Parks Canada has just announced that it has opened the gates and finally allowed its growing herd of wild bison out of their enclosure and, for the first time, letting them wander somewhat freely within the park, at least within a 1,200 sq km release zone. The release has happened a little later than planned. The calving season was delayed and while last year saw its first birth on Earth Day, this year calving only began on July 15. In a recent article in The Province, Banff's Resource Conservation Manager was quoted as saying: “We’ve been expecting calves this spring, but it’s certainly been a little later than we saw last year, but because these are young cows, we also anticipated the calving dates might be stretched out over a longer period this year. “The first two calves were born July 15 and the last of the three was born on the 19th.” As of July 23, Park staff were hoping to see as many as 6 more additional calves. All of that changed on August 1st when Parks Canada staff opened the gate to allow the growing herd to leave the enclosure and begin to explore their 1,200 sq. km soft-release zone. Almost immediately, the bison zigged when the Park's staff wanted them to zag. According to the Rocky Mountain Outlook: "The bison reportedly headed toward Scotch Camp, but were stopped on the Snow Creek Summit before being herded back towards the upper Panther River Valley." Park staff realized they would need to guide the bison during the early part of their release. They don't want them to move east towards the plains because they have no legal status there. All of that changed on August 1st when Parks Canada staff opened the gate to allow the growing herd to leave the enclosure and begin to explore their 1,200 sq. km soft-release zone. Almost immediately, the bison zigged when the Park's staff wanted them to zag. According to the Rocky Mountain Outlook: "The bison reportedly headed toward Scotch Camp, but were stopped on the Snow Creek Summit before being herded back towards the upper Panther River Valley." Park staff realized they would need to guide the bison during the early part of their release. They don't want them to move east towards the plains because they have no legal status there. Bears, Buffaloberry, and Bikes Well, it's already happened this year! On Saturday, July 21 a mountain biker collided at high speed with a black bear at the Canmore Nordic Centre. Just last week, I warned that the buffaloberry season was upon us and that we need to begin to be extra vigilant. According to a story in the Rocky Mountain Outlook, Alberta Environment and Parks human-wildlife conflict specialist Jay Honeyman stated: "They were coming downhill at a fairly good clip and came over a rise and there was the bear…He literally hit and flattened the bear and got knocked off his bike." Luckily, the rider had bear spray on his person and he got ready to deploy it, but the stunned bear took off before he needed to spray it. He also saw a second bear that also ran away from the commotion. Here are 10 tips for staying safe while riding and hiking during buffaloberry season: Make lots of noise. Since bears are not paying attention to what's happening around them while they're busy mowing down their berry feast, it's important that we make lots and lots of noise; and not all noise is created equal. The best sound is the sound of your voice. Bears know that humans mean danger and if they know you're coming before you arrive, then they'll usually move away from the trail until you pass. You probably won't even know they were there. Bear bells are just marketing hype and they won't keep you safe. Just throw them in the garbage. You're more likely to be killed by your hiking companions for the sheer irritation they provide. Remember that sound may not travel as fast as you do. Much like the sound of an approach