‘Oh, Verna, she won’t come after you, it’s just that you are watching out for her’

He remembers the early days when the slaughter took place on the farm. Vern quickly realized as bison are herding animals and relationships are strong among them, having a slaughter specialist come into the field with a rifle was causing some trauma amongst the mothers. After doing some research he found the right place to sell the bison on the hoof, which means they are transported live.

Vern said he’s been complimented on the calm nature of his beasts and many shippers have commented that his herd is easy to load onto the trucks. Vern believes in keeping the stress level as low as possible on the farm and deliberately keeps close to the herd at feeding time and even treats them to alfalfa pellets on occasion to ensure the human to animal relationship is positively maintained.

Verna has never felt comfortable around the big brutes and when she startled No. 46’s baby when she tried to shoo him back from the gate, the big breeding cow (who Verna refuses to name because of the bad blood between them) has had it out for her ever since – and that was about a decade ago. Apparently buffalo grudges hold fast.

“When I’m on the ATV, in the little truck or even the big truck I always have to look over my shoulder to make sure she’s not coming after me,” Verna visibly shudders at the thought.

“Oh Verna, she won’t come after you, it’s just that you are watching out for her,” Vern laughed with affection for his wife.

So why is she on a bison farm if she’s scared of the big creatures?

“I have to support my husband and his dreams,” Verna said with conviction in her eyes.

As the group of people walks out of the sunny house to see the group of bison, Vern turned to make sure Verna was safe and comfortable and bends from his steadfast rancher’s posture to lean over and quietly say something.

“I never would’ve been able to do it without her,” he smiled. Inside her home, Verna Wright laughs while recalling the cold winter night when she came up with her Christmas poem featuring the Kole Creek Bison Ranch herd filling in for Santa’s sick reindeer, top. Vern Wright talks about the satisfaction he gets from living his retirement dream as a bison rancher, middle. Visitors to the Kole Creek Bison Ranch near Hixon are greeted by a “Watch For Bison” sign, bottom.