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Bad meat blues
By JEFF GEARINO, Casper Star Tribune
1/27/03
CHEYENNE -- The hunt of a lifetime for a southwestern Wyoming hunter turned into a nightmare experience after the bull bison Ada Watson shot was diseased and inedible, the Fort Bridger woman told Game and Fish Commissioners.
Watson thought it was only fair that she get another chance at a healthy bison, and she asked the commission for another bison permit during a meeting Tuesday.
Commissioners said they were sympathetic to her plight, but couldn't give her another license under Game and Fish regulations. They did offer to help find another bison carcass for the Watson's if possible to replace the meat Watson was seeking.
Watson told commissioners she was "incredibly excited" to draw out a bull bison permit for a hunt area near Moran in northwestern Wyoming after many years of putting in for the license.
She said after eight long days and lots of hours hunting, she finally came upon four bull bison. Watson said she put several shots into the head and neck, instead of the body, of a large bull to preserve the meat.
While dressing the bull, she noticed a "strong, sickly smell" to the animal. "We got the bull hung up and started to take the hide off ... the meat was rank and starting to turn green and most of it was diseased," Watson said.
Evanston Game and Fish biologists confirmed the bison had some physical condition that rendered the meat unusable. They took blood and DNA samples and suggested Watson not process the meat and dispose of the bull.
Watson said she and her disabled husband live on a "limited income" and could sorely have used the meat for the winter. She said they bought a freezer to put the processed meat in and also a cuber/meat grinder to process the meat because they could not afford to have it done commercially.
"I know that is special to get a once in a lifetime (bison) bull permit and to be able to hunt it ... but I feel that if you do get the chance you should get a bull that you are able to put on your table and feed your family, not a bull that is sick," Watson told commissioners.
"I went to quite some expense to get my buffalo and get it ready for processing ... all for nothing," she said. "When you do draw out a license and you're lucky to get meat, it should be edible. It's just not fair."
She said the bison was the "first wild meat we've ever lost in my 28 years of hunting elk in the Moran area," she said.
"Hunting is and should be a great experience and is a tradition in our family. I hope that you can see to give me another chance at a bull bison."
Game and Fish Chief Fiscal Officer Ron Arnold said the agency denied Watson's formal request to harvest another bull bison because department rules and regulations do not authorize such an action. Watson then appealed the decision to the commission.
Commissioner Gary Lundvall and other members sympathized with Watson, but said the rules apply to all hunters. "Just because you get a license, you're not guaranteed it's going to be edible," Lundvall noted.
Commissioners directed the department to seek a bison carcass to replace the meat Watson sought if such a carcass is available.
Commissioners voted to uphold the agency's decision "with the provision that we continue our efforts to find this lady some meat," Commission President Doyle Dorner said.
By JEFF GEARINO, Casper Star Tribune
1/27/03
CHEYENNE -- The hunt of a lifetime for a southwestern Wyoming hunter turned into a nightmare experience after the bull bison Ada Watson shot was diseased and inedible, the Fort Bridger woman told Game and Fish Commissioners.
Watson thought it was only fair that she get another chance at a healthy bison, and she asked the commission for another bison permit during a meeting Tuesday.
Commissioners said they were sympathetic to her plight, but couldn't give her another license under Game and Fish regulations. They did offer to help find another bison carcass for the Watson's if possible to replace the meat Watson was seeking.
Watson told commissioners she was "incredibly excited" to draw out a bull bison permit for a hunt area near Moran in northwestern Wyoming after many years of putting in for the license.
She said after eight long days and lots of hours hunting, she finally came upon four bull bison. Watson said she put several shots into the head and neck, instead of the body, of a large bull to preserve the meat.
While dressing the bull, she noticed a "strong, sickly smell" to the animal. "We got the bull hung up and started to take the hide off ... the meat was rank and starting to turn green and most of it was diseased," Watson said.
Evanston Game and Fish biologists confirmed the bison had some physical condition that rendered the meat unusable. They took blood and DNA samples and suggested Watson not process the meat and dispose of the bull.
Watson said she and her disabled husband live on a "limited income" and could sorely have used the meat for the winter. She said they bought a freezer to put the processed meat in and also a cuber/meat grinder to process the meat because they could not afford to have it done commercially.
"I know that is special to get a once in a lifetime (bison) bull permit and to be able to hunt it ... but I feel that if you do get the chance you should get a bull that you are able to put on your table and feed your family, not a bull that is sick," Watson told commissioners.
"I went to quite some expense to get my buffalo and get it ready for processing ... all for nothing," she said. "When you do draw out a license and you're lucky to get meat, it should be edible. It's just not fair."
She said the bison was the "first wild meat we've ever lost in my 28 years of hunting elk in the Moran area," she said.
"Hunting is and should be a great experience and is a tradition in our family. I hope that you can see to give me another chance at a bull bison."
Game and Fish Chief Fiscal Officer Ron Arnold said the agency denied Watson's formal request to harvest another bull bison because department rules and regulations do not authorize such an action. Watson then appealed the decision to the commission.
Commissioner Gary Lundvall and other members sympathized with Watson, but said the rules apply to all hunters. "Just because you get a license, you're not guaranteed it's going to be edible," Lundvall noted.
Commissioners directed the department to seek a bison carcass to replace the meat Watson sought if such a carcass is available.
Commissioners voted to uphold the agency's decision "with the provision that we continue our efforts to find this lady some meat," Commission President Doyle Dorner said.
