Montana DOL and Buffalo

[AH_14]

Parker Heinlein, always an entertaining read, as the weekly outdoors columnist (Thursdays) in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, had an interesting opinion article entitled, "That's not the way we do it around here." I could not find his article as I do not believe the Chronicle has posted it yet. Watch for it as it should be posted shortly.

Parker did a great job of saying to Mr. Mckay, That's not the way we do it around here!

Here is the link to the Billings Gazette article on killing a bull bison and not being able to pack the carcass out and salvage any meat.

What a Joke! Good work Mr. Heinlein,

 

[AH_14]

Link

Link

http://billingsgazette.com/news/sta...cle_c0c9badb-586c-567a-a0ff-fb0ab0ac2b24.html

Thanks, Andy

 

[katqanna]

I loved it, "You delivered a slap in the face to all those folks who don't view bison as vermin. Maybe that was your point. But you killed an animal and left it to rot on the ground. We don't do that around here."

Great article, maybe that is why it hasnt been posted online yet.

 

[Ben Lamb]

DOL is bound by 81-2-120 MCA & 87-1-216 MCA. They don't get to pick and choose what they do in terms of bison management. If we don't like that, then we should work to change the law. I would remind evryone though that we just got done fighting 14 anti-bison bills in the legislature and the DOL opposed almost every one of them alongside us.

As for leaving the critter to rot, i bet there ain't much left of it and there are some happy grizz.
The way I heard the events, it was shot in a remote enough area that retrivalwould have been extrememyl difficult. Anyone know differently?

 

[AH_14]

Great point Ben, much appreciation for all the hard work you continue to do in the legislature.
Hard to understand all the political angles of a situation like this.
I certainly do not!

My only thought was, "Is this ever an appropriate rationalization?"

*Meaning,,,, "hey guys I'm new to Hunt Talk and I have a question. I just shot a small bull in the Dome Mountain Area. It died in a real nasty spot and considering the recent grizzly bear activity in the area we decided to leave the animal?" Probably wouldn't receive a lot of support.
This situation is different and also similar.
The Buffalo is a game animal in Montana that thousands of us would love to be able to hunt.

 

[katqanna]

81-2-120 states that when an infected bison enters public or private land, and the disease may spread to persons or livestock, the department MAY use a variety of measures to remove or if necessary, kill it.

There are a number of factors here. It is scientifically proven that all the cases of brucellosis transmission to cattle in Montana, have come from the elk genotype, not bison. There has not been a single documented case of bison to cattle transmission. ANd no one tested this bison. 2. Male bison cannot transmit brucellosis and therefore are not a threat (unless you kill an infected one, leaving its body exposed and the sexual organs [source of transmission] are then exposed to cattle). 3. There were no cattle in this area to have any sort of exposure. 4. The recent Park County court case allowed bison further range. 5. There were no complaints about this bison.

For all these reasons, DOL had no reason to turn a MAY, into a kill on a Wildlife Management Area, which this bison was - wildlife! And yes, 81-2-120 needs to be repealed, based on science and conservation of wildlife.

As for being remote, it wasnt so remote that that DOL went in on horseback and tried to haze or have it chase the rider from private Dome Mountain (bison friendly) Ranch, to the public Dome Mountain WMA. If they can take horses in to harass the bison, they can bring an extra one (or two) to pack out meat. I have seen the pictures of the harassing. This was wanton waste.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Great point Ben, much appreciation for all the hard work you continue to do in the legislature.
Hard to understand all the political angles of a situation like this.
I certainly do not!

My only thought was, "Is this ever an appropriate rationalization?"

*Meaning,,,, "hey guys I'm new to Hunt Talk and I have a question. I just shot a small bull in the Dome Mountain Area. It died in a real nasty spot and considering the recent grizzly bear activity in the area we decided to leave the animal?" Probably wouldn't receive a lot of support.
This situation is different and also similar.
The Buffalo is a game animal in Montana that thousands of us would love to be able to hunt.

Totally with you. However, this as a management decision, not a fair-chase hunting situation. While I wish that bill could have stayed where he was, the law was clear, and the same ethics we hold ourselves to do not apply. Unfortunately.

 

[sweetnectar]

When ever I read these type of discussions one word always comes to mind. Beefalo

 

[sweetnectar]

Very impressive.

 

[sweetnectar]

Another great and wild buffalo...er I mean beefalo

 

[AH_14]

Totally with you. However, this as a management decision, not a fair-chase hunting situation. While I wish that bill could have stayed where he was, the law was clear, and the same ethics we hold ourselves to do not apply. Unfortunately.

The legal ramifications of "wanton waste" may not apply in this situation.

"Ethical" is another matter entirely. Not sure if a person's ethics should change because the law requests and allows the situation.
I don't know, I get the management decision I guess.

Old school simple mentality of, "if you kill something, you should do something with it" I believe still should be considered.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Regarding beefalo & the concept that wild bison "will be running down the streets of Malta" I would simply refer you to this:

http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/mca/87/1/87-1-216.htm

AH_14, no argument from me there.

 

[katqanna]

According to Montana Annotated Code 87-6-205. Waste of game animal, game bird, or game fish. - (3), a person responsible for the death of any game animal, game bird, or game fish suitable for food may not purposely or knowingly waste the game by: (c) abandoning the carcass of a game animal or any portion of the carcass suitable for food in the field.

87-6-101. Definitions. defines (12) "Game animal" means deer, elk, moose, antelope, caribou, mountain sheep, mountain goat, mountain lion, bear, and wild buffalo. and (36) "Wild buffalo" means buffalo or bison that have not been reduced to captivity.

This wild bison had not been reduced to captivity, therefore, according to Montana Law, was a wild game animal, which means the killing of a game animal and leaving it there was illegal. 87-6-205 - (6) A person convicted of a violation of this section may be fined not less than $50 or more than $1,000 or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed 6 months, or both. In addition, the person, upon conviction or forfeiture of bond or bail, shall:
(a) forfeit any current hunting, fishing, or trapping license issued by this state and the privilege to hunt, fish, or trap in this state for 24 months from the date of conviction or forfeiture unless the court imposes a longer period; and
(b) pay restitution pursuant to 87-6-905 through 87-6-907.
(7) A person convicted of waste of game by abandonment in the field may be subject to the additional penalties provided in 87-6-901.

The speciesism against bison is political, forced by the livestock industry. What if that had been another wildlife species, lets say a bull elk being shot for a game damage hunt?

 

[Ben Lamb]

81-2-120 mca

 

[thecrittergitter]

I have to say, this in my mind is no different than a rabid poacher! DOL should be held accountable for this. Also, another example of "we will just because we can". DOL is the biggest pile of dog crap organization. One lone Bull, which I don't think can even carry brucellocis, not harming anyone, gets hazed and gunned down when there was no threat whatsoever.

Absurd, what a waste. And I understant a warden was involved in this fiasco as well.

I could list hundreds that would have been very grateful to have that bison meat in their freezer. I hope a griz bear chokes on a rib bone.......

And hope the DOL guys get food poisoning next time they swing through McDonalds...

 

[Big Fin]

I have to say, this in my mind is no different than a rabid poacher! DOL should be held accountable for this. Also, another example of "we will just because we can". DOL is the biggest pile of dog crap organization. One lone Bull, which I don't think can even carry brucellocis, not harming anyone, gets hazed and gunned down when there was no threat whatsoever.

Absurd, what a waste. And I understant a warden was involved in this fiasco as well.

I could list hundreds that would have been very grateful to have that bison meat in their freezer. I hope a griz bear chokes on a rib bone.......

And hope the DOL guys get food poisoning next time they swing through McDonalds...

Are you implying that Department of Livestock should not be able to trespass to haze/kill wildlife?

Come on Critter. What are you, some sort of private property rights advocate? After all, we are talking about the Montana Department of Livestock here, an agency to which the state legislature has ruled the 5th Amendment of the US Constitution shall not apply (insert heavy sarcasm here).

 

[Ben Lamb]

Are you implying that Department of Livestock should not be able to trespass to haze/kill wildlife?

Come on Critter. What are you, some sort of private property rights advocate? After all, we are talking about the Montana Department of Livestock here, an agency to which the state legislature has ruled the 5th Amendment of the US Constitution shall not apply (insert heavy sarcasm here).

And there you have it.

If you want this to stop, you have to change the law. Wld bison are not managed as wildlife. They are managed as livestock with disease.

There's a big dichotomy between buffalo & every other game animal.

 

[thecrittergitter]

Well, I just keep getting more mad the more I think about this and how stupid, unethical, and pompus the DOL is..........So, I'm just gonna bail on this conversation.

I know one thing is for sure, that bunch of horses showed up on my property to haze and shoot a buffalo that was ZERO risk, they would get to understand how bronc riding is when their horses are freaking out at the super close gunshots at their feet......