Flyover may show if bison killings have exceeded 32
By Jeff Kass, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Friday, March 28, 2008
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Investigators may fly over a broad swath of Park County today to determine if the bison slaughter exceeds the 32 dead animals that have already been found.
"We don't know" if we'll find more bison, Park County Undersheriff Monte Gore said, but added, "I think that's a distinct possibility." He declined to say why.
A Friday flyover depends on the weather, Gore said, but he expected a sheriff's investigator and a photographer to be on board when it is done.
Most of the dead bison have been found on or near Hawn Ranch, co-owned by Texas businessman Jeff Hawn. Hawn is involved in a legal dispute with the nearby Downare family, which owned the dead bison.
Hawn has alleged that bison were roaming onto his land and destroying property.
Those involved in shooting the bison - 14 have so far been interviewed by authorities - were staying in a barn, outbuildings, and tent on the Hawn property, the undersheriff said.
The hunters have reportedly said they had permission to shoot the bison, but who gave that OK is part of an ongoing investigation. The sheriff's office has said it expects to recommend criminal charges.
Dead bison were also found on property belonging to the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and one or more other private property owners, Gore said.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has begun testing bullets found among the bison, a spokesman said.
Comments
Posted by davies on March 28, 2008 at 8:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ongoing investigation, flyovers, 14 shooters interviewed - gosh, it looks like the sheriff is staying busy now. I wonder if he wishes he had done a little more about the original complaint.
Posted by CWW on March 28, 2008 at 9:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hopefully, all the bad press he's been getting will make sure he keeps honest with the assessment.
Posted by lappy on March 28, 2008 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Idiotical, stupid, moronic, having no regard for beautiful creatures, having pea brains as to think that what they were doing was sanctioned in any way by anyone; that's the mentality of such people who did this outrageous thing to the magestic bison of Colorado. They should be criminally charged and made to dispose of all the carcasses of the bison physically themselves and while being filmed!
Posted by analytixman on March 28, 2008 at 4:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Jeff Hawn is the CEO of Attatchmate corporation. Those who find this appalling that he would take the law into his own hands and hire gunslingers like this was the old west, should take a moment to voice their concerns to http://www.attachmate.com/Press/Manag...
Posted by home_on_the_range on March 28, 2008 at 4:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Analytixman - Before rounding up your posse and lynch mob for Jeff Hawn maybe you should wait to find out exactly what his role was. At this point all we know is that he is part owner of a piece of property where some of the dead bison were discovered and that he filed a complaint against the neighboring ranch that owns the bison a few weeks prior. Two things that any reporter worth their salt could dig up under public record yet nothing that indicates any wrong doing. While things do look suspicious, there is has been no evidence revealed yet that he was aware of the shootings or that he gave instructions or payment to individuals to shoot the bison.
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