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Slaughter of bison roils ranch town (CO)
LA Times ^ | May 4, 2008 | DeeDee Correll

Posted on 05/04/2008 10:31:21 AM PDT by jazusamo

In a breach of the local code of ethics -- and possibly the law -- 32 are killed after straying onto a neighbor's land.

FAIRPLAY, COLO. -- This is not a place where buffalo are welcome to roam.

When 32 bison lumbered across a fence that separated their owners' vast, wind-swept expanse of land from a neighboring ranch in March, they ended up dead.

Some fell where they were shot. Others scattered, galloping for miles before they succumbed in the snow.

They were victims, contend the bison's owners, of a murder plot hatched by the neighbor, a Texan frustrated by what he called the repeated trespassing of the herd onto his land.

Law enforcement officials are closemouthed, saying only that they are investigating.

At issue, said Park County Undersheriff Monte Gore, is whether the culprit violated Colorado's century-old open-range law, which says livestock may go pretty much where they please.

Throughout the West, many states still adhere to the open-range principle, a throwback to the 1800s that says it is not a rancher's responsibility to keep livestock fenced in -- it's everyone else's job to keep them out.

If you don't want someone else's cow on your land, the law goes, build a fence. If the cow crosses your fence, you can lock it up until its owner retrieves it, and you can sue the owner for damages. But you can't kill it, said Rick Wahlert, Colorado brand commissioner.

In Colorado's high country, transplanted city dwellers often don't understand, Wahlert said.

"They ask why should they have to fence their property?" he said. "I say, 'OK, fine. You lived in town. Say you had a swimming pool. Did you let the neighbor kids run through? How did you keep them out? You put up a fence. It's the same concept.' "

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Local News; Outdoors; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: austin; banglist; bison; colorado; corruption; hawn; jeffhawn; jeffreyshawn; ranching; slaughter; texas; vaughndownare; wildlife
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In Colorado you can’t just shoot an animal on your property, even mountain lions and bears, even if they are attacking your pet. I think a justified shooting requires defense of attack against a person or protection of livestock. This excludes the legal hunting seasons in areas open to hunting.

I seriously doubt these bison were attacking the shooters.


41 posted on 05/04/2008 1:22:32 PM PDT by MtnClimber (Obama pledges to give every typical small town white family a possum sandwich)
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To: jazusamo
I know where that is. Fairplay is one stop light dot on the way to Denver. Its more pasture than mountain country. There's no civilization for a couple hundred miles between it to Buena Vista to the south and Denver to the north.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

42 posted on 05/04/2008 1:24:27 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: george76
"The sheriff has been very quiet so far.

Others may know some more.
"

Actually, some "city slickers" get along well with their ranching neighbors, and some who pretend to be very agricultural ("pioneers," even) are more oriented toward committing crimes.

I don't know much about that case, but there are other similar cases. It appears to me, that the local authorities are trying avoid being involved in "feuds" between neighbors. But that policy, if generalized too far, tends to favor local criminals (and sometimes, their associates in local government), who are committing crimes against law-abiding neighbors. My advice to law enforcement (although I'm not a lawyer): if you tell a victim that their case is only a "civil matter," you should first make sure that it is.

BTW, when there's a methamphetamine/cocaine problem in a rural area (especially an area full of militant homosexual activists and other social lefties), cases that appear on the surface to be a "feud" (but aren't) will eventually become too frequent.

Notice that Park County has Bailey in the north end and Guffey in the South.


43 posted on 05/04/2008 1:38:14 PM PDT by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), NG, '89-'96)
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To: george76

—thanks for the ping—


44 posted on 05/04/2008 1:42:25 PM PDT by rellimpank (--don't believe anything the MSM tells you about firearms or explosives--NRA Benefactor)
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To: NVDave
That held them.

I suspect it did only because the bison decided not to go through it. There is a big ranch in WY along Hwy 58. It is fenced, but the rancher also feeds his herd. The fence would be a slight inconvenience should a bison decide to cross.

45 posted on 05/04/2008 1:44:33 PM PDT by xone
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To: george76

And also BTW, george76, there might be a need in a Dept. to have at least some personnel to review and practice interviews and interrogations (techniques, differences between the two, etc.).


46 posted on 05/04/2008 1:44:47 PM PDT by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), NG, '89-'96)
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To: jazusamo
The reintroduction of bison on the plains is valuable...they finally discovered, after decades, that the only way the rich grasses of the plains will grow is to be ‘fertilized’ by bison who are fed the seed...

This is vital for reestablishing the natural prairie grasses that, in turn, keep the top soil for being blown off - like in the “Dust Bowl” fiasco.

Yes, they can build bison tough fences - but certainly not enough to contain a herd of buffalo that roams hundreds of acres - especially if they are going to keep the grasses growing.

That being said - I wonder if a couple good sheep/cow dogs couldn't discourage the big fellas from grazing on the neighbors land? Or, the carpet bagger could always go back to the city...

He reminds me of the city ‘flatlanders’ that move to Maine, build a fancy house next to a dairy farm and then sue the farmer because “it smells” = libRAt idiots

47 posted on 05/04/2008 1:52:29 PM PDT by maine-iac7 (Typical Gun-Toting, Jesus-Loving Gramma)
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To: jazusamo
The reintroduction of bison on the plains is valuable...they finally discovered, after decades, that the only way the rich grasses of the plains will grow is to be ‘fertilized’ by bison who are fed the seed...

This is vital for reestablishing the natural prairie grasses that, in turn, keep the top soil for being blown off - like in the “Dust Bowl” fiasco.

Yes, they can build bison tough fences - but certainly not enough to contain a herd of buffalo that roams hundreds of acres - especially if they are going to keep the grasses growing.

That being said - I wonder if a couple good sheep/cow dogs couldn't discourage the big fellas from grazing on the neighbors land? Or, the carpet bagger could always go back to the city...

He reminds me of the city ‘flatlanders’ that move to Maine, build a fancy house next to a dairy farm and then sue the farmer because “it smells” = libRAt idiots

48 posted on 05/04/2008 1:54:59 PM PDT by maine-iac7 (Typical Gun-Toting, Jesus-Loving Gramma)
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To: kbennkc
I guess that clears up my problems with the neighbors about my mountain lions . They have an owner , thus are clearly pet cats

Totally innocuous analogy - and I suspect you know it - but perhaps think we're to dumb to know it...

I'll see your mountain lion and raise you one giraffe


49 posted on 05/04/2008 2:09:06 PM PDT by maine-iac7 (Typical Gun-Toting, Jesus-Loving Gramma)
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To: jazusamo
"do not call us if a coyote eats your cat”.

I love this one! Make a great bumper sticker...

(couldn't reply to poster on this as something screwy is going on with the FR system - had to go back to one of my own posts to reconnect)

In Maine, we need to give new coming flatlanders an advice sheet that includes, "...if you buy and build next door to a dairy farm, do not call us if it stinks."

50 posted on 05/04/2008 2:14:23 PM PDT by maine-iac7 (Typical Gun-Toting, Jesus-Loving Gramma)
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To: george76; jazusamo

I replied to this ping once and my post disappeared, so I’ll try again:

I wonder if this Mr. Hawn is one of those “environmentalists” that is opposed to ranchers’ livestock grazing on public land? Perhaps that is why some of these were shot on public land?

I also agree that these shooters aren’t hunters, they’re idiots, not in the same class as amy hunter I know.

Killing these (even privately owned) animals on public land will most likely cost them dearly.


51 posted on 05/04/2008 2:14:27 PM PDT by girlangler (Fish Fear Me)
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To: girlangler; george76

I hope it costs them dearly and hope it can be proved Hawn hired or asked them to do it, he deserves to be nailed also.

The posting of comments is really messed up today for some reason, I keep having to hit refresh to make posts reappear.


52 posted on 05/04/2008 2:24:29 PM PDT by jazusamo (DefendOurMarines.org | DefendOurTroops.org)
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To: maine-iac7

Yep, the dairy farm thing would be good in CA, OR and WA too. People have been complaining for years after they move close to one.

Posting is a challenge today. :-)


53 posted on 05/04/2008 2:29:29 PM PDT by jazusamo (DefendOurMarines.org | DefendOurTroops.org)
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To: maine-iac7
raise you one giraffe

If you are going to start raising giraffes I might as well get out of the apple business .

54 posted on 05/04/2008 2:53:20 PM PDT by kbennkc (For those who have fought for it , freedom has a flavor the protected will never know)
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To: NVDave

I do agree with you on bison being a “force of nature”. However, I still did not see anything about any damage being done to this guy’s property. The fact that he got other “permission” to kill the bison is quite premeditated, the guy made no attempt to contact local authorities for help,


55 posted on 05/04/2008 3:09:49 PM PDT by FORTRUTHONLY
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To: jazusamo

me too

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2011165/posts


56 posted on 05/04/2008 3:12:59 PM PDT by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: george76

Thanks, I just saw that and it looks like things are back in the pink. :)


57 posted on 05/04/2008 3:18:45 PM PDT by jazusamo (DefendOurMarines.org | DefendOurTroops.org)
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To: MtnClimber

We see that a newbie city person has moved in when these signs show up : ‘ Has anyone seen my little dog muffin ?’


58 posted on 05/04/2008 3:19:54 PM PDT by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: jazusamo

Jeff Hawn, senior vice president of operations at BMC ?

BMC employs 543 people in Austin.

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2002/01/21/daily48.html


59 posted on 05/04/2008 3:22:55 PM PDT by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: girlangler

The owner of 32 bison slain about 85 miles southwest of Denver filed a lawsuit, alleging owners of neighboring property hired 14 SHOOTERS to kill the animals.

Longtime Colorado rancher Monte Downare filed the lawsuit in Park County District Court Tuesday against Austin, Texas, businessman Jeff Hawn and his Denver lawyer, Stephen Csajaghy.

Downare claims “outrageous conduct” that has caused them emotional distress. No criminal charges have been filed. YET.

Hawn, who has identified himself as a major shareholder in Wateredge Properties

Of the 32 bison killed, only eight were shot on the Hawn property, according to the suite.

The rest were killed on property not owned or controlled by Hawn and his Wateredge Properties.


60 posted on 05/04/2008 3:28:24 PM PDT by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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