Award winners named for park bison debacle

It is time to present awards to those involved in slaughtering wild bison. Their actions represent the best in dogmatic, unscientific and political management of wildlife and they do it with $3 million a year of your money.

Best Director: Montana Department of Livestock (DOL). Call 406-444-7323 and email at livemail@state.mt.us and heap praise on director Marc Bridges.

Best Supporting Director: APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service The federal version of DOL. Visit this Web site: http://www.aphis.usda.gov These folks also run the misnamed "Wildlife Services" that actually traps, shoots and poisons not only predators but also birds that have the audacity to interfere with agriculture.

Best Supporting Politicians: Call Conrad Burns, Max Baucus, Dennis Rehberg at 800-839-5276. Call Judy Martz at 406-444-3111

Best Supporting Agencies: Yellowstone National Park -- Cheryl Matthews, 307-344-2010;

Gallatin National Forest -- Becky Heath, 406-587-6701

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks -- Pat Flowers, 406-994-4042

Funniest Dialog: "The interagency bison plan made us do it"

Best don't say what you mean line: Lethal removal. i.e. shot.

Best lie: A tie. Cattle can get brucellosis from bison. The interagency bison plan is adaptive.

Best Buck Passing: The Forest Service refusal to even plan for bison occupancy on their lands. "The DOL won't allow it. Our hands are tied."

Best Obstructionist: We have a double winner! The Forest Service again for encouraging cattle grazing on lands adjacent to Yellowstone.

Best Supporting Characters: Those that raise cattle adjacent to Yellowstone and the slaughter facilities that finish the job.

Paul Griffin

Bozeman

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