By JONATHAN SNYDER
Revenue streams for Ouabache State Park have grown through the first half of the year, says Park Manager Jon Winne.
The increase has followed visitors from the solar eclipse and the birth of a bison calf at the park.
In the early hours of June 6, Ouabache employees saw a new baby bison, weighing approximately 40 lbs. A Facebook post from the park announced that the bison was a girl, but later discussions among the staff indicate that the gender is still unknown. Winne stated that it usually takes about three to four weeks to determine the gender.
This is not the first bison born on D-Day for the park. Winne stated that in the six years he has been park manager, he saw four births. The baby’s older sister was also born on D-Day two years ago, and the one before was born on July 4, 2020. The first he witnessed was on Mother’s Day 2018.
While the bison’s birth has gotten significant traction on social media, with the initial post of its birth garnering over 600 reactions on Facebook, the bison’s name will not be mentioned to the public. The only reason bison have names is for USDA Animal Welfare Act requirements, which state that they can either be tagged, branded or named for their exhibitor license. Park leadership stated that they do not want the public to make a connection to the bison as pets.
Ouabache will keep the bison’s growth process as natural as possible. Winne clarified that employees do not go into the bison pasture unless it is necessary — for medicinal purposes or to treat cuts with an antibiotic spray. A veterinarian is on-call if the park has concerns, but the herd is naturally reproducing. Other than weed control and seeding in the winter, the habitat is left to the bison with as little human interaction as possible.
Office Manager Joni Cincotta noted that bison talks and feedings normally occur on Saturdays at 10 a.m. so the public can hear more educational material about the bison and see them up close while being fed. Due to concerns for the calf’s safety, these feedings are on hold. However, Cincotta said talks about the bison will still go on until the baby reaches about a month old.
Enjoying nature has been a hallmark of the park, and awe-inspiring natural events have helped with its overall growth. Cincotta and Winne both cited the April 8 solar eclipse as a major factor in the park’s growth. Winne stated that once people have the hook to visit the park, they usually have a great chance of returning.
“We try to make sure that we’re clean, friendly and comfortable for people to come to, and once they find us that first time, they tend to return a lot,” Winne said. “What I tell my staff is that this park will never be the biggest … we’ll never be the busiest, but we can be the cleanest and the friendliest.”
“It was amazing how many people from Fort Wayne, after the eclipse, came and said ‘How long has this park been here?’” Cincotta said. “For me, that’s been exciting seeing people coming here for the first time.”
Winne also cited the city and county’s community love for the park as key factors in spurring growth. Many different visitors still frequent the park and both the Wells County Foundation and Bluffton Parks Department have contributed to the park’s growth by either donating money or putting on events at the park.
“I’ve heard comments like ‘hidden treasure’ a lot,” Cincotta said. “And I feel like that’s what it (Ouabache) is … people comment about how clean the park is, and they love the bison. It’s a beautiful place, so who wouldn’t want to come here.”
jonathan@news-banner.com
