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8TuesdayJuly22013ParksCanadacounts700bisonatSweetgrassByRENEFRANCOEURAshundredsofbuffalochargedbyagroupofParksCanadastaffcrouchedbehindanoldcorralfenceatSweet-grassStationinWoodBuf-faloNationalParkshoutingoutcowbullandyear-lingamidstthethunderingnoiseandtremblingground.Theywerecollectingdatafortheannualsegregationcountwhichprovidesanestimateofthenumberofcalvesyearlingscowsandbullsinaherd.Thetwo-daycountwrappedupearlierthismonth.Weclassied700bisonLucyPattersonaParksbiolo-gisttoldTheJournal.Thatsahighnumber...aboutsevendifferentherds.WejustluckedouttheywereallatSweetgrassclosetogether.Theresultsofhowmanyofthosebisonwereineachcategoryremainstobede-terminedasPattersoncon-tinuescombingthroughherdataandaudiorecordings.Weclassifyindividualbisonintoageandsexcate-goriesbasedonfactorssuchasbodysizeandtheshapeoftheheadandhornsshesaid.Itsabitdifculttodowiththemmovingsofastbutwithareallygoodlookatthehornswecansubclassifythebullsintoclassonetwoandthreewiththreebeingtheoldest.TodothecountacrewoutofFortSmithfliesoutonafixed-wingaircrafttospotbisonherdstakingGPSpointsandsendingthembacktothegroundcrewwhothenboardahelicopter.Afterbeingdroppedoffashortdistancefromtheherdthegroupndsagoodplacetohide-typicallyaclumpofwillowsPattersonsaid.Thenthehelicopterslowlyherdsthebisontowardsus.Oneofustheclassifiershoutsouttheclassicationsastheypassshesaid.Parksisprimarilyinter-estedinthecalfper100cowsratioPattersonsaid.Itsameasurementofre-cruitmentintothepopulation.Thatcangiveusinforma-tionaboutthepopulationifitsincreasingordeclining.Thedatagatheredfromthesecountsisalsousedtodeterminewhatparkman-agementpoliciesandgoalsarerequiredtomaintainahealthybisonpopulationwithinthepark.AccordingtoNWTSpe-ciesatRiskwoodbisonwerealmosthuntedtoextinctionduringthe19thcentury.Theywerelegallylistedasthreat-enedunderthefederalSpe-ciesAtRiskActinJune2004.Populationshavebeengraduallyincreasingoverthepastseveralyears.AmasstotalcountofbisonisdoneeveryveyearsandisscheduledtohappenagaininMarch2014.AccordingtoPattersontherewere5000bisoncountedintheparkin2009.PhotoLucasBrownParksCanadaEnvironmentWildlifeResourceConservationOfcerDavidCampbellwatchescloselyasbisonstampedepasthishidingspotbehindanoldcorralfenceatSweetgrassStation.CampbellalongwithotherParksstaffconductedasegregationbisoncountearlierthismonth.HelpFortSmithwin25000forourArenaAsyouknowtherewasanearlymorningfireinMayattheFortSmithCentennialArenawhichhasresultedinournotbeingabletousethearenaforthemanyactivitiesweenjoythroughouttheyear.FortSmithhasachancetowin25000tohelpwiththecostofgettingussetupforanotherseasonofIceSports.Weareoneof20nalistsintheKraftCelebrationToursponsoredbyKraftCanada.WearecompetingagainstWhitehorseYKforourchancetowinandallweneedisyourvoteandyourvoicetospreadthewordVotingwilltakeplaceonJuly82013startingat1200p.m.ETwhichis1000a.m.ourtime.Youcanvoteasoftenasyoulikewithina24hourperiod.Gotowww.kraftcelebrationtour.caonJuly8thandvotevotevote.Tellallyourfriendsandfamilynearandfar.Spreadthewordacrossthenation-acrosstheworld.Allyouneedisaccesstoacomputeroraphone.Stationswillbesetuponthedayofvotingforthosewhomaynothaveaccessotherwisetotheinternet.VisitFortSmithKraftCelebrationTourFinalistfacebookpageformoreinformationonwhereandhowtovote.LetsmakeFortSmithawinner.LetsdoitforthekidsLetsdoitforusall