Bison and elk sometimes fall through the weakening ice or wander too close to the edge of the pond and fall into the freezing water. Often, they cannot escape the soft deep mud below the surface, and succumb to hypothermia or drown from exhaustion. This can happen to several animals in any season of a given year. For the last several years a certain grizzly bear has denned up close to the ponds knowing that he will have several good meals waiting close by when he emerges from his long winter’s nap.