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| Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe |
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| Embarking on this personal journey, my tribal experiences after college filled me with a lifetime of knowledge and understanding. I gained an abundance of phenomenal experiences while in the field, especially during my many buffalo encounters, and became acquainted with quite a few remarkable individuals as well. At the same time I was also subjected to very trying conditions, which instilled in me valuable life lessons, and helped me to grow and strengthen as an individual.
Soon after graduating college, I moved to South Dakota to work for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST). The Reservation became almost like a second home for me, and is equal in size to my home state of Connecticut. It is a place I return to on occasion to visit some very dear friends, and help out with an occasional cattle roundup/branding. My acceptance among various Lakota Sioux ceremonies and celebrations has also left a lasting impression. I worked for over a year as a Wildlife Field Biologist for CRST’s Prairie Management Program (PMP). This was to be a temporary position until adequate funding could be acquired for a full time buffalo-related position. While working for the PMP I was handed the task of implementing both black-footed ferret and black-tailed prairie dog field surveys. This provided me with a unique opportunity to work with and learn about both black-footed ferrets (an endangered species) and black-tailed prairie dogs. I also released black-footed ferrets into the wild. Please visit Black-Footed Ferret Release to read the Indian Country Today news article regarding my first ferret release. During an aerial predator control I was able to ride in an airplane used to hunt coyotes from above, and the view of the prairie was spectacular! Overall the work was engaging and my crewmembers were colossal. We traveled within the state of South Dakota, to Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming for work-related meetings. I enjoyed their company and support on the job. Although a permanent buffalo-related position was not feasible during my employment due to lack of funding, I was fortunate to be able to assist with various tribal buffalo-related activities quite frequently. I met with Yellowstone officials, traveled to buffalo-related meetings (one of which I saw my first two wolves in the wilds of Grand Teton National Park), visited bison slaughter facilities in North Dakota and South Dakota while some of their buffalo were being transported there, and witnessed the processing of buffalo at their own tribally run slaughter unit. I was supplied with buffalo meat often and my freezer was always well stocked! I was also involved with the Tribe’s tourism program, which included buffalo and wild horse tours, and buffalo educational projects. Several of my wildlife photographs were even used in tribal brochures, websites, and so fourth. My favorite buffalo experiences with CRST occurred during their many buffalo roundups, which were always very dangerous but exciting, and created quite the adrenalin rush! While living on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation I had access to the more than 20,000-acre buffalo and wild horse enclosure at all times. My supervisors even located and repaired a vacant residence nearby the buffalo herds, which made spending quality time with the buffalo more convenient. My times on the prairie have been most rewarding. My first taste of ranch life took place on the Reservation, where I participated in cattle brandings and cattle roundups. Living in South Dakota for a while also provided ample opportunities to tour the state, where I enjoyed many of its unique features, attended various rodeos and community powwows, and so fourth. PHOTO GALLERIES Black-footed Ferret Field Work Photos Black-footed Ferret (BFF) Field Work Black-footed Ferret Release & Lakota Ceremony Black-tailed Prairie Dog Trapping, Quarantine & Processing Predator Control on BFF Release Sites (Coyotes) Tribal Buffalo Roundups Photos Tribal Buffalo Roundups Rounding Up Buffalo Bulls Tribal Buffalo Corrals Buffalo Processing Facility Tribal Buffalo Herd Photos Springtime on the Buffalo Prairie Buffalo Snapshots Spotted Buffalo Buffalo Bulls (#1) Buffalo Bulls (#2) Buffalo & Wild Horse Tour Tribal Wild Horse Herd Photos Prairie Wild Horses Wild Horses At Dusk Wild Horses During Spring Wild Horse Stallions Battle Tribal Elk Herd Photos Cheyenne River Wapiti ~ Elk Elk Bulls Battle Burrowing Owls & Other Wildlife Photos Burrowing Owls Miscellaneous Wildlife My Place Photos My Home on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation Bird Feeder Visitors Ranch Life Photos Ranch Life ~ Cattle Roundup Ranch Life ~ Cattle Branding Ranch Life ~ Horse Branding Cheyenne River Prairie Fire |
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