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Article 3/20/06 |
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Buffalo
roam
Letter to the Editor
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
3/20/06 |
Allow
our buffalo to use historic range in the Gardiner, Bear
Creek, Eagle, Phelps, Little Trail, Bassett, Cedar, Slip
& Slide, Joe Brown and Sheep creeks, Dome Mountain
and Daily Lake areas, in the West Yellowstone area, Horse
Butte, Hebgen Lake, Red Canyon and through the Cabin Creek
Wildlife Management Corridor to Taylor Fork, Buffalo Horn
and Porcupine Wildlife Management areas.
These public wildlife ranges are waiting
for Yellowstone buffalo to disperse and naturally develop
immunity to brucellosis just as many have who now test
positive. Brucellosis is a manageable disease that is
so endemic in Greater Yellowstone wildlife that it can
never be eliminated. We must regionalize and delineate
management areas where brucellosis-proof steers, spayed
heifers and horses may be grazed.
The Gardiner and West Yellowstone areas
have the least amount of cattle, more public land and
more purchased wildlife winter range than anywhere else
in Montana. We can share a place for buffalo in this unique
corner of our state instead of slaughtering them when
they step into Montana.
The destruction of the buffalo in the
1880s was a loss of wealth many times greater than what
it would have cost to conserve them. This outrageous waste
was committed against Indians with inexcusable extravagance
and carelessness.
Certainly we can fashion a unique Montana
solution that shares the land with our buffalo. It is
a step in the right direction.
Joe Gutkoski
Bozeman
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