| 12:00:00
AM. To reporter Scott McMillion in reference to bison
killing
(Chronicle, Sept. 30, Oct.1-2):
I
notice that you have yet to write about the bison killing
a sleeping family dog for the hell of it. Or how the
bison aggressively charge anything, including small
children, old dogs and the worst, the 80-year-old (Dale
Koelzer) who cannot run and falls while walking sometimes.
I
would like to see anyone, even the hippies from the
Buffalo Field Campaign run on ice to get away from one
of these massive bison. The Koelzer family has owned
the ranch for more than 100 years, and until certain
departments were placed in charge of "management of
bison," there was no problem with them. I may be wrong,
but "management" of the bison does not mean running
them through property where they do enormous amounts
of damage. Nor does it mean putting the life of people
at risk.
What
will it take for certain people to format a different
management system -- a child to be gored like our dogs
and horse? Will the BFC think it was worth it? Is a
person's life less important? The BFC say they want
to protect the bison. Does running them in the Koelzer
ranch do that? What they and you do not know is, Dale
has always tried to live with the bison and bear, as
he does with all wildlife. But when that many bison
come down out of the park to find food, you have to
wonder if the park just plain has too many. The kids
from the BFC say, let the bison go where they want to.
I say, let's pack up a few and send them home with these
kids back to California and New York. Let's see how
many rich parents would like that. The bottom line is,
it's a problem that will not go away and will take a
lot of change on all parts.
The
Koelzers could put up a electric fence that would knock
the bison down when they try to go off Park Service
land, but that should be Park Service expense, not ours.
The park can come up with a system to route the bison
back to the park. Or just keep enough so they don't
starve. Maybe the BFC should use the trust fund checks
that Mom sends (to keep them out of her hair) to feed
the bison on park land.
I
also have to wonder why some smart attorney has yet
to file suit on the Park Service for mishandling of
government funds (that's our tax dollars). I know when
I work for someone I do the job I am hired to do. I
don't do half the job, then blame someone other than
myself when it does not work. You have printed only
one side of this problem. Go ahead print the rest of
truth. Or best yet, send your grandfathers and small
kids out to the ranch and let's see if they can outrun
one of the bison.
Or
send me your address, and I'll send you one male bison
complete with bad disposition free of cost.
Patricia
Koelzer
427 Fieldstone Drive Bozeman
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