20 Phrases Only a True Wyomingite Would Understand

Buffalo - either an animal exclusively from Asia and Africa or a town in north-central Wyoming. The big furry beast that's native to the Wyoming plains is a Bison. Wyomingites don't call these magnificent herbivores buffalos, they call them Bison.

While on the subject of animals, what in the heck is a bunny with a buckle or a buckle with a bunny? Most of us - some more than others - are in awe of a rodeo cowboy who can wrestle a 600-pound steer to the ground. Rodeo cowboys and gals are proud to sport the beautiful big shiny buckles they earn for their skills. The fan who goes to every rodeo and hangs on every cowboy's word or action is officially known as a buckle bunny.

Let's say you're out in the boonies, trying to find the turn off to a certain campground. You stop and ask a Wyomingite who says, “Yah, that turn off is just a couple two or three miles around the corner from here.” What that person is really saying in their redundant three words is that the turn off is a few miles around the corner.

Loving the great outdoors means camping and warm welcoming campfires. But it's critical to follow the advice of Smokey the Bear - be sure to extinguish your campfire properly. No doubt about it - it's crucial to dout your fires before leaving your campsite. Dout, sometimes spelled dowt, is an old middle English word kept alive by Wyomingites.

Wyoming shares borders with six other states and one of them is Colorado. Colorado license plates are green. When Wyomingites spot a Colorado license plate, they call out, “Greenie”, which ultimately means, 'we've spotted Colorado tourists'. If Greenies are especially annoying, they're called “Tourans” (see below).

Wyoming is known for drenching spring and summer thunderstorms. When the storms are particularly strong, the torrential rain causes creeks to overflow and washes out all the gullies and barrancas. Those storms are Gully Washers.

When a person is upset, in a bad mood, angry, or getting angrier, he's got a burr under his saddle. “Don't mess with that guy at the bar - he's got a burr under his saddle.” “Watch out for that woman waiting impatiently in line at the grocery store - she's got a burr under her saddle.”

According to urbanthesaurus.org, a hypnolope is a type of Wyoming antelope that's able to mind-control the Cowboy State government into believing that they're the fastest animals on the planet. Even though the cheetah the world's fastest animal, the hypnolope is able to convince Wyoming officials otherwise.

Whether you've just hiked the Teton Crest Trail or have worked in your veggie garden all day, you're probably pretty grubby. If a Wyomingite tells you that you Look Like 10 Miles of Dirt Road, they're telling you that you're ready for a shower and some clean clothes.

Pokes is a word that derives from cowpoke - a cowboy. Pokes is one of the several nicknames for University of Wyoming students, alumni, athletes, and especially the football team. Some famous UW pokes include Curt Gowdy, Jerry Buss, and Pistol Pete, a gun-slinging poke who's been the UW mascot since 1917.

Not your Dad or your kids' father. When Wyomingites want a carbonated beverage, they ask for pop. If you order a soda, it's clear you're from out of state.

Bravo for this creative spin on potato cookery. The Potato Olé isn't gourmet fare but nonetheless, it's a delectable little round tatertot-ish 'coin' sprinkled with a mysterious mix of scrumptious spices and cooked to mouth-watering perfection. Bet you can't eat just one.

Many ornithologists aren't familiar with the Rocky Mountain Canary. But Wyomingites have referred to a burro or donkey as a Rocky Mountain Canary since the mid-1800s when they were relied on to haul miners' gear. Why a canary? When their heeee haaaaw song would ring through the canyons it was a sweet melody to miners' ears.

Much of the success of Wyoming ranch life is due to the invention of barbed wire - the antithesis of silk. If you've ever tried to climb between strands of barbed wire, you know how hard it is to escape the sharp barbs that snag your shirt, Wranglers, or skin. “Watch that silk as you climb through the fence.”

Does this sound like something you'd learn in a home ec class? Spinning Cookies is a Wyoming pastime, usually done out of sight and ear-shot of the police, that leaves donut-shaped tire marks on the pavement.

If your Wyoming neighbors invite newbie-you over for supper, be sure to show up at dinnertime. Supper is dinner and dinner is when you eat around lunchtime. Got it?

Is that a particular SUV model that's especially great in Wyoming winters? Nope. A Touron is a particular type of tourist who rubbernecks down the highway, driving slowly to take in Wyoming's magnificent views. The worst tourons are those who actually stop on the road - mesmerized by the grandeur of a scene in front of them. Tourist and moron = Touron.

A person born and raised in Wyoming is a Wyomie.