their actions along with the presence of a larger herd, meant this year’s roundup took longer then ones done in previous years

     In addition to Muscoda personnel and Dr. Dirk Donovan, who administered the vaccinations, personnel from Cultural Resources, Natural Resources, Education, Language and Whirling Thunder helped with the roundup.  Other observers, including a group of students from Black River Falls, witnessed the event, seen as an important part toward restoring part of the Nation’s culture and tradition.