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* Update from the Field (Yep, Buffalo Field Campaign is the only group working 365 days a year in the field with the buffalo!!)

* Heartfelt Plea to make one call or fax for the buffalo - your concern truly could decide the fate of the buffalo who migrate out of Yellowstone on the Western edge to their traditional winter grazing and spring calving grounds
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* Update from the Field
It was a snowy week in West Yellowstone and the cold air that usually surrounds the winter solstice was a daily companion. BFC continued to monitor about 20 wary Bison on National Forest Land west of the park boundary; as well as keeping an eye on the main herds inside the park. Our numbers in camp have gone up and more volunteers are expected over the holidays and into January. We expect that they all will be needed in the field before the year 2000 draws to a close.

On Thursday the 14th, four Montana DOL agents attempted their first snowmobile haze of the winter. Unfortunately for DOL , the Bison were on to their harassing antics and were able to conceal themselves throughout the morning. Although 4 agents made the journey from Helena for the day, they seemed to lack enthusiasm after a couple of snowmobile mishaps and left town early in the afternoon. It is also very obvious that Montana DOL is prepared to waste plenty of money harassing and killing America's last wild Buffalo. We are pleased to announce that no buffalo or DOL agents where injured.

On Dec. 7th, three volunteers were able to count the entire Yellowstone herd from a light airplane. We counted a total of 2466 Bison in the park with nearly 500 moving slowly down the Madison River towards the Horse Butte wintering grounds. There are approximately 580 in the Lamar valley, 550 in the Pelican and 840 in the Hayden valley. Many thanks go out to Lighthawk pilot Reg Goodwin for his continuous support. The information that we gather on these over flights are invaluable as the winter progresses, and of course the scenery is incredible.

BFC would like to give thanks to you all for the amazing contributions that you have made on behalf of the Buffalo. A very special thanks goes out to Gail C. -you are in our prayers, and to David and Donna C. also. As always, we are in need of warm gear for volunteers and are requesting any donations of pack boots
(Sorrel's, etc.) in men's sizes 10 and up. Salle, the VW's running great,
we love you. On a final note, it appears our efforts to spread the word about Yellowstone Bison are paying off with several film crews scheduled to arrive next month and the recent use of our footage on the Discovery Channel.

Thank you all again for your help,
Peter Leusch and Mike Mease

Buffalo Field Campaign (formerly Buffalo Nations)
PO Box 957
West Yellowstone, MT 59758
406-646-0070 phone
406-646-0071 fax
buffalo@wildrockies.org
www.wildrockies.org/buffalo

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* Urgent plea for Action....
Greetings! Friends of the buffalo -
It looks as though next week, the grazing permits for the 4 cattle grazing allotments on our public lands on Horse Butte could be signed for another 10 years. Over 90,000 citizens have contacted the officials that have the power to cancel these allotments and allow wild life to use them as was intended. At the very least they should only extend them for a year at a time until after an Environmental Assessment is completed as required by NEPA. The fact that Horse Butte is home to endangered bald eagles, wolves and grizzlies should make it obvious that the letter of the law of the Endangered Species Act should be followed.

The Horse Butte peninsula is itself a natural barrier for confining bison migrations.
Remove the cattle allotments from that area, and you have absolutely no justification for siting a buffalo capture/slaughter facility there as the natural water barriers surrounding Horse Butte already fulfill that purpose.

Public officials should set a good example and take action to show that buffalo are an important part of the Yellowstone ecosystem as well as a national heritage.

Please take a minute and make a phone call or send a fax. (Emails will not be that effective, in this case.) Calls/faxes need to be made Friday (today) or over the weekend or Monday. A large pile of faxes piled up could prove that there are people from all walks of life that care about the last wild buffalo and their future generations.

The Forest Service Chief has the authority to cancel these permits -
Forest Service 36 CFR; Section 222.4
"The Chief, Forest Service, is authorized to cancel, modify or suspend grazing and livestock use permits in whole or in part"

If you could please make a call, my friends, as you are the folks who know the issue and can talk politely and intelligently about this issue, I would be very grateful.

Here are the numbers of the 2 most important folks to call:
Mike Dombeck
phone: 202 205 1661
fax: 202 205 1765
USDA Forest Service
POB 96090
201 14th Street SW
Washington, D.C. 20024

The gent who can tell the local ranger not to sign the permit.
Dave Garber; Gallatin NF Supervisor (leave a message..)
phone: 406 587 6701
fax: 406 587 6758
10 E Babcock
POB 130 Fed Bldg 59771

This is critical and I appreciate your support. Prayers for these public officials to open their hearts would also be beneficial.

Here are a few talking points :

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From the Forest Service Manual -
2231.62 - "Suspension or Cancellation of Grazing Permits. Grazing permits may be suspended or cancelled, in whole or in part, for various reasons. Consider circumstances and prevailing conditions in deciding the kind and extent of appropriate action. Suspend a permit if a temporary change is necessary to accomplish a specific resource purpose. "
2231.62d - "To Devote Lands to Other Public Purpose. Grazing permits on lands that are to be devoted to another public purpose may be canceled in whole or in part."