Bison slaughtered on Austin man's Colorado ranch

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Bison slaughtered on Austin man's Colorado ranch

Jeff Hawn had sued, saying animals had stampeded onto property.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

 

Thursday, March 27, 2008

 

FAIRPLAY,

Colo. — The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has been asked to join an

investigation into the slaying of 32 bison from a private ranch.

The slain bison were discovered March 19 on a neighboring ranch owned by an Austin man and on federal land in Park County, Colo.

 

The hunters who shot the animals said they had permission.

 

The animals were owned by ranchers Monte and Tracy Downare and were

found on the neighboring Hawn Ranch. The shootings occurred just a few

days after Austin businessman Jeff Hawn filed a lawsuit claiming that

the Downares' bison had been stampeding onto his property.

The Downares have declined to comment. Bison hunting has been advertised on the Downares' ranch in the past.

 

Hawn said in his lawsuit that the bison have broken through his

fence, killed hundreds of recently planted trees and knocked over a

television satellite dish.

Critics said the shootings were wasteful. Plumbing contractor Bob

Agosti, who lives in the county, said the shooters shouldn't be

described as hunters because they left the animals to rot.

"People who move here from out of state should adapt and honor the traditions," Agosti said.