All About The American Bison

Above, bison in a Yellowstone National Park meadow. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The American bison (also called buffalo) has roamed North America for centuries. They were almost hunted to extinction in the 19th Century.

It has made a comeback and has been named the official national mammal.

If one is interested in the bison, the Lincoln Journal Star posted an article on everything about them.

It begins with:

Bison have roamed North American prairies and grasslands for thousands of years. Just recently, in 2016, they were officially named the national mammal when President Barak Obama signed the National Bison Legacy Act. According to the National Park Service, “This majestic animal joins the ranks of the bald eagle as the official symbol of our country — and much like the eagle, it's one of the greatest conservation success stories of all time.” 

To read more, go here. 

50 Most Popular National Parks

Above, a crowd gathers for an eruption of Old Faithful Geyser at Yellowstone. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Determining the popularity of any given national park depends on a number of things including location, attractions, lodging, camping and distinctive features. Anything else has to be looked at subjectively.

With that in mind, the Lincoln Journal Star has compiled a list of the 50 most popular national parks.

They begin with:

Approximately 237 million people visited American national parks in 2020, representing a 28% year-over-year decrease attributed to the coronavirus pandemic. To determine the most popular national parks in the United States, Stacker compiled data from the National Park Service on the number of recreational visits each site had in 2020.

President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 signed the act creating the National Park Service to leave natural and historic phenomenons "unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." Since then, our national parks have welcomed visitors from around the world to experience some of the best the country has to offer and showcase the country’s natural beauty and cultural heritage.

Today, the country's 63 national parks contain at least 247 species of endangered or threatened plants and animals, more than 75,000 archaeological sites, and 18,000 miles of trails.

Keep reading to discover the 50 most popular national parks in the United States, in reverse order from #50 to #1. And be sure to check with individuals parks before you visit to find out about ongoing, pandemic-related safety precautions at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

To read more, go here. 

NM Courts Rule Hunters' Information "Public Record"

New Mexico court, in two decisions, are essentially sanctioning harassment of hunters and their privacy by ruling their information is "public record".

The Lincoln Journal Star reported:

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Game and Fish Department has been ordered to release information about hunters to individuals who sought the records as part of separate court cases. 

A state district judge is ordering the agency to turn over the names and addresses of those who won big game draws between 2015 and 2019 to a Los Alamos County resident who had petitioned the court for the information. 

In the second case, the state Court of Appeals said the email addresses of individuals who applied for hunting licenses between 2015 and 2016 must be turned over to former Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn. 

The agency said Thursday that both courts concluded that information collected from the public in connection with the administration of the agency's public duties fall within the definition of public records and are subject to disclosure.

By allowing disclosure of information of private citizen hunters to people with political agendas, it will subject hunters to possible harassment and threats. Frankly, it is nobody's business (especially the government's) who owns a gun and hunts with it.

To read more, go here.