Forest Preserve Offers Bison Crawl Activities for National Bison Day
The Forest Preserve District of Will County has scheduled prairie hikes and a bison chip throwing contest on Saturday, Nov. 2, to celebrate National Bison Day.
The free, all-ages activities are part of a local Bison Crawl the Forest Preserve is co-hosting with U.S. Forest Service’s Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, which is home to a bison herd. The programs also are part of a statewide effort to honor America’s national mammal and to raise awareness of the historical significance of bison and their importance to prairies.
The Forest Preserve’s Bison Crawl activities will take place from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at Sugar Creek Administration Center, 17540 W. Laraway Road, Joliet. Representatives from Ruhter Bison Farm will be on site with bison furs and skulls to talk about this magnificent animal, including bison ecology and agriculture. Prairie hikes will be offered through the restored prairies at Sugar Creek Preserve and participants will learn how bison were an integral part of the prairie ecosystem. The hikes are scheduled for 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. and they will be about 30 to 40 minutes long.
And back by popular demand, the bison chip throwing contest will be offered to all ages willing to test their throwing skills. The winner will receive a real bison skull donated by Ruhter Bison Farm.
Midewin, which is located in the Wilmington/Elwood area, also will be offering Bison Crawl hikes and programs. For a full listing of National Bison Day activities in the region and elsewhere in Illinois, visit Midewin’s News & Events site at www.fs.usda.gov/news/midewin/
