IN THE FIELD WITH THE BFC
DECEMBER, 2005

Buffalo carving by 8 yr. old.Tavis Lemm.
 

"The Buffalo gave us everything we needed. Without it we were nothing. Our tipis were made of his skin. His hide was our bed, our blanket, our winter coat. It was our drum throbbing through the night, alive, holy. Out of his skin we made our water bags. His flesh strengthened us, became flesh of our flesh. Not the smallest part of it was wasted. His stomach, a red hot stone dropped into it, became our soup kettle. His horns were our spoons, the bones our knives, our women's awls and needles. Out of his sinews we made our bowstrings and thread. His ribs were fashioned into sleds, for our children, his hoofs became rattles. His mighty skull, with the pipe leaning against it, was our sacred alter."
~John (Fire) Lame Deer

To all of the Buffalo Warriors of the BFC,
Thank you so much for your endless dedication, perseverance, and undying passion for the Sacred Buffalo. And to all of you who support the the Buffalo and the BFC... Thank you.
Pila ma ya ye. Aho.
Terrie
Wind~In~The~Grasses~Dancing

 


Below,  are my experiences as written in my journal while I was in the field with the BFC (Buffalo Field Campaign.) Due to my chicken scratch and jotted notes, I regret that it was not as legible as I had hoped. Therefore, I have typed it below. I would be quite happy to discuss any of my experiences in further detail, and to answer any questions concerning the plight of the Buffalo to the best of my knowledge, or those questions related to the BFC.  You can contact me by e-mail at lakota@dmv.com    

*CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2005

~ Snowing in Minneapolis. Delayed at Airport.
~ Clouds have broken up and visibility is good. Awesome view. As we passed over the Rockies we were nearly even with the mountain peaks.  The trees are silver - gray and the slopes are laced with shades of white. There are two columns of smoke as if from a campfire rising from the shadow of the trees.  We  are flying so low over the valley that I can see acres of pasture with an occasional horse or two, standing in the snow.  There are several small farms as well,  and a boy riding his bike on the icy road with his dog beside him.
~Sitting at the airport in Bozeman eating fries and drinking ice tea. From the restaurant  the view of the mountains is spectacular.  There is a wonderful mural of Buffalo painted on the wall at the restaurant.
~Lost one of my bags when we switched planes in Minneapolis. It has been located and the airport will have it delivered to the cabin tomorrow.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30
~Drove through a blizzard last night on the road from Bozeman to the camp at West Yellowstone. Visibility was extremely poor - roads unplowed. Thanks to Tom's excellent driving, we arrived safely. While we were in Bozeman we did some grocery shopping. The markets have everything imaginable for vegetarians and those inclined to eat a healthy diet. Met Kasi, Laura and Tyler. They were doing shift change and heading to the camp at Gardiner.
~ Went out on Rove patrol today at Duck Creek with

 Ryan and Adam. Rove Patrol is in the car most of the day, though we did walk out to the Vista to see if there were any Buffalo in the valley.  We saw 7 Buffalo at risk, not far from the Park Boundary, 8 others further out in the valley.  Watched them for awhile.  Incredibly beautiful.
~People here at the BFC are wonderful. The only problems I foresee while here is in adjusting to the altitude and walking in the deep snow.
~ Drove to the Horse Butte area where Jesse and Nicole were posted.  They were out in the open so Jesse had built an igloo wall enclosure to block the wind while he watched the Buffalo. Two Bulls were in the pines, their noses covered in snow from shoveling as they foraged for food. Nine Buffalo at Cooke's Meadow in Yellowstone village.
~All is quiet.
~Got into the cabin last night around 10:30 p.m. Chose a bottom bunk in the Map Room and slept great. To the right of my bunk, there are two other bunks, and above is a loft with two large mattresses where Lea and Adam sleep. Had oatmeal and potato pancakes with ground elk meat for breakfast.  Pretty good.
~Back at camp now. Helped Angie clean up the dinner prep dishes. Having Burritos w/bean sauce and ground elk and mule deer. They serve a lot of game here. They also have Salmon in the freezer, lots of it. So I'll be eating healthy. Angie also made homemade salsa to have with the Burritos.
~Helped Angie make chocolate ice cream. Turned out pretty good. We used a hand crank machine that she bought at Goodwill.
~Went to bed at 9:30.

Mural of Buffalo ...
at the airport.
Buffalo bedded down at Cooke's Meadow ...  
in Yellowstone Village.

My bunk in the Map Room.

 
Bunks to the right of my bunk.
Adam in the loft above my bunk.
Adam in the loft.

Lea and Adam.
Sign hanging in the Post Office.		    
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1
~ Temperature was below zero this morning, and it continues to snow.  Went out on Rove Patrol today with Josh. Went to Duck Creek to watch Koelzer's place again. Buffalo were safely in the Park and nowhere in sight. While watching Koelzer's we saw the DOL (Department of Livestock) pull out with a flatbed. Josh suspects that they are going to pick up Snowmobiles. We were unable to pursue because the car died and we had to call Tom to come out. It was simple - bad battery connection. Something we could have fixed if we would have had the proper tools with us. We tried to catch up with the DOL  flatbed, but we couldn't find them.
~Drove out to Horse Butte to Yellowstone village and saw the same nine Buffalo that we had seen yesterday. Safe  where they are for now.  It's around noon and it's snowing again.
~Back at Duck Pond.  Playing cat and mouse with the DOL. Just saw two Moose - a mother with her baby.  He looked to be about six months old, probably last springs baby.  Took photos.  Everything's quiet.
~About the cabin... The main room and the Map Room where I sleep is over 100 years old. It's fairly primitive, but real cozy.  There is a big woodstove in the main room where we eat, socialize and have our evening meetings.  There is another room off the the right where there are also several bunks. This room is called the Post Office, and it too, has a wood stove.  To the left of the main room is the room they call Siberia, and the name speaks for itself. This is where they keep the many crates of fresh veggies and fruits. The freezers are in there too, as well as Jesse's trophy Elk of which he recently killed, skinned, and packed the meat. That should feed the campaign for quite some time. This room also has bunks, but they are usually used in the warmer weather. The cabin also has a kitchen and a bathroom with a toilet, sink and shower.
~Morgan, a new volunteer came last night.  He drove in from Oregon, and brought 200 pounds of Salmon with him. Lots of Salmon now. Looking forward to Salmon some night for dinner. Food is good. A lot different from what I'm use to, but tasty.
~Back to the cabin... There are all kinds of cool photos, artwork, quotes, poetry etc. all over the walls. Lots to look at and read. When standing on the front steps I can see Lake Hebgan with the mountains towering behind it. It is quite beautiful.  Behind the cabin there are several outbuildings. One is the Office and Radio room, and another is the Media Room. There's also a Cold Cellar that they just built this year, but it still needs a door. There is also what looks to be an old outdoor smoke house, and up on the side of the hill are two outhouses. There are also several tepees behind the cabin.  One has a beautiful Buffalo painted on the side. Jesse, Jen and Josh sleep in the Tepees.
~When we returned from patrol today, Cody fitted us with gear and gave us new volunteers a lesson in Cross Country Skiing. It was fun and much easier than walking in the deep snow, though I image it will be tiring if one has to go for too long of a distance.
~It snowed through most of the day and is expected to snow through the evening.
~When we were driving back from Duck Creek we saw the Mom and baby Moose lying down in the snow in the meadow beside the road. We drove by slowly so that we wouldn't disturb them.
~Sitting by the woodstove, and it's very toasty. Enjoying a hot cup of lemon tea while waiting for dinner. Jesse made Elk Tenderloin Samoses; Saccron Rice; Candon Salmon; and split pea curry cabbage. Took some photos of the cabin today.
~We walked out to the Vista at Duck Creek today at the end of our patrol and  saw 13 of the 15 Buffalo that were there yesterday. They're safe in the Park for the evening. Another quiet day.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2
~Morgan, the new volunteer has been sick with the Flu, so I changed patrols with him this

morning and went out with Ryan on FIR RIDGE patrol.
~It began to snow, then lightened to flurries when we were about halfway there. When we arrived at the camp the snow stopped, the sky turned blue and the sun peaked from behind the clouds. We spotted three Buffalo but they were within the Park Boundary and not in any danger.
~After awhile the sky turned dark and it suddenly began to blizzard. There was such a whiteout that we could no longer see the Capture facility nor Koelzer's ranch.  Since everything was quiet Ryan radioed the base camp and put us on stand by, so we packed up and began to head back. By now it was snowing heavily. The wind was whipping and the trail that we had walked on the way down was fast filling with snow and was as deep as my knees. It was slow going and took us nearly two hours to make it back to the car.  And with the high altitude I had difficulty breathing, especially as we began the ascent up the side of the mountain in the deep snow.  I had to use my inhaler twice, and was glad that I had taken it along.  It was one of the most - No, it was the most difficult thing that I've ever done in my life. There was a point in time when I doubted that I was going to be able to make the walk back.  It was a real Quest and I have decided, or have come to the reality that I am not going to be able to do the Fir Ridge patrol again. Tomorrow I'm going to stay here at camp and do something else, radios or cleanup etc.  It was physically taxing to Posthole ( that's the term they use for walking in the snow where there is no trail ) up and down the side of the mountain in the deep snow. I was really grateful to Ryan for carrying my backpack the second half of the march. He is the BFC Coordinator and he is extremely responsible. I truly don't believe that I would have made it back safely were it not for his help. Though I don't think that I would ever want to be caught in a blizzard like that again, it is not something that I regret.  It was a rare journey that one is not often afforded the opportunity to experience in a landscape that is remarkably beautiful.
~It is still snowing as I write this, and I believe they're calling for more snow over the weekend.  Some of us are planning a trip into town tomorrow night to see the Harry Potter movie. Last night some of the gang went out to the Hot Springs. I opted to stay home, and went to bed early. I'm glad that I did. I understand that that trip required a lot of Post holing as well.
~Jesse made elk liver and heart with onions, served with pasta and broccoli for dinner. It was really tender.
~Just learned that a Buffalo was killed at the other camp in Gardiner today. Unfortunately they were unable to film it because the hunters crept by unseen on horseback.
~Last night was chilly. I slept with my sleeping bag, a wool blanket and another blanket that I had gotten out of storage in Siberia. Hope it's not as cold tonight. I signed up for morning cleanup tomorrow, so I'll be staying here at the cabin. It will be nice after the workout that I had today.
~After the meeting each evening we have "Share Bear", where someone volunteers to share something with the group. Last night Jesse shared photos from his summer vacation. Tonight Lea and Adam sang and played guitar. They are quite talented. Right now we have 12 volunteers -  Ryan, Josh, Jesse, Cody, Adam, Morgan, Tom, Dru, Nicole, Angie, Lea and Me. We have two more coming on Sunday. Jesse and Angie do the majority of the cooking. Today was Adam's birthday so Angie backed some chocolate cupcakes.
~I have the sniffles tonight and I am sneezing occasionally. I'm going to take some Benedril and go to bed early. Oh, I forgot to mention that when we were up on Fir Ridge I saw a Douglas Fir that was well over 700 - 800 years old.  It was awesome. I hadn't thought about it, but Josh was telling me that the trees here grow very slow because of the short growing season, so even a small tree can be very old.
~Having one last cup of tea before I go to bed. They have every kind of tea imaginable, lots of herbal teas. I'm trying one that is a P.M. Cold Remedy. Josh is playing guitar now and Morgan found a Mandolin in the Post Office and has joined him. Sounds good. Soothing to the soul.

The front of the cabin.
The back of the cabin.
The radio Room.
Ryan in the Radio Room.

Wood stove in the Post office.
 
Tom in his bunk in the Post Office.
Outbuilding ~ Old Outdoor Kitchen.
Indoor kitchen.

View from the hill behind the cabin.
Cooking stove in the Main room.
Jesse's Elk.
Cases of fruits and veggies in Siberia.

Koelzer's place on Duck Creek.
Buffalo Capture Facility on  Koelzer's property.
Mom and Baby Moose crossing the road...
at Duck Creek.
 

Adam and Lea
"Share Bear"
Josh playing guitar.
Morgan playing mandolin.
Morgan and Lea playing cards.

Jesse preparing dinner.
Dinner.
Josh and Morgan playing cards.
Dru and Josh.

Tepees behind the cabin.
Sacred Offerings in honor of the Buffalo.
THE FIR RIDGE BLIZZARD.
Koelzer's fence is on the left and the park boundary service road is to the right.
The park boundary is to the right and you can see the service road that follows it and cuts through the hill in the distance. The parking lot is well beyond the hill.
View from the top of the hill, looking east.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3

~Stayed here at the cabin today. Cleaned up, brought in firewood, and helped Josh clean the ash from the woodstove. Got through to Bruce on the cell phone and sent an e-mail to everyone. Checked out the BFC webpage and saw the photo of the Buffalo from Gardiner being pulled out by horseback.  Hope everyone at home is keeping up with what is happening here.
~Fir Ridge patrol came back early today.  Buffalo are well within the Park Boundary and SAFE. Rove returned and said that 8 of the 9 Bulls at Yellowstone Village are there now. Last night we were a little concerned because 5 of them were missing. They may have been off in the pines somewhere.
~It was flurrying again today, but nothing major. Temperature is a little warmer, and my sniffles from yesterday are gone. Feeling pretty good. The woodstove is going again and it's nice and toasty in here.
~Jesse just returned from a 10 mile ski patrol to the Madison area. He discovered scat and recent signs of wolves, as well as 18 Buffalo.
~Been snowing for a few hours now. Just heard from the Gardiner camp that two more Buffalo were killed. One was shot while in a holding facility by a guy in a wheel chair and the second one was shot twice in the head by a young boy. It walked a half a mile to join it's companions and suffered for over three hours before it finally died. This is not my idea of hunting!
~Going to see Harry Potter in West Yellowstone.

 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4
~It was snowing heavily again last night when we came out of the movie theatre, and a fresh layer of snow cover the roads. Today I have signed up for Rove Patrol and will be going out this morning with Cody.
~It has been snowing a good part of the day. After checking Duck Creek we headed out onto Rt. 287 to look for the missing Bull (they call him the 287 Bull) that was seen along the highway last week. Hasn't been seen since last Monday. On the way back we slid off the side of the road and got stuck in a snow bank. We shoveled and tried the four wheel drive, but we kept

sliding sideways into the ditch. We called Tom and he pulled us out with the Suburban. We continued on to Yellowstone Village where we spotted six of the usual nine Bulls who hang out there.
~Drove back out to Duck Creek and hiked out to the Vista to see if we could see any buffalo. It was still flurrying a little and the rest of the road hadn't been plowed and was not passable, so we walked the extra distance to the Vista. This time I wore snow shoes. Though I kept tripping over myself, they were a big help.
~On the way to the Vista we saw 4 Moose, and when we arrived at  the end of the road where we turn up the trail to the Vista, we saw a baby Moose with his Mama. I think they were the ones that we have been seeing in the meadow. We were really close. They were right beside the trail that we usually take to the Vista, so we skirted to the left of them, following the edge of the trees, while watching them the entire time to make sure that Mama wasn't going to charge us, with her baby being so close.
~When we reached the Vista we saw four Otters swimming and playing in the creek. They were huge, and looked to be the size of a Seal. We watched their antics while Cody took some video. They were hilarious as they dove and chased and romped on the ice.  We counted 8 Buffalo at the Vista. Not sure where the others have gone.  Good day! Buffalo seem to be staying in the park.
~On the way back we saw the Mama and baby Moose still close to the road, only this time Mama was lying down right beside our trail. Again we moved away from her, post holing through the trees to the right. I took some photos and Cody took more video.
~I want to tell you a little about what I have heard about this Koelzer  fellow.  He has a ranch and  he has no cattle here. Yet he hates the Buffalo. When I was at Fir Ridge the other day I could see his place from our camp.  His property butts right up to the park boundary, and he leaves his gate wide open inviting the Buffalo to enter.  He has also allowed the DOL to set up their headquarters in his basement and to build a capture facility close to the park boundary where they can haze and capture the Buffalo for vaccination, testing and even slaughter.  And now he has invited the hunters to come onto his property to hunt the Buffalo.  I am watching him closely.

Along Highway 287.

 
Moose at the Vista.
Moose at the Vista.
Moose at Vista.

View from the Vista.
Otters ~ Borrowed photo. 


Buffalo killed by 12 yr. old.
BFC photo.
Buffalo mourning their fallen companion.
BFC photo.

E-MAIL SENT TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS

DECEMBER 4, 2005
UPDATE FROM WEST YELLOWSTONE...
 
After this three weeks adventure, hauling water to the horses will seem like a
piece of cake. Been snowing everyday.  Today the sun finally broke through the
clouds and the sky was a beautiful blue.
 
Went out on Rove patrol this morning with Cody.  It was incredibly beautiful,
what an experience. Lots of wildlife today. We saw six Moose, one was the
mom that we saw the other day with her baby. She was real close to our trail so
we had to skirt around her and keep our eyes on her the entire time to make sure
that she wasn't going to charge.  When we reached the vista we saw four Otters
playing in the water. They were huge. They looked more like seals. They were
funny to watch.  On the walk back, we saw the mom and baby again and this time
she was right alongside of the road, so we really had to swing wide to avoid her. I
got some photos and Cody got some video. I'm going to see if Josh can put it on
a DVD for me. We counted 8 Buffalo at the Vista and 5 at the village. There are
several unaccounted for. No sign of the 287 Bull since last Monday.  Good day.
All of the Buffs were well within the park limits. Unfortunately, two were
killed yesterday up at Gardner. One was shot in a corral by a guy in a wheel
chair and the other was shot in the head twice by a young boy and walked a half
a mile before it collapsed.  Not my idea of hunting. You can catch some of the
updates on the Buffalo Field Campaign webpage. It may take a few days, but
they're pretty good about keeping things up to date. You can also keep tract of
the weather if you go to their homepage, and go to the left hand side at the bottom.
It will give you the current weather report for West Yellowstone.
 
Today was the first time that I've gotten to use snow shoes. They were fun.  My
first few attempts left me in the snow as I kept tripping over my feet. I must
have looked pretty funny, especially to the wildlife.
 
Well, got to run.
Hope all is well. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Koelzers
MONDAY, DECEMBER 5

~I just received an e-mail from Stephany. She is the one who got me interested in coming out here. She said that Fir Ridge is a difficult patrol. I'd have to agree with her after the other day.  In retrospect I wasn't sure if I was going to make it back safely. I give these guys out here a lot of credit. They are out in the field seven days a week, no matter the weather or the temperature. They are wholeheartedly devoted to the Buffalo, whose only real predator is Man. The more I witness out here, the more I am convinced of the senselessness of  this killing... killing the Buffalo when they are sleeping, in holding pens or quietly grazing.
~Got up this morning and it wasn't snowing. However, when I was bringing in a load of firewood, I looked out across the lake to what I thought was fog creeping down from the mountain when Tom informed me that it was a storm moving in. He was right. It began to snow soon after.
~Going on Rove patrol this afternoon with Jesse. We got two new volunteers last night - Jean from Canada, and Allie from Florida. This is great. Having the extra volunteers has allowed us break the day into two shifts instead of us pulling full days.
~Got back from Rove a little while ago. Another quiet day. The Buffalo seem to be staying well within the Park. I'm reading a book right now that was here in the BFC library. It's called Buffalo Medicine. It's fiction, but it is pretty interesting and somewhat informative. It is actually about the Cattle industry and the BFC, and I can recognize some of the characters as I am reading it.
~There was a blizzard again the later part of the day and it's suppose to snow thru the evening.  I signed up for morning Rove and I'll be going out with Josh. It's nice that we have more volunteers. It was really rough on Josh and Allie today when the blizzard hit, in the wind without a car. out at Horse Butte. We picked them up about 4:15 p.m.
~Dinner was pasta in tomato sauce with veggies, a salad and bread. Last night we had Mule Deer roast with carrots and potatoes from the garden. Adam is playing guitar and Lea is singing. She has a beautiful voice.  Last night Morgan and Adam were entertaining us with their music. They're sounding really good together.
 

~Sent out a few post cards today and wrote a letter to Grandmom...  I'm pretty tired. I couldn't even remember how to spell rendezvous earlier... Now I'm just rambling on, so I'm signing off.

TUESDAY DECEMBER 6
~ It was -7 degrees this morning. Went out on Rove patrol again today with Josh.  Beautiful sunrise over Horse Butte this morning.  The sun shot up from the horizon like a golden beacon.
~Saw the mom and baby Moose again at Duck Creek, and another out on highway 191. Drove out to the old windmill near the village and saw six Buffalo. We didn't walk out to the Vista today since Fir Ridge patrol was able to watch the Buffalo from where they were. It's nice to have another quiet day here at West Yellowstone. I also saw a Trumpeter Swan flying overhead when were at Rainbow Crossing on the way to the Butte.
~Josh went shopping and bought extra insulation tubes for the pipes in the bathroom and the kitchen. It's suppose to go down to -30 tonight. He's working on that right now.
~Had an interesting talk with Jen about the Horse Butte Peninsula. Most of the people in the village want the Buffalo there. They enjoy seeing them and that is one of the reasons many of them purchased or bought homes out there. Many of them have signs on their property that say "No Hunting or Hazing the Buffalo."  Jen and I also talked about Brucellosis, the politics involved etc., and of Montana wanting to be a Brucellosis free state. We talked a lot about the Bison Issue in general. I had left to go send some e-mails and when I returned to the main room Jen said that our conversation really inspired her and she now has some fresh ideas as to how to approach the problem. She's going to work on it tomorrow.
~We had a request from a woman out at Horse Butte.  She would like us to put up a sign on her property that says "No Hunting" so Angie and Cody are painting one for her.
~My back tooth has been bothering me most of the night. I put some Orajel on it and took a Benedril to help me sleep. I will have to get Bruce to make an appointment with the dentist for me for when I get home. Josh looked all through the cabinets for some Oil of Cloves but he couldn't find any.

 

Allie
Jean
Adam playing mandolin.
Morgan.

Morgan playing mandolin.

Allie and Nicole.
Jen.
Cody in the Radio room.

Jesse's dog, Fog
Angie painting a "No Hunting "sign.
Nicole.
Josh.

Sunrise on Horse Butte.
Looking across Duck Pond to the Capture facility.
Buffalo hunt.
BFC photo.		  
E-MAIL TO FAMILY and FRIENDS
 
DECEMBER 6, 2005
GREETINGS FROM WEST YELLOWSTONE...
 
Snowed all last night but today was really bright and sunny, though it was in
the low digits all day, -7 this morning.
They're calling for a cold front to move in this evening.  It's suppose to go
down to -30 degrees tonight. Brrr. Jesse is excited. He's lived out here since
the beginning of last winter and he loves the cold. He sleeps out in one of the
tepees, of course it has a wood stove, but still...
 
I signed up for Rove Patrol again today, so I was in the car a good part of it.
We now have two additional volunteers, so we are able to divide some of the
patrols into two shifts, which helps a lot, especially the patrols that are out
in the weather all day. Jen, who was here for the last nine years since BFC
began, has also joined us. I've had some pretty interesting talks with her, and
many of the others. You would not believe some of the things that go on out
here, especially in the spring when the Buffalo cows are calving. The cruelty to
these Bison really needs to change. Tonight Ryan is going to show us new folks
some of the footage from last year and some of the previous years.
 
Things here have been pretty quiet, but unfortunately another Buffalo was shot
yesterday up at Gardiner.
 
There are quiet a few of us here now. Josh, Ryan, Jen, Dru, Tom, Nicole, Angie,
Cody, Jesse, Jean, Allie, Morgan, Adam and Lea. Everyone works as a team. It's
great. And every night we have live music. Morgan plays guitar and mandolin;
Adam, Josh and Dru also play guitar; and Lea sings. It's nice. Lots of fun.
 
Yesterday I put an extra blanket on my bed. I now have my sleeping bag, my wool
blanket, another blanket, and a big quilt which I have doubled. I sleep in my
long underwear, my cotton bottoms, long underwear shirt, a fleece shirt, and
wool socks. Slept pretty good last night, though I feel like I'm weighted down
by a ton of bricks. Warm though, that's what counts. During my waking hours at
the cabin I usually wear my long underwear, my jeans, a pair of heavy wool
pants, two fleece shirts and two pair of wool socks.  What were some of you
saying about it getting cold? LOL
 
Well, got to run. Take care. Hope all of you are well.
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7

~My tooth is feeling much better now.  Though I woke up a few times last night with it throbbing, I was able to eventually fall back to sleep.  Not sure how cold it got last night, but it sure was cold.  Tonight is suppose to be another cold one. I signed up for cleanup today because Adam wanted to do Rove. Right now I'm in the Radio Room monitoring transmissions from our crews or others. All is quiet right now. Earlier Adam and Lea were singing and playing guitar while they were cooking home fries. What talent!!! We now have a new "Homefry Addition". Those two are a lot of fun to be around. They really make you feel young at heart.
~Last night Ryan showed me some of the video from the past few years. It is so sad to see the way the DOL and park service run those baby Buffalo calves... Sometimes 10 miles or more, running them up steep inclines and across the water, some drowning in their attempts to reach the shore. Many are only days or even hours old. Jen was telling me that she has seen Buffalo abort their calves because they are hazed while they are in the middle of giving birth. It is really sad...

"Mankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect."
                         - Chief Seattle
~Just had our evening meeting and P.M. Rove has just reported that the DOL has just loaded a barn full of hay at the Duck Creek Capture Facility.   There are no cattle in the area because the cattle can not survive the winters in this brutal climate. We can only assume that they plan to capture Buffalo. They have also left a lot of loose hay on the ground outside of the barn and around the capture facility to entice the Buffalo to enter Koelzer's property.  More than likely they will start to haze and capture once the hunting licenses have been used. Unfortunately some of the Buffalo have wandered closer to the border again.  I have signed up again for Rove Patrol tomorrow. Going out with Jesse.
~After my conversation yesterday with Jen, she is looking into the possibility of Horse Butte becoming a Wildlife Sanctuary. There is a large population of Trumpeter Swans on the Butte, as well as Bald Eagles and other wildlife. Every time that the DOL hazes Buffalo out there, they not only disturb the Buffalo, but all of the other wildlife as well. I hope that she is successful. Maybe that would help protect the Buffalo when they go to the Butte to calve.
 

 

~Adam and Lea did Share Bear tonight. They asked for three words from the group. Suggestions were elephant; poop; and detente. They made up a funny song using all three words. It was hilarious and had us all rolling with  laughter.
~My tooth was bothering me a good part of the day, so I sent out an e-mail to see if Bruce could have my dentist call in a prescription for antibiotics to the Yellowstone Apothecary. I think I may have an abscess. My tooth broke off when I was in Florida just before I came out here. It is feeling a little better this evening, but the nearest Dentist is in Bozeman, an hour and a half away.
~Jen was telling me that one of the women out on Horse Butte has a miniature horse and a donkey. The miniature goes up onto the porch and knocks on the door when he is ready to go into his stall for the night. She said he is hilarious.
~I received an e-mail from Patti today and according to the MSN webpage... it was -45 degrees last night. Someone else heard that too. It was a record as being the lowest temperature on that date since 1927.
~Jesse is using an old fleece shirt and is fitting Fog, his dog, for a winter coat. Fog is being amazingly co-operative.  He is some kind of Australian dog and has a wonderful temperament.  He sleeps out in one of the tepees with Jesse.
~I sent some more post cards to the kids today.  Now I'm reading "The Buffalo" by Francis Haines. Interesting. It talks about the history of the Buffalo and their relationship with the horse and the Native Americans.
~Dinner tonight was Elk Shepards Pie, prepared by Jesse. It was really good. Going to bed since I will have a busy day in the morning.
 THURSDAY DECEMBER 8 

~Went out on Rove Patrol this morning with Jesse, and the only Buffalo that we saw were 4 of them  in Cooke's Meadow in the village, and there were no Buffalo at the Windmill. Afternoon patrol however, saw 7 at Cooke's Meadow.
~Morgan announced tonight at the meeting that he plans to leave in the morning. He is going to the State of Washington to help out a friend. We will miss him and his musical talents.
~Temperature this evening is already -20. Fortunately the cabin is warm and cozy.  I share the Map Room with Jean, Lea and Adam. It doesn't have a stove in there and often gets cold at night if one of them closes the door, so yesterday I added another blanket to my bed... a heavy quilt, doubled over.
~My tooth is a little better. I awoke a few times last night, but it's been pretty good today. All's quiet at West Yellowstone and Gardiner!!! Yeah!!!
~Angie made stir-fry tonight. It was excellent. She seasoned it with ginger, garlic, and sesame seeds.
~Signed up for Rove patrol tomorrow. Going out with Josh. I took a blanket out on patrol with me this morning to cover my legs since it was so cold. It really helped. I think I will start doing that every day.

Horse Butte peninsula.
Angie cooking stir-fry.
Jesse fitting Fog...
 for a winter coat.

Nicole.
View from the cabin.
Old cabin on the property.
Horse Butte Peninsula.

Jean...
stoking the stove.
Morgan.
My cozy little bunk.


Sunrise from the cabin.

 

      

FRIDAY DECEMBER 9

SAD DAY... ONE OF OUR BELOVED BROTHERS WAS SHOT TODAY AT KOELZER'S.  I was on Rove patrol this morning with Josh and we were having trouble with our radio so we drove into West Yellowstone to pick up some fuses.  When we returned to Duck Creek area we received a transmission from Fir Ridge that a Buffalo had just been shot. We immediately drove to the Perch and witnessed the Hunters approaching the Buffalo, shackling it's hind leg and lifting it so that they could begin to gut it.  Josh and I remained at the Perch, and he continued to take video while they worked. There were eight other Buffalo nearby.
~When the Hunters had gone, the eight Buffalo returned to the scene and remained with their fallen comrade until the hunters returned again, this time with the tractor.  Only then did the Buffalo move a away,  and going only a short distance, they gathered in a tight circle while the hunters shackled their companion and lifted him up with the bucket of the tractor.  His massive head bobbed and bounced against the front tires as they dragged him through the snow and loaded him onto a flatbed trailer and carted him away.. our Beloved friend has left the Yellowstone forever after having wandered only 100 feet outside of the park boundary when he was shot. I hope that his companions return to the safety of the Park before sunset.
~I want to mention again that Koelzer leaves his gate open inviting the Buffalo to enter, and two days ago the DOL left hay out by the capture facility, daring them to come closer. Though I could not say for certain, I would not be surprised if Koelzer had called the hunter to notify her that there were Buffalo on his property ripe for the pickin'.
~It was -23 degrees when we left for patrol this morning. It is 1:30 p.m., and it is still below zero. As I sit and write of this morning's events, it is now, as it was earlier, very hard to hold back my tears.
~6:15 p.m. Just returned a little while ago from Rove patrol. I was only suppose to do morning Rove, but I called Adam to see if he would mind if I did the p.m. patrol as well. He was happy to stay at the cabin, and despite the cold, I was really glad. After this mornings events I wanted nothing more than to spend a little more time in the field with the Beloved Bison. By evening I was pleased that they had all returned to the safety of the park.
~It was very quiet and solemn as we picked up the other patrols and began our drive back to the cabin. Barely a word had been spoken.
~After dinner Josh downloaded the photo that I had taken of the gutted Buffalo strapped to the flatbed. We then spent the evening looking at the footage that he and Jesse had taken in the field, editing it, and sending it off to be posted to the BFC webpage.
SATURDAY DECEMBER 10
~Just learned that one of the Native American tribes turned in their permits. Hopefully Montana won't re-issue them. Today it is clear and sunny. Temperature is still below zero, but it is beginning to warm up.
~Helped Josh in the media room last night going over the video footage that he and Jesse took in the field. Finished it up as an eighty minute clip - QuickTime for the webpage. It will probably be posted in the next few days.
~On Rove this morning with Jesse. Watching the capture facility here at Duck Creek. Things are quiet for the moment. A few minutes ago the mom Moose and her baby were walking along the edge of the pond, then climbed the steep embankment onto the lane about fifty feet from our car. They stopped and studied us, surprised to see us 		there, and yet curious. I tried to take a photo with my digital camera, but it was really slow in responding to the cold. I pulled out my disposable camera, but I was too late and missed an incredible photo.
~We drove out to Horse Butte and saw six Buffalo Bulls at Cooke's Meadow in the village. Safe for now. Jesse and I just finished listening to the Audio CD about the "Endurance", the ship that sailed into the Antarctic in 1914 and got stuck in the ice. It was pretty good. We listened to the first half of it the other day when we were on patrol.  Those men sure went through some hell - and lived to tell their story.
~I am both humbled and in awe at the ever changing landscape, as it seems that there is no end to this beauty.  From dawn until dust as the sun moves across the horizon, the light and shadows, the clouds and fog, the trees and mountains continuously illuminate and alter the landscape from pink to gray to silver, to blue, white or salmon, nearly every color of the rainbow.
~We just saw a vehicle coming out of Koelzer's driveway with a Buffalo head and hide strapped to a flatbed.  It  resembles the truck that hauled the dead Buffalo out of here yesterday. Hopefully it is the same Buffalo and not another one that has been hunted down. Have no idea what they are doing back here at Koelzer's.
~I would like to mention that the Buffalo that was shot yesterday was killed by a thirteen or fourteen year old girl. She hit the Buffalo in the heart and it died almost immediately and did not suffer. I give her a lot of credit.  Though the little herd of Buffalo were heading in the general direction of the Capture facility where the hay had been previously left by the DOL,  the Bull that had been shot was about 100 feet from the park boundary down in the willows. The rest of his group are back in the park and safe for another day.
~Jesse and I saw a deer hide on the side of the road on our way back from Horse Butte. Not sure where that came from.
~My tooth is doing pretty good. If I keep busy I am not aware of the throbbing.
~Tonight Angie made something similar to Stromboli, but it had deer meat with cabbage and onions. She also made one for the vegetarians, theirs had Tofu. I chose the  one with the deer meat. It was exceptionally good. She also baked homemade gingerbread. Last night she made chowder with corn and potatoes. That was excellent too. I am really enjoying the food. It is nice to try new things for a change. I have also learned a new word. - Vegan. It goes a step beyond vegetarian and excludes any animal products such as cheese, milk etc. We have most of our meals with a choice of either veggies and vegan or veggies and meat lovers delight. Our cooks try to accommodate both.
~I sent an e-mail today about the Buffalo that was shot yesterday, and shortly after, Josh received a phone call from Stephany (who I met at the Delmarva Folk Festival with the BFC) and she has decided to come out next month after reading my e-mail. She can't bear not being here. She was here for three months this past summer but not during the hunting or hazing.
~Jean and Dru came back from Fir Ridge today and saw several, perhaps nine Buffalo cross over the park boundary into Koelzer's. Jean was really excited. he said that they came within fifty feet of him. This is the first time that he has been that close to the Buffalo. He is from Quebec, Canada. There are people here at the BFC from all over - Ontario, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Iowa, West Virginia, Minnesota, California, Florida and Maryland.


 

 

My photos of the Dead Buffalo...
being hauled away.
Gallatin Forest. Horse Butte.
Sunset at Horse Butte.

E-MAIL SENT TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY

DECEMBER 10, 2005
SAD NEWS FROM WEST YELLOWSTONE...
 
Yesterday morning Josh and I were on Rove Patrol and were having trouble with
one of the radios so we went into town to get some fuses. As we returned to Duck
Creek, we got a message on the radio that a Buffalo had just been shot and
killed there at the Duck Creek Facility. We drove to the perch and watched as
they tied a rope around the Buffalo's hind leg, lifting it so that they could
gut him.  There were several other Buffalo, eight I believe, milling about while
they did this. When the finished gutting the Buffalo, the hunter's left to get
the tractor.  While they were gone, the Buffalo began to move closer to their
lost companion, but scattered again, this time huddling in a circle, when the
tractor returned. We have seen more than once, how these creatures have mourned 
for one another, butting them and trying to help them to their feet, rubbing their
massive heads up and down the body of their fallen brother, circling them
endlessly until the hunters begin to throw stones and fire their rifles to chase
them away. It is heartening to watch.
 
Josh continued to film as they tied the Buffalo's hind legs and lifted him with
the bucket, his head scraping and bobbing in the snow and against the front
tires of the tractor as they began to cart him off, eventually lowering him to a
flatbed trailer and carting him away... Another one of our Beloved Brothers gone
forever.
 
Josh and I stayed in the field the entire day. I was reluctant to leave the
other Buffalo, and it was difficult to hold back my tears, as it is now, as I
write this. And as we drove to Fir Ridge and Horse Butte to pick up the other
BFC patrols, the ride home was eerie and solemn as we all mourned in our own
silent way, this great loss.
 
The hunter was a local fourteen year old girl, and I give her tremendous credit.
Only one shot was necessary, and the Buffalo died within minutes, and did not
suffer. He was shot on Koelzer's property within a 100 feet after crossing the
Park Boundary sign. Mr. Koelzer has no cattle, and has zero tolerance for the
Buffalo. He purposely leaves his pasture gate wide open, inviting the Buffalo to
enter, and inviting the hunters to the kill. He has also allowed the DOL to put
up a Capture Facility at his property on Duck Creek for hazing, capturing,
testing for Brucellosis, and for hauling the Buffalo to slaughter...the last
genetically pure strain of Buffalo in the lower forty-eight states. Yesterday's
events reminded me again as to why I am here, and why all of these wonderful and
devoted people brave this cold and brutal climate seven days a week, some for
months at a time.  The other evening the temperature plummeted to -45 degrees,
and was not much warmer when we went on patrol just before daylight.
 
I went again today to Duck Creek on Rove Patrol, this time with Jesse. It was
quiet, until Fir Ridge notified us that several Buffalo were again heading out
of the Park. Hopefully they will return before nightfall. Jean said they passed
within 50 feet of them.  This morning while Jesse and I were at The perch at
Duck Creek, the Mom Moose and her baby walked along the edges of the pond, then
climbed the steep hill and stood on the snow covered drive within 30 feet of us.
They were incredibly beautiful.
 
The landscape here is beautiful and forever changing from shades of blue, to
gray, white, salmon, pink, silver, to nearly every color imaginable, depending
upon the sun, the clouds, the shadows. And the weather is totally unpredictable.
It can be sunny at camp and blizzarding only miles away at Fir Ridge. And the
wind is often unforgiving as it lashes your cheeks, and howls through the
lodgepoles. It is no wonder that ranchers remove their cows and horses to lower
elevations with the coming of winter. Yet still, it continues to draw more
people to this magical place.
 
Well, that's all for now. Hope all is well. I am able to receive e-mails at my
usual address, if you'd like to write. I'll try to respond if I have time.
 
Take care and Please offer a prayer for our Beloved Buffalo.
Pila ma ya ye.
 
Love, Terrie
Wind~In~The~Grasses~Dancing
SUNDAY DECEMBER 11

~Been real busy today. We had a few last minute changes. Jen and I went out on Rove Patrol for the a.m and p.m. patrols. Fir Ridge patrol was stationed at the Madison North Side instead of Fir Ridge because four Bison were spotted crossing Highway 191. As it turned out, over 40 Buffalo made the migration across the highway in the direction of the Horse Butte Peninsula. They were a mixed group of Buffalo. With the exception of a few bulls, they were mostly moms, babies, and yearlings.  They crossed in several groups. The last group was a big Mama with a baby, another cow and two yearlings. I walked along the side of the road with a "Buffalo Crossing" sign, trying to get the cars and trucks to slow down so the Buffalo could cross safely. I was trying to keep ahead of them in order to slow the traffic, but as I continued to walk on the opposite side of the road, so did the lead Mama. After a short distance she began to talk to me in a low rumbling voice, and  I realized that she was not going to cross the highway until I dropped back to allow her to pass in front of me. When the highway was clear of  traffic I dropped back and as if thanking me, she lowered her head, led her little band across the road and onto one of the groomed snowmobile trails, then disappeared into the forest.
~ Buffalo everywhere...We also spotted 32 Buffalo from the view at the Vista. Of the nine that were near Koelzer's, five had moved to Cougar Creek and the remaining four were found grazing in a yard a few houses to the west of Koelzer's. It is unusual that the Mama's and babies would be migrating out of the park this early. They usually don't move to the Butte until spring  during the calving season. Instead, Buffalo were coming out of the park from every direction, keeping us quite busy as we worked to keep them safe. Perhaps they sense a cold winter coming on or grazing is difficult with the deep snow. Speaking of snow... It hasn't snowed here for a few days now, and today is especially warm... above zero.
~We are expecting the next few days to be busy as well, especially if the 32 Buffs from the Vista begin to migrate toward the west. Rove patrol will be watching Koelzer's and also checking to be sure that the ones at Cougar Creek are safe from the highway. I will be going out with Josh in the morning.
~Jen just showed me a documentary that they made when one of the school groups were out here last year. It was pretty informative, especially about the Brucellosis issue. Though I was already familiar with most of it, I think it would be great to show to some of the local schools or to anyone else who is interested in learning more about the plight of the Buffalo.
~Once again I saw the Mom Moose and her baby - twice actually. I am getting quite fond of them and would be disappointed if I went out to Duck Creek and I did not see them. Unfortunately, the moose, elk, bear, birds and other wildlife are all disturbed whenever the DOL hazes the Buffalo. I hope that the Moose and her baby are not run from their habitat as well.
~Also heard today that two other Native tribes have also turned in their permits to hunt.
 		 MONDAY DECEMBER 12

~Went out on Rove patrol this morning with Josh. Only found three of the five Buffalo that were at Cougar Creek, but we did find seven in the yard west of Koelzer's. They were eating from a stack of hay that the owner had had for his horses. The horses are gone for the winter, but the hay is sitting outside of the barn, covered with a tarp. A few of the Buffalo were helping themselves. There is a huge Buffalo that I had seen quite often. I have named him "Willow" because the first time that I saw him and his little herd of companions, they were down in the willows just north of the park boundary.  Though the owner of this property has left his gate open, one of the Buffalo jump the fence to get to the hay and knocked the top rail down. I think it is nice that the BFC offers their help to anyone who is in  need of fence repairs or other damage that the Buffalo have caused.
~Went on up to Duck Creek Perch for awhile, and when we returned the Buffalo were gone and there was a truck from the Forest Service parked in the yard. He looked like he was looking for the Buffalo too. All else is quiet. Didn't se any Buffalo crossing highway 191. It was a little warmer today and sunny, except for some occasional clouds of fog, and steam rising from the creeks, visibility was good.
~ Got back to the cabin , brought in some firewood, took a nice hot shower and washed my hair, then helped with the dishes. Quiet afternoon in the cabin. Managed to get a phone call through to Bruce, but I had to walk to the end of the driveway. The cabin is surrounded by mountains and reception is very poor.
~There are now over 100 Buffalo here at West Yellowstone that have migrated out of the park limits, many onto the Horse Butte Peninsula, and others still at Duck Creek. A big migration in the last week. It is a huge concern because many of them are moms, babies and yearlings.
~Up at Gardiner they hazed the same herd of Buffalo twice, then had to haze an additional herd after the first one. There is a possibility that they will be captured since they won't stay in the park.
~Tomorrow there is a shift change at Gardiner. It is voluntary. Jean, Adam and Jesse have offered to go. This means that we will be doing full shifts in the field tomorrow. I said goodbye to them this evening since I will be leaving for home before they return to West Yellowstone. Lea's boyfriend and another volunteer will be coming in tomorrow evening in their place.
~Going out on Rove patrol in the morning with Cody. He lives with Angie, two doors down in another cabin. She has been sick for a few days. Hope she is feeling better soon, I miss her around here.
~Tonight Jesse made chili with deer  meat and homemade cornbread. It was good.
~I am thinking about getting a hotel room in West Yellowstone for next Sunday and Monday evening. That way I can spend Monday in West Yellowstone... Maybe be a tourist for a day. LOL!!! I can get the shuttle to pick me up at the hotel and take me to the airport on Tuesday morning. I may try to get to the IMAX theatre in West Yellowstone and possibly do some Christmas shopping.

 

The Madison.
The Madison.
Buffalo crossing ...
near the Madison

View from the Vista.
Buffalo milling about and eating hay.
Buffalo bedded down in the snow.

 
Mom and Baby Moose lying in the snow in the meadow. 

Lea baking bread.
Jean.
Adam.
Jessie and Fog.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13

~Saw six Buffalo this morning in Cooke's Meadow. Also saw either a Wolf or Coyote playing in the snow. He was comical to watch as he romped about, jumping in the air then diving head first into the snow.
~Angie is feeling better now, but  I think Cody may be getting sick. Hope not. He was out on the Lake last night skiing with Jesse. They didn't get in until about 3:00 a.m.  He looks really tired.
~8:45 a.m. At the Perch at Duck Creek. Small red and white vehicle, possibly a tractor on the west side of the capture facility. White truck with bars arrived about 45 minutes ago. Dark truck with bars arrived about 20 minutes ago.
~8:50 a.m.  White truck backing out and heading toward Koelzer's. Dark truck following. No sign of them. Possibly stopped on the other side of Koelzer's. Lots of DOL activity. Snowing heavily.
~8:57 a.m. Fir Ridge patrol radioed that they heard three shots fired.
~9:00 a.m. Shane's (DOL agent) dog in Koelzer's driveway. Visibility poor without binoculars.
~9:04 a.m.  Dark truck heading out. White truck going to the capture facility. In pursuit of dark truck. Heading North on Highway 191. Shane is turning left onto 287, possibly going home. Not pursuing.
~9:10 a.m. At the Perch at Duck Creek. White truck leaving DOL. Heading north on Highway 191.
~Six Buffalo in Cooke's Meadow this morning. No sign of the Buffalo at Cougar or Duck Creek. Still not sure of what or where the three shots came from.
9:15 a.m.  Driving out again to look for the Buffalo at Cougar Creek. No sign of them. Josh did some work on the car and it is working great now. Radio is also working good. My tooth is bothering me again today. It throbbed for quite awhile last night, before I finally fell back to sleep. It seemed alright when I woke up this morning, but now it is throbbing again.
~10:40 a.m. Met up with Reconnaissance and they are heading to Cougar Creek on a ski patrol to see if they can find the missing Buffalo. There are now five in the same yard as yesterday at the house on Duck Creek where the hay is stack outside of the barn. It has stopped snowing. Visibility is much better. Still don't know where the three shots came from. Things are quiet for the moment. Reading the book "Awakening Spirits" by Tom Brown. I read the "Tracker" a few years back and really enjoyed it. I didn't get to finish the book on the Buffalo because I misplaced it somewhere in the cabin and I am unable to find it.
~11:15 a.m. Four Buffalo have bedded down in the yard with the hay. Willow is still eating while keeping watch over his companions.
~1:30 p.m. Still watching the Buffalo that are in the yard. Three just passed through the opening in the fence that they made the other day, and are heading for the neighbors yard. Willow is among them. He is a huge Bull.
~1:39 p.m. The fourth Bull just woke up from his siesta. He is walking the fence line and is upset because he doesn't know how to get to his companions. He is now running  along the fence, but is running away from the opening, rather than toward it. The fifth Bull has joined him and they are both heading down the driveway away from the opening. The three other Bulls, Willow among them, are in the yard to the left of this one, heading for the neighbors barn. Bull four and five are now down over the hill and out of sight.
~1:50 p.m. Bull four came back over the hill and brought Bull five and two others with him. Now we know where some of the missing Bulls have gone. There may be others down over the hill but there's no way of knowing how many. Bull number four is running the fence again trying to figure out how to get to Willow and his companions. He's getting real pissed off now, and is loping, bucking and tossing his head. He still hasn't come up far enough to find the opening in the fence. He looks very powerful and strong...  I can't believe what he just did. Somehow he managed to squeeze his big body between the second and third rail of the fence without knocking any of the rails down. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.
~1:55 p.m. DOL Blue truck with bars (Shane) just drove down Koelzer's driveway. Going to the Perch to see if there is any activity at the capture facility. A red truck with a flatbed just emerged from  the other side of the capture facility.
~2:00 p.m. Shane's Blue truck with flatbed just headed out of Koelzer's. In pursuit. Heading south on Highway 191.
~2:15 p.m. Shane drove into West Yellowstone to pick up snowmobiles.
~2:39 p.m. Back at the Perch. On the way back from West Yellowstone we counted 15 Buffalo on the Madison not far from the highway. They were bedded down. Re-con is watching them. Also spotted a Bald Eagle over Cougar Creek on the way back. Red truck at the capture facility is still moving snow around. There was also another dark truck in Koelzer's driveway when we returned from West Yellowstone.
~2:50 Red truck at Koelzer's has stopped plowing and has parked.
2:56 p.m. Blue truck with flatbed has returned to Koelzer's with snowmobiles.
~3:01 p.m. DOL is unloading snowmobiles into garage.
~Red truck has hooked up to one of the flatbeds at the capture facility. He backed up a short distance then parked. Re-Con arrived. They're going to walk out to the Vista to see if there are any more Buffalo moving toward Koelzer's. Red truck moved the flat bed to another area.
~3:12 p.m. Blue truck is back at Capture Facility.
~3:16 p.m. Red and Blue truck heading toward Koelzer's.  Shane's truck is heading out of driveway. In pursuit. Truck turned down Highway 287, possibly heading home. Not pursuing. Heading to Horse Butte instead.
~3:36 p.m. Seven Buffalo at Cooke's Meadow and Sixteen at Munce's. Several young among the group.
~Well, now you have an idea of a day in the life of a BFC.
Rove Patrol. LOL!!!
~8:00 p.m. New volunteers arrived, along with a huge load of bulk groceries from Bozeman. Several sacks of Polente, assorted sacks of various grains and flours, and lots of fresh fruits and veggies. Josh is playing guitar _ Some Bob Dylan. Sounds really nice. New volunteers are Kasi, Laura, Tyler, Paul and Elad  (Lea's boyfriend). I had  met Kasi, Laura and Tyler in Bozeman on the day of my arrival. They were doing shift change and heading to Gardiner. We spent a few hours together at the grocery store and doing some errands.
~Dinner tonight was excellent. Thanks Angie!!! We had broiled Salmon, Broccoli and cauliflower, Polente with sauce, salad, and brownies for dessert.
~When we returned from patrol today I decided to venture out for a walk behind the cabin. There is a trail that cuts between the two mountains and slowly climbs upward. It was so beautiful. Magical. Completely quiet, all but the soft sound of the falling snow. I stopped several times just to savor the moment, and then as I looked up I noticed a tepee nestled in the trees at the top of the first bench. It appeared to emerge as something of a dream, or of another time, long ago.  A hawk shrieked and a chill shook my bones as I blinked my eyes and stared harder. The lodge flap was closed and there was a stove pipe emerging from the side, but no smoke funneled from its pipe. I was to learn later that this was Jesse's Tepee. I knew that he lived in a tepee, but I assumed that it was one of the tepees directly behind the cabin. I could not think of a better place for Jesse to live and knew that it suited him perfectly. He is away now at Gardiner and will be returning next week after I have gone.
~Yesterday Jesse and Josh were telling me about a Grizzly Bear that came down through the pass this summer, exploring the realms of the cabin, hanging  hung around a short time, then moving on. Right now I imagine that he's cozy in his den. At least I hope he is.
~I signed up for A.M. Rove Patrol with Josh tomorrow. It's suppose to snow through the night.


WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 14

~Cold and snowing this morning. Cars had a rough time starting. Josh worked on "Brownie" and finally got it up and running. They plug the cars in at night, if they didn't, they would really have trouble with them as cold as it gets here . All of the cars have nicknames... "Brownie", "Goldie", "Wolfy" etc. That makes it easier when assigning patrols.  Rove usually takes "Goldie".  All of the cars are Suburus, and there is an old one here that they have kept for parts that is painted with scenes of Buffalo. I would love to drive something like that.
~Moose on the side of the road on the way to Horse Butte this morning. Looked like a young female. Only one Buffalo spotted at Munce's near the village. Yesterday there was a mixed herd out in the valley. The others must be over the hill and out of sight. Seven Buffalo at Cooke's Meadow.
~Went to the perch on Duck Creek. Shane of the DOL was there, along with another agent. They drove from the capture facility thru Koelzer's, between the house and barn.  There were three Buffalo on the driveway in front of them. They didn't haze the Buffalo, but continued out of the drive onto Highway 191 toward West Yellowstone.
~The Buffalo that were eating the hay at the house west of Koelzer's are gone now. It appears that the owners has moved the hay out of their yard. That's what was drawing the Buffalo.
~Sitting at Rainbow Point. The snow has changed from heavy large flakes to a fine powdery snow that is barely visible. When you look toward the sun which is just breaking through the clouds, the snow flakes sparkle in an array of colors the size of dust particles.
~Drove back toward Duck Creek. Two Buffalo are on the highway near the intersection of 191 and 287. Both Bulls are moving along the highway heading south.  One is fairly large. I am amazed at how thick and long the hair is on his front legs. Both look young. They are now moving down the center line of the highway. A truck slowed down and beeped, and the two of them moved off to the side of the road in the direction of Duck Creek.
~Buffalo in Koelzer's son's yard. Four that are visible. Three others are on Koelzer's lawn.
~9:52 a.m. Five gunshots were heard coming from the direction of Highway 191. Drove out there but we were unable to determine where they came from. Shane of the DOL came from that direction on Highway 287.
~A lot of snow blowing at the capture Facility all morning - Red Snow plow. Shane just drove back to the trap. Lots of  DOL activity. Buffalo still in Koelzer's yard.
~Fir Ridge just radioed and said that from where they are posted, they can see a roll of hay sticking out of Koelzer's barn where the Buffalo are hanging out.  Looks like they're baiting them.
~Ravens are still feasting on the gut pile down by the Willows where the Buffalo was shot earlier in the week. There's also a Buffalo that just crossed onto the Pond from Koelzer's sons, and is heading west. He just turned and is following the edge of the pond in the direction of Koelzer's where the other Buffalo are eating the hay. I hope he doesn't fall through the ice. There are two other Buffalo along the pond now.
~Shane is using a blowtorch and thawing out the winch on one of the trailers. In addition to Shane, there is another dark truck along with the red truck and bobcat at the facility. They are moving all of the horse trailers around, possibly to plow. Everything else is quiet.
~Two more Buffalo heading for Koelzer's yard. Joining the others who are eating the hay at the barn.
~Shift change. Going back to the cabin.
~Sent out some e-mails this afternoon and helped with clean up. Tomorrow Jen is going up to Helena for a press conference.  There is so many issues to address concerning the Buffalo.  As it looks, the DOL is going to possibly capture thousands of Buffalo in order to get the 50 to 100 calves that they want for their quarantine program.
 

 

 

 

Buffalo leaving yard near Koelzer's.
 
Buffalo crossing through the fence.
Buffalo in yard at Duck Creek.

Kasi.
Paul.
Tyler and Laura.
Laura.

Elad.
Speck in the middle of the Pond is a Buffalo.
Jen.
Jesse's Tepee in the woods.

Buffalo on Highway 191.
Paul.
Tom.
Allie and Elad.
E-MAIL
DECEMBER 14, 2005
GREETINGS FROM WEST YELLOWSTONE...
 
Things have been pretty busy here the past few days. Over 40 Buffalo migrated
out of the park the day before yesterday and I was out on the Highway with a
"Buffalo Crossing" sign, trying to get the vehicles to slow down to let them
cross safely. There were lots of Mom's and babies, in addition to the Bulls.
Others have left since, and all have headed down the Madison to Horse Butte.
There are now over 100 there, and for the moment they are safe. As long as the
hunt is going on, chances are, they will not be hazed, captured, quarantined or
slaughtered. That will happen after the final days of the hunt at the end of
February.
 
Unfortunately, the plan is for the DOL to capture 200 calves this year and place
them in quarantine. Those that test positive for Brucellosis will be
slaughtered, while the others will remain in quarantine for a minimum of FOUR
YEARS. Do you know what this means? When they are released they will no longer
be free ranging Buffalo, and will be use to being fed as cattle... And at the
moment the only quarantine facility that they have available is only 60 acres,
and will cost the tax payers Billions of dollars (YOUR DOLLARS) to make this
program work. The other thing that is troubling us is that in order for the DOL
to capture 200 calves, they will need to haze and capture thousands of Buffalo.
Since the limited number of Buffalo permitted to live in the Park is 3000, the
DOL will be allowed to slaughter all of the Bulls and Cows that they want to
without even testing them for Brucellosis. This limitation of 3000 is a
compromise that the Park Service has made with the DOL, it has nothing to do
with whether or not the park can support more than 3000 Buffalo. They have not
put a limit on the elk, and there are over 120,000 elk as well as numerous other
large animals in the Yellowstone Ecosystem. It all has to do with the
zero tolerance Montana and the DOL have for the Buffalo...
The elk are not touched because they are a large source of
income for the state of Montana during the hunting season. The other interesting
point is that the DOL classifies the Buffalo as Livestock, yet when the state of
Montana promoted the hunt this year, they are conveniently classified as
Wild Life. Figure that one!!!
 
Maybe there is an alternative... The Buffalo could have always have a masquerade party
and disguise themselves as Moose. LOL!!! 
 
Anyway, we are concerned that 100's of Buffalo may be needlessly destroyed this
spring. ONLY YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!! If you care at all about what happens
to our Yellowstone Buffalo, PLEASE write or phone the Governor of Montana as
well as your other legislators and tell them how you feel. Please ask them to
take the Buffalo Management away from the DOL and return it to the Park Service;
and to give the Buffalo, Elk and other wild life free winter range in the parks
surrounding Yellowstone. You can find the information on my website, or the
BFC's. Thanks so much for all of your support.
 
The good news is that as long as the BFC is video taping and monitoring every
move that the DOL or anyone else is taking against the Buffalo, then there is less
of a chance that the DOL will act carelessly. What we need is a public outcry.
 
Now that I've gotten that off of my shoulders... We are trying to keep our
spirits up. Things have been busy. It snowed yesterday some, then through the
evening, and early this morning. This afternoon however, was gorgeous. I'm
thinking about taking a walk up the pass behind the cabin. I went a short
distance yesterday when it was snowing. There were elk tracks all through the
forest. I looked up and I saw a tipi nestled in the pines at the top of one of
the steep hills. It was like being in another world, another time. What a
gorgeous setting. I learned later that that is Jesse's Tipi. I knew that he was
staying in one of the tipis, but I thought that it was one of the ones behind
the cabin. Anyway, think I'll go take a walk before it gets dark.
 
Hope everyone is healthy and happy and WARM!!! Again thanks so much for your
support.
 
Take care, Love Terrie

Suburu with Buffalo...
 painted on its sides.
Road to Horse Butte.		  
THURSDAY,  DECEMBER 15

~~On patrol with Josh this morning. We're waiting at the end of Duck Creek for the shuttle to pick up Tyler. He's leaving today and will be heading up to Alaska to work on a fishing boat for the winter. The pay is good, but I saw a special recently on PBS, and it is really hard brutal work. Kasi will be leaving today or tomorrow also.
~Last night several of us sat around and talked about gross stories that happened to us or to people we know. Some of them were pretty funny. Jen had the best with a story that she told about expelling anal glands in dogs. Not a good topic before dinner.
~At the Perch over-looking  Duck Creek. No sign of Buffalo at Koelzers or in any of the yards. Did see three Buffalo in the field near the road where we saw the two yesterday. There are also two others in Stenette's field, a total of five. Not sure where the others are.
~It's flurrying again - real light. Visibility fairly good.
~9:25a.m. Josh and I just heard a strange transmission on our radio channel "The Hunting Game Show Is On."  It was a crisp clear transmission. When Josh ask them to identify themselves, they were too cowardly to reply.  Fir Ridge didn't hear the transmission, but our Base camp did. Not sure who sent the  message.
~The three Buffalo near Highway 191 are bedded down under the trees.
~Drove to the Perch. A single Buffalo is crossing the pond into Koelzers. Dark truck at Koelzers again. I took a walk into the woods, and on my way back there was a Buffalo on the lane between me and the car. I don't know who jumped the highest, but we were both startled. Josh got a good laugh. The Buffalo ran a short distance, then stopped and took his time moseying along when he realized that I wasn't following him. I did manage to get a photo of him.
~Fir Ridge radioed in and said that they saw  three other Buffalo moving into Koelzers yard toward the hay.
~10:25 a.m. Sitting on Highway 191 keeping an eye on the Buffs by the road, and also watching the traffic in and out of Duck Creek. Things are pretty quiet. Yea!!
~Drove up to the Madison. Counted 12 Buffs on the east side, a good distance from the road. There may be more in the trees. Visibility not good due to the willows and trees.
~Went to Einos lookout and were able to see six Buffalo two houses west of Koelzers, under the pines. They're safe from the hunters for the moment. The Buffalo that had been hanging out at the house where the hay had been stacked outside, have lost interest now that the hay has been moved. Haven't seen them since. Quiet day. Heading back to the cabin.
~Just had a wonderful walk up through the pass behind the cabin. It was all Jezzie's doing (Not to be mistaken for Jesse). Jezzie is a lovely adorable dog that lives a few cabins away.  She came to the kitchen door and wanted to play, so I went out for a few minutes with her. I've been doing that quite frequently.  She reminds me a lot of Kiowa, personality wise.  When I came back into the kitchen to finish the dishes, she stood up on the snowbank		 outside of the window watching me and wiggling entire her body. I couldn't resist. I put on my coat and boots and Jezzie and I took a wonderful walk. There were a lot of fresh elk tracks since yesterday, and she was romping through the snow, biting at them.  She would only go a short distance, then she would protectively return to my side. We really had a fun time and I will surely miss her.
~Though I took some photos, I don't know if I have mentioned the other companions here, so I'll mention them now. We had Layla here, but only for a short time. She was a sleigh dog puppy that belonged to Cody and Angie. She was really adorable, but too much of a puppy for them to handle with being so busy with the BFC, so they returned her to the breeder until she is adopted out again.
~Then there's "Fog".  He's Jesse's dog. He's an Australian dog of some sort. Very mannered and quit comical. He has a fascination with Josh's cat, "Pepper." And Pepper is comical as well. She sits at the edge of the loft teasing Fog and daring him to come up the steps to get her. Fog left on Tuesday with Jesse. It seems strange him not being here. He and Jesse will be back next week after I have gone.
~And then there's "Iggy". Iggy is a blind cat that found its way into Angie's heart and has been here ever since. He lives two cabins down with Angie and Cody. She brings him with her quite frequently.  He is really sweet and gets around quit well for being blind. This is the first year that the BFC has ever had any cats in the cabin. They usually end up with dogs.
~Back to my walk. This time I climbed all the way to the first bench of the trail. It levels off into a small valley, before climbing upward again. When I reached the top and turned, the view was spectacular. I could see the mountains through the trees, looming in the distance beyond Lake Hebgan. In the foreground was the forest, sloping on either side of the trail, blanketed with snow. Animal tracks zigzagged back and forth through the deep snow.
~When it was time to descend the trail I decided to follow the path that the elk had taken, and though the snow was deep, it was much easier than risking the chance of going down the steep trail head first or sliding on my butt. Before I turned to leave, I took one last look at the view and almost envied Jesse for the life and path that he had chosen... Then I thought of home.. and a slow smile crept to my lips and filled my heart.
~7:30 p.m. Allie was telling Laura and Kasi about this game that they play, where you have to pick up a paper bag using your teeth only. You are not allow to use your hands or any other part of your body. Once someone wins, they turn down the edges of the bag to make it shorter, then start again. It was pretty funny. Josh was the one who finally got it first.
~Josh is now playing guitar. He's quite talented.  Paul was going to join him and play the Dulcimer, but it needs new strings.
~I signed up for Rove tomorrow, but I will be going out on P.M. shift this time with Dru, so I get to sleep in in the morning.

Woods at Duck Creek.
Buffalo at Duck Creek...
...that startled me.
View from the Vista.

Layla and Lea.
Fog.
Pepper.
Iggy.
My Walk with Jezzie...
Playing with Jezzie.
Jezzie watching me thru the window.
 Jezzie.

Jezzie.  		  


Jezzie.
 

View from the bench.
Jesse's Tepee.
Jesse's Tepee.
Paul.
               The Bag Game.

Jesse and Fog.
Laura taking the bag challenge.
Kasi and Laura.
Kasi, Laura and Allie.

Lea gives it a try.
Kasi
Josh bags it.
Laura gives it another go.

Nicole.
Nicole.
Laura.
Dru.
FRIDAY,  DECEMBER 16
~It's flurrying, but the sun is shinning and the fog hanging over the lake is so thick that you can not see the mountains. All that is visible is a cloak of white.
~ It was nice to sleep in until 8:30 this morning. Just finished dishes from breakfast.
~12:42 p.m. There are eight Buffalo in the willows and pines. We think they are the same group of Bulls that were there when the Buffalo was shot last weekend.  Two of them are lying right beside the gut pile. They have been hanging in this general vicinity for awhile now.  Now there are five of them lying near the gut pile. Perhaps they are still mourning and saying their last good-byes. I have no doubt that they are mourning. I have recently seen several videos where they have gathered around their injured comrades and have tried to assist by lifting them with their heads and trying to help them to their feet. I have also seen footage of them rubbing their heads and necks back and forth across the bodies of  their dead companions. It is heartbreaking to watch.
~The Buffalo are up now and grazing. They are about a hundred feet from the park boundary. Hopefully they will continue to head back into the safety of the park  Things are quiet right now.
Yesterday Ryan and Paul walked across Hebgan Lake from Horse Butte instead of having afternoon Rove pick them up near the village. Ryan said that it took about an hour to cross the Lake and he is a fast walker. He said that it saved a lot of driving time, and also saved a lot of hiking to get back to the usual pick up point. The Lake is frozen solid, people have been out there ice fishing for days now, but I can not say the same for Duck Creek Pond.  This morning Dru tried to walk across it and one of his legs went through the ice up to his knees. He's fine and made it back safely.  His wool pants have dried but his boots are still damp and his feet are getting cold. We saw a Buffalo out on the pond yesterday, I am so glad that he did not fall through the ice.
~Drove out to Horse Butte - six Buffs still in Cooke's Meadow at the village. safe and bedded down. One is still grazing. It amazes me how they use their huge heads and their noses as shovels to find their way to the grass beneath the snow. It reminds me a lot of the way that Arlie, our pot bellied pig, uses his nose and head to shovel through earth that is sometimes as hard as concrete. I remember Arlie moving a cinderblock with his nose when he was a baby. I can only imagine what power one of these massive Buffalo are capable of.		 ~I found another pen this morning. My other one ran dry and I had resorted to using my pencil, which often smeared on the pages.
~It has stopped snowing, the clouds have passed and it is sunny. It has also warmed up a little. It was beautiful going down the drive to Horse Butte , as it always is, the road lined with lodgepole pines on either side.  It is a magical little forest with the branches blanketed with snow. I didn't see the young moose today.  She has been seen feeding along this road the past few days. She may have headed into the forest. It is really thick in some areas and the wildlife can easily take refuge, for that is one place that the snowmobiles can't easily follow.  The drive through the forest to Yellowstone Village is about seven miles. Saw 10 Buffalo to the west of Cooke's Meadow.
~1:47 p.m. Back at Duck Creek. There's a Buffalo hanging around the horse trailers at Koelzers. I see another in the willows moving toward the capture facility. No other Buffalo are visible.  They could be down over the hill. Ravens have returned to eat the gut pile.
~I now see several other Buffalo. They're moving in a line along side of the capture facility - heading in the direction of Koelzers house. One of them is quite curios and is checking out the different trailers. Now they've joined him and are all milling about exploring the outer walls of the capture facility and investigating the trailers.
~Buffalo are now moving in the direction of the barn where they have been baited with hay.  I believe this is illegal since Koelzer has opened his land to the hunters. BFC is going to put in a call to the Fish Wildlife and Park Service. to check it out.
~2:30 p.m. Two of the Buffalo have headed to the yard west of Koelzers where they were hanging out yesterday.  Here come two more. One is standing beside a white pickup truck with an extended cab that is parked in Koelzers driveway. His back is higher that the sides of the truck bed.  But "Willow" is there now, and he is even larger. He is rubbing himself against the big rocks that are in the front yard. He has a long beard that is bouncing from side to side as he swings his massive head. I wish that I had a camera on my binoculars. I could get some fantastic shots. There are now six of them.
~2:50 p.m. Another Bull just came thru Koelzers yard. They all appear to be heading west of Koelzers. The eighth Bull just came into view, and he too, has just straddled one of the rocks and is scratching his belly.
~Lea cooked tonight. Dinner was good. Oriental stir-fry with elk meat, and sweet and sour soup.
 

Looking thru the snow toward the Capture Facility.
View of Lake Hebgan from the cabin.
View from the cabin.
View from the cabin.
looking down the driveway.

Fog hangs over the mountains.
View from the cabin.
Horse Butte Sunset.
Sunrise alighting the mountains at Horse Butte.
Lea and Elad making cookies.

Lea.
Cookie creations.
Kasi and Iggy.
Angie.

Josh playing guitar.
Dru and Josh receive herbs and treats from a friend.
Josh making a special herb tea.
Looking across the pond at Koelzers and the capture facility.
SATURDAY DECEMBER 17
~Buffalo!! Buffalo!! Everywhere. Fourteen Buffs by Highway 191. Eight in Koelzers yard.  Six in Stenettes Field. Total of 30 plus Buffalo in the vicinity of Duck Creek.
~I opened my window this morning to talk to Josh at the junction and couldn't get it to close.  When we dropped his patrol off, Ryan tried to help me pull it up, but it wouldn't budge. It was a COLD DRIVE!!!
~Stopped at Duck Creek for awhile and Jen was playing with the buttons for the electric windows, when my window slightly moved about a half an inch. Jen was so excited that she  jumped out of the car and together we managed to get the window to close. Yea!!!!! Next time I need to speak with someone, I'll open my door.
~The Buffalo out near Highway 191 are a mixed group of moms and babies mostly. If it stays quiet at Koelzers, Fir Ridge patrol is going to come help Rove to keep an eye on the many Buffalo that are scattered about.
~Saw a big elk running along the shore of Lake Hebgan earlier this morning when we dropped off the Horse Butte Patrol. Since Ryan felt that it was easier and faster to cross the Lake, we dropped them off at the narrows. If this works, they may make this their new drop off point for the winter, or as long as the Lake stays frozen.
~Four Buffalo at Koelzers are now walking along the edge of the pond. All is quiet. Going to check on the moms and babies near 191.
~Moms and babies are further from the road now. Four of the Bulls from Stenettes Field have begun to move south along the highway following the fence line. One of them is "Willow". They may be going to join the herd of Moms and babies.
~At the Perch now. Things are quiet. I just saw a Magpie fly over and  land on the back of one of the Buffalo that are hanging at Koelzers. They seem quit content with each others company.
~Fir Ridge did a patrol out to the Madison while we stayed here to keep watch. They said that everything out there is quiet. They're going on standby.
~10:08 a.m. White truck pulled up at Koelzers. The same one that was there yesterday. Big Bull scratching himself against on the rocks. At first glance they may all look alike, but closer observation proves differently.  They each have their own distinct appearance, whether it be their color, size, body shape, head, horns etc.
~Drove out to the highway again to check on the moms and babies. They're all still safe behind the fence. The four Bulls that were at Stenettes have walked the fence to join them, but they can not get to the herd because there is another fence running between them. The babies are real wooly bears. They have lost their tawny coats that they had at birth, and have donned a coat that is now as dark as their mamas.
~Back at the Perch.  Six of the Buffalo at Koelzers are now bedded down in his front yard by the driveway. The white truck has left and all is quiet. The Big Bull is the only one standing... like a sentinel.
~It's pretty cold out. The tea in my thermos is no longer hot. I'm looking forward to a hot cup when I get back to the cabin. Although a cup of hot chocolate might serve me well. I've been drinking a lot of that lately, especially in the evening. Eating a fair amount of chocolate, also.  Last night Lea made two apple pies - SOOOO Good!!!
~On Rove with Laura today. She's really nice. Having some interesting conversations. She was up at Gardiner the last two weeks and was with the 12 year old that shot one of the Bulls up there. She was telling me all about it and how the Bull took over three hours to finally die. Canyon, a Native American was there and he did a prayer ceremony in honor of the fallen Buffalo.  Laura said that it really touched the boy and his mother, and that it changed their perspective on the hunt. She also said that the family was in need of the meat. Laura also told me how the Buffalo were trying to get their wounded comrade to rise, and of how they mourned him afterwards. That too, really touched the boy and his mother.
~I think that it is important for me to express how many of us feel about the hunt. It isn't that we disagree with hunting, in fact many of the volunteers for the BFC are hunters. What makes us did like this particular hunt is that it is so political. If the Buffalo were considered wildlife and treated as such, and were permitted to have winter range outside of the park like the elk and moose do, then a hunt would be more feasible. But when the Buffalo are treated by the DOL as Livestock and are needlessly and cruelly hazed, captured, tested, vaccinated, quarantined, and often sent to slaughter, it doesn't seem right to hunt them as Wild life. If the state of Montana wants to hunt them as Wild life -- Then let them live as Wild life -- Free and unthreatened by the policies of the DOL and the state of Montana. Furthermore, Moms and babies should be permitted out 		on Horse Butte during the calving season without being harassed and run for miles with the newborn babies stressed and barely able to keep up. The State of Montana needs to re-evaluate their Buffalo Management Plan more extensively. They don't harass the Elk, therefore why should be permitted to harass the Buffalo?  Why? Because it's all political.  They claim that the Buffalo can transmit Brucellosis to their cattle.  There are no cattle on Horse Butte during the Buffalo calving season and there has never been a case of Buffalo ever transmitting Brucellosis to the cattle. The elk however, have spread Brucellosis to the cattle and continue to do so, but this is ignored because the Elk are a big source of income during hunting season...  So that's it in a nutshell.
~11:20a.m. Buffalo are still bedded down at Koelzers, all but the big old bull. We drove back out to check on the Buffs by the highway. The Bulls are on  one side of the fence and all the moms and babies are on the other side of the fence visiting them. Don't know where the other two Bulls have gone that were out in the field earlier by Stenettes.
~Allie's boyfriend Richard arrived this morning. Met him briefly at breakfast.  He seems real nice. He went out to Horse Butte with Allie and Ryan.  I understand that's a tough patrol to go on for ones first day out in the field. It requires sometimes a minimum of ten miles of walking or skiing a day, but it is also an important and exciting patrol because there are still a lot of Buffalo out at Horse Butte.
~All is quiet. Waiting for p.m. shift change to arrive. It's bright and sunny, and possibly over the zero degree mark - maybe.
~Dinner was homemade pizza, Angie's specialty. She made five different kinds, along with garlic sticks. I am really going to miss Angie a lot. I spent many hours with her in the kitchen, laughing and exchanging stories. She gave me a big hug and said that she is going to miss me, and nearly made me cry. There are a few others that I've gotten fairly close to, as well. Josh is one that I will miss. I spent a lot of time on Rove patrol with Josh and we had several enlightening conversations, and talked a lot about books and theories, and many hours discussing the Buffalo.  I will miss Jen, Jean and Dru, as well. Allie, Laura and  Kasi were fun too. And Lea and Adam... I will surely miss their talents, their laughter and their bright smiles. I didn't get to know Nicole that well because she's quiet, and also because I didn't do any patrols with her, but she is really sweet and I liked her a lot. I only went on one patrol with Ryan, but he has been very supportive through my entire stay, and I shall be forever grateful to him for carrying my pack the second half of that chilling Fir Ridge patrol... Yes, I'm going to miss everyone.
~Just before dinner there was a knock at the door and a new volunteer showed up unannounced, which is great since I am leaving on the 18th and Laura on the 20th. His name is Muddy.  He just came from Oregon.  He was up there tree sitting in a forest that was being logged. He is playing the banjo right now.
~I just went outside with Laura to see the "Hobbit House" where she sleeps. It's really cool. It reminds me of our Medicine Lodge. It is built into the woodpile, which is 20 or 30 cords worth of wood, and the roof is made from the cab of an old pickup truck. It has a little Hobbit door and when you climb inside there is a bed along the back wall. It's very cozy.  Though there are empty cots in the cabin, Laura prefers to sleep outside.  On some nights it is only about 10 or 15 degrees warmer than outside,  even with the door closed and the curtain drawn. When I was in there with her there were ice crystals on the walls.  But as I said, it is cozy and the energy feels really positive. She has several owl feathers hanging above the bed, and she gave me one of them to take home. I shall treasure it and will probably hang it in my lodge. I'll really miss Laura too, though I didn't get the chance to spend as much time with her as some of the others.  She's so full of energy. She's been working on tanning some deer hides and was making a pouch for her Dad from one of them that she finished.
~It amazes me how so many people can live together and spend all of their waking hours in the company of each other, yet their are so few conflicts, with everyone working  toward one common goal... I think that is the key. I have not met one volunteer that I dislike, though I have been told that occasionally someone comes along that they have to ask to leave, but that doesn't happen very often. Everyone works together here and shares all of the chores. Each evening we have a meeting after dinner and each patrol gives a report on the days events, and we then decide on a plan of action for the next day, then everyone chooses their patrol.  In addition to your patrol you can also volunteer for cleanup, breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any other chores that need to be done. It is up to the individual, and whatever one feels comfortable doing. Everything gets done. When someone gets sick, everyone else chips in and helps to take up whatever job that person had signed up for. It all gets done.

Group of mom's and babies...
behind fence on Highway 191.
"Willow" and his companions.
One of the Bulls is going to visit the mamas and babies.

"Willow"
"Willow"
Richard and Allie.
Richard.

Angie's pizzas.		 The Hobbit House...
Outside looking in.

Passing through the doorway.
Laura lights the lantern.
Looking out through the doorway.

Angie and Cody.
Cody, Angie and Iggy.
Angie and Iggy.
Laura working with her deer hide. 

Jen.
Muddy.
Muddy
Dru and Nicole.

Sunset on Horse Butte.
Sunset over the Lake. View from the cabin.
Train station in West Yellowstone.
Sunset over the Lake.
       
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18

~My last day of patrol. Four Buffs at Cooke's Meadow this morning.
~COLD!!! Out on Highway 191. There is one Buffalo on the west side of Highway 191 wandering about, and there are nine Buffalo on the east side.  They look to be the same group of mixed moms and babies.  I counted three young babies among them. The one lone Bull just crossed back over to join the others.
~8:30 a.m. What I thought was a lone Bull, appears to be a female. She just crossed the highway again and looks as though she is trying to lore the others over the fence to join her, but they will not follow because the babies are too young to jump the fence.  In addition to the babies, there appears to be a few yearlings and two year olds. Still no sign of the other four from the mixed group of 14 that were there yesterday.
~8:50. The female Buffalo abandoned her attempt to convince the others to join her and has now crossed the highway to be with her companions. She is standing outside the fence not far from the highway.
~Three Buffalo east of Koelzers in the willows.
~10:20 a.am. Went into town to get gas for the car and I picked up a new pen while I was there. The other one was running dry. Back with Buffalo on Highway 191. The lone female has jumped the fence to re-group with the others. The four Bulls who were hanging beside the fence yesterday have returned. I recognize Willow among them.
~Koelzers is quiet. No Buffalo. No activity.
~11:00 a.am Bruce just called me on my cell phone and said that it is 40 degrees back home. It went down to -35 last night, and is still well below zero today. I can see the steam rising from the nostrils of the Buffalo, and there is a heavy frost on the willows and sage, and on the backs of the Buffalo as their massive heads shovel through the snow. Willow, the old Bull, is hanging with his little herd of companions beside the fence. I recognize him because I have been watching him for several days now and he has been a great source of amusement. On more than one occasion I have watched him take his little band onto Koelzers front lawn, then while the others were grazing, straddled a large boulder and began rocking to a rhythm of his own while he scratched his belly, bobbing his massive head from side to side. When his companions bedded down, he stood like a silent sentinel, guarding them.
~Last night the moon was bright and full.  When it crested the pines and peaks, an orange and red halo encircled it while billowy clouds danced between it's rings. Sunrise was just as beautiful. Pink and salmon rays alighted the snow capped peaks over the Lake and the Butte. We passed a large elk grazing on the north side of the Lake, his antlers extending several feet as he lifted his head to acknowledge us... Yes, I am going to miss this place... and all of the wonderful people that have offered so much enrichment to my life. It is not often that one has the opportunity to encounter a group of people with such passion, devotion and unity toward one goal. I am so honored and grateful to be carrying home with me so many treasured memories. Thank you all, so much.
Pila ma ya ye. Aho.


MONDAY, DECEMBER 19
~It was extremely difficult to say good-bye to everyone last night. We had an early meeting and Tom drove me into town to the Three Bears Lodge on Yellowstone Avenue.  Allie, Richard and Laurie went along, and we all had dinner together.  It was really nice.
~Already I am wondering how things are going this morning on patrol.  At the meeting last night we learned that another Buffalo had been killed up at Gardiner.  Jean is up there. I know that he has a really strong passion for the Buffalo, and I hope that he did not have to witness the kill.
~I walked a few blocks from the hotel to do my laundry this morning and stopped by a nice little cafe to have breakfast. I am going to try to go to the IMAX Theatre and maybe do some shopping.
~I just learned that the IMAX theatre is closed on Mondays, so I went to the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center instead.  It was a snowy day and not very many people were there so I had the opportunity to talk extensively to one of the women who work there and she told me a lot about the bears and wolves that were

housed there. They are all rescues. There are two huge Kodiak Bears that are brother and sister.  It was a beautiful experience watching them interact.  But what struck me the most were the Wolves.  When I first arrived they were sleeping in the snow. One of them woke up, stretched and began to howl. The others immediately awoke and joined him. They howled for quite some time and it was eerie and almost haunting. Then suddenly as if on some signal, they all stopped at once.  Then one of them began to howl again, and they all chimed in, each singing in their own distinct voice.  This lasted for over fifteen minutes as they would start and stop as if on que.  It was incredible. I have never heard anything so beautiful, yet sad, and again very uplifting.  It is so hard to describe, this song of the Wolves.
~I managed to do a little shopping and actually found a few gifts for Christmas.  West Yellowstone is definitely a tourist town, but I have to admit, it had some fun shops.  A lot of them were still closed for the season and were not due to open until tomorrow.  That is when the roads to the park will be opened for the snow coaches and snowmobiles.
~Had a nice quiet dinner just around the corner from the Lodge.  I had picked up an interesting book, at one of the little Book stores and read while I was waiting for my dinner. It is called "To Save The Wild Bison. Life on the Edge in Yellowstone," by Mary Ann Franke. I read it until I turned out the light to go to bed. It is quite interesting and informative, and covers the issue of Brucellosis and the history of the Yellowstone Buffalo from the past into the present.
 
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20
~Had breakfast at the restaurant at the lodge.  As it turns out the woman who is the receptionist and runs the cash register is one of the women who lives out at Horse Butte in the village.  She recognized me from having seen me out there with the campaign last week.   She spoke very kindly of Josh and of how knowledgeable he was.  I think she said that her name was JoAnn.  She was really nice and said that she appreciates and admires what the BFC has been doing, and as I boarded the shuttle for Bozeman, I was swept by a warm sense of satisfaction and pride. 
~As we passed by the turn off to Highway 287, it was snowing and I heard the bus driver comment that someone had slid off the side of the road. As we passed by, I recognized "Goldie" the Suburu in whose company I had spent nearly all of my waking hours, stuck in a deep drift of snow.  Josh was standing beside it with the radio in his hand. I waved, and smile passed over me for I knew that Tom was on his way with the Suburban, and that Rove Patrol would momentarily be back in action.
~It was a beautiful ride through the canyon, and it snowed the entire drive to Bozeman, which took a little more than 90 minutes. As we left out of Big Sky, I saw four long horned sheep not far from the road, and shortly after, three elk with racks, then a fourth several miles from town.
~It stopped snowing by the time plane the left out of Bozeman, and despite an occasion bump, it was fairly smooth ride. Had a stop over in Minneapolis, then on to Philadelphia. This time they didn't loose by baggage.  I arrived safely and it felt wonderful to see Bruce and to be on my way home.  Kiowa was extremely happy when I walked through the door, and she hasn't left my side since. 

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21
~Though I was happy to be home again with my family and friends, and all of my critters, I was was suddenly overwhelmed with a deep loss and began to cry.  I missed my friends from the BFC,  my beloved "Willow" and his companions, and my daily patrols with Rove.  I realized today, that despite the bitter temperatures, if I had not had a family and a life awaiting me back here, I could have easily stayed on with the BFC  indefinitely. 

JANUARY 4, 2006
~Life goes on here as usual, and I am quite happy, but as each day passes, I can not help but wonder what has become of Willow and his companions.  And what of the moms and babies that were beside the highway, have they moved on to the Horse Butte?  And what of the ones on the Madison, and at Cooke's Meadow and Duck Creek? What has become of them?  Each day I go to the BFC webpage hoping for some small shred of news, and at the same time, fearing what I may learn... Yes, I have again left another part of my heart in Montana.

Snow Groomer in West Yellowstone.
Wolves at the...
Wolf and Grizzly Bear
Discovery Center.
  When I returned home, eight your old Tavis Lemm gave me this carving of a Buffalo that he had made for me.
             

             * Update from the Field
               JANUARY 5, 2006

2006 began on a bitter note along Yellowstone's northern boundary. On New Years Day, in Gardiner, the 17th bull bison was killed in Montana's illegitimate bison hunt. Our diligent and dedicated volunteers again documented as another one of our friends fell to the bullet.
Also unfortunately for the buffalo, Monday the 2nd was not a holiday enjoyed by every federal employee. Yellowstone National Park rangers in Gardiner once again did the bidding of Montana's livestock industry; they restricted the buffalo's migration and forced them back into the confines of Yellowstone National Park. A group of 90 buffalo were hazed by two Park Rangers on horseback, and then another group of 16 were hazed by the same two riders plus an NPS truck. It was a sad and telling scene as our volunteers documented federal employees marching wild buffalo off of their native landscape, herding them like livestock through the famous Roosevelt Arch that reads: For the benefit and enjoyment of the people. Inside park boundaries, buffalo do benefit the enjoyment of the people, yet outside of this gigantic zoo-like enclosure, they suddenly become "a nuisance animal in need of disease control." Wild buffalo are a nomadic species, moving in search of available forage. By forcing wild buffalo back into an area they chose to leave, an area lacking necessary winter forage found in lower elevations, the Park Service does a cruel disservice to the country's last wild buffalo, threatening their winter survival and disrespecting their wild nature.

In contrast to events in Gardiner, here along the Park's western boundary in West Yellowstone, we have had a relatively enjoyable beginning to the new year. While, sadly, we've had to say good-bye-for-now to some incredible people, new volunteers have begun to arrive. Trekking from places like Oregon, Connecticut and Arizona, they have come here to stand in defense of the last wild buffalo. We've also enjoyed some good snowfall and incredible days out in the field in the company of wild buffalo.

A large mixed herd of buffalo that we've been monitoring for weeks has been enjoying their nomadic nature and native habitat outside Park boundaries on the Horse Butte peninsula. They gently graze here and there, moving up and down the peninsula, leaving the landscape intact and richer for their presence. This part of Gallatin National Forest is a favorite spot for wild buffalo; when they are here they complete the landscape. For weeks we have been watching them move along the gigantic Butte, enchanting area residents and visitors, enriching the Madison River corridor. Our patrols had recently spotted them on the northernmost tip of the Butte, then watched as they amazingly crossed the ice of Hebgen Lake just north of it. Then yesterday, some message only herd by wild buffalo turned them on their heels back eastward. They started by crossing back over the ice and continued their path east, heading down the groomed snowmobile trail along the base of the massive hill. Various patrols saw the mixed group at different points along the Butte, moving quickly with intention on their buffalo mission. Josh and I were on skis doing a recon of the north Madison River bluffs at this time, heading west towards the Butte. Just up ahead we saw the beautiful dark shapes heading in our direction.

We stepped aside, off the trail, and one by one thirty-eight wild shaggy giants passed us by on their way back east, possibly heading back towards the Park, all of their own accord. We were graced with mamas (two sadly donning collars) protectively accompanying their calves and yearlings. With them were impressive young bulls just beginning to show their immense buffalo stature, and gorgeous pregnant females preparing to bring forth new buffalo-life. They would stop, look at us with their big, wet, dark eyes, and realizing we were no threat, move on in their chosen direction. As the herd passed us by, we relished in the beauty of the buffalo, how lucky we are to be in their company, and how incredibly cute the little shaggy babies are. But we were also bitterly reminded that these very buffalo calves may soon be stolen from their mothers and locked into small pastures unfit even for livestock. Domestication and scientific experimentation may become their future. If the federal and state government have their way, a looming quarantine plan (see below) will capture hundreds of bison calves and yearlings and send the majority to slaughter all in a gross effort to create a "disease-free" herd of buffalo. It is a great shame that money generated from the cruel livestock industry takes precedence over the ecologically beneficial and aesthetically pleasing presence of native wild buffalo.

Department of Livestock (DOL) agents have been busy lately, wasting time and U.S. taxpayer money to plow buffalo capture facility areas at Duck Creek and Horse Butte. At least on the Park's western boundary no hazing operations are allowed while Montana's illegitimate hunt is underway, but come February 16, agents will again be out in force to harass, capture and slaughter the country's last wild buffalo. Phase I of Montana's bison hunt ends on January 15. There's just one non-Indian permit left to fill for this phase of the hunt, and to date, no tribal members have chosen to participate. Phase II begins January 16, and will last for one month. It will be a bloody month for these gentle giants, but BFC will be watching. With your continued support we remain on the front lines and no action against the last wild buffalo will go undocumented or unchallenged.

With the Buffalo,
~Stephany
Show your support of the Yellowstone Buffalo...

Bumper stickers and postcards available thru  myself or the BFC.

 lakota@dmv.com
     bfc-advocate@wildrockies.org

 


 


Bumper stickers.
 


Postcards.


 

                     VIEW THE HARSH REALITY...
        VIDEO FOOTAGE FROM THE BUFFALO FIELD CAMPAIGN.
 


Winter of 2005/2006  943
Buffalo killed by Yellowstone National Park,
Montana DOL, and Hunters.
101 last winter.

THE BUFFALO FIELD CAMPAIGN

Working in the field every day to stop the slaughter of Yellowstone's wild free roaming Buffalo.
bison nickel Send your buffalo nickels
to Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer
and tell him to put your buffalo nickel toward
purchasing habitat for wild buffalo in Montana.
Office of the Governor
PO Box 200801
State Capitol
Helena MT 59620-0801
E-mail: Governor@state.mt.us


Since 1985
 4,868
Yellowstone Buffalo slaughtered.
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Last Updated on 03/27/06
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Update Posted 2/20/06
 Bison Kill exceeds 900

HELP SAVE THE YELLOWSTONE BUFFALO...
 943
 Yellowstone Buffalo Killed 2005-2006
849 Slaughtered
by Yellowstone National Park Service
3 ~ Shot by Montana Department of Livestock (DOL)
40 ~ Sent to slaughter by the DOL
  2 ~ Drowned During DOL Hazing Operation
45   Shot by Hunters
3 ~ Died in Confinement in Yellowstone National Park:
1 ~ Shot by Yellowstone National Park
 100 Baby Buffalo held in Quarantine Facility.


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