Posted on 11/15/2005 12:16:35 PM PST by Flavius
GARDINER, Mont. - Montana's first bison hunt in 15 years opened at sunrise Tuesday, with a 17-year-old boy bagging the first buffalo within 90 minutes.
The hunt, aimed at thinning out the bison population near Yellowstone National Park, came after years of protests from animal rights activists.
State and federal officials say the hunt will help manage a population that has grown to an estimated 4,900 animals, more than some fear the area can support. Some ranchers are also worried some diseased bison could spread illness to cattle.
George Clement, a teenager who took the day off from school, killed the first bison near Gardiner.
Montana's last bison hunt was in 1990. Other hunts since then were canceled because of protests over the way wardens would lead each hunter to an animal, which was then shot at close range, often while peacefully grazing.
This year, there are new limits. For example, wildlife officials cannot tell hunters where bison have wandered outside the park, and no more than 50 bison overall can be killed during the three-month season.
Fifty hunting licenses entitling hunters to kill one bison each were made available.
would you prefer they push them out the windows
I think that I can hear the animal rights wacko's screams.
LOL! I would expect that a bison spends about 98% of its time grazing or sleeping.
Yotanka.
"Montana's last bison hunt was in 1990. Other hunts since then were canceled because of protests over the way wardens would lead each hunter to an animal, which was then shot at close range, often while peacefully grazing."
Perhaps the wardens should have started calling the bison nasty names, so then when the hunter shot the bison, he would be putting it out of its misery of being humiliated in public.
What morons.
These buffalo are used to people. It's not a "hunt" if your prey has no fear and is 10 feet away grazing.
I think they need to change the law. No more shooting while they are peacefully grazing. You can only shoot them when they are break-dancing or drinking a budlight.
Nope, this is a cull, also perfectly legit.
well I never.... I bet they knocked them over with the SUV's and then leaned out the window to shoot them,,the cowards
Then only dress out the best parts of the hide and meat; leave the rest to rot.
It's what the environmentally sensitive, totally in tune with Mother Nature, tree-hugging, earth worshipping, impeccable and infallible Native Americans did ...
< /sarcasm, for the idiots amongst us>
What they should do to thin the herds is hold a drawing to give the limited permits to full-blood Indians.
No environmental arguments would hold water then.
Personally, I think it would be a great thing to do, restoring some historical connection between the buffalo and the Indian.
Mmmmmmmmm..... Bison
They should do this the old fashioned way; stampede the whole herd over a cliff. If it was good enough for neolithic hunters, then it's good enough for you!
Bah, the indians are too busy building casinos these days to hunt buffalo / bison. I doubt they want to go back to the "good old days" where, for all their greatness, they never invented the wheel.
I used to live up there and I hate to tell you but most of the Indians in those parts are simply not the "outdoors" types. They prefer to obtain their hides at K-Mart and their food at Safeway.
BUFFALO PRIME RIB WITH ORANGE BALSAMIC GLAZE
Buffalo meat can be very red, even when cooked to medium-rare. Don't be alarmed this is a naturally occurring phenomenon that has to do with the animal's diet and how little fat is marbled through the muscle. While testing this recipe, we learned that buffalo meat varies in quality; the purveyors whose meat we like best are Wild Idea Buffalo Company (866-658-6137; wildideabuffalo.com), Jackson Hole Buffalo Meat Company (800-543-6328; jhbuffalomeat.com), Arrowhead Buffalo Meats (877-283-2969; arrowheadsteaks.com), and D'Artagnan (800-327-8246; dartagnan.com).
Before you begin roasting your buffalo, roughly calculate the total roasting time: Plan on about 16 minutes per pound once the oven temperature is reduced to 350°F (20 minutes per pound for beef), but start checking the temperature of either type of roast about 30 minutes before you think it will be done.
Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 5 1/4 hr (4 3/4 hr for beef)
click photo to enlarge
1 (7- to 8-lb) bone-in buffalo prime rib roast or bone-in beef prime rib roast (sometimes called standing rib roast; 3 or 4 ribs), brought to room temperature (allow 1 hour)
4 1/2 to 5 cups water
Orange balsamic glaze
For jus
2/3 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup Madeira (preferably Sercial)
1 1/2 cups beef broth
Special equipment: a V-rack for roasting; a meat or instant-read thermometer
Cook roast:
Preheat oven to 450°F.
If using beef, trim all but a thin layer of fat from roast. Generously season buffalo or beef with salt and pepper. Roast buffalo, fat side up, on V-rack in a 17- by 12- by 2-inch flameproof roasting pan in middle of oven 15 minutes (use a 13- by 9- by 2-inch flameproof roasting pan for beef, which is taller and narrower than buffalo).
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and add 1/2 cup water to roasting pan, then continue to roast meat 30 minutes more. Brush meat with some of glaze and add 1/2 cup water to pan, then continue to roast, brushing with glaze and adding 1/2 cup water to pan every 15 minutes, until thermometer inserted into center of roast (do not touch bone) registers 125°F, 2 to 2 1/4 hours more (115°F for beef, 1 3/4 to 2 hours more). Transfer meat to a large platter and let stand, uncovered, 25 minutes. (Meat will continue to cook as it stands, reaching about 135°F for medium-rare buffalo or 130°F for medium-rare beef.)
Make jus while meat stands:
If using buffalo, straddle roasting pan across 2 burners, then add red wine and Madeira and deglaze pan by boiling over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Add broth and boil until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 3 minutes. (If using beef, pour pan juices into a 1-quart fat-separator pitcher or glass measure and skim off fat, then pour juices back into pan. Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners and deglaze pan by boiling juices over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 8 minutes. Add red wine and Madeira and boil until reduced to about 2/3 cup, 3 to 4 minutes. Add broth and boil until reduced to about 2 cups, about 6 minutes.)
Stir in any buffalo or beef juices accumulated on platter and season jus with salt, if necessary. Pour jus through a fine-mesh sieve into a gravy boat and keep warm, covered.
Carve roast and serve with jus.
Makes 8 servings.
Gourmet
Gourmet Entertains
December 2002
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