[Mile-marker 6]
Half a mile to the north, South Broadway turns sharply to the left even
though another paved road continues northward. Three-fourths of a mile
to the west, we turn northwestward parallel to the Monument boundary
fence for seven-tenths of a mile before turning north again. The 7-foot
chain-link fence just to the left of the road is the northeastern
boundary of the Monument and encloses the herd of buffalo. In the late
forties or early fifties a young bull challenged the older leader for
possession of the herd and gored and pounded the old bull so badly he
had to be shot by a ranger. During the furious battle 125 feet of this
strong steel fence was utterly demolished. It is reported that sometimes
an old bull simply takes one look at the young challenger and retreats
without a battle, but other lone or rogue bulls may temporarily or
permanently leave the herd for other reasons. Such outcasts are
dangerous and unpredictable. One bull kept a ranger “treed” for 4 hours
on a steep rock ledge in the broiling sun before moving on to a patch of
grass. Four of these critters delayed by one week my walking out a
stretch of the Redlands fault on their side of the fence. I decided that
a live geologist had advantages over a dead hero.