An Unusual Love Affair

An Unusual Love Affair

ID: 1803822   (Rated: ASR) An Unusual Love Affair  Billy was a buffalo that I raised from a scrawny little calf. by Lesley Scott {1770237}

         We never forget our first love. Sometimes we can’t pick out our love, it just happens. In my case, true love was a bison.Yes, he was a buffalo calf. I cleaned out his pitifully small paddock that was made of split wood logs.  Some how, over time, we grew closer.





An Unusual Love Affair



Everyone remembers their first love. Sometimes we can’t pick out love, it just happens. In my case, my true love was a bison. Yes, he was a buffalo calf. Somehow, I immediately formed a relationship and respect for Billy. He was still a wild animal, and I had to be careful. I worked for the Charles Towne Landing Animal Forest. My boss was Jim Fowler of “Wild Kingdom”fame“. I raised all of the baby animals, including puma, a wolf cub, foxes and more than I can name at this time.

At first, Bill cowered in a corner, rolling his eyes in terror. He charged me when I approached . After a few months of getting acquainted, we bonded and our relationship and deep love for one another blossomed and grew.

He was growing fast. Soon his horn buds were about an inch long and his beard  gowing long as well. His coat was now black, as Billy lost the red perm he had when we first met. He was probably the size of a pony and maybe weighed about 600 pounds more or less. He was still young.

Billy was very attached to me because I was his only “mother” he remembered. So I could climb over the split rail fence to feed him or clean his paddock. He was starting to grow too big for his enclosure. He was still my baby Billy with his long blue tongue that felt like sandpaper. It was also long enough for him to pick his nose!

Unfortunately, Billy didn’t like anyone else. The other workers, including Fowler, had to be careful if they dared climb into his corral. Billy liked to buldoze oposums.  He would snort loudly, dig up clods of dirt and his whole expression changed. So I was the only one that could take care of him, cleaning his paddock, feeding, brushing him and cuddling.





He loved to play games. One of his favorites was to sidle on over to where I sat on the split rail fence and push on my leg with one of  his growing horns. It pinched a little as he lifted me about an inch off the fence. I knew what he wanted. I’d slide down beside Billy, grab a handful of hair and swing onto his broad back. We trotted, cantered, and galloped about. It was fun and I hadn’t forgotten he was a wild animal that could be dangerous. So I was always ready to bale if  necessary. I think he wanted me on his back to be close. He never once bucked.





One day, I heard the horrible news --- Billy was going back to the Buffalo Ranch to trade in for another calf. While I am sure I would do a good job, Billy and I were too closely bonded. That wouldn’t happen twice. I was inconsolable and sobbed hysterically. One of the other staff members had to practically hold me up because I almost fell in the churned up mud. I’ve never acted that way again.





When the day came, my crying never stopped. I tried to put a rope around his neck but he knew what was going on. Animals pick up on things we could never understand. Fowler tried roping Billy cowboy style which was a flop. As a last resort, Fowler used a tranquilizer gun and hit my baby in the rump. The dart was long and it hurt me, as well. I almost fell apart, watching Billy trying to stand up, only to flop around, to get his footing. He never did. He finally stopped struggling.

He was loaded into a waiting stock trailer and driven away. I cried because I never had the chance to tell him, “Goodbye, I love you, Billy.” Yet somehow I don’t think I had to say any words. Billy understood.

Later I heard that Billy died from aspiration pneumonia.

An Unusual Love Affair





I formed a relationship with Billy. He was a wild animal, and I had to be on alert at all times. I worked for the Charles Towne Landing Animal Forest for Jim Fowler of “Wild Kingdom."He hired me on the spot after a cougar grabbed my forearm and refused to let go.

            The first response when a 120 pound mountain lion holds my arm tightly is to make her want to let go. When I moved my arm, she increased her hold. But, to my advantage, she relaxed her tight grip when I relaxed. I tried to bide my time. I saw my only chance and dropped kicked her in the stomach! She let go quictly! Fowler was impressed with my instincts with wild animals. That was my start. 

          My responsibility was to raise all of the baby animals, including puma, wolf cubs, foxes, baby alligators, and took special care of the elk, bears, older deer, and opossums. I loved bottle feeding the babies in my care. Some, such as fawns, are so cute and sweet.The little darlings were always hungry and pawed me on my shins! It hurt. But it was nothing to whine about. Back to Billy ----remember him, my first love?

            At first, when I climbed into his paddock that was a nice split railed fence, Bill cowered in a corner, rolling his eyes in terror. He charged me defensively as I approached. I didn't give up and kept paying him a lot of attenion. After a few months of getting acquainted, we bonded. But I would never forget he was large,wild and possibly dangerous. Wild animals will always be wild animals.

            I was a petite ninety seven pounds with long strawberry blond hair, but I was fiesty and ready for what needed doing. At first, not many of the other workers took me seriously. My easy way of dealing with potentially dangerous wild animals changed some minds. Being small had its advantages. I could work in real close to capture a loose animal, and I was perfect for crawling under the tractor and other heavy equipment.

              Billy was growing faster. Soon his horn buds were about an inch long and his beard was growing long, as well. It was almost halfway down his wide chest. His coat was now black, as Billy had lost the red perm. He was probably the size of a pony and maybe weighed about 600 pounds more or less. He was still young but he was getting to be larger.

              Billy was attached to me because I was the only mother he remembered in his short Iife. He liked for me to climb over the split rail fence and because of our intimate relationship,he allowed me to feed him or clean his paddock. He was starting to grow too big for his enclosure I noticed, but kept that our secret.

            No matter how big Billy grew, he was still my baby. Billy had a long blue tongue that reminded me of sand paper. It was also long enough for him to pick his nose! He licked my thumb so much it was red and irritated. I guess in his mind, I was another buffalo and we were grooming each other ---- quite an intimate project to be allowed by billy.

            Billy didn’t allow others in his paddock. I once watched him "bulldoze" a 'possum all over his corral. The other workers, including Fowler, had to be careful if they dared climb into his corral. He snorted loudly, dug up large clods of dirt and his whole expression changed. I was the only one that shared an intimacy and could take care of him, cleaning his paddock, feeding, brushing him and cuddling, pulling on his long beard.

          Billy loved to play games with me all the time. He had no one but  me as a play mate. One of his favorite tricks was to sidle over to where I sat on the split rail fence and he would push on my leg with one of  his growing horn buds.

              It pinched a little as he lifted me about an inch off the fence, which surprised me at first! My motto with animals is to, "Give 'em what they want." As long as you don't mistreat any creature, or make him mad, you are probably safe and not a predator or a man with a gun!

              I knew he wanted a bareback ride! I’d stand beside Billy, grab a handful of his curly hair, and swing up on his broad back, which was higher than I last recalled. We trotted, cantered, and galloped around the paddock, just the two of us! It was fun and I hadn’t forgotten he was a wild animal that could be dangerous. It felt like sitting on a Brillow pad! I was always ready to bail if necessary. He never once bucked or acted up.

                I started in college, I worked in the afternoon and weekends. Frequently the Dean had to pull me out of class because Billy was going on a rampage, running all over the grounds and acting aggressive if anyone approached. He was not the best animal to deal with when he was angry.

                When I drove up in my beat up Fiat, Billy let out a happy bellow that hurt my ears! He rushed up to me, everyone thinking I'd be killed. But he rubbed me and licked me all over. I called him and started walking to his paddock. He licked me one more time and easily climbed back inside.

              One day, I heard the horrible news --- Billy was going back to the Buffalo Ranch to trade in for another calf! While I am sure I could do a good job, raising another baby bison, Billy and I were closely bonded.

              I was inconsolable and sobbed quietly. One of the other staff members had to practically hold me because I almost fell in the churned up mud. I’ve never acted that way before or since. I was barely 17 years old, and still a child.

              When the day came, I was deeply depressed. I tried to put a rope around my dear billy's neck but he knew what was going on. Animals pick up on things we will never understand. Fowler tried roping Billy cowboy style, which was a flop.

              As a last resort, Fowler used a tranquilizer gun and hit my baby in the rump. The dart was long and it hurt me, as well. I almost fell apart, watching Billy as he tried to stand up, only to flop around, hoping to get his footing. I'm sure he was scared and confused because he couldn't use his legs.  He finally stopped struggling.

              He was loaded into a waiting stock trailer and driven away I cried because I never had the chance to tell him, “Goodbye, I love you, Billy.” Yet somehow I don’t think I had to say any words. Billy understood.



A few years later, I learned that Billy died of aspiration pneumonia. I was so depressed and upset, I had to go home to cry. That was in September, 1971.Sometimes still cry.          





                    {{b}i}  Billy was, and still is, the love of my life{/b}



There is a picture of Billy and Me in my portfolio. Now, more of us will remember Billy. It is called, "My Favorite Bison." He was so full of fun and we both were very close. I can almost smell the sweet hay on his breath.