Fwd: Buffalo Bliss, Wood Cut Week, Thanks BonTaj Roulet

[Guest guest]

Buffalo Field Campaign

Yellowstone Bison

Update from the Field

September 10, 2009

 

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In this issue:

* Update from the Field

* It's Time! Wood Cut Week, Sept. 14-20

* BonTaj Roulet Rocks!

* Last Words

* Kill Tally

* Important Links

 

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* Update from the Field

 

Buffalo cow wallowing. BFC file photo. Click here for a larger image.

 

The photo of this buffalo mama enjoying her wallowing time shares a little bit of the vision of how it can be; buffalo simply being buffalo, living their lives without threat of man-made borders, government policy or cattle politics. Buffalo living without the menace of barbed wire fences or threat of boundary hunters; buffalo living outside the dangers of hazing, capture, quarantine or slaughter. Free to raise their young in the buffalo way, returning to their natal grounds to bring forth the next generation. Free to face the natural challenges of weather and predator and time, moving with their families as the cycles of the seasons instruct them to do, not at the behest of management plans or economic interests. This buffalo gives us a tiny glimpse of a buffalo's moment of uninterrupted bliss.

 

Right now, the buffalo inhabiting Yellowstone are enjoying such times, but summer wanes and the long, cold season will soon approach. And as they have done for millennia, buffalo will follow their ancient migratory instincts and leave the snowy high-country for lower elevation habitat. But, instead of finding the life-sustaining grasses they need to survive the hardships of winter, they will cross the imaginary line out of Yellowstone and enter the man-made conflict zone awaiting them in Montana. First, they will have to dodge the bullets of "hunters" along Yellowstone's north and west boundary, those who survive will then have to dodge government agents. If the government and cattle industry have their way, hazing efforts could be much more aggressive this year.

 

With your help, BFC will be ready to stand in defense of the buffalo, document all actions made against them, and help tell the world their story in our collective effort to bring about positive change.

 

Thank you for being with us for the buffalo!

~ Buffalo Field Campaign

 

P.S. If you live on the West Coast we will soon announce the dates and locations of BFC's upcoming 2009 West Coast Road Show and we hope to see you at one of the venues!

 

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* It's Time! Wood Cut Week, Sept. 14-20

 

Beginning this Saturday, join Buffalo Field Campaign in beautiful West Yellowstone the week of September 14-20, and help gather, stack and cut the wood that will keep volunteers warm and alive this coming field season. Room and board will be provided. Please contact Mike at mease or 406-646-0070 if you are interested. Please let your friends know - the more the merrier! Chain saws are welcome!

 

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* BonTaj Roulet Rocks!

 

A special thank you and shout out to BonTaj Roulet and our wonderful friends at The Guacamole Fund who generously provided Buffalo Field Campaign access to this awesome tour in Salt Lake City UT and Boise ID. It was a wonderful show with Bonnie Raitt and her band hooking up with Taj Mahal and the phantom blues band to sing them blues all night long. The tour winds up September 25 so check their web site to see if BonTaj Roulet is coming to your town.

 

A whole lot of buffalove for Bonnie, Taj, the BonTaj Collective Action Fund, and to all of our furry friends at The Guacamole Fund who work tirelessly to help grassroots groups like Buffalo Field Campaign with benefit concerts, fundraising ticket sales, and who make those special connections to help America's last wild buffalo. Thank You!!

 

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* Last Words

 

"Ancient prairie king,

Your strong bison spirit roams.

How long to be free?"

 

~ Haiku written and submitted by BFC supporter Lisa M. Banik. Thank you Lisa!

 

Do you have submissions for Last Words? Send them to bfc-media. Thank you all for the poems, songs and stories you have been sending; you'll see them here!

 

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* Kill Tally

 

AMERICAN BISON ELIMINATED from the last wild population in the U.S.

2008-2009 Total: 22

 

2008-2009 Slaughter: 3

2008-2009 Hunt: 1

2008-2009 Quarantine: 0

2008-2009 Shot by Agents: 2

2008-2009 Highway Mortality: 16

 

2007-2008 Total: 1,631

 

Total Since 2000: 3,702*

*includes lethal government action, quarantine, hunts, highway mortalities

 

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Media & Outreach

Buffalo Field Campaign

P.O. Box 957

West Yellowstone, MT 59758

406-646-0070

bfc-media

http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org

 

BFC is the only group working in the field every day

in defense of the last wild buffalo population in the U.S.

 

KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY

 

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