Author: Cin Dee

In a disgusting display of submission to the livestock industry and the State of Montana, Yellowstone captured over 300 wild buffalo in the Stephen’s Creek capture facility, and began shipping them to the slaughterhouse on Monday.

Last Friday, as I went back towards Gardiner along the dirt road called Old Yellowstone Trail, I got caught in a “buffalo jam” – the road flowed with a river of buffalo – passing by the car on both sides for about fifteen minutes. There must have been hundreds. It was incredible. You’ll want to play this video with the sound on.

The next morning, Saturday, there were over three hundred buffalo wandering freely between the Roosevelt Arch and the actual northern border of the park. By Sunday morning, there were less than fifty. It’s like the Park came out and rounded up every buffalo in the area. Attempting to count the buffalo in the trap from a high vantage point proved difficult, but there were at least 350 held captive there. What you could see, though, was Yellowstone and Montana Department of Livestock pushing buffalo through the sorting and testing areas of the trap.

On Sunday night the livestock trailers showed up in town, a sure sign of impending ship-to-slaughter operations. Sure enough, before daylight on Monday a parade of vehicle lights traveling up the road to the trap make their intentions clear. In an hour, two trailers containing 26 buffalo rumbled up the dirt road to make their way to the highway.

The transportation to slaughter is done by the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes, with security along the way provided by the National Park Service, the US Forest Service, and APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service). In the past they’ve driven the doomed buffalo to White’s Meats in Ronan, MT, on the Flathead Indian Reservation, but last year we discovered that was no longer the case.

On Monday one of our amazing allies followed the trailers as they headed north, until the buffalo met their final end at Tizer Meats in Helena. We put that information out to the public in a press release, and it forced a response from the slaughterhouse in question. You can read that article in Cowboy State Daily.

By Monday evening the trailers were back in town. Yellowstone and the other Interagency Bison Management Plan partners are not done with their dirty deeds. Two trailers went to the slaughter house on Tuesday, and another two on Wednesday. The trailers are back tonight, with round four of doomed bison to be sent to their deaths tomorrow.

Government agencies, even those like the National Park Service that ostensibly are supposed to serve the wildlife, do a lot of pretty terrible things in the name of wildlife and wildlands “management”. But no other wild native species is treated so much like livestock as Yellowstone’s wild buffalo.

I feel our comments to any federal agencies are being increasingly ignored, but you can still let Yellowstone know how you feel.

Call Yellowstone’s Superintendent Cam Sholly at (307) 344-2002
Email: Yell_Superintendent@nps.gov
Comment on their social media pages:

From the field, for wild buffalo,
Cindy

I bring a devastating update to you tonight. There are two tragic stories to share, one of the shipment of buffalo from the Yellowstone trap to the slaughterhouse, and another of the first killing of the season at the Beattie Gulch firing line. I tell you now of the Beattie Gulch “hunt”, and will share the tale of the ongoing slaughterhouse shipments tomorrow.

I told you in our last update of the big bull evading hunters and hazers alike on Friday night to graze peacefully on private land. He stayed in that area for three days – occasionally popping out to tease waiting hunters and give us a scare. We spent many hours sitting with that bull.

I also told you of the group of buffalo who had stopped just short of the Park boundary on Saturday. They crossed the river to spend a couple days in a field on the other side. Aside from occasionally getting too close to the highway, they were safe there.

This morning, Tuesday, the bull made his way back south just across the Yellowstone border. All of our buffalo allies here were happy he’d returned to the relative safety there. At the same time, the group had returned across the river, and started again nearing the border at Beattie Gulch. There was another bull spending time with that group, and upon seeing the lone bull, he ran to join him and one after the other they ran back into the danger zone. They seemed playful – chasing, wallowing, and enjoying each other’s company.

Unfortunately, their energy led them towards the killing fields. The rest of the group soon followed.

Remarkably, only one hunt party awaited them, a Blackfeet man who had spent days waiting for this chance to kill.

Slowly the group made their way into the kill zone. The man waited in the sagebrush, picked his target, and fired. It took him three shots to make the kill. The bull that had so recently joined his friend to run and wallow in the field had fallen. The grunts and grumbles he made as he died were heartbreaking. The entire group of buffalo gathered around their fallen brother, nosing and nudging him. Their grieving process is both tragic and beautiful. But the lone bull, robbed of his friend, was not content to grieve – he was very, very angry. Tail up he went towards the “hunter”, huffing in rage – but he turned, thankfully before the man shot again.

While tragic, I also realize, and reminded the press that was there to document, that this day is in no way representative of what usually happens on this killing field. There was only one shooter, he didn’t haze or push the buffalo, instead waiting for his chance. He picked one animal and killed him, not wounding any others in the process, and he chose to only fill one tag of the two he was allotted. I cannot say I am grateful to the “hunter”, but I am grateful it was not the disastrous and chaotic firing line that buffalo have met at Beattie Gulch so many times in the past.

The shooter did allow the buffalo a bit of time to grieve their fallen relative, but eventually chased them off. The group did not go far, and even two hours later I saw them return to the bloody scene to say another goodbye – one buffalo even nosing at the parts that lay in a game sled nearby.

After that final parting, the group turned and filed in a line south across the imaginary border and kept going, a mile or more, before coming to rest in a field. I can only hope they stay clear of the trap on their way back south.

The killing fields were empty of buffalo once again, and the ravens came in to have their fill. Just before sunset, however, I got another message – “there’s a bull in the Beattie Gulch parking lot”. I race out, wondering if any more “hunters” had heard the news and come to the area, but thankfully, no. And when I arrive, I see that the lone bull had returned, to be where he chose to be, danger be damned. I sensed a sadness in his face, as he stared me down with distrust. This wise old bull is safe for another day.

It’s been a whirlwind couple days – an emotional roller-coaster. Buffalo are flirting with the park boundary while managing to dodge the so-called “hunters”, but they are falling prey to Yellowstone’s capture facility in huge numbers.

The afternoon of my last update, on Tuesday, a group of 37 wild buffalo did as they are supposed to – migrated – and marched right on past Yellowstone’s boundary. Incredibly, this happened in the very short window of time where there seemed to be no hunters in town! This mixed group of two beautiful bulls, very pregnant mamas, and assorted youngsters included a very late calf of last year – still red in the body but turning brown at the head. At dusk they were camped on private land north of the park, and I left for the night fearing the worst in the morning.

On Wednesday morning, the word had apparently gotten out and the hunters were here – some having driven through the night to “get a buffalo”. The small group was having none of that, however, and had made their way back to the relative safety of the park during the night! Some of those “hunters”, disappointed, turned around and headed for home. Wednesday was quiet, with few buffalo out at all.

Thursday we woke up to snow, and it snowed most of the day. Poor visibility meant checking activity at the trap was difficult, but the Park captured buffalo again. We confirmed with photos later that they had over 200 in the trap by the end of the day. Sadly, the little red yearling was among those lured into captivity.

Again, there were “hunters” around, getting skunked by both the buffalo’s own self preservation and the Park’s giant capture operations. Tempers are running high, and my morning began with a Nez Perce hunter confronting me as I sat parked at the Yellowstone boundary. Pulling his truck up to my passenger side, he got out and came to the drivers side, pointing his phone camera at me, “you can’t do this… you’re hazing the buffalo… you’re violating my treaty rights…” Caught off guard, I only managed, “what are you talking about?” And “I don’t see any buffalo, do you?” And as he got back in his truck to drive off, “if you want to blame anyone for messing up the hunt blame the park who captured over a hundred yesterday!” He quickly drove off, having had his say… who knows, maybe I’m famous on his TikTok…

In the evening a group of 16 buffalo headed for the boundary and Beattie Gulch. Hunters waited at Beattie Gulch. I sat with some other buffalo allies and the little herd as they stopped their northward march, only about a half mile from the boundary. We stood with them, our little buffalo crew with theirs, as the sky darkened, and soon, a half hour after sunset, they were safe for the night.

Friday morning was fairly quiet – some hunters around, and at least one elk was killed above the town off Jardine Road. Disturbing news was coming from West Yellowstone that made it sound like some hunters had left for West to kill buffalo there.

Around noon I watched as Yellowstone cleared the outer pen of the trap again, and spread more hay to bait the trap. In the afternoon they captured even more buffalo, at least another 50 – the outer pens must be getting so crowded.

Afterwards I thought I’d be able to call it an early night, when I noticed a bull heading north, about a half mile from the kill zone. He marched north, and hunters gathered. One bull, and at least seven hunt rigs and two conservation enforcement officers showed up. The shooters lined up on opposite sides of a little dip in the land, at least four of them holding rifles. The bull marched up the road, stopping to graze, not paying any mind to the multiple people out trying to haze him into the kill zone. He picked his way through that gauntlet to private land and safety. I celebrated his victory, this beautiful bull.

As I headed for town that evening, I got caught in a buffalo jam. Old Yellowstone Trail, the dirt road leading from Gardiner, was flowing with buffalo. Hundreds made their way past me flowing past the car on both sides for about fifteen minutes. It was awe-inspiring, incredible, and also scary as they headed north towards danger.

Saturday morning the lone bull remained safe on private property, and the river of buffalo seemed to all gather around the trap – hundreds in the area. Yellowstone couldn’t resist, and by 8 in the morning horseback riders rode out to actively haze buffalo in the trap – no longer satisfied with luring them with hay. It seemed they captured another 30 or so – and later I counted over 350 inside the trap. The active hazing was not something I’d seen in a while, and it really seems like for some reason the Park Service and Department of Livestock is trying to provoke the tribes by capturing almost every buffalo who moves north.

A small group, though, made it past the capture facility and was moving close to the danger zone in the afternoon. As the group of 34 headed towards Beattie Gulch, hunters again gathered, and again, the buffalo stopped short of the boundary, deciding that the field a quarter mile from the Yellowstone border was a good place to spend the end of the day.

I am so so grateful for this time with the buffalo. I’m elated that they are avoiding the killing fields of Beattie Gulch, and furious that Yellowstone is once again betraying their mission by betraying the buffalo. I’m thankful for all the buffalo allies I’ve had time with in the field, and thankful for you, our supporters, who enable us to be here. You can continue that support here, or please just help us spread the word and these updates.

From the field, for wild buffalo,
Cindy

It’s late, and the alarm clock for first light goes off early, but I wanted to send a quick note to our supporters. I arrived in Gardiner on Sunday evening – just in time to greet some of the first groups of buffalo to come out of the park this winter.

Monday they all stayed safe – sticking around the entrance of the park, and I enjoyed the day reuniting with the buffalo, the rest of the wildlife friends, and with the land. I was even honored by the presence of an early morning wolf.

Today, Tuesday, was a different story. We got word last night that the Park intended to capture, and right from the morning the buffalo were streaming out of the park and heading north, seeming to beeline for the trap. The Park captured over 100 buffalo – pregnant moms, yearlings, and juveniles. The buffalo were lured into the trap with hay, and then five agents on horseback came around and closed the gate.

They first captured a group of 59 buffalo. The agents on horseback immediately pushed those buffalo to another pen, spread more hay in the outer pen, and opened the gate again to trap another group.

As that second capture happened, another group bypassed the trap and headed north towards Beattie Gulch and danger. I’ll be out at first light tomorrow and will be sure to send you a more detailed update then.

From the field, for wild buffalo,
Cindy

RFN Attends Fall Interagency Bison Management Plan Meeting

On October 29, Jaedin and Stephany, cofounders of Roam Free Nation, attended the fall Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) meeting in Missoula, Montana. It was the most boring IBMP meeting either of us have been to. It seemed nobody wanted to be there or to put much effort into the process. State, federal, and tribal governments used to occasionally fall into intense disagreements, things would get especially heated between the Montana Department of Livestock and Yellowstone National Park, and tribal representatives would often have strong words for the agencies killing the buffalo. But no one sitting at this table opposes the killing of the buffalo anymore. They are all getting along as the desired kill numbers go higher and higher.

Earlier this fall, Yellowstone announced that they want to “remove” (read: kill) upwards of 1,400 buffalo this winter. The herd stands at about 5,500 now. That’s 25% of the population! They have stated that they would like to see most of the buffalo killed by hunters, some will be sent to slaughter, and a few will become prisoners of the quarantine (domestication) program. This terrible news was made public in the media, and RFN’s Stephany Seay responded with this opinion editorial which ran in six of Montana’s most widely-read papers – in addition to the Missoula Current, it ran in the Billings Gazette, the Helena Independent Record, the Ravalli Republic, the Missoulian, and the Montana Standard.

In response to Yellowstone capturing buffalo for slaughter and quarantine, the Nez Perce tribe announced that they have extended their “hunt” by four months, which now runs from August 15-April 15. April 15 is right about the time calving season starts. A representative from the Nez Perce tribe rightfully complained about capture, especially for quarantine, but that is only because they see capture as taking buffalo away from their hunt. It does, but the point is they don’t oppose capture because it is harmful to the buffalo, they oppose it because that’s fewer buffalo that they get to kill. Chris Geremia reminded the Nez Perce that in the past six years, there have been hundreds more buffalo killed in the “hunt” each year than have been captured.

All in all, all the IBMP cohorts expressed how much they are hoping for a big winter, so there is a big migration, and they can kill more buffalo.

The most meaningful part of the meeting were the few public comments. Only five people spoke, and only three represented the perspective of the buffalo. Videos are below. One of the commenters offered a brilliant twist to her presentation.

The Future of Yellowstone’s Wild Bison – Event at the Museum of the Rockies

The following Friday, we traveled to Bozeman, Montana for a wonderful, educational, and inspirational event at the Museum of the Rockies. This event, “The Future of Yellowstone’s Wild Bison,” was sponsored by Yellowstone Voices and supported by Roam Free Nation, the Alliance for the Wild Rockies, the Gallatin Wildlife Association, and the Montana Wild Bison Restoration Coalition.

RFN’s Jaedin Medicine Elk offered the opening prayer. We watched an edited version of Yellowstone Voice’s “A Path Forward for the American Bison” documentary, heard a powerful presentation by Confederated Salish & Kootenai tribal member Rochelle Salois; watched a telling video, complete with photos, of RFN’s Stephany Seay talking about Yellowstone’s capture operations (video courtesy of Greg Cairn of Yellowstone Voices); and a very informative slide show by brucellosis expert Dr. Peter Nara. Then came the highlight of the evening, a presentation by keynote speaker Rick Wallen, who is Yellowstone’s former senior bison biologist. Rick’s presentation was outstanding. Being retired, he is no longer gagged by the government and can speak freely, speak the truth. Listen for yourself in the video below.

We ended the evening with a great Q&A session with panelists responding to inquiries from the audience. Folks asked some really great questions and we all learned a lot and felt inspired to continue this critical work to defend the country’s last wild, migratory buffalo.

In the Media

Cofounder Stephany Seay was once again featured on Joe DeMare’s podcast, For a Green Future. Listen here (starting at about 13:45). You can always see more of our coverage on the In the Media page of our website.

Please Support Our Work!

Thank you for allowing us to be there for the buffalo. It is because of your generosity that we are able to attend these meetings and events, and soon be back in the field with the buffalo. As a 501©(3) non-profit organization, we depend on your support to do this work. Winter will soon be approaching and we will need to get back in the field as much as possible to monitor the buffalo, document actions against them, and advocate for their protection. Please consider making a donation today.

Farewell to The Queen, Grizzly Bear 399

Grizzly bear 399 was the worlds most famous bear. She was followed by nearly fifty professional photographers and beloved by millions of Grand Teton National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest visitors from around the world, and of course truly loved by so many humans who lived near her. She gave birth to at least 22 cubs. On October 22, she was hit and killed by a vehicle. She was 28 years old. Her last child, Spirit, survived. Grizzly 399 will be missed and we will never forget her.

WILD IS THE WAY ~ ROAM FREE!!

Dear Friends, 

It’s been a while since we’ve made contact. It’s been a pretty uneventful summer, though the buffalo may have a different opinion having been dealing with millions of tourists to Yellowstone National Park. That being said, there are some important things we want to share with you. 

SAVE THE DATE! 

On November 1, 2024, thanks to Yellowstone Voices, we will be returning to the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, MT for an important community event on the future of wild buffalo. RFN cofounder, Jaedin Medicine Elk, will conduct the opening prayer. Rick Wallen, Yellowstone’s former head bison biologist, will be the keynote speaker. This will be really interesting because he is now retired and can speak the truth, not tow the government line.

There will also be some informative videos of Confederated Salish & Kootenai tribal member, Rochelle Salois, who will speak about what is happening to the buffalo from a tribal perspective. And RFN cofounder, Stephany Seay, will be featured in a video to talk about Yellowstone’s capture-for-slaughter and -quarantine programs, and to show images of what goes on at Yellowstone’s nefarious Stephens Creek buffalo trap. Dr. Nara, an expert on brucellosis, will present information confirming that the so-called risk of brucellosis could be greatly reduced by allowing buffalo to express themselves on a much larger landscape. There will also be ample Q&A opportunities along with a panel discussion from various experts and advocates.  

If you are in or traveling through Montana, please come visit with us in Bozeman! The event will begin at 5:30pm, with a welcoming reception and lots of information from our sponsor, Yellowstone Voices, and all of the promotional support partners, including Roam Free Nation. We will conclude at 9:00pm. We hope to see you there! Please help us spread the word about this event!  

RFN IN THE MEDIA THIS SUMMER

While the summer was mostly uneventful, we did have some good opportunities to do interviews and engage the press to keep getting the word out there. Check out our media page to listen to interviews on Resistance Radio, For a Green Future, and on the Washington, D.C.-based Political Misfits. 

You can also read our press release that we issued after Yellowstone’s disappointing Record of Decision came out on their new Bison Management Plan.  

FALL IBMP MEETING

The Interagency Bison Management Plan cohorts will hold their fall meeting on October 29, 2024, at the Residence Inn in Missoula, MT. The agenda has yet to be posted, but the fall meetings are where the IBMP representatives will make decisions for the coming winter. RFN cofounders will be there to represent and document. Information about the meeting can be found here.

THANK YOU! 

As always, thank you all so much for your continued support and encouragement. The field season will be soon approaching as we get closer to winter, so we could really use your support to make sure we are there for the buffalo, and to tell the truth of what is happening to them. 

WILD IS THE WAY ~ ROAM FREE!  

Join us and our friends at Yellowstone Voices for an evening of education and community discussion on the future of Yellowstone’s wild bison. The evening will feature keynote speaker Rick Wallen, wildlife biologist and former Senior Bison Biologist of Yellowstone National Park. The evening is also co-sponsored by the Montana Wild Bison Restoration Coalition and the Gallatin Wildlife Association.

Yellowstone Voices’ last event at the Museum of the Wild Rockies was an inspirational evening in a packed house.

We’ll update with more details when we have them, and we hope to see you there!

Dear Friends,  

We hope this report finds you well and that you are enjoying the re-greening of the Earth! Frustration, sadness, and anger always seem to accompany the story of the last wild buffalo, so we wanted to start out with some good news: after a long wait, Roam Free Nation has finally gained our 501(c)(3) tax exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service! This means that any contribution that you make to our organization – monetary or in-kind – can be deducted from your federal income taxes!

Report Back from the IBMP Meeting

RFN cofounder, Jaedin Medicine Elk, traveled to Chico Hot Springs last week, to attend the spring Interagency Bison Management Plan meeting. As to be expected, it was business as usual, though there are a few highlights we want to share with you.  

Gallatin National Forest Hits a “Refresh” Button

Gallatin National Forest Supervisor Mary Erickson has finally vacated the premises. She retired at the end of December, and from our perspective, she will not be missed. She was the queen of bureaucrats, always speaking in government-tongue, talking in circles and asking if it was the chicken or the egg who came first. Years ago she actually called the buffalo trap that used to be on Horse Butte a “tool of tolerance.” Interesting perspective, Mary. Bye! 

MTFWP to Amend West Side Hunt Permits

As you know, the Central herd migrates west into the Hebgen Basin, and north into the Gardiner Basin, making them doubly impacted by “management” actions. Buffalo from the Central herd are the only ones to migrate into the Hebgen Basin. Their numbers have been in decline for well over a decade, and in recent years, both Yellowstone and Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks (MTFWP) have recommended no killing of buffalo in the Hebgen Basin. This has totally been ignored by hunters and hunt managers. It is likely in response to this that FWP is taking some form of action.

Beginning this year, the state will reduce the number of state permits from 40 to 25. It’s not nearly enough — there should be a complete moratorium — but that’s 15 buffalo who will not be targeted, and with such an imperiled population, every little bit helps. 

Endangered Species Status Assessment

The Central herd is so imperiled, as is the entirety of Yellowstone’s wild buffalo population, that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) is currently considering Endangered Species Act protection for these gentle giants. Many of you have submitted comments throughout the process, which is critical for these buffalo (thank you). A USFWS representative spoke at the meeting and said that a decision on whether to list or not will be made by September 30, 2026. That’s a long ways off, and many species go extinct before the bureaucrats do the right thing. She also reported that the USFWS is currently working with the InterTribal Buffalo Council to gain indigenous knowledge about the buffalo. That report should be available to the public by the end of next year. 

Feedback from Our Cofounder

RFN Cofounder, Jaedin Medicine Elk, had to brave this meeting alone, and as many of us do, he came away feeling frustrated, especially knowing that it is so important and so simple to do right by the buffalo.  In Jaedin’s words:  

This IBMP meeting felt like everyone at the table was tired and just wanted to get things over with. Some Tribal representatives were called out by other partners, who said ‘if you can’t vote or if you have to go back to your tribal counsel each time, then I don’t know why you are here at the table’. Other partners are concerned about following protocol, asking ‘if protocols aren’t being followed, why are we even doing this?’

It was nothing more than them questioning their own IBMP partners, questioning each other. The IBMP has been going for more than two decades and they still can’t figure anything out. Meanwhile, buffalo have to suffer. It’s weird Tribes don’t fight for more land for the last wild buffalo. The only advocacy they have are Tribal people wanting them fenced up on reservations. Not thinking about how it is to be a wild buffalo. We Tribal people are too busy trying to figure out how to help our own people. The sooner the better, sometimes forgetting who Mother Earth needs us to be. The ones sitting at the table are failing all of us. We as The People need to say something. The IBMP table fails us all, especially as Tribal people, especially the buffalo.

And yet faced with all of these decision-makers who don’t really make decisions that are meaningful to or respectful of the last wild buffalo, we press on for these sacred beings.  

Buffalo Advocates Launch Commercial About Beattie Gulch

This past month, our allies at the Alliance for the Wild Rockies and Yellowstone Voices launched a commercial that shows some of the horrors of the slaughter that takes place at Beattie Gulch. It aired on stations in Missoula and Bozeman, Montana, but it also aired on Netflix and Hulu. Maybe you saw it? Those who did sure had an awakening. The YouTube channel alone is reporting over 129,000 views. Imagine how many people watch Netflix and Hulu! We shared the commercial through our social media channels, but here it is now in case you missed it.

As always, thank you for allowing us to do this important work! We could not do it without you. And now you can get a tax break for helping us defend the last wild buffalo and wild nature. Please consider making a tax deductible donation to keep us in the field and in the faces of these ‘managers’. Thank You!

WILD IS THE WAY ~ ROAM FREE!  

In our March report, we mentioned that the Blackfeet tribe recently announced that they would continue to hunt bull buffalo through the month of May in the Hebgen Basin. They have. The Shoshone-Bannock also continue to hunt, typically year-round as opportunity arises. Though, we’d be hard pressed to call either of the events that took place “hunts.”

Bull Wasted

Earlier this month, we were alerted by our friend and Horse Butte resident, who wants to remain anonymous, that a bull buffalo had been killed by Blackfeet hunters. This bull was sorely disrespected. The so-called hunters took his head, his back straps, and hindquarters and left the rest of him to rot. Local authorities were contacted, but the remains of the bull were taken to the local dump. She was able to document the gruesome scene and we share that with you here.

The image should speak for itself, but anyone who claims the buffalo to be a relative could not call this anything but a tragedy. It is also illegal to leave such waste. What a sad, sorry fate for this once-mighty bull. The so-called hunters should be hanging their heads in shame. We stand with our friend in pressing this issue until there is justice for this bull, and consequences for these killers. 

Bull Illegally Killed in Horse Butte Eagle Closure

More recently, another shocking event took place when hunters from the Shoshone-Bannock tribe killed a bull buffalo inside an area that is closed to protect bald eagles. Signs are posted everywhere making it very clear it is forbidden for humans to enter the area from December 1 through August 1. This bull should have been safe. The bald eagles — who are nesting right now – should also have been safe.

Luckily our supporter was there to document. Her footage shows the blatant disregard of native hunters killing a sacred buffalo in a supposed sanctuary for sacred eagles. Her images are below.  

Our friend contacted Roam Free Nation immediately. We did our best to support her. She contacted the local Forest Service Law Enforcement Office. She contacted the local game warden. She contacted the Gallatin County sheriff. She contacted Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks’ (FWP) Bozeman office, where she was finally heard. FWP Warden Sergeant Matt Wemple answered her call and came to the scene. A knife was left at the kill site, which he – having expressed being very concerned – kept as evidence. Other area residents were able to document the violation with high-powered equipment and are sharing their images with him.

The investigations are ongoing and aim to determine if the first bull was killed and left in an illegal manner; and to confirm if the other bull was killed in a restricted area, which would make it an illegal hunt. Several neighbors are becoming very concerned for the safety of themselves, their children, and their companion animals due to the shooting of high-powered rifles so close to residential areas and trails where folks recreate. These hunts – the gut piles and wasted meat – could also create human-grizzly conflicts, which never end well for the endangered bears.

The Gallatin National Forest Law Enforcement Officer is now in charge of the investigation(s). Please consider contacting the Gallatin National Forest Hebgen Lake Ranger District office at (406) 823-6961 and encourage them to see this through until justice is served!  

WILD IS THE WAY! ROAM FREE!  
 

This is a long report, and for that I apologize – I hope you find it worth reading through to the end. We kept getting new information, and wanting to include it. Just as we were ready to share this with you, we found that the IBMP Bison Operations update had been posted – the first one this year. So we’ve updated our report to include some of that information. You can see their full report here.

The “Hunt”

It is with great sadness and a whole lot of anger that I bring you our latest report from Gardiner. I was due to return my little rental car and return home to New York on Sunday the 24th, but as that day approached, we got word from our allies in Gardiner that groups of buffalo were approaching the park border – closer than we’d seen all winter. With some wrangling, and thanks to the generosity of our supporters, I managed to extend my trip by a few more days and return to Gardiner. Our co-founders, Stephany and Jaedin, made arrangements to get to Gardiner as well.

Unfortunately, by the time I got into town Sunday evening, blood had already been spilled. At dawn on Sunday a group of buffalo crossed the fateful line into Montana. Nez Perce “hunters” killed four buffalo there at Beattie Gulch, and wounded another, who fled across the road, leaving a trail of blood, only to die against a fence on the other side. The rest of the group fled back to the park, away from the firing line.

When I got into town, I visited the killing fields, to mourn and count the dead. For once, the kill sites had been cleaned up, with no waste left on the land, so I could not tell from the remains if the buffalo who died were male or female. The IBMP report tells us that one of those killed was an adult female, who almost certainly carried the next generation in in her womb. In town, one of the hunt rigs sat parked at a hotel, carrying the spoils of this war on wildlife in the back.

The next morning, Monday, the buffalo remained out of harms way. My morning rove was blessed by a passing wolf, who sat with his or her raven friends and watched some pronghorn go by. The buffalo who had retreated to the park stayed safe there for now, so I went up high above the town to get a good look at the Stephens Creek capture (and quarantine) facility.

Yellowstone’s Crime of Opportunity

It wasn’t until I looked at my photos later that evening that I saw there seemed to be many more buffalo held captive than when I was just in Gardiner a week before. Some were held in outer pens that I hadn’t seen used this year. Contact with Yellowstone’s Public Affairs Office confirmed my fears – Yellowstone had captured.

The outrage of this cannot be underestimated. This capture comes a year after a third of the population was killed or removed; in a winter when almost no buffalo have come out of the park; and just half a year after Yellowstone’s Bison Population Status Report stated, “The number of animals removed by IBMP partners should depend on the magnitude of the migration…” That report also said that removing zero bison this year would still leave the population numbers within the (extremely low) IBMP target population range.

Yellowstone captured some of the first buffalo to try to migrate out of the park this season – the leaders, their family groups, and surely pregnant females. Twenty-nine buffalo stolen from their homes, stolen from the lands that need them, and stolen from the public trust. And why? For their greenwashed domestication program. To put them through a battery of invasive tests, keep them in captivity for years, and then ship them off in livestock trailers to private and tribal herds – to be treated as livestock.

By the next day, Tuesday, Yellowstone workers were busy at the trap with the first step – the invasive tests. Here they test the buffalo for antibodies to brucellosis. Approximately 45% of Yellowstone buffalo have these antibodies – but that does not mean they actually have the disease, any more than a human with antibodies to chicken pox is walking around with that disease. And those that test positive?

They die.

Shipping to Slaughter

Tuesday evening we saw a game warden from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in town, and with their hunt season long over, it could only mean one thing – shipment to slaughter.

Wednesday morning, we were up early, and sure enough, in the pre-dawn hours, the game warden and two trucks pulling trailers headed to the trap. By 8am, fourteen buffalo, including seven adult females, saw their Yellowstone home for the last time, speeding north in those trailers to their death.

Tears flowed. One of the drivers gave me the “one fingered salute”. I shouted at the passing trucks about killing pregnant mothers. All three of us, myself, Stephany, and Jaedin, were there to document, to witness, to say goodbye.

It is a tragedy that five buffalo were killed for crossing a line at Beattie Gulch. And it is an absolute crime that Yellowstone National Park captured twenty-nine buffalo and sent half of them to their death.

According to the IBMP report, five young buffalo were sent to quarantine, torn from their families and sentenced to a life of domestication. One buffalo died in the trap, and the park released nine back to the park. While it’s better than zero, releasing nine is not enough, and does not absolve Yellowstone of the blood on their hands.

Upset? Angry?

Call Yellowstone’s Superintendent Cam Sholly at (307) 344-2002
Email: Yell_Superintendent@nps.gov
Comment on their social media pages:

More information from the IBMP report

Again, you can see the official report, but here is our summary. In addition to the five buffalo killed last Sunday, two were killed on the north side by state “hunters” – most likely in a backcountry hunt, as we had not heard of these killings before. On the west side of the park, a total of nineteen buffalo from the endangered Central herd have been killed – thirteen by state “hunters”, four by Salish and Kootenai, and another two by Blackfeet just last week. We just heard, also, on the evening of March 31st, the last day of many of the tribes’ hunt seasons, that a whole family group was killed in Gardiner. We will give you more information on that as soon as we have it.

Thank you to our supporters for giving us the means to get out into the field with the buffalo. We hope to continue to build our presence on the ground, especially in Gardiner, where the buffalo face so many obstacles and enemies. Take action, share our information far and wide, speak for the buffalo, and please, continue to support us how you can.

From the field, for wild buffalo,
Cindy