 This is about the war that is raging due to the actions of the Department of Livestock (DOL) of Montana with the "blessings" of Governor Marc Racicot.  I was sent a VHS tape to view the unbelieveable slaughter of the buffalo that roam outside the safety of Yellowstone Park. Once this occurs, the DOL step in and the roundup begins. Montana DOL tell you it's to "test" for brucellosis; a disease carried dormant within some of the buffalo. Of the 1,200 that have been mercilessly slaughtered only 94 had this disease. On the VHS tape I sat in watched in horror as a baby calf was herded into a steel box with an electric prod and the door slammed behind her. She was confused, twisting and falling. Right after she turned and stood, accepting the cold steel walls around her, afraid as she was separated from her mother at such a young age, you saw the barrel of a gun being lowered into the trap right above her head. Suddenly the gun fired and the calf drops to its' knees, shaking, tucking her tail under her with pain, until she fell onto her side. She tried to raise her head but it was futile. At this point I thought she had died as the blood splattered from her little nose. It was not until later in the tape that I saw another clip of her jutting her legs out into the cold steel sides of the trap ... apparently, it took this little calf much longer to die.
I watched as DOL went onto property right at the back door of peoples property and began this senseless slaughter all over again with the buffalo herd. Some dropped, some twisted, but during the entire sick and perverted scene, cars were stopped along the roadway to allow this deed to be done. Throughout this tape Montanans' were adamantly expressing their disgust of this insane slaughter. All were extremely irritated and upset that their feelings about this matter have been completely ignored by governor Racicot and the Montana Department of Livestock. One man spoke of losing business due to lack of tourist ~ they do not want to visit a state that permits this sick and wrongful slaughter. Others shared their pain at being forced to watch the slaughters occur right outside their doors. I will tell you I saw things in this tape that one could not believe would be permitted to occur in this United States. Governor Racicot refuses to meet middle ground with federal agencies even at the insistence of the courts. Yet, he sat and blatantly lied to the public on national television that "a solution was soon at hand". Please read the "facts" of the brucellicos accusations on the Buffalo Field Campaigns site. These volunteers have uprooted themselves from their homes and families and have fled to the rescue of these buffalo. What are they doing? Are they crazy? Are they radical activists? Ladies and Gentlemen, they are humans just like you and I that have a love and respect of wildlife that our own politicians could learn a lesson from. These volunteers sit out in the cold for up to 16 hours. When the DOL come to haze and capture the buffalo the volunteers hustle to band together to guide the wandering buffalo back into the safety of Yellowstone Park. These herds are doing what comes natural during the winter months. In snow up to their thighs, they ponder along seeking out the smallest spot of grass for themselves and their calves. The fact is, there has never been a documented case of brucellosis being transmited to cattle. The elk themselves carry the same disease...so what does that tell you? As I watched the men in the DOL group they were actually laughing and joking as they were shooting, sawing and chopping off the heads of the buffalo (which they keep) and stripping the hides from their bodies right out in the open. Much of the inner parts are left on the land. It does not take a rocket scientist to wonder "if this disease is so dreaded, why is DOL leaving the guts of the buffalo along their path of slaughter??? Listed below are links to the Buffalo Campaign and the groups in the field. There, they can provide you with the most up-to-date information and links for who to contact. A Gift for you to take and thank you for visiting   Before you leave to visit the Buffalo Camps I'd like to "thank you" for taking time to read this information. Buffalo Field Campaign
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