From [email protected]
My eyes leak all too often this year...
Todays news: two more brother buffalo are on their way
to slaughter as I write this update. One of them we have known since the
beginning of Buffalo Field Campaign's existence. He had a very short
tail and we playfully nicknamed him Stubby. For years now, I have been a
friend of this beautiful buffalo. Many days I have sat with him and
learned from his knowledge. He has taught me well and has always treated
me like a member of his family.
After last week's violations of our First Amendment
rights to document that slaughter - this week, a friend and I decided to
take a different approach. Climbing above the field where Stubby grazed,
we hid in the trees on our national forest land and were positioned to
document. As the morning sun tried to warm us, a blizzard descended on
its warmth. We stood silent, motionless and cold. We were looking over
our brother Stubby with the video camera ready.
The first to arrive on the scene were two highway patrol
officers and a sheriff. They sat in their cars, engines running, eyeing
the buffalo and waiting for the buffalo killers to arrive. An hour
later, the "calvary" arrived: 4 snowmobiles, 3 ATV's and 3 horse's - all
for the mighty Stubby. They all sat around for another hour trying to
figure out where we were up on the hill. When you are ashamed of what
you are doing - you go to great lengths to hide your actions.
Our people on the ground informed us that they had
spotted us and planned on arresting us. At this point, I thought of
Stubby and the many lessons he had taught me in the past. Then, the
"army" started to move toward Stubby, except one snowmobile that was
coming for us. We knew that the ground support could cover documenting
whatever happened to Stubby, so our focus became escape.
Many times, in many years, I have watched Stubby
outsmart the DOL. His favorite trick on losing snowmobiles was running
straight up the mountain. I have often cured my sorrows by laughing at
the snowmobiles gettin' stuck trying to follow him up this same
mountain. Like he had taught me many times before, we ran up the
mountain to safety. With the extra buffalo magic surrounding us, the
snowmobile in our pursuit not only got stuck, but they blew their
clutch. We got away and are forever indebted to Stubby.
I know now that Stubby is about to be shot in the head
and butchered and will no longer grace my days out on patrol. He may be
gone from this earth but his presence will never leave. His knowledge is
passed on to the herd. But, anytime a buffalo is killed - it is removing
great knowledge from all of us. There are no cows here and there is no
logic in place. When an agency like the DOL is in charge, with no
wildlife education and such a strong conflict of interest, bad and
unjust things will always happen. When law officers violate our
constitutional rights for the benefit of injustice - can there be
justice?
Know that these are America's last wild, free ranging
buffalo and it is our duty to speak in their behalf. Voice your outrage
and get involved because it is going to take all of us to make a change.
Stubby and his family must not die in vain. The head of the Director of
the Montana Department of Livestock is Marc Bridges - he can be reached
at mailto:[email protected]
I walk around our cabin and see all the tearful faces
and I know that Stubby will never be forgotten.
With the Buffalo,
The Funky Duck
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
Go on to "Free Kittuns"
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