good news and bad news....
Good News
You can take a sec and sign on to a National Petition against the insanity
It's easy
Go to
http://www/wildrockies.org/buffpet
Tell all your friends...we only have a short time
Please pass this on to 45 friends...one for each buffalo that died this year!
Together we can be heard...
Bad news...the Montana DOL only got a slap on the hands......
this time_________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 1999
Media Contacts: Mike Mease, Jennifer Karinen (406) 646-0070
WEST YELLOWSTONE: The U.S. Forest Service issued a warning to the Montana
Department of Livestock this week for hazing buffalo in closed eagle
habitat March 31.
After watching video footage provided by the Buffalo Field Campaign of the
hazing operation, District Ranger Gary Benes, Assistant Ranger Claude
Coffin and Acting District Ranger Gene Hardin said in a letter that the
video showed the DOL violated requirements of their Special-use permit by
hazing buffalo with snowmobiles within 1/4 mile of open water prior to 10
a.m.
Hardin says there are no set number of warnings for violations before other
action is taken.
Along with being a key area in winter migration for Yellowstone bison,
Horse Butte is critical habitat for threatened bald eagles. In an attempt
to protect nesting sites the Forest Service added restrictions to the DOL's
use permit allowing them to operate their bison trap used to capture and
test bison leaving Yellowstone National Park.
According to these restrictions, activities associated with the removal of
bison on the Madison arm and upper Madison river are only to be allowed
between 10:00 a.m. and 3 p.m. Volunteers for the campaign filmed the
operation involving nine snowmobiles before 7 a.m.
In addition to water restrictions, several areas on the Butte are
off-limits to any activity. However, DOL can get special permission to
enter these areas on a case by case basis.
"They create restrictions to protect bald eagles but they can easily be
broken. There are no clear guidelines for granting special permission and
no set number of warnings for DOL violations. It appears the closures are
purely political and there is no real protection for wildlife," said
volunteer Summer Nelson.
Summer grazing on Horse Butte amounts to 172 cow/calf pairs bringing in
less than $800 to the U.S. Treasury. The Horse Butte capture facility has
been permitted to operate during winter for the next ten years. Eighteen
of the 29 buffalo caught Mar. 31 were shipped to slaughter bringing the
number killed this winter to 45.
Buffalo Field Campaign
(formerly Buffalo Nations)
PO Box 957
West Yellowstone, MT 59758
406-646-0070 phone
406-646-0071 fax
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.wildrockies.org/buffalo
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we have posted new video clips for an "in the field" look at the situation Please stop by and see it!
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