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The Most Colorado Job: Keeper of the Denver bison herd

Matt Brown is the operations supervisor for Denver Mountain Parks and caretaker for Denver’s herd of 31 bison at Genesee Park.

Matt Brown lives in a house high above Denver. He works for the city of Denver, but he doesn’t live in the city.

“It’s a 24/7 job. You’re not always on the clock, but you’re always on call,” he said.

Brown is the operations supervisor for Denver Mountain Parks, responsible for overseeing 14,441 acres of mountain parks as far west as Echo Lake and as far south as Daniels Park.

He is also caretaker for Denver’s herd of 31 bison at Genesee Park. No, he hasn't named them, but he does say it's one of the best parts of his job.

“It's one of the most viewed bison herds in the country,” he said. "Back in 1914 the first two bison came from the City Park Zoo and then they brought bison in from the last wild Yellowstone herd."

Denver was trying to help conserve a declining bison population at the time.

"They also wanted to preserve a piece of the old American Wild West."

You can see that piece of the old American West from your passenger window on the way up to your next ski trip, and now you know who helps keep it up.

"I've always told myself you find the right job you don't have to work a day in your life."

Brown lives in a home on the property to he can respond to calls immediately. The home is the second oldest the city owns, built in 1860.

See the full story in the video above.

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