| Yellowstone Bison Slaughter
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| Weekly
Update from the Field January 29, 2009 |
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Update from the Field
* BFC Needs Help Raising Funds for a Snowplow
* Last Week to Order Valentine Cards
* BFC Notes from the American Bison Society Conference
* Last Words
* Kill Tally
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*
Update from the Field
Dear Buffalo Friends,
We have been getting a lot of snow this week, close to
another foot, and a few days ago temperatures dropped
down to the negative 30's. As of this writing, it's a
balmy 14 degrees in Winter Wonderland. But this snow-covered
paradise is missing one huge element: the buffalo.
The absence of buffalo in Montana hasn't stopped the Department
of Livestock (DOL) from demonstrating their intolerance
for our shaggy friends. According to Gallatin National
Forest (GNF), the DOL will be putting up the bison trap
between now and February 1. Hot on the heels of the adaptive
management changes which were to allow an unlimited number
of buffalo to occupy Horse Butte for a portion of the
season, the DOL apparently already has plans to trap them.
Ironically, GNF Supervisor Mary Erickson views the trap
as a "tool of tolerance" and signed off on the
DOL's request to renew their permit for the Horse Butte
trap for the next ten years. GNF received 18,100 comments
from the public last spring, which overwhelmingly opposed
renewal of the permit and favored wild bison occupying
Horse Butte. Our words apparently fell upon deaf ears,
with only the livestock industry's voice being heard.
BFC patrols have been monitoring the site, but we haven't
seen any DOL activity there yet. Unfortunately, the DOL
has never put up the Horse Butte trap without intending
to use it.
This lack of tolerance demonstrated by the DOL prior to
buffalo even being in Montana is yet another example of
why they are the wrong agency to have any authority over
wild bison. Currently, there is a bill moving through
the Montana Legislature that could change that. House
Bill 253, the Wild Buffalo Recovery & Conservation
Act, is bipartisan legislation that would 1) remove the
DOL's authority over managing wild bison in Montana, 2)
would recognize wild bison as a valued native wildlife
species in the state, and 3) address private property
concerns of landowners who welcome wild buffalo on their
land, such as residents of Horse Butte. HB253 is being
heard by the Montana House Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Committee today in Helena. BFC is in attendance, with
many other bison advocates. We are hopeful the bill will
pass through committee, and we'll let you know how it
turns out. Montana
residents can take action on this bill.
Everyone
can take action for the buffalo by sending a letter to
President Barack Obama today! We ask him to act quickly
and do everything in his power to help this last wild
population of American bison in the U.S. Thanks to everyone
who has already taken action and passed on the word to
save the herds. If you haven't already, please send
a letter now and please use the tell-a-friend feature
so awareness and action for the buffalo grows!
It can't be stressed enough that this is a centuries-old
range war that will take all of our resolve to realize
our collective vision of wild buffalo once again roaming
free on their native lands. "Endless
pressure, endlessly applied" is going
to make the difference. Thank you all for being a strong
voice for the last wild buffalo!
Roam Free!
~Stephany
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* BFC Needs Help Raising Funds for a Snowplow
The snow has been accumulating fast here in West Yellowstone.
Just this week we received another foot, and the snow
is falling as I write this. BFC currently does not have
a working snow plow, so volunteers have been out with
hand shovels, working into the dark hours, clearing our
huge driveway so patrols can get out into the field, and
cabin residents aren't snowed in. We have had some help
from others, but it is critical that we are self-sufficient.
The backs of volunteers are strong, but we can't afford
to exhaust them this way when at any time, buffalo could
come out of the Park. Consequently, we are in desperate
need of a snowplow.
BFC needs your help to raise $4,000 for a plow that will
enable us to clear our 1/4-mile long driveway so we can
continue to be in the field at first light to monitor
the wild bison migration.
If you can help, please visit our Donate
Now page or send a check or money order (no cash,
please) to BFC-Snowplow Fund, P.O. Box 957, West Yellowstone,
MT 59758. THANK YOU!
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* Last Week to Order
Special BFC Valentines
Still looking for a special Valentine gift for that special
someone? Show your Love to the people in your life while
you share your love for wild buffalo and Buffalo Field
Campaign.
For only $15 each, BFC will mail a hand-crafted Valentine
to the recipient(s) of your choice. Each beautiful card
will be addressed and signed exactly as you indicate.
Cards will be postmarked from West Yellowstone and will
be shipped to arrive by Valentine's Day.
Orders must be received by Friday, February 6.
Click here
for more information and to order a card.
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* BFC Notes from the American Bison Society Conference
Buffalo Field Campaign representatives attended the the
American Bison Society's Building Blocks for Bison Ecological
Restoration conference held in Rapid City, South Dakota
November 17-18, 2008. The conference proceedings are not
yet available but Buffalo Field Campaign has compiled
and posted
our notes from the presentations and discussions online.
There is a great deal of information on bison genetics,
the keystone role bison play in keeping grasslands healthy,
the species' conservation status, disease threats, the
social, cultural and economic context for restoration
of bison, and we encourage to have a look for yourself.
We have also included information on the U.S. Department
of Interior's Bison Conservation Initiative and provided
contact information for you to start a dialogue with decision-makers
on what future and vision you see for restoring wild American
bison in their native range.
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* Last Words
THE GREAT WHITE BUFFALO
When the sun goes down
And the moon comes up,
When the winds begin to blow
And the clouds start to gather,
Across the stars you can see
The spirit buffalo begin to run.
When the air fills with static
And nature unleashes itself,
When the wilderness creatures gather about
And lend their song of life in harmony,
Through the sky you can see
The great white buffalo rumble on.
But when the land is misused and overrun
And its beauty spent and corrupted,
When nature is stripped and ravaged
And pollution flows in its veins,
You can see in the clouded sky
The buffalo stumble, fall and die.
Yet if you give of yourself and work to help
And listen to the voice of the earth,
If you dare to hope and believe
In things greater than man,
You may yet see in the star-swept sky
A small white buffalo running by
~ Golden Eagle
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* Kill Tally
AMERICAN BISON ELIMINATED from the last wild population
in the U.S.
2008-2009 Total: 2
2008-2009 Slaughter: 0
2008-2009 Hunt: 1
2008-2009 Quarantine: 0
2008-2009 Shot by Agents: 1
2007-2008 Total: 1,616
Total Since 2000: 3,683*
*includes lethal government action, quarantine, hunts
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Media & Outreach
Buffalo Field Campaign
P.O. Box 957
West Yellowstone, MT 59758
406-646-0070
bfc-media@wildrockies.org
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org
BFC is the only group working in the field every day
in defense of the last wild buffalo population in the
U.S.
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