Come Defend Baby Buffalo!

Looking back at my past 3 seasons working for the Buffalo Field Campaign, I realized how much those who advocate for the wild resort to learning the language of the bureaucrats and the economists to save what they love. If the forest is to be left uncut or the river left undammed, the alternative must save money or have some sort of benefit for humans. Then, and only then, do the trees remain standing and the salmon swim upstream to spawn.
Likewise, when people who fight for the buffalos’ inherent right to migrate towards greener grass try to convince politicians and lobby groups, they are forced to communicate with facts and statistics, bar graphs and spreadsheets. They are forced to play the game.
There are many reasons why the buffalo pose an almost non-existent threat to cattle in the areas west of the park border and why they should have access to land that elk and deer graze. They’ve all been brought up before. I’ve seen friends talk until they are blue in the face to those that persecute the buffalo and those who have the power to save them. Maybe they don’t listen, or maybe it’s still more profitable and politically easy to kill buffalo.
So, right now, I will not continue to play their game of numbers.
Right now, I will bare my heart.
The buffalo that wander out of Yellowstone National Park deserve access to whatever lands they choose. Yes, deserve. They are sentient beings, having thoughts and feelings and dreams, having a language and friends and a community. They were born with the same rights to freedom and life that we were.
The buffalo mothers and their new born calves are entitled to rest and love, without being chased by wannabe cowboys trying to protect cattle that aren’t even there.
I don’t care if the Cattlemen’s Association is afraid of brucellosis. Tell them to get rid of elk feedgrounds. But leave the elk alone too, or you might find me out there as well with a video camera.
I don’t care if a rancher has to pay more to transport cattle in and out of the state. He’s probably getting a steal on his public lands grazing allotment because it’s difficult to turn a profit ranching cattle in the West. There’s a clue: cattle don’t belong in the West.
I don’t care if the National Park Service is feeling pressure from the cattle industry to “manage” its wildlife. To NPS: you are in charge of a wonderful and beautiful place. Do what you set out to do when you applied for your job.
And I don’t care if this letter ruffles a few feathers. Good. Time is running out to save those last best and WILD places.
Right now, I will bare my heart, because, right now dozens of buffalo are being hazed from the north shore of the former Madison River by people who should not be in charge of wildlife (if anyone should be.) Dozens of unique manifestations of the Earth are being forced to waste energy just to placate a few humans with their petty worries about numbers and how many they have in a bank account. Dozens of beautiful shaggy animals who have a right to exist beyond any value that humanity can give them are being chased by cowboys who can’t even do their “job” without helicopters, ATVs, snowmobiles and horses. And this is being done to protect some politician’s approval rating in the polls.
So right now I have a favor.
The next time you feel something. Feel it. Don’t apologize. Don’t rationalize. Feel it. And then DO something about it. Talk about it. And if your only reason for wanting more trees or salmon or seals or buffalo than there were last year is because they are beautiful, then say it. If your only reason for wanting less smoke stacks and nuclear power plants and oil spills is because they are wrong, then THAT’S your rationalization. Go with it.
Okay, just one more favor: Come out to West Yellowstone if you are able and care for the buffalo. You will never feel more alive than when you are doing what you know is right. You know that, you’ve felt it before. Think back. It may have been a long time since you’ve said, “no” when they’ve said “yes.” But you’ll remember.
What could 50 committed volunteers do over a weekend? What could 100 do over a week? What if everyone who ever felt that things weren’t going the way they thought they should be came down here and MADE A DIFFERENCE?
So, call, email or write. We’re here and we’re waiting for you. Let’s get organized. Maybe this will be the last year that the cowboys are in control. Maybe this is the year of the buffalo.

buffalo [at] wildrockies.org
406.646.0070
buffalofieldcampaign.org