Here's a story with a happy ending.

Eight girls out for a night on the town returned home safely Wednesday morning.

The Mower County Sheriff's Mounted Posse was aided by the search for the missing females; some of whom were believed to be pregnant single mothers.

As temperatures dipped below the freezing mark Tuesday evening, concern rose for the welfare of the missing females.

When darkness forced emergency services crews to call off their search, friends grew more concerned.

When Wednesday morning dawned, the eight females were spotted walking down the farm lane and heading straight for their home.

The ordeal was over. All eight females had returned home safe and sound, prompting Julie Champlin to only speculate what could have happened had the females been accompanied by a bull.

Excuse me. A bull? What's going on here?

If you were one of several people to take a hike in the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center Tuesday afternoon, let's confirm one thing: Yes, those were buffalo grazing in the grass near the north loop tower.

The big, hairy beasts caused no damage and no injury. They simply enlivened the afternoon for Nature Center hikers and irritated their owner, Ken Sweetser to no end.

"They just came walking down the road Wednesday morning," said Sam Sweetser, son of the owner. "Dad (Ken) was sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast. When he saw them, he got up and went outside and got a pail of corn and led them to their pasture where they had broken out. It was all over."

The Sweetser family owns and operates an elk and buffalo ranch in Red Rock Township east of the Austin Country Club along Highway 46.

Sometime Tuesday afternoon, Larry Dolphin, director, and Champlin, office manager, began hearing reports from Nature Center hikers that buffalo were roaming the grounds.

Duane Mucha, the Nature Center's maintenance manager posted "Beware of the Buffalo" signs to alert hikers.

At about that same time, Ken Sweetser called the Nature Center to alert the staff to the possibility eight of his animals could be on the grounds.

Then, the Gerard of Minnesota adolescent treatment center's staff called.

"It went on like this from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. when it got dark," said Champlin. "They searched for the buffalo on horseback or with ATVs, but every time they got close to them, they moved away deeper into the woods."

When darkness fell, the search was called off. The eight buffalo remained at large.

When Wednesday morning arrived, Ken Sweetser watched the eight females trot into his yard and return to their pasture.

"There was no damage, no injury, no nothing. They returned home and it was a happy ending," Sam Sweetser said.

"It caused a little excitement for awhile," Champlin said. "We've never had reports of buffalo sightings in the Nature Center before, but in the end nobody was hurt and we're not aware of any damages."

Today, the only thing running at the Nature Center is the sap from maple trees.

Buffalo no longer roam.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com