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  #31  
Old 10-26-2013, 12:53 AM
slough shark slough shark is offline
 
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For those wondering how they would affect the moose and elk aside from them being pushed out of prime feeding areas would this fence stop any migrations? From what I hear they are planning on putting them close to yahatinda which could impact a pretty significant elk herd...
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  #32  
Old 10-26-2013, 07:04 AM
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Segundo Segundo is offline
 
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Bison are livetock ..........
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  #33  
Old 10-26-2013, 07:13 AM
bisonhunter bisonhunter is offline
 
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To the OP I would suggest a trip to Elk Island park. Go have a look around maybe jot down the types and numbers of animals you see then come back and let us know if the bison are a real danger to the elk and moose in the area.

Scientists say that at one time they were the largest herds to ever roam the earth. (60 million strong)

There are herds in the Yukon, northern BC, Northwest Territories and Alberta. The only ones with the Brucelosis/tuberculosis are the Wood Buffalo park and they are kept from intermingling with the northern and western herds using Bison control areas.

In the past couple of years there has been a controlled hunt of them in Northern Alberta as some of our smiling friends her on AO would be happy to show you pictures of.

Will there be problems with a reintroduction of bison in Banff? Of course there will. Just how many problems and how often a person can't really say. But I'm sure there will be run ins with ranchers and tourists like the one shown in the video already posted. By far the biggest danger will be vehicle collisions.

Here in the NWT we don't have all of the ranching issues to deal with, but we do have Bison and some get hit every year. http://drivealive.ca/driving-north/s...son-awareness/

I guess to me I look at it this way. They were here before any of us, our native brothers included. Do we really have the right to dictate what species can be included in the natural environment? Men have always done this but that doesn't necessarily make it right.

Will they attract predators? Yes. Will that be detrimental to the elk/moose/deer/sheep? Maybe, maybe not. Time would be the judge of that. There seems to be more predators around these days anyways, except of course grizzly bears which are extinct in Alberta (everyone knows that)

Personally I love having the Bison around. I like the majesty of them and just how tough they really are, and they make great burger .....lots and lots of great burger.

So I say let a few go and see what happens maybe it will be a disaster, maybe a win/win for everyone involved. Take your kids and show them, tell them how there used to be millions of them. They'll love it, there aren't too many animals more impressive than a giant bull Bison just doing what he does.
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  #34  
Old 10-26-2013, 07:59 AM
Big Daddy Badger Big Daddy Badger is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fish gunner View Post
Priceless ,if they eat your oats can you shoot them ?
Of course ...in fact if one is spotted near an oat field... the default solution among outdoorsmen is SSS
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  #35  
Old 10-26-2013, 08:01 AM
Big Daddy Badger Big Daddy Badger is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bisonhunter View Post
To the OP I would suggest a trip to Elk Island park. Go have a look around maybe jot down the types and numbers of animals you see then come back and let us know if the bison are a real danger to the elk and moose in the area.

Scientists say that at one time they were the largest herds to ever roam the earth. (60 million strong)

There are herds in the Yukon, northern BC, Northwest Territories and Alberta. The only ones with the Brucelosis/tuberculosis are the Wood Buffalo park and they are kept from intermingling with the northern and western herds using Bison control areas.

In the past couple of years there has been a controlled hunt of them in Northern Alberta as some of our smiling friends her on AO would be happy to show you pictures of.


Will there be problems with a reintroduction of bison in Banff? Of course there will. Just how many problems and how often a person can't really say. But I'm sure there will be run ins with ranchers and tourists like the one shown in the video already posted. By far the biggest danger will be vehicle collisions.

Here in the NWT we don't have all of the ranching issues to deal with, but we do have Bison and some get hit every year. http://drivealive.ca/driving-north/s...son-awareness/

I guess to me I look at it this way. They were here before any of us, our native brothers included. Do we really have the right to dictate what species can be included in the natural environment? Men have always done this but that doesn't necessarily make it right.

Will they attract predators? Yes. Will that be detrimental to the elk/moose/deer/sheep? Maybe, maybe not. Time would be the judge of that. There seems to be more predators around these days anyways, except of course grizzly bears which are extinct in Alberta (everyone knows that)

Personally I love having the Bison around. I like the majesty of them and just how tough they really are, and they make great burger .....lots and lots of great burger.

So I say let a few go and see what happens maybe it will be a disaster, maybe a win/win for everyone involved. Take your kids and show them, tell them how there used to be millions of them. They'll love it, there aren't too many animals more impressive than a giant bull Bison just doing what he does.
I suspect that having herds of bison roaming about in winter would actually help animals like deer and antelope because the bison would help break up the snow pack so they too could get around and access feed.
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  #36  
Old 10-26-2013, 08:05 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Daddy Badger View Post
Of course ...in fact if one is spotted near an oat field... the default solution among outdoorsmen is SSS
Actually had this situation. Escapee from a neighboring farm, who had been loose for months, showed up in our hay field. A little conflicted, so I phoned the RCMP, who sounded reluctant to believe me. In the mean time owners showed up and herded him off with a couple of trucks.

Grizz
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  #37  
Old 10-26-2013, 09:21 AM
Big Daddy Badger Big Daddy Badger is offline
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Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams View Post
Actually had this situation. Escapee from a neighboring farm, who had been loose for months, showed up in our hay field. A little conflicted, so I phoned the RCMP, who sounded reluctant to believe me. In the mean time owners showed up and herded him off with a couple of trucks.

Grizz
Kind of cool actually.

We moved a bunch of them during the floods in MB in 97... kind of tricky.
Course there was also the great escape at CFB Wainwright years ago.
The whole herd busted out of the paddock and ran amuck.

Kind of funny really...the way they were returned to the paddock.

I got this second hand...

One NCO from the riding club hopped on his horse and tried to push them like cattle.
Big mistake... the herd bull was a bugger and he gave chase along with the rest of them.

Buddy ran into the paddock and managed to make a turn and get out through the gate (which others closed) before they caught him.

Apparently he was pretty impressed at how fast his poor horse could actually move when he needed to....lol
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  #38  
Old 10-26-2013, 11:41 AM
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Matt L. Matt L. is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Daddy Badger View Post
I suspect that having herds of bison roaming about in winter would actually help animals like deer and antelope because the bison would help break up the snow pack so they too could get around and access feed.
They are good for the antelope, that is true.
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  #39  
Old 10-26-2013, 12:06 PM
TUFFBUFF TUFFBUFF is offline
 
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Sure you can keep a handful for the tourists to see.

Start with calves/yearlings and it will become their home, older ones will wander. No more than 50, this will require "culling" of some sort, or steralizing. Baited back into their pen for the winter or you'll find them at the neighbors in the winter and they won't want to come back home. They are hard on habitat if they don't have enough room.
With the Ya ha elk population way down there should be room for these fellas, you can also get rid of some horses for fun.

I think it's to close to majority of the population though, and it would be a big undertaking to pull it off.

The worst is some moms with new calves, then bulls in the rut and sure as hell someone will get to close to take a pic and find out how they can be.
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  #40  
Old 10-26-2013, 09:01 PM
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Reel Time Rut Outdoors Reel Time Rut Outdoors is offline
 
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free range bison have been done before, and other animals are able to coexist, at Prince Albert National park is a good example. Some info from land owners next to the park

http://www.bisonstewards.ca/
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