buffalo slaughtered

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ok..i'm a sissy..but..i'm gonna go cry now...

 

 

Buffalo Field Campaign News from the Field

t r u t h o u t | Special Coverage

3/28/02

 

In this issue:

 

 

*Update from the Field

* Stampede for the Buffalo in Washington, D.C. April 4th

*Help Needed in Houston, Tuscon, Phoenix, San Diego, and Berkely

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* Update from the Field

 

Friends,

 

Yesterday I woke at 4am with the rest of the morning patrols. We ate our

breakfast of home-fries in the cabin's main room as we slowly made our

transitions from the world of dreams to the waking world. Out the door by five,

the various patrols climbed into our vehicles and drove to strategic locations

along the West side of the park: Duck Creek, Fur Ridge, Cougar Creek, the

Madison River, and Horse Butte. The positions of these patrols are determined by

the presence of buffalo and whether or not Department of Livestock (DOL) agents

are in town.

 

Yesterday we knew a mixed herd of eight bison had come out the day before and we

knew the DOL was here. My patrol partner and I climbed into the back of the

Toyota pickup with two other volunteers and headed for Horse Butte. Our job was

to ski along the Madison between the Butte and the highway and locate the small

herd of buffalo. Because the previous day's patrols had seen the DOL come into

town and because they were unable to capture any buffalo during our week of

action (we had more than 70 volunteers) we knew they would try to capture the

herd.

 

We skied along the bluffs, overlooking the Madison Arm of Hebgen Lake and the

ever-widening pond of open water. We counted more than 80 trumpeter swans

floating on the water and observed great blue herons and a young bald eagle.

 

After skiing nearly five miles we found the buffalo--two pregnant females and

five yearling calves. Two of the calves had shaved swaths on their shoulders and

hindquarters and wore yellow tags that the DOL attached when they were captured

on February 24. They had been part of a different herd that migrated out in late

February and were promptly captured. Orphaned after their mothers were sent to

slaughter they went back to the park where they were adopted by a different

herd.

 

We found them on a steep hillside, grazing on the newly exposed grass. Over our

two-way fm radio we learned from the other patrols that the DOL was out and

about on their snowmobiles, locating buffalo and making sure we didn't try to

shepherd them back to the park. We dug a small shelter in a snowbank to shield

us from the strong wind and waited, watching the beautiful buffalo. As I watched

them graze I was saddened, knowing their hours of freedom and--for some--life

were numbered.

 

Shortly after ten am a swarm of eleven snowmobiles arrived, and DOL agents began

shouting orders at Park Service rangers and Montana game wardens. The swarm

converged on the buffalo and cracker-rounds--loud explosives fired from

shotguns--shattered the peace. I stood in a snag and videotaped as the

frightened buffalo took off running.

 

The agents chased them fast and we followed the operation on our skis, not quite

able to keep up. Cracker-bursts let me know I wasn't far behind. I skied along

the snowmobile trail, looking down at the bison's tracks. For four of the

buffalo, these would be the last tracks of their lives. I reached the Horse

Butte trap five minutes after they had been confined. Occasional clangs of horn

against the trap's cold steel panels were the only indication of the eight bison

in the trap.

 

The two pregnant mothers were slaughtered today along with two of the calves.

Four of the calves, including the two orphaned in February, were released

without mothers.

 

At 12:30 we were relieved by afternoon patrols and climbed back into the truck

for the ride home. As we neared Duck Creek we saw the armada of snowmobiles on

the side of the highway. They had been joined by ATVs. We pulled over, climbed

out, and confronted the agents. " Do you enjoy killing pregnant mothers? " someone

asked. Someone else asked why they killed bulls when scientists acknowledge that

they pose no risk to cattle. Another asked whether there had ever been a case of

transmission from wild bison to cattle (there hasn't). They ignored the

questions, talking instead about college sports.

 

After a few minutes a large bull emerged from the woods, being chased by several

agents on snowmobiles. The ATVs then chased him north on the road, toward the

Duck Creek trap. The bull nearly outran them, cantering down the road, then

jumped off and hid on some private property. The agents, usually vocal

proponents of private property rights, didn't flinch as they passed the signs

reading " Buffalo Safe Zone: No Shooting or Harassing Bison Permitted by Order of

the Landowner. " They continued to chase him and he ran back out onto the

highway, back in the direction from which he had come. After several near misses

with pursuing ATVs, the bull darted off the road and plunged through the deep

snow along Cougar Creek and toward the park. Because of the thick willows along

the creek, the agents on snowmobiles were unable to pursue him. After watching

the capture of the eight bison in the morning, we were uplifted by the bull's

escape.

 

Spring is a difficult time for the buffalo and hundreds are expected to leave

the park in the coming weeks. We need volunteers to help us protect the buffalo

and document the actions taken against them. If you've been wanting to help, now

is the time. Volunteers are provided with room and board in exchange for help

with patrols. We'll be very busy between now and mid-May and welcome any help

you can give. Thanks for being such dedicated supporters.

 

With the Buffalo,

 

Dan Brister

 

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* Stampede for the Buffalo in Washington, D.C. April 4

 

Next Thursay we will attend the Buffalo Stampede and Rally we are helping to

organize in Washington D.C. Hundreds of marchers will don buffalo costumes and

March through the nation's capital from the Department of Interior building at

14th Street and Jefferson Drive, across the Mall past the Washington Monument,

to the Department of Agriculture building. The stampede is being organized to

call attention to and urge the responsible officials to stop the slaughter of

the Yellowstone bison. The rally will start at 12:00 noon and commence at 1:30.

Speakers include D.J. Schubert of the Fund for Animals, Brock Evans of the

Endangered Species Coalition, and Mike Mease of the Buffalo Field Campaign.

 

To download a Stampede Flier please visit http:// www.wildbison.org

For more information contact the Buffalo Field Campaign,

bfc-media (406) 646-0070.

If you're on the East Coast and would like to attend, call the Fund For Animals

(301) 585-2591.

 

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* Volunteers Needed for Buffalo Exchange Earth Day Fund Raiser (April 20th)

 

The Buffalo Exchange is generously hosting an Earth Day fund raiser for BFC at

their stores on April 20th. We still need volunteers in a few key locations. If

you would like to help and live in one of these cities, please get in touch with

us:

 

Houston, TX

Berkeley, CA

Tuscon, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

San Diego

 

Thank you to all who so generously offered to volunteer in response to last

week's update!

 

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If you would like to receive press releases in addition to these updates, send

an email with " Press List " in the subject line.

 

The Buffalo Field Campaign is the only group working in the field 365 days a

year to protect the Yellowstone buffalo and their habitat.

 

Buffalo Field Campaign

PO Box 957

West Yellowstone, MT 59758

(406) 646-0070

(406) 646-0071 fax

http://www.wildrockies.org/buffalo/

buffalo