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Where the buffalo roam

By Brent Stewart, The Southern

Sunday, July 20, 2008 6:52 PM CDT

In the pasture of their expansive farm in rural Cobden, Clifton and Kim Howell sat in the cab of their four-wheeler and watched part of their bison herd as they grazed.

"I love that rumble," Kim said.

She was referring to the growl a male bison makes in mating season. If you've never heard it, it's similar to a lion's roar, although less harsh. It could also be compared to a bass singer in a quartet, sliding into a low note.

"He's telling everybody to stay away because 'she's mine,'" Kim said.

Clifton pointed out the particular bison, a giant of an animal, weighing over a ton. There's a female in his sight, who he kept circling, cutting her off from other potential male suitors.

"See the scars on his side and his rump," Clifton said, "they've been fighting,"

When the female is ready, she'll let her mate know.

"Just like (human) men and women," Kim said with a laugh, "it's always our decision."

The Howells have been raising bison since 1997. It was a dream of Clifton's to oneday have a couple on his farm, as he had raised animals all of his life. Initially, he intended to start with four heifers, then decided to add a bull from another herd.

Although he read just about anything he could get his hands on, the process of raising bison was one of trial and error at the beginning. They quickly found out it different than any other animal.

"You learn from the seat of your pants if there's nobody to go to, and around here there's very few," Clifton said.

Eventually they met and made friends with a veterinarian from North Dakota, "Doc," noted for his experience with bison, who helped educate them on this unique species.

The Howells enjoyed the animal so much; they decided to expand their herd. "Doc" ended up selling them 20 more their second year and 40 others the third. At some point, it became more than just having a few pets. Currently they have around 350 bison.

"I still call it a hobby, but it's far from that," Howell said.

Bison Bluff Farms is the leading supplier of buffalo meat in Southern Illinois. Since the "mad cow" scare of a few years back, the market has skyrocketed. The Howells sold more than 20,000 pound of bison meat last year.

"It's everything we can do to keep up with the demand now," Clifton said.

Recently, they donated meat to a Boys and Girls Club fundraiser, where they also volunteered to do the grilling. The next week, the Neighborhood Co-Op in Carbondale, one of the Howells' main retailers doubled their sales of bison.

Eventually, they'd like to expand their herd to around 500 head.

The Howells also give tours of their farm. Organizations like schools and Girl Scout troops can ride their bus and get as close to the bison as possible. It's something the Howells do because of how much they love the animal and enjoy raising it.

Kim handles the business end of Bison Bluff. Clifton's day job is his construction company. Eventually he would like to retire and tend the farm full time.

"I go out and just sit out there sometimes," Clifton said. "I'm writing down numbers and watching what they're doing."

When asked their favorite meal with bison, the Howells couldn't decide. They love the meat, which is an added benefit of raising the animal.

"I eat good," Clifton said.

brent.stewart@thesouthern.com / 351-5074

Details: Bison Bluff Farms is located at 1565 Bethel Church Road in Cobden. For more information on sales or to schedule a tour, call 893-4959 or 521-5102. Bison Bluff meat is for sale at the Neighborhood Co-Op, Giant City Lodge, and Melange in Carbondale and the Brickhouse Grill in Anna.