Letter
to the Editor, West Yellowstone News, barb abramo, 02/02/07
Double Standards
In this state people place a "high" value on PRIVATE
PROPERTY RIGHTS.
If a buffalo comes on to your land and you want it removed,
you can call the Montana Department of Livestock and the agents
will cheerfully come to haze, capture, kill or ship it to
the quarantine facility (a.k.a. the Buffalo Jail) in Corwin
Springs.
BUT, if you live in a buffalo-friendly area, such as Horse
Butte, guess what folks: the DOL can violate your PRIVATE
PROPERTY RIGHTS, come onto your PRIVATE PROPERTY and cheerfully
haze, capture, kill or ship it to the buffalo jail.
You have NO rights according to DOL.
As in most aspects of buffalo MIS-management, this is another
example of a double standard towards buffalo as opposed to
every other species of migrating wildlife. Of course, every
other species is managed by FWP and not the Department of
LIVESTOCK.
Underlying all the bison MIS-management policies, the goal
seems to be to kill every buffalo that crosses the magical
border of Yellowstone National Park and it doesn't matter
if the buffalo is killed by a hunter, the DOL or the Park
Service. KILL KILL KILL is the way to go.
And, despite the lack of designated habitat, and the lack
of proper management by wildlife professionals, we'll probably
see an increase in the number of tags issued next year. Hunting
can be an excellent management tool when you have the habitat
and an established population. Right now, it seems, hunters
are being duped into paying for nothing and becoming the state's
agents in this latest cycle of disaster for wild buffalo.
barb abramo
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