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

PO Box 1089

West Yellowstone, MT 59758