Buffalo Field Campaign Blog

Secret Meetings, Good-Bye Tolerance, Hello Turner

Ken Cole — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:02:16 +0000

Buffalo Field Campaign
Yellowstone Bison
Update from the Field
February 4, 2010

Buffalo Field Campaign relies on donations from people like you to fund our work to protect the bison. Please contribute today to keep us strong in the field and on the policy front.

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* Update from the Field
* IBMP Agencies Hold Secret “Public” Meeting
* Good-Bye Tolerance: DOL & Park Service Battle Over Adaptive Management
* Quarantine: FWP Decides to Send 88 Yellowstone Buffalo to Ted Turner
* Wild Buffalo: What Does this Mean to You?
* Last Words
* Kill Tally
* Important Links

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* Update from the Field

Buffalo near Yellowstone's north boundary. BFC file photo.

Montana’s buffalo “hunt” ends at sunset on February 15. All hunters but one have failed to take buffalo, simply because the shaggy giants are not here. Over the weekend, Nez Perce tribal members – who hold treaty rights to hunt buffalo – were in the area, but they had to return home empty-handed because no buffalo were accessible. Temperatures have been unseasonably warm, and snow accumulation relatively minimal, which can ease the buffalo’s drive to seek lower elevation habitat. In truth, it is more than likely that buffalo are also still trying to recover from the horrible slaughter during the winter of 2007-2008, when Yellowstone and Montana killed more than 1,600 wild buffalo. Every spring the Montana Department of Livestock leads aggressive management actions that force wild buffalo out of the state, even from areas where there are no cattle. When tribal and state hunters come to Montana hoping–and failing–to find buffalo, the failings of the livestock industry-driven Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) become starkly clear.

But things could soon be changing. The Nez Perce, Confederated Salish-Kootenai, and the InterTribal Bison Cooperative are finally active participants in IBMP decision-making, and we expect that their much-needed participation will help guide a more respectful future for wild buffalo. This has the Department of Livestock and their ranching constituency feeling very uncomfortable, to say the least. As you will read below, the Department of Livestock appears to be feeling the coming pressure and is reacting much like a cornered animal, snarling and striking. Hard times are ahead for the buffalo, it seems, but people grow more tired of the cattle industry’s hegemony and the buffalo’s champions are gaining strength and numbers. They say the darkest time is just before the dawn, and so it may come to pass this season. Rest assured that BFC together with tribes and other bison advocates are going to turn the dark into light and realize some positive change.

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* IBMP Agencies Hold Secret “Public” Meeting

BFC recognizes serious flaws in the public process, but we take every opportunity to actively engage and make every attempt to attend all public meetings that affect the Yellowstone buffalo population. BFC has never missed an Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) meeting … until this week. We were shocked to learn that the Interagency Bison Management Plan partners held a secret “public” meeting on Tuesday, February 2nd, with agenda items up for discussion that affect the buffalo and BFC greatly. Interestingly, none of the regular participants at these meetings were aware that it was taking place. Nor was the press. Montana’s Madison and Park County commissioners, however, were invited to the meeting, yet somehow it was kept hidden from the general public until after it was underway. The Montana Department of Livestock is currently the lead agency responsible for organizing meetings, and they failed to adequately notify the public that this meeting was happening, which violates Montana’s Open Meeting Law. It also goes against the recommendations from the U.S. Congress General Accountability Office, who suggested IBMP partners hold meetings in public in order to be transparent and accountable. BFC is taking action to ensure that these secret “public” meetings never happen again. Clearly the DOL didn’t want BFC or any of the buffalo’s strong allies to attend, and we now know why:

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* Good-Bye Tolerance: DOL & Park Service Battle Over Adaptive Management

While we may have been intentionally excluded from attending the meeting, BFC was on the phone with the Department of Livestock (DOL) and Yellowstone National Park officials and we’ve learned that extreme changes are being planned by the DOL.

At this IBMP “public” meeting on February 2, Yellowstone National Park and Gallatin National Forest went head-to-head with the Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) and consensus among the agencies was thrown out the window. The DOL “intends to make changes,” huge, backwards changes and strike out at the buffalo by removing the minimal tolerance all IBMP partners agreed to just last winter. According to Montana State Vet Marty Zaluski, who represents the DOL, “last year’s Adaptive Management Changes won’t be repeated.” The DOL intends to withdraw the minimal tolerance all IBMP agencies agreed to in December 2008. Under this Adaptive Management Plan, last spring unlimited numbers of buffalo were allowed to access public lands habitat on cattle-free Horse Butte until May 15, while smaller numbers of buffalo were given some access to critical winter range and spring calving grounds along the south side regions of the Madison River (Madison Arm). It was really the least the agencies could do, but still represented a few months of respite for the buffalo. Apparently, the DOL felt that the buffalo were afforded too much “tolerance” last year, and now they want to take it all back. Montana lost its brucellosis-free status, and it had nothing to do with the buffalo, so why do they insist on taking these drastic actions against them when the IBMP is clearly failing on both of its goals: to maintain a viable free-ranging population of bison and to protect Montana’s brucellosis-free status?

The specifics of DOL’s intended actions this coming season are still unclear, but we do know that they want to begin hazing and capturing buffalo if more than 100 migrate out of the Park’s western boundaries between February 15 and April 10. This means that right after the hunt, and while tribal treaty hunts are still underway, we could see disgusting repeats of DOL actions from winters past, where agents on snowmobiles chase buffalo through deep snow, forcing them to use energy stores that they need to survive the winter. The DOL also said they will seek to erect the Horse Butte buffalo trap, and they fully intend to slaughter. When BFC asked if IBMP partners would need to come to consensus on these drastic management changes, Marty Zaluski said no. Montana, apparently, can do whatever it wants; as horrible as the IBMP is, the DOL can make things worse. But, if that’s the path they choose, it will be all on Montana, especially if the Park Service and Forest Service have the courage to uphold their opposition.

At this secret “public” meeting, like at the November IBMP public meeting, tribal representatives, Gallatin National Forest and Yellowstone National Park disagreed with the DOL’s stringent and backwards suggestions. Yellowstone stated that they feel strongly about continuing operations as outlined in the Adaptive Management Plan, and will continue to seek more tolerance for buffalo outside Yellowstone’s boundaries. Tribes, Gallatin NF and Yellowstone NP all agreed that they need more time with the existing Adaptive Management Plan to evaluate its effectiveness before proposing any amendments to it. You can read through a series of interesting documents, including powerful letters from Yellowstone National Park and the InterTribal Bison Cooperative here.

These renegade actions by the DOL could initiate the dissolving of the Interagency Bison Management Plan. We still don’t know if Yellowstone and Gallatin will refuse to assist the DOL, but they should be encouraged to refrain from participating. Please take a minute to contact Yellowstone Superintendent Suzanne Lewis and Gallatin National Forest Supervisor Mary Ericson and thank them for taking a stand for the buffalo and encourage them to drop out of the failing Interagency Bison Management Plan!

BFC will be there do document and challenge the DOL’s devolution every step of the way, and we will continue to show the world what these cowboys are doing to the last wild population of American buffalo. These actions by the DOL demonstrate that they know their time harassing and killing buffalo is coming to an end.

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* Quarantine: FWP Decides to Send 88 Yellowstone Buffalo to Turner

It is worse than we feared: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has decided to send all 88 quarantined Yellowstone buffalo to the private lands of billionaire Ted Turner. Turner will get to keep 75% of the Yellowstone buffalo’s offspring for his commercial gains. Montana has just set a horrible precedent of privatizing public wildlife and they have shown great disregard to Native American tribes who for years have wanted to bring the buffalo home.

Read BFC’s press release.

Read FWP’s decison notice.

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* Wild Buffalo: What Does this Mean to You?

This is a question that is going to be asked throughout Montana over the next few years, and we want to hear what you think. What does WILD buffalo, truly free-living wild buffalo, mean to you? How do you see their return taking shape on the landscape? What challenges can you think of, and the ways to overcome them? Think big, think practical, dream the buffalo back. Let us know ~ send your thoughts to bfc-media@wildrockies.org.

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* Last Words

Tell the bison not to go

where they have always been,

instruct the elephants to read

and yield their ancient memories

of where the water is.

Force wolves and bears to learn

the boundaries that have never been-

the ink that lies unseeable

between this tree, that blade of grass.

Teach them all to read the maps

that are invisible. Make them know

what is not real, does not exist

to moon or stars, and stubborn as they are

kill them for not learning

what we will not share.

…for the bison and wolves of the Yellowstone ecosystem and Northern Rockies, for the trees and plants and rocks, for the elephants and orangutans, for the bees and the gorillas, the butterflies and birds, for the voles and nematodes, for the frogs and salamanders and the bats, for the otters, dolphins, whales, and polar bears, for the turtles and the coral and the krill, for the plankton and the leopard, for the beetles and the worms, for the waters, earth, and air…

Do you have submissions for Last Words? Send them to bfc-media@wildrockies.org. Thank you all for the poems, songs and stories you have been sending; you’ll see them here!

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* Kill Tally

AMERICAN BISON ELIMINATED from the last wild population in the U.S.
2009-2010 Total: 1

2009-2010 Slaughter: 0
2009-2010 Hunt: 1
2009-2010 Quarantine: 0
2009-2010 Shot by Agents: 0
2009-2010 Highway Mortality: 0

2008-2009 Total: 22
2007-2008 Total: 1,631
Total Since 2000: 3,703*
*includes lethal government action, quarantine, hunts, highway mortalities
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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.

KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY

Join Buffalo Field Campaign — It’s Free!

Tell-a-Friend!

Take Action!

ROAM FREE!

Off-Fence/De-Fence! Photos Needed, Bid Now on CO Ski Trip

Ken Cole — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:18:07 +0000

Buffalo Field Campaign
Yellowstone Bison
Update from the Field
January 21, 2010

Buffalo Field Campaign relies on donations from people like you to fund our work to protect the bison. Please contribute today to keep us strong in the field and on the policy front!

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* Update from the Field
* Off-Fence, De-Fence: Lend a Hand to Free the Land
* Live Auction! Bid Now on an Awesome Colorado Ski Trip
* High Quality Photos Needed for Buffalo Calendar
* BFC Needs a New Stove
* Last Words
* Kill Tally
* Important Links

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* Update from the Field

Buffalo have still not migrated into Montana. Every day patrols are donning skis and snowshoes, heading out into the field to check migration corridors and all the areas favored by buffalo, but the shaggy giants are currently absent from Montana’s wintry landscape. A few buffalo hunters arrived over the week, but there were no animals available for them to kill. Montana’s buffalo hunt ends in just a few weeks, at sunset on February 15. We hope the buffalo will continue to find the forage they need in Yellowstone’s boundaries until then, and keep safe from the bullet.

BFC has taken advantage of this quiet time to embark on a very satisfying habitat improvement project, which will have immediate benefits for buffalo and other area wildlife. When the buffalo do begin their migration, accessing portions of their habitat will no longer be as trecherous. Please read on, watch the short video, and learn how you can lend a hand to free the land.

Roam Free,
~Stephany

BFC volunteer cuts barbed wire off public land along Highway 287. BFC file photo.

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* Off-Fence, De-Fence: Lend a Hand to Free the Land

On January 15th, Buffalo Field Campaign started a barbed-wire fence removal effort in cooperation with Gallatin National Forest. This extremely satisfying habitat improvement project, which we fondly refer to as our “off-fence / de-fence” effort, began with the removal of a two-mile stretch of barbed-wire fence on Gallatin National Forest lands near Duck Creek, a critical wildlife migration corridor especially loved by bull buffalo.

Eleven BFC volunteers, including two awesome individuals from the Natural Resources Defense Council, started the project last Friday. We plowed through the snow, dug up buried strands, cut the fence free from posts, and rolled it up for the Forest Service to collect and dispose of. It took just two and a half days to remove it all, and now this part of the landscape — frequently used by buffalo, moose, elk, fox, eagles, grizzly bears, and many other area wildlife — is finally free of the cruel fencing.

Watch a short BFC video clip of the project.

The fencing we removed was once part of a public lands cattle-grazing allotment, which has been vacant (without cows) for many years. Gallatin National Forest recently closed this land to cattle for good, yet the harmful fence was left behind. During hazing operations, BFC has often witnessed buffalo being run into this section of barbed-wire fence by the Montana Department of Livestock, and we’ve also witnessed other wildlife having difficulty negotiating the fence. For years BFC offered to remove it, so when we finally got the green light form Gallatin National Forest, we went right to work. Gallatin National Forest provided the leather gloves and the barbed wire pick-up, and we organized the people power. Now, when buffalo begin to migrate through this area they will no longer have to negotiate the hazardous barbed wire. We are excited to continue working with Gallatin National Forest to remove other sections of barbed-wire fence on our public lands, and we hope you will become inspired to take on similar projects around public lands in your region.

BFC and NRDC volunteer for Gallatin National Forest to remove barbed wire fence near Duck Creek.

LEND A HAND TO FREE THE LAND! Thousands, even millions of acres in the U.S. are strangled by barbed wire fencing, much of it strewn across our public lands which have been leased to ranchers for cattle grazing. Some of these cattle grazing allotments are closed, but the fence remains. Barbed wire is difficult enough for wildlife to navigate and can prevent some wildlife from accessing critical habitat, and does cause injury and sometimes death. Neglected barbed wire can be worse because it’s unseen, with loose strands hiding tangled in vegetation, a veritable trap waiting to maim or kill. BFC wants to encourage everyone who can to contact their local National Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management offices and offer your volunteer services to remove dangerous barbed wire fence. A quick search of the Internet may show you fence-removal projects already underway that you can participate in. It is very satisfying work and you will be making a huge and immediately positive difference for wildlife across the country! BFC will be creating an informative web page to help educate and empower people to lend a hand to free the land, but don’t let that stop you from beginning your own off-fence/de-fence projects today! If you do take on this gratifying work, please share your stories and photos with us. Thank you!

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* Live Auction! Bid Now on an Awesome Colorado Ski Trip

The Colorado ski trip auction is now live! The winner will receive six nights of lodging in a Gold-Plus rated, four-bedroom, 3-bath condominium 500 yards from the base of the Silver Queen ski lift, eight ski lift tickets courtesy of Crested Butte Mountain Resort, and more than 700 dollars worth of ski clothing from Patagonia. 100 percent of the proceeds will go directly to the front-lines work of Buffalo Field Campaign, the only group working in the field and on the policy front to permanently protect the Yellowstone bison, America’s only continuously wild population.

Retail value of this package is more than $5,987.

For more information, please click here and good luck!

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* High Quality Photos Needed for Buffalo Calendar

Buffalo Field Campaign is excited to announce that we have the opportunity to create the first-ever buffalo calendar, which would become available in time for the 2011 calendar year. This calendar will focus on the positive aspects of buffalo life in hopes that more people will come to fall in love with these gentle, shaggy giants and take an active interest in the issues affecting them. Knowing that many of you have spent time in and around Yellowstone with the buffalo, we wanted to invite you to submit your favorite high-quality shots. If your photos are chosen for use in the calendar, you will, of course, be given full credit.

Photo submission guidelines: Calendar photos must be stellar! We need high-quality digital photos at 300dpi, high resolution JPEG or TIFF files. Photos should be in color. We cannot accept “photoshopped”, scanned, web camera, or photos taken from a web site. There should not be any dates or text of any kind visible on the photos. If you have photos that meet these requirements and you’re willing to let us submit them for inclusion in the calendar, please send them to Stephany at bfc-media@wildrockies.org. You may also send a CD of photos to Stephany/Buffalo Calendar, P.O. Box 957, West Yellowstone, Montana 59758. We can also send you a more detailed document on photo submission guidelines required by the calendar’s publisher, so just email for a copy if you intend to submit photos.

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* BFC Kitchen Needs a New Stove

The BFC kitchen is in need of a new stove! Our current oven has been on the fritz for a few years now and we are looking to replace it before it finally gives up the ghost. We are looking for a commercial grade 6-burner gas range with a large capacity oven. During our main season we feed anywhere from 15-40 volunteers three meals a day seven days a week, so a heavy duty, reliable range is one of our most important tools at camp. If you have this kind of a range, or know someone who does, and would like to donate it to BFC, or if you would like to help us purchase a new one, please call our kitchen coordinator, Brandy, at 406-646-0070. Thank you!

Please visit BFC’s Wish List to find out about other items we are in need of. All donations – monetary and in-kind – are tax deductible.

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* Last Words

“You, O buffalo, are the earth! May we understand this!”

~Lakota Sun Dance prayer

Do you have submissions for Last Words? Send them to bfc-media@wildrockies.org. Thank you all for the poems, songs and stories you have been sending; you’ll see them here!

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* Kill Tally

AMERICAN BISON ELIMINATED from the last wild population in the U.S.
2009-2010 Total: 1

2009-2010 Slaughter: 0
2009-2010 Hunt: 1
2009-2010 Quarantine: 0
2009-2010 Shot by Agents: 0
2009-2010 Highway Mortality: 0

BFC is the only group working in the field every day
in defense of the last wild buffalo population in the U.S.

KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY

Join Buffalo Field Campaign — It’s Free!

Tell-a-Friend!

Take Action!

ROAM FREE!

Amazing Wildlife Experiences

Ken Cole — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:47:58 +0000

Buffalo Field Campaign
Yellowstone Bison
Update from the Field
January 14, 2010

Buffalo Field Campaign relies on donations from people like you to fund our work to protect the bison. Please contribute today to keep us strong in the field and on the policy front!

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In this issue:
* Update from the Field
* Buffalo Field Campaign to Auction Colorado Ski Trip
* Thank You for Commenting for Quarantined Yellowstone Buffalo
* Ask the Discovery Channel to Show Buffalo Battle
* Support a Wish for Buffalo Field Campaign
* Last Words
* Kill Tally
* Important Links

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* Update from the Field

A breathtaking view from Sandy Butte, inside Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Dana, BFC volunteer.

Buffalo Field Campaign patrols have been enjoying some amazing wildlife experiences. On a recent patrol into Yellowstone National Park while watching ravens far in the distance from the heights of Sandy Butte, volunteers spotted three black wolves near the elk kill site we mentioned last week. They were very far away, and visible only through binoculars, so we were not able to get photos to share with you. Even from far away, the wolves were very aware of our presence and watched us closely while we were there. On another patrol along the Madison River, BFC skiers spotted a solitary wolf who seemed determined to enjoy some Trumpeter swan for lunch. Red fox, elk, otters, and eagles have been showing themselves recently, and so have quite a number of moose.

Moose are very interesting creatures. They may seem a little goofy and awkward, but they can, in fact, be quite dangerous and require a lot of space. Unfortunately, moose, like all area wildlife, must try to survive the Yellowstone ecosystem’s harsh winters while being enveloped in the constant noise of recreational snowmobilers. These experiences can be very trying for all wildlife, but moose especially demonstrate their agitation and sometimes show that they are fed up with humans.

On a patrol the other day, we were about to go for a reconnaissance along the north bluffs of the Madison River, a favored migration corridor for buffalo and other wildlife. We spotted a young bull moose about fifty yards from where we were going to begin our trek, which happened to be right next to a snowmobile route. The first volunteer gave the moose a very wide and respectful berth, but the moose had apparently been bothered a lot that morning, and he made a bee-line for the volunteer. We shouted a heads-up to the volunteer, but the moose pursued, and the volunteer had to turn and quickly move to safety. Thankfully, all ended well. The moose, after establishing his strong – and understandable – desire to be rid of humans, went his way, and we chose another route to give him the space he needed.

Buffalo migration has yet to begin, even with the significant snowfall we experienced last week. No hunters have been seen in the area either. Montana’s buffalo hunt season will be over in about a month, and we are hopeful that it will remain quiet for our shaggy friends. When buffalo do begin their migration, they will find some of their habitat improved; Buffalo Field Campaign will be removing a significant stretch of barbed wire fence on the Gallatin National Forest along land adjacent to Duck Creek, which is a favored migration corridor for bull bison. Too many times BFC has documented buffalo being run into this fence during hazing operations. Removal of the fence should also help keep buffalo off of Highway 287, since they will have a much easier time accessing this habitat. This area was once a public lands cattle grazing allotment and has been vacant for years. The Forest Service finally permanently closed it to cattle, and tomorrow, BFC will lend a hand to free the land so that buffalo and other wildlife will no longer have to negotiate this cruel stretch of wired injustice.

Roam Free,
~Stephany

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* Buffalo Field Campaign to Auction Colorado Ski Trip

The winner of this auction will receive six nights of lodging in a Gold-Plus rated, four-bedroom, 3-bath condominium 500 yards from the base of the Silver Queen ski lift, eight ski lift tickets courtesy of Crested Butte Mountain Resort, and more than 700 dollars worth of ski clothing from Patagonia. 100 percent of the proceeds will go directly to the front-lines work of Buffalo Field Campaign, the only group working in the field and on the policy front to permanently protect the Yellowstone bison, America’s only continuously wild herd.

Retail value of this package is more than $5,987.

The auction will begin on Monday, January 18.

For more information, please click here.

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* Thank You for Commenting for Quarantined Yellowstone Buffalo

Enormous thanks to all to all who sent in comments encouraging Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) to place quarantined Yellowstone buffalo on public or tribal lands, rather than allowing them to go to the private ranch of Ted Turner. A public meeting was held by FWP in Bozeman, Montana last week, and the public was overwhelmingly in support of these buffalo being given a home on state, federal or tribal land. While it is true that Ted Turner has done some great things for animals on his private acres, the privatization of public Yellowstone bison would set a horrible precedent, it violates the public trust and it clearly goes against the stated goals of the Quarantine Feasibility Study. FWP would like the public to believe that the only choices for these buffalo are Turner or slaughter, but this is simply not true, as many tribes have expressed strong interest in receiving the animals, and there are also many thousands of acres of public land in Montana where they could live out their lives respectfully. If you sent in comments, you should hear directly from FWP regarding their decision, and, of course, we will be sure to inform you as soon as we know.

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* Ask the Discovery Channel to Show Buffalo Battle

Good news! Planet Green has reported that the premiere of Buffalo Battle received good ratings, which means this could help get a series off the ground! We have been hearing from many of you that you have been unable to watch Buffalo Battle because you are not able to get Planet Green. Planet Green is owned by the Discovery Channel, which is more widely available to TV viewers. We are encouraging folks to contact The Discovery Channel and ask them to carry Buffalo Battle so it can be seen by more people. Please take a moment to get in touch with The Discovery Channel’s Viewer Relations department and ask them to bring Buffalo Battle to a wider audience. Thank you all for tuning in!

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* Support a Wish for Buffalo Field Campaign

Big thanks for the recent in-kind donations of items represented on Buffalo Field Campaign’s Wish List! We are always in need of various equipment to keep our office, field patrols and kitchen functional, so see if there’s anything you can help us with by taking a moment to visit our Wish List. All donations are tax deductible and treasured! Thank you!

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* Last Words

“One thing I have learned over the years is that the impossible can be possible and superior odds are to be looked at as a challenge to overcome. It does not matter what the strength of the enemy is. What matters is the determination of our opposition to the enemy. They fight for money, we fight for life. They are motivated by greed and we are motivated by a passionate compassion. [We] have more courage and determination and that is what will make the difference once again. ”

~ Hans Lak, Sea Shepherd Volunteer

Do you have submissions for Last Words? Send them to bfc-media@wildrockies.org. Thank you all for the poems, songs and stories you have been sending; you’ll see them here!

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* Kill Tally

AMERICAN BISON ELIMINATED from the last wild population in the U.S.
2009-2010 Total: 1

2009-2010 Slaughter: 0
2009-2010 Hunt: 1
2009-2010 Quarantine: 0
2009-2010 Shot by Agents: 0
2009-2010 Highway Mortality: 0

BFC is the only group working in the field every day
in defense of the last wild buffalo population in the U.S.

KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY

Join Buffalo Field Campaign — It’s Free!

Tell-a-Friend!

Take Action!

ROAM FREE!

Activists call for bison on state land

Ken Cole — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:40:46 +0000

State of Montana wants to give them to Ted Turner

Buffalo in quarantine - Kim Acheson

As is typical with this issue, the State of Montana has set up a false dichotomy with the bison in the quarantine program. They say that the bison need to be given to billionaire Ted Turner or slaughtered because they have no other options. This is nonsense.

As I have discussed before on Ralph Maughan’s blog, there are other options including working with the Fort Belknap Reservation to locate the quarantined buffalo there, placing them back into the Park, or placing them on a state wildlife refuge, all of which would keep these bison in the public domain which was required under the plan. If Ted Turner receives these 78 buffalo he wants 190 of their progeny in return for his own commercial operations which also violates the agreement with the National Park Service to keep them in the public domain.

“There’s land in Montana,” said Stephany Seay with the Buffalo Field Campaign. “The alternatives are not Turner or slaughter. But that’s what we are being fed.”

Activists call for bison on state land
By DANIEL PERSON Chronicle Staff Writer

Thank You, Quarantine, Schweitzer Responds, Buffalo Battle Airs Again

Ken Cole — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:25:35 +0000

Buffalo Field Campaign
Yellowstone Bison
Update from the Field
January 6, 2010

Buffalo Field Campaign relies on donations from people like you to fund our work to protect the bison. Please contribute today to keep us strong in the field and on the policy front!

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In this issue:
* Thank You Buffalo Friends!
* Update from the Field
* TAKE ACTION! Comment on FWP Bison Quarantine Proposal
* Great Work! Your Messages Get Response from Governor Schweitzer
* Buffalo Battle Showing Again Tonight & Thursday, Jan. 7
* Ski & Ski Boot Donations Needed
* Last Words
* Kill Tally
* Important Links

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* Thank You Buffalo Friends!

Bull bison in blizzard. BFC file photo courtesy of supporter K. Kaiser.

Out here on the Yellowstone boundary, bearing witness to the harsh government treatment of America’s only continuously wild population of bison, it can sometimes seem as if we are alone in our struggle to stop the slaughter. Your actions remind us that we are not.

Your response to our year-end funding plea has been incredible. Thanks to your donations we have exceeded the $75,000 goal necessary for us to qualify for the Earth Friends Challenge Grant. Donations, merchandise orders, and letters of encouragement continue to pour into our mailbox from all corners of the country and the the world. Your support literally makes our work for the bison possible, and we can not express enough how much it means to us. THANK YOU!

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* Update from the Field

Happy New Year to all of our buffalo friends! It has been a good start to the new decade for the buffalo; things have remained quiet in the field and, save for the one bull bison killed on Horse Butte, Montana’s bison “hunt” has been uneventful thus far.

After an unseasonably dry beginning, the snow has finally started falling in earnest. Over the course of the last two days we’ve gotten nearly two feet! While breathtakingly beautiful, the snow definitely brings challenges, especially when it falls all at once. We are spending lots of time plowing and shoveling around our headquarters. Our snow plow is really old, but it’s holding up and helping to clear paths so our two barely-working patrol vehicles can make it down the driveway to transport volunteers into the field. Patrols must now ski or snowshoe to get around, or risk being immediately exhausted by post-holing through the deep cold powder. Our supply of skis has been used well over the last thirteen seasons in the field, which means a lot of wear and tear and wanting for working equipment.

The snow may also inspire the buffalo to migrate to lower elevation lands, so we are keeping close watch along Yellowstone’s boundary throughout the buffalo’s migration corridors.

We are constantly reminded of how very lucky we are to keep company with buffalo, elk, moose, eagles, ravens, coyotes, fox and many other of the Yellowstone ecosystem’s amazing creatures. Last week, during a trek into Yellowstone, patrols were blessed with a rare and remarkable experience: they came across the fresh carcass of an old bull elk that had just been taken by wolves. Patrols were able to spot one of the wolves before it quickly retreated into the willows. The tracks surrounding the elk offered a rare, storied gift of the dramatic life-and-death dance, so rich in Nature’s poetry of expression. Wolf song has also been heard from the cabin, which is a thrill of mystery to everyone. We are so blessed to live among these wonderful, wild creatures and give thanks every day for their continued existence.

While the field has been quiet for the buffalo, there’s been a small flurry of activity on the policy front, so please read on and take action for wild buffalo! Buffalo Battle will also air again on Planet Green late tonight and tomorrow, so check your local listings and invite your friends to watch with you.

Here’s to hoping that 2010 is a good year and the beginning of a great decade for the buffalo, and you, our extended buffalo family.

Roam Free!
~Stephany

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* TAKE ACTION! Comment on FWP Bison Quarantine Proposal

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) has released a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) on the translocation of quarantined Yellowstone bison and is seeking your input through January 12, 2010.

FWP’s preferred alternative outlines the agency’s intention to hand over 74 Yellowstone bison to billionaire Ted Turner, setting the dangerous precedent of commercializing public bison. BFC has strongly opposed quarantine, alternatively advocating for wild bison to be naturally restored on their historic range via protected habitat and migration corridors. That said, it is important that bison advocates try to help these quarantined Yellowstone buffalo get out of captivity and be released onto public and/or tribal lands, as was the stated goal of the Quarantine Feasibility Study.

Learn more and TAKE ACTION NOW!

Comments are due January 12, 2010. For those who can travel, FWP will hold a public meeting on this issue Thursday, January 7, at 6pm at their Region 3 office in Bozeman, Montana, 1400 S. 19th Avenue. Comments will also be accepted at this meeting. Hope to see you there!

Alternatively, you may mail your comments to:
Bison Translocation
Wildlife Division
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
P.O. Box 200701
Helena, MT 59620-0701
Email: QFBison@mt.gov

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* Great Work! Your Messages Get Response from Governor Schweitzer

In December, while giving a speech to the Montana Stockgrowers Association, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer proudly said: “No governor in Montana history has sent more bison to slaughter than this governor.”

You all were terrific in letting him know right away that Montana and Yellowstone’s shameful slaughter and mistreatment of America’s last wild bison population is nothing to brag about, but indeed a disgrace to the nation and the world. In fact, he received so many letters from bison advocates, he had his staff draft a response, which many of you have shared with us. If you haven’t seen it, you can read it here.

Granted, his letter is a sorry political spin that attempts to sugar coat the truth of the thousands of bison killed, harmed and harassed under Schweitzer’s rule as Governor. He tries to claim that bison are left alone during the harsh winter months, but that is totally untrue because in lieu of hazing, bison are now hunted when they cross Montana’s borders, and sometimes the hazing continues during the hunt. And you have seen what the war zone approach to hazing in May looks like, with calves suffering broken legs and being separated from mothers, adults being injured, and Montana’s landscapes being robbed of the presence of bison. We all know from first-hand experience and BFC’s documentation that wild buffalo still “enjoy” no tolerance in Montana, even on Horse Butte where cattle are never present. Ironically, Schweitzer’s letter also sites the quarantine project and how disease-free bison will be sent “to conservation herds,” yet Schweitzer himself encouraged private interest Ted Turner to apply for the quarantined buffalo, so he is responsible for trying to privatize America’s wildlife.

The point is, you put the pressure on Schweitzer’s administration, and they responded. GREAT WORK! Please continue to keep the pressure on, and if you are not from Montana, let Schweitzer know that you will not come to Montana unless it is to help the buffalo or until they roam free again.

Governor Brian Schweitzer
Office of the Governor
Montana State Capitol Building
P.O. Box 200801
Helena, MT 59620-0801
Phone: 1-406-444-3111
Fax: 1-406-444 5529
Email: governor@mt.gov

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* Buffalo Battle Airs Again Tonight & Thursday, Jan. 7

Tune in because it’s on again! Late tonight and on Thursday, January 7th, Discovery’s Planet Green will once again air Buffalo Battle. This Planet Green program, produced by Matthew Testa, tells the continuing story about the plight of the Yellowstone bison population and work of Buffalo Field Campaign. Buffalo Battle has been getting tremendously positive feedback, so Planet Green is giving the public more viewing opportunities. The more viewers they get, the more likely it is they’ll want to make a series and this will certainly help tell the world about what is happening to the last wild buffalo. Please check your local listings for showtimes and invite your friends and colleagues to watch Buffalo Battle with you late tonight and again on Thursday, January 7th. For more information visit Planet Green.

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* Ski & Ski Boot Donations Needed

Winter has arrived in earnest, and has delivered several feet of snow in a very short amount of time! Skiing and snowshoeing is a must now, and our supply of skis and ski boots are old and quickly reaching the point of disrepair, which is preventing some folks from getting out into the field. If you can help us with skis (three pins are great) or ski boots (three pin and large sizes especially), please contact our gear coordinator, Lobo, at gear@buffalofieldcampaign.org. BFC is always in need of certain items, so please check our Wish List for items you may be able to help us with. All donations -in-kind and monetary- are tax-deductible and very much appreciated. Thank You!!

——————————
* Last Words

“Power concedes nothing without demand”

~ Written in 1857 by Frederick Douglas (1818-1895)

Do you have submissions for Last Words? Send them to bfc-media@wildrockies.org. Thank you all for the poems, songs, quotes and stories you have been sending; you’ll see them here!

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* Kill Tally

AMERICAN BISON ELIMINATED from the last wild population in the U.S.
2009-2010 Total: 1

2009-2010 Slaughter: 0
2009-2010 Hunt: 1
2009-2010 Quarantine: 0
2009-2010 Shot by Agents: 0
2009-2010 Highway Mortality: 0

BFC is the only group working in the field every day
in defense of the last wild buffalo population in the U.S.

KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY

Join Buffalo Field Campaign — It’s Free!

Tell-a-Friend!

Take Action!

ROAM FREE!

*Special Alert! Help Quarantined Yellowstone Bison!

Ken Cole — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:49:31 +0000

** SPECIAL ALERT! **

Buffalo Field Campaign

Dear Friends of the Buffalo,

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) has released a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) on the translocation of quarantined Yellowstone bison and is seeking your input through January 12, 2010.

Learn more and TAKE ACTION NOW!

Comments are due January 12, 2010.

Alternatively, you may mail your comments to: Bison Translocation Wildlife Division Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

P.O. Box 200701 Helena, MT 59620-0701Email:
QFBison@mt.gov

Thank you so much for being a voice for America’s last wild population of buffalo!

Roam Free,

Media & Outreach Buffalo Field Campaign

P.O. Box 957 West Yellowstone, MT 59758406-646-0070
bfc-media@wildrockies.org
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org

BFC is the only group working in the field every dayin defense of the last wild buffalo population in the U.S.

KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY

Montana Governor Brags About Bison Slaughter

Ken Cole — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:11:16 +0000

Buffalo Field Campaign
Yellowstone Bison
Update from the Field
December 17, 2009

Buffalo Field Campaign relies on donations from people like you to cover the majority of the costs arising from our work to protect the bison. Please consider making a year-end contribution to keep us strong in the field and on the policy front.

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——————————
In this issue:
* Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer Brags About Buffalo Slaughter to Livestock Interests
* Update from the Field
* Buffalo Battle: Cast Your Vote to Keep it Going!
* HOPE for the Buffalo: Enter Essay Contest, 12/31 Deadline
* Last Words: Brian Schweitzer
* Kill Tally
* Important Links

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* Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer Brags About Buffalo Slaughter to Livestock Interests

“No governor in Montana history has sent more bison to slaughter than this governor,”Schweitzer said.

In an attempt to demonstrate how well he has represented Montana’s cattle industry, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer proudly spoke the above words on Friday, December 11 during a speech at the Montana Stockgrowers Association’s annual convention. Schweitzer alone claims the blood prize that belongs not just to Montana, but also to Yellowstone National Park. Together Schweitzer and Yellowstone Superintendent Suzanne Lewis, carrying out the Interagency Bison Management Plan, are responsible for the deaths of thousands of America’s last wild buffalo. And for what? Schweitzer failed to remind the Stockgrowers that despite the unwarranted harassment and slaughter of these last wild bison, Montana still lost its brucellosis-free status, and the buffalo had nothing to do with it. Schweitzer’s statement truly represents the actions of a state that exploits the image of wild bison as a tourist attraction while simultaneously dipping into the federal treasury to fund the slaughter of buffalo. Schweitzer has nothing to crow about because he has failed miserably on this issue: he has failed the people who put him in office, he has failed the buffalo, and he has failed Montana’s livestock industry.

For America’s last wild buffalo and all of their suffering at the hands of Montana’s livestock industry, please take a moment to contact Governor Schweitzer and let him know how you feel:

Governor Brian Schweitzer
Office of the Governor
Montana State Capitol Building
P.O. Box 200801
Helena, MT 59620-0801
Phone: 1-406-444-3111
Fax: 1-406-444 5529*
Email: governor@mt.gov

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* Update from the Field

Bull bison in winter. BFC file photo.

The snow has finally come to West Yellowstone. Volunteers are now out on skis and snowshoes in search of bison. The snow always adds an element of peace and tranquility at this time of year. However snow can also assist hunters in finding their prey. But one cannot find what is not here and there are currently no bison in Montana. This absence, or emptiness, always feels bittersweet. Not wanting to witness the unnecessary hazing, shooting, and slaughter that the bison endure whenever they step out of the Park, we are thankful that they remain on their summer ranges in Yellowstone’s interior. Yet the landscape feels empty without them, and we wish our species could learn to co-exist with this majestic native species.

The sentiment behind Governor Schweitzer’s recent boast that “no Governor in Montana history has sent more bison to slaughter” directly contradicts his campaign promises to show greater tolerance for bison. Such contradictions have become the norm as we watch, year after year, as the National Park Service slaughters thousands of bison the American people have entrusted the agency with protecting.

What I find really sad is that at no time can bison simply be their big beautiful selves on their native Montana habitat because we, the people, won’t let them. Bison restoration is here, in the hooves of the bison.

From the Field,
Peet

P.S. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks released a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) regarding the translocation of quarantined Yellowstone bison to Ted Turner’s private ranch and a Wyoming state park. BFC is reviewing the EA and we will soon alert you of our findings so you can help be a voice for the buffalo on this issue.

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* Buffalo Battle: Cast Your Vote to Keep it Going!

Buffalo Battle is a new documentary-style TV program about the Yellowstone bison and the work of Buffalo Field Campaign. You can help make Buffalo Battle a series by visiting Planet Green to “vote for it.” You can also register to submit comments about the show, or drop an email to Planet Green to let them know you want more! Buffalo Battle will continue to be shown on Planet Green, so check your local listings for show times and encourage your friends and family to tune in, and vote today for Buffalo Battle to continue!

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* HOPE for the Buffalo ~ Enter Essay Contest, 12/31 Deadline

Endangered Species Chocolate currently has a program called It’s Time For Hope, which is welcoming 500-word essays about the thing that gives you hope. Hope can be wild buffalo roaming free, pressing on against all odds. If your essay is chosen, the organization of your choice will be given $5,000. We hope that you will choose BFC. So far, three essays have been written for the buffalo, and with your help there will be many more. Visit the link below to learn more and submit your essay today!

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* Last Words

”The only potential infection hazard from Yellowstone bison leaving the park is if they come into contact with reproductive cattle. Relatively few reproductive cows graze on land adjacent to Yellowstone, and grazing steers or horses are not at risk. We are spending too many resources on an issue with simpler and more positive solutions. I will be the first cattleman governor of Montana in decades. I will work with park officials, USDA, APHIS and landowners to find a commonsense solution that doesn’t involve the wholesale slaughter of one of Montana’s most recognizable symbols, or diminish the value of our cattle.”

Brian Schweitzer responds to a question from a wild bison advocate during his Montana gubernatorial campaign, May 4, 2004.

Do you have submissions for Last Words? Send them to bfc-media@wildrockies.org. Thank you all for the poems, songs and stories you have been sending; you’ll see them here!

——————————
* Kill Tally

AMERICAN BISON ELIMINATED from the last wild population in the U.S.

2009-2010 Total: 1

2009-2010 Slaughter: 0
2009-2010 Hunt: 1
2009-2010 Quarantine: 0
2009-2010 Shot by Agents: 0
2009-2010 Highway Mortality: 0

BFC is the only group working in the field every day
in defense of the last wild buffalo population in the U.S.

KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY

Join Buffalo Field Campaign — It’s Free!

Tell-a-Friend!

Take Action!

ROAM FREE!

Vote for Buffalo Battle, Good News on Horse Butte, HOPE for Buffalo

Ken Cole — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:39:30 +0000

Buffalo Field Campaign
Yellowstone Bison
Update from the Field
December 10, 2009

Buffalo Field Campaign receives the overwhelming majority of our funding through small contributions from people like you. Please consider making a year-end contribution in support of our important work for the buffalo.

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——————————
In this issue:
* Update from the Field
* Buffalo Battle: Cast Your Vote to Keep it Going!
* Good News: Horse Butte Public Lands Grazing Allotments Closed!
* Take Action: Quarantined Buffalo Need Our Help
* HOPE for the Buffalo: Enter Essay Contest
* Last Words
* Kill Tally
* Important Links

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Frosty bull bison. BFC file photo courtesey of supporter Kim Kaiser.

Things have been quiet here in the Hebgan Basin for the last week. Frigid temperatures (several times dropping below -30) and bone-chilling winds have put volunteers in a ‘huddle-to-stay-warm’ mode. Bison seem to be content with the large open areas of grass available to them inside Yellowstone National Park that would typically be concealed under several feet of snow at this time of year. Deep freezes are slowly but very steadily turning the serene waters of Hebgan Lake into its icy winter counterpart. The howls and wails of the freezing water body are heard echoing through the valley, quite a haunting sound indeed. The lack of snow maintains the availability of grass on higher grounds, keeping our shaggy bison friends safe in their summer range, away from the dangers of the hunt zone. We can’t help but miss their presence in the field on our daily patrols. The contrast of wanting to be with the bison on the landscape and wanting the bison to be safe leaves us feeling ambivalent on these cold days, but the bison will come as they always have and we will be here as we always are to help tell their story.

From the Field,
Peet

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* Buffalo Battle: Cast Your Vote to Keep it Going!

We hope you were able to tune in to Planet Green last Saturday for the premier of Buffalo Battle, a new documentary-style TV program about the Yellowstone bison population and the work of Buffalo Field Campaign. We have received a lot of positive feedback, as well as some constructive criticism, and we thank you so much for your input. We’d love to hear more from you, and so would Planet Green. You can help make Buffalo Battle a series by visiting Planet Green to vote for Buffalo Battle and give your comments to the station. So far, Buffalo Battle is gaining the most votes from viewers, and this could mean that Planet Green will decide to go for a series, which will help spread the word to save these herds.

A lot of you have also asked for DVDs of the program, but at the moment they are not available. As soon as they are, we will be sure to let folks know how to get them. Buffalo Battle will continue to be shown on Planet Green, so check your local listings for show times and encourage your friends and family to tune in, and vote today for Buffalo Battle to continue!

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* Good News: Horse Butte Public Lands Grazing Allotments Closed!

Wild buffalo on Horse Butte last April. BFC file photo.

We have excellent news to share with you: Gallatin National Forest recently made the decision to close the public lands cattle grazing allotments on Horse Butte. The allotments have been vacant and unused for several years, but vacancy status leaves an open door for cattle to return. Now that they are closed, this helps permanently protect Horse Butte from the destructive presence of cattle, and will help efforts to open Horse Butte to wild bison year round.

We encourage everyone to please send a big thank you to Gallatin National Forest Superintendent Mary Erickson for making this landmark decision. Let her know that these are the positive steps the Forest Service should take to provide year-round habitat for America’s last wild bison population. This decision will also help protect habitat for all the wild creatures that inhabit Horse Butte, including grizzly bears, wolves, western toads and the purple monkey flower.

Email Superintendent Erickson with a message of thanks and encouragement at mcerickson@fs.fed.us

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* Take Action: Quarantined Buffalo Need Our Help

Young bison held prisoner in government quarantine study. BFC file photo.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is poised to hand over to billionaire Ted Turner 74 Yellowstone bison that were captured as calves from Yellowstone National Park, setting a negative precedent of commercializing wild bison that are protected for the benefit and enjoyment of all people. We need your help to put pressure on decision-makers to give these Yellowstone bison a chance to remain as public wildlife on lands available to all people. Please visit last week’s Update from the Field for more detail and information about contacting decision-makers. Many thanks to everyone who has been making their voice heard for these captive buffalo. Read this fantastic piece by BFC Board Member Ken Cole, which gives a great overview of the current quarantine situation.

——————————
* HOPE for the Buffalo ~ Enter Essay Contest

Many of us have enjoyed Endangered Species Chocolates, as well as the contributions they make to help Earth’s vanishing plants and animals. They currently have a program called It’s Time for HOPE, encouraging people who care to dream and realize those dreams … for the animals that are all too quickly leaving us, because of us. Endangered Species Chocolate’s It’s Time for HOPE program is welcoming 500-word essays about the thing that gives you hope. Hope can be wild buffalo roaming free, pressing on against all odds. If your essay is chosen, the organization of your choice will be given $5,000. We are hopeful that you will choose BFC, and, it’s a great way to get the buffalo’s story out there. Enter your buffalo HOPE essay today and see below for a beautiful example.

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* Last Words

“In the nightmare, I’m on the north side of the Madison River, just west of Yellowstone National Park. A thick, gray fog obscures everything but the ground at my feet. My heart sinks as I hear the sound of high powered rifles and the pounding of heavy hooves in the distance. Suddenly, a massive bull buffalo charges from the mist and pins me against a pine tree. I’m not hurt, but am stuck between his horns and the tree. I’m helpless as the slaughter approaches, hearing and feeling the earth shake as many buffalo are killed and fall to the ground. I awake in a pool of sweat and realize that I was dreaming. Slowly, too, I realize that I am safe and warm in the lodge at the Buffalo Field Campaign. I can hear the soft breathing and occasional snores of the other volunteers sleeping around me. In reality, the senseless slaughter of the buffalo continues, but my hope lies in these volunteers. They come from all over the world, old and young alike, to answer the call for help.

Soon we will rise and head into the field, into the offices, into the schools, the courtrooms, the street rallies, anywhere that we can advocate and educate about how important these last wild American buffalo truly are. Some can only come for a weekend, others have devoted their lives, but all who have been blessed to be in the presence of wild buffalo are changed by the experience. For every volunteer who comes to Yellowstone to brave the cold and bear witness to this harsh injustice there are thousands more who work and support from afar. I am hopeful because I can see that together we are making progress. Slow, painful and bittersweet at times, but progress nonetheless. With the stubborn persistence of buffalo headed into a winter storm, our numbers grow, our collective voice becomes louder. I can feel it now, like a huge wave growing in the ocean, we are poised. Wide awake, our dream of the return of wild buffalo and justice for the native cultures that cherished them begins to take form. Together, with dedication, hard work, and a boundless hope, we will make this dream reality.”

~ By Pete Leusch, BFC Board Member.

This is Pete’s powerful HOPE essay submission (see above). Submit yours for the buffalo, too!

Do you have submissions for Last Words? Send them to bfc-media@wildrockies.org. Thank you all for the poems, songs and stories you have been sending; you’ll see them here!

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* Kill Tally

AMERICAN BISON ELIMINATED from the last wild population in the U.S.
2009-2010 Total: 1

2009-2010 Slaughter: 0
2009-2010 Hunt: 1
2009-2010 Quarantine: 0
2009-2010 Shot by Agents: 0
2009-2010 Highway Mortality: 0

2008-2009 Total: 22
2007-2008 Total: 1,631
Total Since 2000: 3,703*
*includes lethal government action, quarantine, hunts, highway mortalities

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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.

KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY

Join Buffalo Field Campaign — It’s Free!

Tell-a-Friend!

Take Action!

ROAM FREE!

Bull Killed in Hunt, Buffalo Battle Premires, Much More…

Ken Cole — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:04:00 +0000

Buffalo Field Campaign
Yellowstone Bison
Update from the Field
December 3, 2009

BFC Klean Kanteen Water Bottles Make Perfect Gifts. Order Yours Today While They Last!

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——————————
In this issue:
* Update from the Field
* Buffalo Battle: BFC Will Be on TV’s Planet Green This Saturday!
* BFC Needs Vehicles for Field Patrols
* LAST CHANCE: Help the Buffalo with Your Comments to APHIS
* Take Action: Quarantined Bison Need Our Help
* Last Words ~ We Miss You, Rodeo: Mourning the Loss
* Kill Tally
* Important Links

——————————* Update from the Field

A bull buffalo was shot yesterday on Horse Butte. For a few weeks he had maintained a space for himself outside of the hunt zone, in the buffalo-friendly Yellowstone Village housing area. The last time we saw him alive he was bedded down inside Montana’s largest “buffalo safe zone” on the Galanis property. I can still see his wooly head and horns just peaking over a small rise, hoping that he would keep refuge there, but knowing that buffalo will go where they choose, even if the consequences are fatal. The Galanis property borders Gallatin National Forest land which is in the hunt zone; once he stepped across that imaginary line he became a target and was killed.

It feels as if something has been stolen from the landscape; the bullet extinguished his beneficial and majestic presence, further diminishing the wild bison gene pool by yet another senseless killing of a species moving toward extinction. The Montana Department of Livestock has manipulated wildlife management so severely that hunters are blindly doing some of the killing for them. They call it a hunt but to me it looks more like just another way to kill buffalo that step into Montana. Wild bison still have no year-round habitat in Montana and they are ecologically extinct through most of their native range. Hunting wild bison is extremely premature and bison need to be given the opportunity to recover as a wildlife species in Montana before a hunt can be deemed fair, sustainable, or even ethical.

Snow has been slow to come this season, and we hope that means fewer buffalo will need to make the journey into Montana while the hunt is underway. For those that do, we will be watching over them, and while we cannot stop the bullet, we can give all we have to help change hearts and minds.

Roam Free,
~Stephany

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* Buffalo Battle: BFC Will Be on TV’s Planet Green This Saturday!

Tune in this Saturday night, December 5 at 10pm EST (check local listings) for the premier of Buffalo Battle on Discovery Channel’s Planet Green. Buffalo Battle is a one-hour television documentary on the plight of America’s only continuously wild bison population and the work of Buffalo Field Campaign. Buffalo Battle captures the ongoing war against wild bison and the conflict between bison advocates, government agencies and Montana’s cattle industry as wild bison follow their seasonal migratory instincts from the high country of Yellowstone National Park into the state of Montana. Help spread the word by sharing this Buffalo Battle E-Postcard with everyone you know!

Many thanks to Executive Producer Matt Testa and his amazing crew at Authentic TV for being in the field with us, learning from all sides of the issue, and helping BFC tell the world about the last wild buffalo!

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* BFC Needs Vehicles for Field Patrols

We currently have one working vehicle to convey patrols to and from the field, leaving us in dire need of vehicle donations for our campaign. Many of our vehicles have hundreds of thousands of miles and after serving us well, have moved to the vehicle graveyard. Ideally, we need vehicles that have less than 160,000 miles, are 4-door, and have 4WD to carry our patrols through the season. If you can help us with a car or truck donation, please contact BFC’s Mechanic Dennis at mechanic@buffalofieldcampaign.org.

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LAST CHANCE: Help the Buffalo with Your Comments to APHIS

Tomorrow, Friday December 4, is the deadline to submit comments to the Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) about their Bovine Brucellosis Program, which maintains the status quo of harming wild bison and elk in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. If you haven’t submitted yours yet please do so today. If you have, thank you, and please spread the word to save these herds! Click here to learn more and submit your comments today!

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* Take Action: Quarantined Buffalo Need Our Help

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is poised to hand over to billionaire Ted Turner 74 Yellowstone bison that were captured as calves from Yellowstone National Park, setting a negative precedent of commercializing wild bison that are protected for the benefit of enjoyment of all people. These buffalo have been held captive for five years in a quarantine feasibility study by the U.S. Dept of Agriculture APHIS and FWP to produce “disease-free” bison for conservation and recovery of American bison as a wildlife species. That was the agencies stated goal, and that is the reason why the U.S. Congress funded millions for the experiment. BFC has strongly opposed quarantine when wild bison have yet to be recovered on their native range in Yellowstone.

Turner is a commercial entity: if the buffalo go to him, they belong to him. The Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana put in a proposal for obtaining these buffalo, and they’ve been working on bringing buffalo home for years. Why would the State of Montana and the U.S. government deny them this opportunity? One thing is certain, these poor buffalo need to get out of their quarantine prison as they still have 5 more years of captivity ahead of them . . .

TAKE ACTION: We need your help to put pressure on decision-makers to give Yellowstone bison a chance to remain as public wildlife on lands available to all people. Start by asking the decision-makers below to answer some pointed questions:

1. Contact the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) commissioners and urge them to develop a proposal to open State Wildlife Areas for these bison. FWP has hundreds of thousands of acres of suitable bison habitat available on State Wildlife Areas.
Question: Where is the FWP proposal to reintroduce them onto these lands?
Email the FWP Commissioners at fwpcomm@mt.gov or write and call them individually:
Shane Colton, Chairman, 335 Clark Billings, MT 59101 (406) 259-9986
Dan Vermillion, Vice-Chairman, PO Box 668 Livingston, MT 59047 (406) 222-0624
Bob Ream, Commissioner, 521 Clarke Street Helena, MT 59601 (406) 443-2595
Ron Moody, Commissioner, 109 Bach Avenue Lewistown, MT 59457 (406) 538-2698
Willie Doll, Commissioner, PO Box 1142 Malta, MT 59538 (406) 658-2120

2. Give Fort Belknap a helping hand by getting the Department of Interior involved. The tribes have long sought to establish a permanent herd from Yellowstone bison on 22,000 acres “on tribal and public lands in a manner that promotes cultural enhancement, spiritual revitalization, and ecological restoration.”
Ask DOI:
A) Where is the initiative in the Department of Interior’s Bison Conservation Initiative? Interior is the largest land owner in the US. Surely there are suitable Parks, Refuges, BLM lands for reintroduction of bison. Why did they not submit a proposal? Without qualification the bison in Yellowstone are the most important population to the survival of American bison as a wildlife species.
B) Why has Yellowstone National Park walked away from these bison? Why are they not offering assistance to keep them in the public trust? Millions of dollars has been allocated to YNP to kill bison and biologists, scientists, rangers have put in thousands of hours to carry out their bison plan. YNP handed over a million dollars to Church Universal & Triumphant to let a few bison on and through their land. So where is the commensurate action to restore these bison for conservation?
Email National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis at jon_jarvis@nps.gov
Email Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar at feedback@ios.doi.gov
For full contact information, including phone and address, click here.

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* Last Words ~ We Miss You, Rodeo: Mourning the Loss

In the land of true winter, where we measure snowfall in feet and low temperatures in the neighborhood of 40 below zero, we were lucky enough to meet a gentle giant of a man who lived in a tipi with two dogs. This man, who lived on the BFC property when we first began renting here, shared his skillful wisdom with us and made it possible for us to survive our first winter. He showed us how much wood we would need, how to keep the pipes from freezing, and all the other little tricks needed to stay warm through a Yellowstone winter.

He accepted me as a brother and before long was cursing me (in jest) after he was arrested while saving the buffalo. But we were friends for life. At first we knew this man simply as “Rodeo” but after his arrest we learned his name was Roger Vincent. He never stopped giving to anyone: friend, foe, or new acquaintance. He was the kind of guy who would stop his work to help you with yours. I could go on and on about his positive attributes but he would have made me stop by now. Every night in the tipi where I have lived for the past 11 years I thank Rodeo for teaching me how to live like this.

I will miss you, my friend, as will many others. I am sure you are already in the lead in that dog-sled race up in the sky. I will never forget you because what you taught me I use every single day.

For one who inspired so many stories it is only fitting to end this remembrance with a story. Jeremy, a young native man who was with the Campaign back in our beginning told Rodeo one day that he had come up with an Indian name for him. Rodeo, feeling honored, turned bright red and waited with pride to hear his new name. Jeremy then pronounced “From now on you will be known as “Walking Eagle.” Rodeo, obviously honored by the new name, smiled from ear to ear.

“Don’t you want to know what it means?” Jeremy asked.

“Yes,” replied Rodeo, “of course I do.”

“It means you’re too full of poop to fly,” Jeremy, smiling, told him. Everyone erupted in laughter, especially Rodeo.

So Walking Eagle, fly high and watch over us, because we will always need your help.

To read more about this great man an an event he inspired, please click:
http://www.islandparknews.com/atf.php?sid=7512&current_edition=2009-12-03

For the Buffalo,

Mike Mease
Buffalo Field Campaign

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* Kill Tally

AMERICAN BISON ELIMINATED from the last wild population in the U.S.
2009-2010 Total: 2

2009-2010 Slaughter: 0
2009-2010 Hunt: 2
2009-2010 Quarantine: 0
2009-2010 Shot by Agents: 0
2009-2010 Highway Mortality: 0

2008-2009 Total: 22
2007-2008 Total: 1,631
Total Since 2000: 3,704*
*includes lethal government action, quarantine, hunts, highway mortalities
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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.

KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY

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*NEWS: TV Show Highlights Yellowstone Bison Controversy

Ken Cole — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:36:13 +0000

Buffalo Field Campaign
P.O. Box 957
West Yellowstone, Montana 59758
Phone: 406-646-0070
Fax: 406-646-0071
bfc-media@wildrockies.org
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org

TELEVISION SHOW HIGHLIGHTS YELLOWSTONE BISON CONTROVERSY
“Buffalo Battle” Airs on Discovery’s Planet Green December 5

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – December 1, 2009
Contacts:
Stephany Seay, Buffalo Field Campaign 406-646-0070, bfc-media@wildrockies.org
Mike Mease, Buffalo Field Campaign, 406-646-0070, mease@wildrockies.org

WEST YELLOWSTONE, MONTANA: On Saturday, December 5 at 10pm EST, Discovery Channel’s Planet Green will air Buffalo Battle, a one-hour television documentary on the plight of America’s only continuously wild bison population and the work of Buffalo Field Campaign.

Buffalo Battle captures the ongoing war against wild bison and the conflict between bison advocates, government agencies and Montana’s cattle industry as wild bison follow their seasonal migratory instincts from the high country of Yellowstone National Park into the state of Montana. State and federal agencies – including Yellowstone National Park and the Montana Department of Livestock – spend millions of federal dollars to enforce Montana’s intolerance for native bison. Government agents have killed more than 3,600 wild bison since 2000.

“We are very excited for the opportunity to bring the buffalo’s plight into the living rooms of so many Americans,” said Mike Mease, Campaign Coordinator with Buffalo Field Campaign, “Buffalo Battle will allow viewers to experience the buffalo’s mistreatment firsthand, learn about the forces behind the slaughter, and take part in efforts to protect the bison and their habitat.”

Matthew Testa, creator of the award-winning 2001 documentary The Buffalo War, is the executive producer of Buffalo Battle. Testa and his film crew spent weeks in the field with Buffalo Field Campaign, interviewing activists, government agencies, and local ranchers while witnessing first-hand the continuing struggle wild buffalo face on their native landscape.

“I’m fascinated and inspired by the dedication of Buffalo Field Campaign volunteers,” said Matt Testa, executive producer of Buffalo Battle. “BFC is a diverse group and everyone has a unique story about how they came to join the cause. No matter where you stand on the buffalo issue, I think these volunteers show us that anyone can take a stand for what they believe in. And when you add lots of action, a beautiful setting, and a controversial animal issue in our crown jewel National Park that many Americans don’t know about, it makes for great television.”

For thirteen years Buffalo Field Campaign volunteers have come from all over the nation and around the globe, withstanding one of the most inhospitable climates in the Lower 48 states to stand on the front lines in defense of wild bison. Buffalo Field Campaign is a comprehensive source of news and information on the bison issue, documenting all actions made against wild bison and advocating for their right to roam.

Buffalo Field Campaign video footage and photographs were used in the production of Buffalo Battle.

For more information, video clips and photos visit http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org