Press Conference in Helena, December 15, 2005

For Immediate Release:
December 14, 2005

Contact:
Stephany Seay, Dan Brister: (406) 726-5555

Helena, Montana - On Thursday, December 15, from 2:00-3:00 pm, the Buffalo Field Campaign (BFC), a wild bison advocacy group, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Horse Butte Neighbors of Buffalo (HoBNOB), and others, including Paul Richards, former Montana State Representative and current challenger to U.S. Senator Conrad Burns, will hold a press conference to address Montana's and the federal government's continued mistreatment and poor management of the Yellowstone buffalo, the country's last wild bison herd. These organizations combined represent over 7 million members nation-wide. December 15th marks one month into Montana's illegitimate hunt of the country's last wild bison.

Who:   BFC, HSUS, HoBNOB and others
What:  Press conference and video showing
When:  Thursday, December 15, 2005, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Where: The Rotunda, State Capitol Building, Helena, Montana

In the past ten years the state of Montana and the federal government have killed 2,475 wild Yellowstone bison, more than half of the existing herd. A total of eighteen wild bull bison have been killed in Montana this fall; fifteen have been shot by Montana hunters, two by Montana's Department of Livestock, and another bull was shot by a Yellowstone National Park ranger within Park boundaries.

During the press conference BFC will show video footage from the field. Each organization will address the reasons the current hunt and current management scheme of the last wild buffalo is wrong. BFC will present a solid list of real solutions and deliver thousands of postcards to Governor Brian Schweitzer.

In conjunction with the press conference, Buffalo Field Campaign, the Humane Society of the United States, the Animal Welfare Institute, and other wild bison advocates have organized a national call-in day. Gov Schweitzer is the target of the phone calls, the message to him: cancel the hunt, respect and protect the last wild bison.

Everyone is invited to attend. Press packets and a limited number of DVDs containing BFC's video footage from the field will be available to members of the media.