Buffalo Bill's Blog

How long has it been since you’ve checked out the fall colors here in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country?  According to my friend at Yellowstone’s East Gate, Ranger Robin, the leaves are turning and the colors are stunning! 

If you missed my last blog on Robin, she’s been a ranger at the East Gate for the last three years, and enjoys every day that she gets to welcome folks to the country’s first National Park.  She lives in a mountain cabin halfway between Cody and Yellowstone, so she gets to see wildlife almost every day!  And the visitors love to see all the animals before they even get in the Park – just this week Robin heard two different reports of grizzly bears crossing the highway just 5 miles east of the gate, and others spotted a wolf just up from the pass that same day.  And something even more unusual – Robin said that visitors reported seeing a mountain lion in the Hayden Valley, along with a wolf and eagles, all in the same area! 

Robin says that visitors are REALLY enjoying the beautiful weather we’re having right now – in fact, some have jokingly asked if they have to pay more to enter the park because the weather is such a bonus!  She says that after the cold snap we had last week, the leaves started changing colors, and now the warm temps and sunny skies are just enhancing the natural beauty of the region. 

On a sad note, Robin reports that over the last weekend, there were two bison hit and killed on the highway in Yellowstone.  It’s a reminder to visitors, though, that watching for wildlife in Yellowstone actually needs to start once you get to Cody itself!  We’ve got dozens of deer that live right here in town, and they don’t necessarily follow traffic signals… the same goes for the bison, elk, moose, and bear that populate the North Fork valley on the highway to Yellowstone.  And we’re in peak wildlife-watching season – the fall months and late spring are the BEST times to catch a glimpse of the amazing creatures that we co-habitate with here in Yellowstone Country!

Robin says that there have been quite a few inquiries about the two fatal grizzly attacks that have occurred this summer – the first fatal attacks in 26 years in Yellowstone.  The rangers’ message to visitors who are planning to hike?  ALWAYS CARRY BEAR SPRAY.  Ranger Robin and her husband have hiked in these mountains for the last thirteen years and always carry bear spray.  She says they’ve thankfully never had to use it, but on many occasions they have seen fresh bear tracks on their hikes.  If hikers have questions about the proper use of bear spray, they can check out a “Bear Aware” video at the public library in Cody.  The video was produced by the Buffalo Bill Historical Center’s Draper Museum of Natural History just a couple of years ago, so the information is very current.  

I asked Robin about the visitors who are frequenting the park right now, and she said that there are a TON of foreign travelers here right now!  A large percentage are German, which she says is pretty easy, because most of the German visitors speak English.  Many of the Italian tourists have trouble with the language barriers, though, as do quite a few of the French.  Robin says that at the East Gate, there are rangers on duty who can speak enough German and Norwegian to help out visitors from those countries; and Robin herself can converse in sign language, which has come in very handy over the past three years that she’s worked there.   She says that deaf visitors are always so pleased to find out that she can sign, which is so important when it comes to communicating about lodging and other necessary information. Since lodging and campsites fill up almost every day during peak season, it’s important to be able to get that message across as soon as folks get in the gate.

Robin’s got such a great job!  Her season is winding down there – the Park will close up the first weekend in November to wheeled vehicles, and will remain closed to wheeled vehicles until next May, when the season comes ‘round again… and Ranger Robin hopes to be there to greet enthusiastic visitors to this amazing, unique place that is Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country!

Until next time, I’ll be lovin’ life in Buffalo Bill’s Country!

Corrie N. Cody

ren·dez·vous: (rahn-duh-voo) noun

1. an agreement between two or more persons to meet at a certain time and place.

2. the meeting itself.

3. a place designated for a meeting or assembling.

4. a favorite or popular gathering place.

All these definitions apply to the annual Rendezvous Royale, a fabulous week-long party here in Cody that celebrates all that is unique and great about western art! 

If you haven’t been to the Rendezvous before, be prepared for events and happenings all day, every day, for five days!  According to Kathy Thompson, the director of the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale, people come from all over the United States to take part in the authentic western experience that is Cody.

Although Rendezvous Royale takes place the last full week in September, the activity actually begins in August, with the display of the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale’s Miniature Art Show.  These smaller works of art have all been created by the artists who have been invited to participate in the larger Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale that happens during Rendezvous Royale at the end of September.  The show hangs at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center until it’s time for the big show to be unveiled!

Come the end of September, things really kick into gear.  That’s when all four components of the Rendezvous come together for the enjoyment of residents and visitors:

- Cody High Style celebrates artisans – furniture, clothing and jewelry makers, leather work, and other fantastic “functional” art that is in a class of its own, apart from the Buffalo Bill Art Show.  There are classes on everything from building a Molesworth-style magazine rack to interior design; round-town events that include book signings and artist demonstrations; panel discussions on western design; and a high-energy fashion show at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center Wednesday night, complete with music, lights, models and a runway!

- The Boot Scootin’ Boogie is a relative newcomer to the Rendezvous Royale.  Put on by local merchants, this free downtown event has a party atmosphere, with sidewalk sales, food, drink, and a runway fashion show which closes down the main highway through town for four hours! There’s a great fundraiser that’s going on this year in conjunction with the Boot-Scoot – there are 3’ high ceramic cowboy boots that have been decorated by local artists, and these boots will be raffled off during Rendezvous Royale to raise money for

- The event that draws the most participation during the week is the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale – this live and silent auction takes place Friday night, and generates huge dollars for the Buffalo Bill Historical Center and the Cody Chamber of Commerce (which takes a portion of the money and returns it to the community in the form of grants that support arts-related activities and events).  Folks look forward to this auction all year – it’s a great social event celebrating 30 years in 2011!  And the Friday event isn’t the end – there’s a Quick Draw on Saturday morning that is becoming more and more popular.  In the Robbie PowWow Gardens at the BBHC, artists sculpt, paint and draw for one hour, then that piece that they just created goes on the auction block then and there!  It’s exciting and fun to be a part of that action.

Kathy Thompson relies heavily on the large pool of volunteers who make this event happen – she says that these volunteers do everything from the non-glamorous (stuffing envelopes, cross-checking lists, signing up other volunteers) to the high-profile (carrying and displaying $1 million worth of art on stage in front of 650 patrons).  Volunteers also assist artists during the Quick Draw, and work behind the scenes to ship the pieces, manage contracts, and register people for events.

- The black tie event of Rendezvous Royale is Saturday night’s Patron’s Ball.  (Locals affectionately call it “The Cody Prom”).  This is a fundraising event for the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, and everyone who is anyone attends!  Current and former governors, U.S. Senators and Representatives, high dollar donors to the BBHC, local elected officials and business folks, all dance and socialize to the tunes of a fabulously entertaining band.  It is THE social event of the season here in Cody!

Whew!  So much partying, all in one week!  Come join the fun – it’s a week of celebrations here in Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country!

Lovin’ life in Buffalo Bill’s Country,

Corrie N. Cody

It seems like every time we turn around, there’s another animal on the endangered species list.  We don’t hear too often about species that have become extinct in our lifetimes, because of the hard work that’s being done and attention that is paid to our animal friends from environmental groups and the national and state wildlife divisions.

But the case of the black-footed ferret is unique – the species was thought to be extinct in the late 1950s, until a small population (a group of ferrets is called a “business” – isn’t that cool?) was discovered in South Dakota in 1964.  When that “business” of ferrets began to decline, wildlife officials captured some of the ferrets to save the species.  However, the last of those died in captivity in 1974, and it was thought the species was officially extinct.

Then came a fateful day – September 26, 1981. I talked to a friend of mine, Dennie Hammer, who is now with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.  On that day, Dennie was employed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as the crew leader for a team searching for endangered species that might have habitats on land that was being considered for coal leasing.  He checked in with his office and was told that John Hogg, a rancher just outside Meeteetse, Wyoming, had found a dead animal that his dog “Shep” had brought home.  When he couldn’t figure out what it was, he brought it to a local taxidermist who identified the animal as a black footed ferret.  The taxidermist called wildlife officials, and Dennie and another Fish and Wildlife guy, Steve Martin, were sent to try to find more of the ferrets.

According to Dennie, they were conducting a spotlight search in the Meeteetse area on the Pitchfork Ranch, in the early morning of October 29^th, 1981.  At 6:20 a.m., they spotted a black footed ferret scurrying across the road before it dove into a prairie dog burrow.  They set traps for the animal, which they captured that evening.  (They nicknamed the young male ferret 620, since that was the time they first spotted him.) Dennie and Steve took “620” to veterinarian Bill Gould in Meeteetse, collared him and sent him back into the wild.  The little guy led them right to the rest of his clan, and the rest is history.

Since then, the black footed ferret has survived, both in captivity and in re-population efforts in eight states and in Mexico.  Thanks to the work of the government wildlife officials and private organizations whose mission is to keep the species around for a long time, the black footed ferret, while still an endangered species, is no longer on the brink of extinction.

And that’s the reason for the big shindig in Meeteetse on September 24^th through the 26^th – the 30^th anniversary of the day the ferrets were re-discovered. With events ranging from school programs to tours of the discovery location to the dedication of a black footed ferret display at the Meeteetse Museum, the fuzzy critters are being celebrated in grand Wyoming style.  There will be a street dance and a barbecue at the Oasis Motel on Friday night; the Meeteetse School will play host to demonstrations and panel discussions Friday and Saturday; there will be a drawing on Monday the 26^th for a commemorative bronze sculpture of a ferret; and the Governor has even signed a proclamation declaring September 26^th as Black Footed Ferret Day in Wyoming.  And if you’ve never seen an actual black footed ferret, there will be live ones there in Meeteetse that weekend on display!  That in itself is a reason to head to Meeteetse next weekend.

And all this over a furry weasel-looking creature that somebody’s dog brought home… amazing how life works, isn’t it? See ya in Meeteetse September 24^th, 25^th and 26^th!

Until next time, I’ll be lovin’ life in Buffalo Bill’s Country!

Corrie N. Cody

Living out here for as long as I have, I have been privileged to see how important our western heritage is to the residents of Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country.  From the ranchers who are still living the western dream, to the local organizations raising funds to restore historic buildings, to the shopkeepers who make sure that visitors get that “western experience” – the folks who live here appreciate every day our unique place in America’s history!  And for those of you who have visited here or are considering a trip this direction, there are so many attractions and activities that celebrate our American heritage:

OLD TRAIL TOWN

This collection of authentic buildings (the original buildings, not just recreations) brings to life what the area was like in the late 1800s!  Step onto the boardwalks at the original town site of “Cody City”; wander into a saloon that was frequented by outlaws like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (and visit a cabin that they used as a hideout); see the log cabin that a Crow scout for General George Armstrong Custer used as his home; take in the vista of the plains as they meet Cedar and Rattlesnake mountains west of town. The Museum of the Old West holds artifacts from an era that isn’t as far gone as you’d think.

BUFFALO BILL HISTORICAL CENTER

When you pay your admission fee to the BBHC, it’s good for two days – there’s a good reason for that!  This “Smithsonian of the West” houses an incredible collection of displays that highlight five different cultural genres:  the most extensive collection of firearms in the world, an amazing museum devoted to the heritage of the Plains Indians, a wing that explains and highlights the natural history of the Yellowstone region, a collection of artifacts that showcase Buffalo Bill Cody’s extensive and colorful show business career, and a world class museum of western art.

MEETEETSE MUSEUMS

The tiny town of Meeteetse, Wyoming is home to a museum that boasts several unique, permanent collections – displays that highlight the Wild Sheep of North America, the Meeteetse Mercantile, the Black Footed Ferret, Little Wahb the grizzly bear, and the Charles Belden Photography Collection.  There are also several annual field trips sponsored by the Meeteetse Museums to hard-to-reach ghost towns – these excursions really show how wild the west truly was!

HOMESTEADER MUSEUM

The community of Powell, Wyoming is proud of its agricultural heritage – and the Homesteader Museum tells that story.  The Museum’s collection includes over 5,000 artifacts that celebrate turn-of-the-century homesteading and rural life – from house work and farm work to merchants and business, the Homesteader Museum is dedicated to the preservation of this area’s rural heritage.

HEART MOUNTAIN INTERPRETIVE LEARNING CENTER

Opened just last month, the new Learning Center at the site of the Japanese-American Internment Camp from World War II shines a light on a dark period in this nation’s history – the sequestration of Japanese-Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941.  At one time, the Heart Mountain Internment Camp was the third-largest community in Wyoming, and the new Learning Center depicts what life was life for internees who had been uprooted from their homes and businesses on the west coast and relocated to isolated camps throughout middle America simply because of their race.  Although this is not a “wild west” attraction, it is an important nod to another, equally important era in American history.

There are so many other fantastic places in this part of the country where you can step back in time, such as the Dug Up Gun Museum; Tecumseh’s Miniature Village; the evening gunfight in front of the historic Irma Hotel; the various western stores and shops in downtown Cody; the songs from decades gone by at Dan Miller’s Cowboy Music Revue in the historic Cody Theatre; the wild western adventure of the Cody Nite Rodeo; or standing at the top of Dead Indian Pass and gazing at the incredible vistas that haven’t changed for eons… WOW!  I hope you’ll consider making your next vacation a trip to Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country – it’s a real step back in time!

Lovin’ life in Buffalo Bill’s Country,

Corrie N. Cody

My friend “Robin” has the greatest commute in the world.  She lives in a log cabin between Cody and the East Entrance to Yellowstone, and every day she goes to work she sees wildlife, incredible scenery and the best of what this part of the country is!

Robin works as a Park Ranger at the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park.  This is her third 6-month season working for the National Park Service, and she says she is simply blessed to be doing what she does!  Robin greets people as they come to the world’s first National Park, and she says the reactions of folks who are visiting for the first time can really touch your heart.

Robin’s day on the job begins when the first visitors pass through the gate at 8 a.m., and is ready with her fellow gate-keepers to issue their familiar greeting – “Welcome to Yellowstone!”

And it truly is a welcome, and sometimes a profound, event for most of the folks who come through that gate, according to Robin.  She relayed several heartfelt stories to me about people who have been checking a visit to Yellowstone off their “Bucket Lists”… like the elderly couple who drove to the east entrance one day in 2009.  As the couple pulled up to the gate, it was obvious to the rangers that the woman in the passenger seat was not well.  As the supervisor (who is an EMT) was working to help the woman, her husband was patting her shoulder, repeating over and over, “Honey, we made it.  We made it to Yellowstone.”

 Another story that Robin told centered around a 99 year old man who pulled up to the entrance, parked his vehicle and told the ranger at the gate that he had served in World War II and Korea, and that this visit to Yellowstone would be his last trip.  The man began weeping as he was relaying this to the young ranger, and the young man wept with him.

One of the most important messages that Robin passed on to me was that Yellowstone’s boundaries are just imaginary lines – the wildlife and the scenery don’t just begin and end at the gates.  She stressed to me how important it is for folks to realize that this entire area is “Yellowstone Country”!  Sometimes she says her heart breaks when she sees animals on the side of the highway that have been struck by cars whose drivers are in such a hurry to get to Yellowstone that they forget that in many ways, they’re already there.  Robin says that the best place to see wildlife in this region is actually the 52 miles between Cody and the East Entrance, on the highway to Yellowstone.  She says that every day, like clockwork, she sees moose.  She also sees elk, bear, bighorn sheep, deer, turkeys and bald eagles.  She said that she saw all these animals IN ONE DAY this spring!

Robin and I talked for a long time, and she had a lot more stories to tell me than what I can write in one blog, so I’ll save her other stories for another time.  For those of you who have yet to experience the wonders of Buffalo Bill’s Cody/Yellowstone Country, I hope you’ll appreciate the area as much as Robin and I do!

Until next time, I’ll be lovin’ life in Buffalo Bill’s Country!

Corrie N. Cody