[RFN] Last Day for ESA Comments, IBMP Meeting, New Documentary, and More!

[Stephany Seay]

Dear Friends,

*Today is the last day to submit comments to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service in support of Endangered Species Act protection.*  Comments are
being accepted until 11:59 pm, EST, today! Thank you to everyone who has
sent in their comments already!  If you haven't yet, you can take action
here. <https://roamfreenation.org/take-action/>

A lot has been going on since our last email to you.  Thankfully, calving
season is in full swing and little baby buffalo are arriving daily.  This
is healing balm to our wounded hearts after such a long, heavy season of
killing.  The buffalo are not totally in the clear yet, as there has been
at least one tribe seen hunting in the Hebgen Basin, on Horse Butte near
West Yellowstone.  Eventually, the buffalo will return to their summer
ranges and rutting grounds: the Central herd will move into the Hayden
Valley and surrounding areas, and the Northern herd will move into the
Blacktail Plateau and Lamar Valley.  There they will enjoy the cornucopia
of lush summer grasses and the absence of guns and traps, though they will
still have to deal with tourists, some of whom still do not know how to
respect a buffalo's space.  There have already been a few selfie-takers who
have come very close to being tossed.

Roam Free Nation's cofounders recently had a *joint opinion-editorial
publishe*d, Mass Yellowstone Bison Kill -- Who Pulls the Trigger and Why?
<https://www.counterpunch.org/2023/06/01/mass-yellowstone-bison-kill-who-pulls-the-trigger-and-why/>
This piece was in response to a few mainstream media articles which told a
one-sided story, glorifying the "hunt".  It first appeared in CounterPunch
and the Missoula Current, and will be published in other Montana papers
this coming week.

This week, myself and Jaedin Medicine Elk will travel to the Gardiner
Basin, along the northern boundary of Yellowstone,* to attend the
Interagency Bison Management Plan meeting <http://ibmp.info/meetings.php>.*
If anyone reading this email is able to attend, your presence will be most
welcome.  This could b te a very intense meeting given the severity of the
mismanagment actions this year, as well as news from Montana's Governor,
Greg Gianforte, who is threatening to sue Yellowstone National Park if they
don't drive the buffalo population down to 3,000 individuals.  This comes
relatively hot on the heels of Yellowstone officials publicly stating that
the park alone can sustain upwards of 11,000 buffalo.  Yellowstone is also
expected to release a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, thanks to the
work of our friends at Yellowstone Voices, with one of the alternatives
being an end to capture-for-slaughter, which we will obviously be in full
support of.  We will be sure to keep you posted and let you know how to
make your voice count.

*A brand new documentary about the 'hunt' at Beattie Gulch *has just been
released by Yellowstone Voices.  You can view it here
<https://vimeo.com/832970937/a8c3e3a237?share=copy>.  There are great
interviews with Natives, scientists, bison advocates (including RFN!), and
others, along with intensely telling footage that shows what a terrible
sham the 'hunt' is.  Please check it out and share it widely!

Lastly, take a moment to give a listen to *a recent podcast interview *with
yours truly on For A Green Future.
<https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/foragreenfuture/episodes/2023-06-01T08_10_04-07_00>
We always appreciate being invited back to speak on this program.  The
interview starts at about minute 26:28.

If you do social media, be sure to check us out on Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/RoamFreeNation>, Instagram
<https://www.instagram.com/buffalo1st/>, and Twitter
<https://twitter.com/RoamFreeNation> for timely information.  And, please,
encourage your friends to join our email list serve.  If you ever have any
questions for us or would just like to chat, email us at
roamfreenation at gmail.com.

As always, thank you so much for being with us for wild buffalo and wild
nature.

Wild is the Way!  Roam Free!

~ Stephany
Cofounder, Roam Free Nation
roamfreenation at gmai.com
www.roamfreenation.org
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