NEWSLETTER
Savona, NY – Chances are, while you may have seen them in movies or on television shows, you have probably never seen a live bison in person unless you have visited one of the National Parks out west. It is difficult to believe something could get so massive eating grass. Bet you didn’t know there are bison in the Finger Lakes? Not roaming in the wild, mind you. But on a ranch in a small town not far from Corning. If you’re getting a little stir crazy these days and are looking to get the family out of the house for a bit while still maintaining safe social distancing, you might want to head out to Savona for a tour of Mud Creek Bison Ranch.
While they aren’t able to give their usual guided seasonal tours, the owners at Mud Creek still wanted to give folks the option of seeing these giant creatures. So, with current health restrictions in mind, they are offering free self-guided driving tours daily from 12-6pm.
Did you know that bison stand somewhere between 5-6.5 feet tall at the shoulder and can weigh as much as 2,200 pounds? To put that in
perspective, the average American male human stands approximately 5’10” tall and weighs around 200 pounds. That’s a whole lot of animal. Despite their enormous size and weight, bison are also surpassingly agile and fast. Amazingly, they can run up to 35 miles per hour. They are truly something to behold and now you can enjoy a driving tour of the ranch (the self-guided tour route is well marked) to see them for yourselves.
The first baby calf of 2020 was born at Mud Creek earlier this week. Typically, calves weigh around 40 pounds at birth, but after six months can weigh upwards of 400 pounds. You really can’t appreciate their size until you seem them in person.
For your safety and that of others, you are required to stay in your car during your time on the ranch. The tour is free, though donations are certainly accepted. You can also purchase some delicious Bison meat to take home and cook out if you’d like. Leaner than traditional beef, you can find an assortment of options from bison burger patties to snack sticks and jerky. The day’s specials are listed on a large board at the ranch. Simply call to place your order. When you finish your tour, they will bring out your order to you. So you never have to leave your car.
With a herd of around 230 animals on the ranch, including rare white bison (Lightning the white herd bull as well as three white calves that were born last year), this is a great way to have some fun and experience something you have probably never seen before while social distancing. And you can stock your freezer while supporting a local small business. Mud Creek Bison Ranch is open 7 days a week from Noon - 6pm.
Find out more by visiting MudCreekBison.com or on Facebook @mudcreekbison.
And learn about Mud Creek and other local farms at Finger Lakes Farm Country (FingerLakesFarmCountry.com or @fingerlakesfarmcountry on Facebook).
Finger Lakes Farm Country is a five-county initiative aimed at promoting and supporting the varied and abundant agricultural experiences, offerings, and resources in Chemung, Schuyler, Tioga, Yates, and Steuben counties.
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Contact: Chris Comstock, Owner
Mud Creek Bison Ranch
6130 Robie Road
Savona, NY 14879
607.368.7471