A wild bull buffalo made it out of Yellowstone… all the way to Dailey Lake in Emigrant, Montana – 30 miles from the “drop dead” zone where the government says they cannot roam. He made it ALL THAT WAY into the Paradise Valley, where the buffalo sorely need to be. Where the land aches for their return.
Casey Anderson, a renowned wildlife advocate and videographer alerted us to his presence last night. We called our dear friend Monica Ford Ravenheart to let her know this bull was in her neighborhood. She was on it, first thing this morning. She and her friend went on patrol and discovered his poop, and hid it….
But later, we get the call that the MT Dept. of Livestock had found and shot him. On the call, I could hear her friend in the background saying, “he was free! he was free! he was free!” He was free. He made it all the way there, beyond their “Berlin Wall” at Yankee Jim Canyon. He made it! And he paid the Montana price…. but, he was free.
Monica Ford Ravenheart later returned to Dailey Lake, where the bull who was shot today had been spotted. She returned to hold a drumming ceremony in his honor, and learned some new information. Ravenheart said,
“Back at lake to drum – talking to campers. He’d been seen here since Saturday walking along the west rim fence line. They revered him. But there were lots of others camped around on the weekend. Saw him for that day and then not again. The one guy got video and may be sending to me of him alive. These people never saw [the MT Department of Livestock] or heard a shot so thinking he got on private land and they accessed him from a different road. Going to drum with campers!”
We give so much thanks for the call from Casey, and for Monica and her friend being right there with him…. our hearts break and race at once… prayers for this bull, and prayers for others to find the same path and take it and restore themselves upon the land that is their birthright. WILD IS THE WAY! ROAM FREE!!!!