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Billy, the runaway bison, is being lured back to the farm with treats: ‘Her motivation for food is going to be her downfall’
CHICAGO TRIBUNE ^ | JAN 26, 2022 | NARA SCHOENBERG

Posted on 01/26/2022 12:46:30 PM PST by SJackson

Billy, the runaway bison who became an unlikely social media star in suburban Cary this fall, is being lured home with the help of molasses-sweetened feed, according to one of her co-owners.

Scott Comstock of Milk & Honey Farmstead in Wauconda said that the bison, dubbed Billy by some of her fans, has been staying close to the farm in a forest preserve, and he has been able to see her daily, sometimes from as close as 10 feet away. Using food, he is encouraging the wily 950-pound bovine to walk in and out of an enclosure he built for her capture.

The plan is to make Billy comfortable with the enclosure, so that when Comstock does close the gate behind her, she doesn’t try to break out.

“I’m hoping within the next week or so, we can get her contained and get her home,” Comstock said.

Billy escaped when she and her sister were delivered to Milk & Honey Farmstead on Sept. 18, and she was soon seen galloping along a local road. Citizens posted photos and videos of her on Facebook, along with jokes and statements of support. A local artist painted her portrait, and the Island Lake police posted video of an officer’s encounter with “our beloved Island Lake bison” who has proved “as elusive as Sasquatch.”

As the owners’ search for their bison proceeded through farms and forest preserves, with the McHenry County Conservation District at one point even deploying a drone, Billy’s legend grew. Fans marvel at her feats — she appears to have crossed the Fox River — as well as her outlaw spirit, her love of freedom and her penchant for surprise appearances in parks and yards.

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


TOPICS: Outdoors
KEYWORDS: dontpetthebison; illinois; wakanda; wauconda
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1 posted on 01/26/2022 12:46:30 PM PST by SJackson
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To: Iowa Granny; Ladysmith; Diana in Wisconsin; JLO; sergeantdave; damncat; phantomworker; joesnuffy; ..

Outdoors/Rural/wildlife/hunting/hiking/backpacking/National Parks/animals list please FR mail me to be on or off . And ping me is you see articles of interest.


2 posted on 01/26/2022 12:47:06 PM PST by SJackson (I just think COVID is God's gift to the left, Jane Fonda)
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To: SJackson

Trying to read the article and so many popups moving the page around and finally the whole thing is shifted to another page completely. A page for the chicago tribune or something.


3 posted on 01/26/2022 12:56:12 PM PST by Beowulf9
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To: SJackson
"‘Her motivation for food is going to be her downfall’"

I feel your pain, Billy...

4 posted on 01/26/2022 12:58:24 PM PST by Hatteras
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To: SJackson

5 posted on 01/26/2022 1:00:48 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: Beowulf9

Yes, that’s the Tribune site. Couldn’t find any other articles on Billy.


6 posted on 01/26/2022 1:01:49 PM PST by SJackson (I just think COVID is God's gift to the left, Jane Fonda)
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To: SJackson

Cute story though ❤️


7 posted on 01/26/2022 1:03:19 PM PST by Beowulf9
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To: SJackson

Billy, don’t be a hero...


8 posted on 01/26/2022 1:16:12 PM PST by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: SJackson

Ah, when Bison roamed the plains. Hope he finds a mate.


9 posted on 01/26/2022 1:19:22 PM PST by 1Old Pro (Let's make crime illegal again!)
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To: SJackson

Don’t pet the bison.


10 posted on 01/26/2022 1:21:12 PM PST by kiryandil (China Joe and Paycheck Hunter - the Chink in America's defenses)
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To: SJackson

The plan is to make Billy comfortable with the enclosure, so that when Comstock does close the gate behind her, she doesn’t try to break out.

Sounds like what governments have been doing with the lockdowns.


11 posted on 01/26/2022 1:22:58 PM PST by Flick Lives (The CDC. Brought to you by Pfizer.)
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To: SJackson
Fans marvel at her feats —

Dey was indeed big, and shoe less too.........

12 posted on 01/26/2022 1:32:27 PM PST by Hot Tabasco
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To: SJackson

Must be rural cops, urban cops would have shot her on sight.


13 posted on 01/26/2022 1:32:33 PM PST by doorgunner69 (Let's go Brandon)
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To: Army Air Corps

They have to go slow. She won’t be buffaloed into this.


14 posted on 01/26/2022 1:36:13 PM PST by j.havenfarm (21 years on Free Republic, 12/10/21! More than 5000 replies and still not shutting up!)
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To: SJackson

Prime steak on the hoof.


15 posted on 01/26/2022 1:36:43 PM PST by 353FMG
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To: SJackson

I had a “robust” great-uncle that could be lured from about anywhere with a slice of my grandma’s almond butter cake!


16 posted on 01/26/2022 1:42:36 PM PST by sevinufnine
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To: SJackson
In this story from Hawaii, the locals wrangled some bison.

Video at source

No, your eyes aren't deceiving you: Those are paniolo wrangling bison in Kauai floodwaters

Bison roaming along Kauai coastlines — even wading through floodwaters — after the weekend's unprecedented rains.

Images of the bison free in spots around Kauai's north shore have gone viral on social media.

The large animals, which are definitely not native to Hawaii, got loose in severe flooding that hit the island and paniolo have spent the last several days trying to bring them back in.

The animals are reportedly from Hanalei Bison Ranch, which apparently had 200 of the animals.

Kyle Schumacher, who was helping to wrangle the bison in, said many of the bison got swept up in floodwaters and could be seen swimming downstream.

Bison can weigh up to 1,400 pounds fully grown.

17 posted on 01/26/2022 1:45:09 PM PST by csvset (tolerance becomes a crime when attached to evil)
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To: SJackson

She’s got good genes...


18 posted on 01/26/2022 2:56:46 PM PST by Getready (Wisdom is more valuable than gold and diamonds, and harder to find.)
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To: SJackson

Billy is a boy’s name.


19 posted on 01/26/2022 3:30:48 PM PST by unlearner (Si vis pacem, para bellum. Let him who desires peace prepare for war.)
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To: 1Old Pro

Billy is a cow. Wrong Pronoun Alert. /s

Could be her sister was named Pat, Sam, or Bobby


20 posted on 01/26/2022 3:33:25 PM PST by drSteve78 (Je suis Deplorable.STILL )
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