Bison-kill bullets given to CBI
By Jeff Kass, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Originally published 12:29 p.m., March 26, 2008
Updated 06:14 p.m., March 26, 2008
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The Colorado Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday received bullets, bullet fragments, and shell casings connected to the Park County bison killings.
The items, littered among the dead bison, will be checked by the forensic lab in Lakewood to see what weapons were used to kill the 32 animals, said CBI spokesman Lance Clem.
Also Wednesday, Park County Undersheriff Monte Gore said his office had confiscated several short and long guns connected to the shootings.
The sheriff's office expects to send at least some of those guns to CBI, Gore added.
Part of CBI's mandate is to assist local law enforcement agencies in crime scene investigation.
Investigators are continuing to interview 14 hunters who said they had permission to shoot the bison. But who who gave that permission is part of the investigation, Gore said.
Gore said he believes all are Colorado residents. Their names have not been released.
The Park County sheriff discovered the bison last Thursday after receiving a 911 call.
Gore did not expect any charges to be brought this week, but said, "We're wanting to bring the individuals responsible for this to justice. I'm sure there will be charges recommended at a later date."
Among the charges being considered is aggravated animal cruelty.
The bison were owned by Monte Downare and his father Vaughn Downare, but some were found on land co-owned by Jeff Hawn. Hawn is in a legal dispute with the Downares because the buffalo allegedly roamed onto his property, and Gore said the hunters' camp was found on Hawn's property.
Dead bison were also found on land owned by the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and other private property. Gore declined to name the other private property owner.
The hunters were harvesting some of the bison meat when authorities were alerted, and Monte Downare allowed them to take it, Gore said.
Comments
Posted by temurlan on March 26, 2008 at 1:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So if some bison are out in the wild you have permission to shoot them and leave them where they fall? It's because of idiots like this that they almost went extinct.
Posted by buzzman on March 26, 2008 at 3:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Shoot them and let them lay---yeah, right--liars
Posted by rip_vw32 on March 26, 2008 at 4:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Don't really understand how someone can tell another to shoot animals on thier property in this state. The law is open range, if you don't want animals on your property, you are responsible for fencing them OUT not a requirement to fence them IN. should have called animal control.... or built better fences....DUMB!!
Posted by bushmaster on March 26, 2008 at 7:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i have seen them out roaming hwy 24 through south park too...but shoot them? freakin idiots.
Posted by happymike44 on March 26, 2008 at 11:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Am I the only person who feels this guy from texas should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.They slaughtered someone's livelyhood.Mr Hawn it is not 1880 here it is 2008 so you can't just do what you want when you want.You had other alternatives to the actions you chose to engage in.I have been around cattle when I was younger and they did get out.We often sat with our cattle and kept track of them.When they did get out our neighbors would call us and help us put them back.Never knew what nice neighbors we had.This was just a blatant waste of nature's resources.Also congratulations for acting like a true texas bozo.So if those people who owned the bison pursue you civily good luck.I doubt very many of people would find in your favor.Also I wish you luck because on your property or not you still needed to obey the law and call law enforcement.No one person can take the law into your own hand.Laws are what seperate us from the poo throwing primates at the zoo.
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