The past two years have been very busy for the Buffalo Field Campaign. In addition to constantly monitoring the hazing practices of the DOL and the State of Montana, they have been keeping us all informed about the Buffalo Hunt sponsored by the State of Montana
9/08/2005: For the first time in 15 years, hunters will shoot Yellowstone bison as they exit the park on their seasonal migration into Montana. The Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Commission adopted regulations for the 2005-2006 bison hunt at its meeting earlier today.
The Commission approved two seasons: one between Nov. 15, 2005 and Jan. 15, 2006 and another from Jan. 16, 2006 to Feb. 15, 2006. The hunts will take place along the park’s northern boundary near Gardiner, MT and along its western boundary near West Yellowstone. A total of 50 permits will be issued, including 10 already issued for last year’s cancelled hunt.
2/23/2006: On Friday, along Yellowstone's northern boundary in Gardiner, the National Park Service once again emptied the Stephens Creek bison trap. They sent the last 30 of 266 wild buffalo to slaughter, where they have died in horror like cattle, on cold concrete, without honor, without ceremony or respect. Yellowstone's latest kill resulted in the unnecessary slaughter of 849 wild buffalo. Management actions and hunters have killed 903 buffalo since September. And the Park Service has not only slaughtered wild buffalo, but they have handed over 86 wild calves to a government-funded quarantine experiment (see below, third section). These actions by the National Park Service are criminal. The NPS continues to ignore the public's outcry against the buffalo slaughter and when we question and challenge their actions, they only say "It's in the Plan." They dodge our questions, ignore our protest, and shirk their responsibility to protect the wild buffalo in their care.
For a more detailed information, click here.
Government management officials have plainly stated that without a significant outcry from the American public, the slaughter-dominated management practices will continue.
National Wildlife Federation
What is Brucellosis?
From This:
to this:
1996-7
The big, shaggy carcasses of buffalo continue to dot the Montana countryside despite government and Native American protests. On Thursday, a prayer was said outside Yellowstone National Park, asking for an end to the slaughter of animals in the nation's last free-roaming bison herd. Yet even as Native American medicine men passed a sacred buffalo pipe and prayed for the killings to end, Montana state riflemen gunned down another dozen animals, bringing this years bison death toll well above 1,000.
1998-9
Not much change!
5/15/2003
Today is May 15, the "zero tolerance" date for wild bison outside of Yellowstone National Park, according to the Interagency Bison Management Plan. Although the plan is an "adaptive management" plan which allows for discretion to be applied in hazing bison back into the Park before May 15, after today the plan calls for bison to be "captured or shot to ensure none remain outside the Park in the western boundary area during the applicable temporal separation period." Who knows if the fact that the grazing allotments on national forest on Horse Butte have been canceled will make a difference? So far the DOL and Forest Service have been hiding behind the private property excuse, and nobody knows if the Munns family plans to bring cattle to their private ranch on Horse Butte this June.
5/13/2004
May 15 is the "zero tolerance" date for wild bison outside of Yellowstone National Park, according to the Interagency Bison Management Plan. Although the plan is an "adaptive management" plan which allows for discretion to be applied in hazing bison back into the Park before May 15, after Saturday the plan calls for bison to be "captured or shot to ensure none remain outside the Park in the western boundary area during the applicable temporal separation period." Never mind the lack of public lands cattle allotments on Horse Butte or along the Madison River. Fortunately the Horse Butte Trap was dismantled and hauled away earlier this week, but the stakes for the last free ranging bison are about to be raised.
It is surprisingly difficult to find a buffalo outside of Yellowstone National Park these days. The relentless hazing has left little opportunity for the buffalo to follow their instincts. I miss hiking through the aspen groves and meadows of Horse Butte and finding small herds of buffalo roaming free, calves playfully running, mommas watching over their young, bulls butting heads. Buffalo these days are rarely left alone long enough to make the full trek to their calving grounds on Horse Butte.
TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Thanks Linda
You CAN help! Please, write your feelings and send them to your local and national papers, members of Congress, Governor Racicot and President Bush. The Yellowstone buffalo are a heritage for future generations, activate your voice. These are NOT Montana's buffalo.
It is pressure from all citizens that will force the State of Montana to end this senseless harassment and slaughter of the Yellowstone herd. Speak out!