I am working on putting in a course on State Park that is on an island in the Great Salt Lake. One of the main issues that has come up is a giant herd of bison that live on the island. Bison love to scratch up against the signs and posts on the island.You often see downed traffic signs. Although the bison rarely spend much time where the course is being proposed, the baskets will need to withstand the contact from the bison.

What if we put an artificial flex point in the main pole of the basket? If a substantial amount of pressure was put on the basket, it would temporarly flex to avoid bending. We also would want reinforce the welds of the baskets.

Is there any other courses that have similar problems with extremely large animals? I would also appreciate any other suggestions.

Thanks,
Rob

More concrete around the sleeve will keep it in the ground. You could even pour concrete inside of the post. I think the problem will be the bending of the basket. You may need to special order a heavy duty model.

maybe not really feasible but an option...run an electrical current thru the baskets along with a temporary on/off switch somewhere nearby so the goflers can turn it off long enough to grab their disc from the basket.

I think your in trouble because even if you put the flex point in that could actually provide an easier way for them to trample and really crush the basket seeing its bending closer to the ground, Buffaloes are really strong.

high powered rifles should solve that problem!

if those big furry things can knock over the signs, what about the poor little golfers?

The electric basket would make for a good anti-skin punishment. Loser of the hole would have to pull everyones discs from the hot basket.

I don't think that is feasible, plus the fire danger there is really high.

Antelope Island, perchance?

People and bison aren't really a very good mix.

Plus disc golfers can be pretty dumb when it comes to common sense. Like on a crowded summer day at a mult-use park they'll drive on a group of picnickers or a herd of bison instead of just skipping the hole.

you should declare humans as OB-by-touch, meaning if you just hit one you take an extra stroke. no need to come to rest on top of one.

that would probably stop the problem immediately

You would be impressed/surprised how fast a buffalo can run 500 feet. They look all goofy getting started, but it only takes about two goofy steps to get up to full speed (which is fast).

yepper. i learned that watching john wayne movies. those buffalo are fast for sure.

Yes it is Antelope Island. We are still in the early stages of design and discussion. The Island currently owns 9 Instep baskets that are put out on the beach area.

We are looking to put the course on North end of the Island around the visitors center. The buffaloe rarely are in that area because of the cars and people. I don't think they would interfere too much during the day while people are playing.

I would talk to a naturalist at the park office or a university to see if there's some sight, smell or sound option that might discourage them. If a high frequency sound pattern works, you could mount small solar powered gizmos making the sound on top of each basket that might not be too expensive.

A course in southern OR built baskets using tractor trailer rims and high pressure steam pipes. These baskets are bomb proof. The Gateway titan baskets also look pretty beefy...

A course in southern OR built baskets using tractor trailer rims and high pressure steam pipes. These baskets are bomb proof. The Gateway titan baskets also look pretty beefy...



http://mbohn1.photosite.com/~photos/tn/162_1024.ts1139417251005.jpg

grants pass, oregon. youd probably need a lot of concrete to make them stay put, with buffalo around, rob. sorry i missed your event last weekend, let me know when you go out there again and ill try to make it out.
martinb.

Elevate the baskets on mounds just small enough that the bison can get any good leverage to knock it over.Maybe 6ft in diameter by 3-4 feet high at the base.

All it'll mean to the players is a small upshot if they are standing right under it.

Why not do one of the following:
Create a ring of posts around the basket in a 6 foot diameter with a 2 foot gap between posts. The post could be the following and would need planting around 3 feet deep and concreted into the ground. Ideas for posts:

1. Contact local cement companies and get core samples where they test the durability of the concrete batch. These are telephone post size.

2. Telephone posts. They are often treated with cresote for weather protection

Or grates or cattleguards or whatever they're called, on the ground near the baskets to keep them away in the first place.

Hope this pans out---would rank quite high on the "most scenic course" list.

just thought of this one, are there trees in the area? if so and there the right type maybe you can hang the baskets off the trees therefore giving it a swivel point that cant get ripped down it would just sway with the buffalos movement, i know i ve seen some pictures of this type of thing somewhere before.

Good idea. You could pulley it up into a tree when not in use. You just have to plan the basket placements around large healthy trees.

What about building elevated platforms, kinda like a mini pier elevated about 3 feet off the ground and bomb proof. Sure, you would have to have 5 foot pole sleeves, but still, it would make sure that no critters could mess it up. Besides, It adds elevation and a place for DGers to stay when the bison stampeed.

The hanging baskets are a great idea but my best memory of this area is that there are no substantial trees.....no small trees....that the only shade would be provided by the bison! But, Lord, the views!

Absolutely no trees. But there is alot of elevation change and some big rock formations. There is a skinny penisula going into the Great Salt Lake that will have a basket on it. It is going to be a fairly long course. It will be challenging even without the trees.

I will review these suggestions with the park naturalist and the park manager. I will post pictures of the terrain in the future.

You can't disc golf in a buffalo herd,
You can't disc golf in a buffalo herd,
You can't disc golf in a buffalo herd....

<font size=1>Apologies to Roger Miller</font>

:)

I herd (pun intended) you say rocks.... Any way to move some into a circle around the basket to keep the bison away? This would be pretty cool looking as well.

TATONKA

I can hear it now " Hurry up and Putt !!!!! STAMPEED !!! :D

Looks like these baskets can handle it !!!
http://mbohn1.photosite.com/~photos/tn/162_1024.ts1139417251005.jpg

Put giant boulders where the pins go, and insert the pins in them:

http://www.hyzercreek.com/14g.jpg

just use a 2 inch hammer drill, no problem.

just put some inflatable female bison nearby to distract them (but not too near). when in doubt, go looney-tunes on 'em.

Thanks for the suggestions. I have reviewed some of them with the wildlife manager. It looks like we may pull the course during the period when the bison are most likely to be on that part of the island. We are going to place a temp basket around them in the next few weeks just to see how they react to it.

Im sure that there is some sort of phermone or odor that is either natural, or man made that would repel bision. Why not make a caddy for that repellent on the basket? There might even be a plant that repels bison.

Put giant boulders where the pins go, and insert the pins in them:

http://www.hyzercreek.com/14g.jpg

just use a 2 inch hammer drill, no problem.



How much concrete ?

Looks like the Tulsa crew beat me to the punch. I need to get some of those loose bison signs. http://www.innovadiscs.com/cfr/2005/06Bison.jpg

I met with the naturalist and the wildlife manager last week. The main solution that was agreed upon was to pull the course from November - February. This is the only time of year when the bison migrate to that part of the island. If by chance there is a time when the bison are close the rangers will pull the baskets. The course is going to play directly around the visitors center, which should deter the bison.

The other issue we have encountered is burrowing owls that live in the area that the course has been poposed. The owl is a protected specie, so I have had to eliminate the course from going through some of the big rock area's. It is still going to be long and beautiful.

The most robust baskets that I have ever seen are in the Netherlands. Apparently, they build them to last about 1000 years. I don't think even they will stand up to a bison with a big itch. Maybe a spring in the base that makes them flex when the bison start to scratch would keep those critters from deforming them?