220 Extra. Out Among the Buffalo, with Pedro Calderon-Dominguez

So you know that in a mixed herd like this one , where there's little ones and then all the way up to like from four months old babies to eight months , eight years old bulls , then then you have to know how to read the whole herd . So I saw the little ones are in the back somewhere . Have to be . Okay , there's one there , right in the middle .

Yeah , there's a group of three or four . So I know that that section of the herd is going to be the more spooky and sensitive because they want to protect the little ones . So I'm not going to mess with them because they are going to be the first one in flight . So I work the calmer one , the calmest one , and then those are going to follow .

Or maybe I start the herd from there , knowing that those are going to be the first one in leave and the rest are going to follow . So you have to like read the whole chunk and decide what to do . That bull is a nice photo back there . You want to take% With the sun ?

Yeah , in this particular herd we have 90 that we import from Fort Becknap , from the reservation and they stay in the corrals with alfalfa for maybe two weeks and then we took them to the quarantine facilities that we have Stayed there . For what ? For two months maybe . So they are really friendly with us , so we are working around them and sometimes they come .

There's two of them here , those blue tags . Those two they always the blue tags are the ones that we import from with Yellowstone genetics and those are the ones always coming like I have a photo one of my guys taking some manure samples for our research and there's like five or six of them around him , like because they they .

I have a photo of one of my guys taking some manure samples for our research and there's like five or six of them around him like because they . They are friendly like they , they know us .

So see , now they , they know that something is happening and they are moving this way . So I told you half of them were looking this way and half of them that way . If we move that way , we put pressure over them and they move here . We will stay back here . These ones were moving that direction .

But that , those things , just you can learn it here failing a lot of times until you oh that's why , okay , got it . For example I know that this hurt even if they are all stand up , they are not going to leave anywhere else until that bull in the middle stands up , because what they want is like when they , when everybody's ready , they , they leave .

And and sometimes you are trying to move them and you are struggling them , and why they're not going ? Why they're not going ? Because there's some two or three really old animals that feel really comfortable . They say no , there's no need to leave . And so you need to go and actually pick them up , like , come on , old boy , really let's go .

And then , and then the whole herd goes and and then you will see , for example , that bull on the other side of the wetland , that group is here because this wetland down here , the water .

And then you will see , for example , that bull on the other side of the wetland , that group is here because this wetland down here , the water , and then you see , well , it's not a herd , but this is a herd like a natural composition structure . They pick their distances .

You see our grass like there's a lot of food , a lot of cover , but , but they the like you don't want to go to the movies and stay , or on the supermarket and stay shoulder to shoulder with people , no , so this is the natural distances that they like to graze , and back there .

That bull belongs to this herd and those animals that you saw back there on the other side , those belong to this herd , but it's just the social dynamic that they have .

So now is we are almost ready for the breeding season , so I guess that one back there is not a dominant bull , and the ones around here are already telling them I'm sorry , old grandpa , you are no longer required , so please stay back there .

You go out . Maybe you will be able to hear some . Yeah , what I'm going to do is Okay , here we go . That's a great sail . You want to go out ? Yeah , you want to . So we should stay here . I'm going to have to whisper . I don't know if that will work . Yeah , it'll work .

So this is the bunch from Yellowstone that I was telling you with the blue tags . Yeah , really , really curious , but they are not really used to see us walking . So we just want to wait a little bit here and then move slowly towards them . So how old are they ? I think it's . So .

This group , all this group of Yellowstone ones , are yearlings from last year , so it's one year and a half . And then these ones are calves from one year , from the last year , the darker ones . So they are going to be just one year , right now , in June . So they just went one year .

So these ones are two-year-olds , these ones are two-year-olds and these ones are one-year-old . And then you can see that cow that is coming right by the fence . She's three and the bull behind her is three . And then there's something really interesting . Can you see this bull that is working , walking here with all the wool on his back ?

So , okay , see how the shape of the wool here , how the shape of the wool on his face . And then look , let's find a mature cow . Well , one from the back . But I want a nice example . Okay , this one here . So behind this one , the one that is stretching her back back there , can you see the wool more or less on the same areas than this one here .

It's because the three and four-year-old bulls , they develop this kind of coat where they can camouflage with another cow . That way another bull is not going to try to kill him .

In competition for the females because they're still young , right , they start to breed at four-year-old , the bulls , but then right now , between three and four , they are learning and then they have another role on the herd . Here they are more like a bodyguard , and so between taking care of the little ones and going to the party with the old ones , uh , but .

But it's really interesting how their , their coats and the , the , the , the , the hump , the chaps , all the wolves and all the wool in the back is more similar to a female , other female . In that way they are not attacked by the old wolves . Interesting , yeah . So back there you can see that old bull with all the yeah right at the back .

Yeah , right at the back . So it's way different the shape of the hump and the shape of the wool than this young one here . So huge , yeah , and this is all . This group is the one from Yellowstone , so that's the one that we took in the quarantine for a while . So that's why they are used , just so used to be here close to us , yeah , yeah .

So let's see if we can get closer a little bit . And when you approach them this low stress , bison handling deal you have to embrace your 90 year old man . So you want to walk like this , you walk like this . And even when I walk them in the corral , if I go walking like this , then it helps for them to not run .

Okay , too close , so we go back , we go back , we close . So we go back , we go back , we go back , we go back , we go back . Okay , stop . So they will tell you the distances where they feel comfortable to get close . So now the one that start to leave , they stop . Now the back bull is looking at us , the cow is looking at us .

We have to develop that feel like get closer and while they move , you stop and go back . So that's the release of the pressure . And when you do that , you release a shot of dopamine on them , really , instead of adrenaline , like going away from danger .

So they move , but you release the pressure and they feel that shot of dopamine and they actually are learning from you , like talking to you . That's how you talk with them . Would you go so far as to say that they trust you more ? Yeah , yeah , they're gonna start to trust you more .

Yeah , yeah , yeah , they're gonna start to trust you more if you , if you keep going , if they were walking like that , like the whole bunch , and we will keep walking with them . So that that's a constant pressure . You are screaming at them go , so they don't like it . But then you , we walk again , they move , we stop and then release . That's a conversation .

We are asking them please move , yeah , and that's the whole deal . Yeah , and there are some tricks how to move them , how to stop them , where to stand up , but you never do direct pressure on them . Always lateral movements . We have some babies here One , two , three , four , five , six , seven , eight , nine , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 .

You can see 14 here , so it's amazing . So we let them move again and then , as soon as they move , we stop and go back . Then you wait , she's pooping , it's okay , you can poop , you can pee , and when you're ready , then we move . So we don't move her . The other one was the one moving , but you take it .

And now that old cow oh yeah , all these ones are young and it's like between the kindergarten and now that old cow oh yeah , all these ones are young and it's like between the kindergarten and elementary school , right ? So she's coming . She's dry , she doesn't have a baby , so her job is hey , what's up with these kids ? Or are they messing up .

So she's coming to check out on us and she sees everything is fine , or she needs to call the whole group and say you know what , let's see , let's watch her , let's see what she's gonna do Interesting . But she was not interested until we came here walking . So now she just call her and that's not her baby .

I know this cow and she's dry , she doesn't have any cows , she's just coming like , like the nanny . She's like the nanny in this case . So what I was telling you in the back is one of them is going to pick a direction , and the one with the babies are the more sensitive ones , and those are the ones on the move . Now they are moving .

So at some point , at some point , the whole herd is gonna start to follow that group . If we stay enough , we will see that .

And then , if you mess up and you put more pressure than the one that you want , and these ones run , they are just going to run from this , from here , to the rest of the group , like just just to feel the safety of the herd and then that's it . So the other Mamas are leaving now . So you need to practice your inner peace all the time with bison .

Yeah , yeah , see even the guy at the back , he's moving . Yeah , I tell you it's just one herd , but it's moving like in a natural way . Yeah , so since we walk , stop going back , pressure , stop release . They already know that we are not predator and we are not in the predatory mood . So they are leaving .

I will just go back releasing because that's okay , like let them go by themselves on the walk . And then you have to read their intentions , because if they look in the direction they want to go , I mean their nose is the one telling you what are they going to do , but they start telling you with the ear .

So first the ear , then the eye , then the nose , then the hand , and that way they told me we are living that way . Because I approached and three or four , they , they turn their heads that way and I said they are ready to leave , they are thinking of leaving .

So that's why I came back and now they're living on a wall , but they , they tell you normally , when you read these books of advice and behavior is like , if they are lifting their tail , is this because they are getting excited ? But they'll tell you another 50 or 20 signals before that . Really , yeah , that one is rotting the tongue out .

And then it's pretty common that you see all the sometimes two little ones like just playing dumb in the back and you have to tell him no , come on , go , it's okay , go . And you can see their faces , since I work with horses and cows and donkeys .

You can see the expression from the horse on them and you can see where's an animal , whether it's a mean animal or just a cunt . So look at this little guy here . He's tame ,

as tame as he can be . It just is his natural behavior . I mean , it is his personality . That's crazy . Come on , girl . Okay , now she's leaving and then release . Oh see , I told you , the one with the babies marked the direction and the rest of them are following .

Yeah , and it's really funny how the big bulls are back there with the old cows on the road and this young teenager is here with the teenagers . And the other principle is that you don't make the things happen with bison , you let the things happen . So instead of oh , the whole herd is there , these animals are back here . Come on , go , go go .

That's a lot of pressure and that create disrespect and untrust between the handler and the bison . But if you wait long enough , then your idea becomes their idea and now they are going all together . Then your idea becomes their idea and now they are going all together . AJ: Yeah , and so do you have an idea of where they should go ?

Pedro"Yeah , for example , in this case it's like okay , I told you . If I want them to move them that way , instead of coming all the way to the other side of the herd and put the pressure here , I will stay there and do exactly the the same thing that we did , but there .

And then , once that they're going , then they just start to work them like from one side to another and doing coming from from from the front side of the herd . That way they , they see you and they always want to go by you , they want to go by the pressure . So you saw the pronghorn back there , the antelope .

He didn't cross the road from the back of the truck . Yeah , he went . He went up and crossed in front of the truck . So because we were the pressure and he went by the pressure . So it's the same with them . Uh , right now they are . They are moving away from us , but if we come by the front , they are going to come by us .

That's why , also , they came toward us , because they want to see what's going on , and if we will keep walking , they will be moving around us . That old guy is still seated . Yeah , yeah , they're still seated there , but it didn't matter , they left anyway . Yeah , well , they are racing there , so they just moved from this spot to that one .

But I don't think they're going to be roaming really far . They are not on the go , they just change locations . We got one over this side too . Eh , yeah , this guy has to find the hole , so he's's gonna have to walk all the way back to the corner . And then , yeah , there's like 120 here , so the other

half is on the other side of the pump . So it's cool . No , oh , my god , it's unreal . And this one , they weren't like this . They like from , like moving on the walk .

Really , they were really spooky and but when you are walking with them , with the best way to work , bison is a foot , and then horseback , and then with whatever thing you have , yes , so , but the best for them is a foot and then horseback , and then we use ATVs . Okay , but with the ATV you cannot hear them .

So , because you cannot hear an old cow that is calling the young ones like you , miss all that with the ATV and then you cannot stop and go back immediately like we did . So there's a lot of fine movement that you need to do to talk with them , that it's really complicated with a machine . That's very interesting .

So there's a lot of fine movement that you need to do to talk with them , that it's really complicated with a machine . It's very interesting . So a foot and then a horse is the best way . Yeah , this one on this side is on the move down there now . Yeah , we're gonna try to find the hole . The big guy sitting down is just watching us .

Yeah , that's a nice photo . Oh , my god , why rock cooley , you were really lucky

that they were right by the , by the road . Yeah , last year I broke the . Well , they came to visit us . Uh , wes olsen , he is the expert in bison conservation herds from Canada . He's Cody's friend as well , right , and we drove the whole property and we couldn't find them .

Surprised , like 300 buffalo , we couldn't find them Because they were like I don't know if they were behind that hill on the other side , there's no way to see them . Yeah , you wouldn't know . Yeah , oh great , here he goes . Yeah , because now he's feeling lonely . Beautiful , thank you .