Nov04
Thirty-Two Bison Reportedly Found Dead in Executive's Back Yard
Posted at 03:45 PM | Permalink
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Comments (31)
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Software executive Jeff Hawn apparently warned the neighbors of his Colorado home to keep the bison off his property or else … and he meant it. According to CNN, Jeff alleged in a lawsuit that "the animals knocked his satellite television dishes off line and left poop, tracks, and hair on 'pristine pasture on rolling hills.'" Well, Mr. Hawn, maybe that's because they're … um … bison, and bison, well, have been known to walk around and poop, as shocking as that is. And it was their land, their home, before it was your land, your sprawling second luxury home.
Nine days after he filed this absurd suit, CNN reports, the first shots were fired and eventually the remains of 32 bison were found on Hawn's property. Law enforcement later found out that 14 hunters got a letter from Hawn giving them total permission to hunt the bison on his property. However, I'm guessing that he forgot about that whole "open range" law that Colorado has. Livestock can roam wherever they want, and if people don't want them around, they're encouraged to build a fence, not blow their brains out.
Luckily, money can't buy everything, and this lovely fellow has found himself smack dab in the middle of criminal court, charged with theft and 32 counts of aggravated animal cruelty. But now here's the kicker—one of Hawn's attorneys said that Hawn "had no other choice" but to get rid of the bison so that he could protect himself.
No other choice?!!?? The man is CEO of a major corporation and doesn’t know about options.
Well, luckily, the rest of Fairplay, Colorado, is outraged, as are we. Comment and tell us what you think about this mess of a situation, and we'll be sure to keep you updated.
Posted by Christine Doré
TAGGED:
hunting jeff hawn attachmate bison colorado
Comments
they dont' shoot humans do they?.. when they tresspass on other people's property..
.. just a thought..
Posted by: steph | November 4, 2008 04:49 PM
I comment all the time, never does it get posted...hmmm? Maybe I'm too extreme for even PETA? Anyway, since you asked, I'll try again (I'd comment if you asked or not). Today is November 4th and I live in California where the Prop 2 is on our ballot. I have pushed for a yes vote from my landlord, to my running partners, to the stranger in the super market. Most people I've spoken to are planning on voting yes because 'they'd feel bad if they didn't, but add that they "wonder why everyone cares about the farm animals who are 'gonna die anyway'". People in general are ONLY nice if it doesn't effect their comfort (in California, people are in EXTREME comfort and will nto give up one inch of that for a person, let alone an animal) or their wallets. If something 'gets in the way' of having a comfort, well, the life of an animal, in their minds, is not worth losing that comfort. I am angry, sad and realize most people are NOT good as is the standard response when asked someones opinion. They are self centered and egotistical ...
Posted by: Jill | November 4, 2008 05:24 PM
@steph
Go down in the stickish parts of Tennessee and yeah they do shoot at humans for supposedly tresspassing.
Its called being mentally insane.
RIP Bison
There used to be a bison farm near my grandpa's house and they just stood there like badasses and what not. Truely any animals that can just stand there, eat and poot is more nobler than I or any of us shall ever be. xD
Posted by: King of Fiji | November 4, 2008 05:59 PM
This person is obviously disturbed. To buy a home that is in the middle of Bison territory means that you SHOULD EXPECT Bison to wander into your property. I hope the judge throws the book at this small-minded man.
Posted by: Cathleen | November 4, 2008 06:15 PM
Ugh, that makes me so mad!! Oh sure, shooting them was the only option. Only if you're an idiot.
Posted by: Indian08 | November 4, 2008 07:34 PM
This loser was trying to turn range into a middle class LAWN???
What company would hire such a moron?
Posted by: kelly | November 4, 2008 07:43 PM
If the man can write letters, he could have written to animal welfare to either find out if he was legally allowed to murder these animals or to pay to have them removed. He was probably either too cheap (as most greedy CEO's are) or was paid by the hunters to allow them to hunt on his land. The hunters should have been prosecuted too, as they also broke the law.
Posted by: HD | November 5, 2008 01:26 AM
WOW!!! What a disregard for life!! This "man" clearly shows no compassion what so ever for the animals and for the law!! He took the lives of 32 bison for his own greed!! Just like the 1800's where the buffalo roamed free in North America, then the white man came to erraticate them to make way for farm land!! Sooo un-necessary!! With human encroachment forcing animals to live differently "we" still have not evolved?!!
Posted by: Carla | November 5, 2008 10:56 AM
Wow. It was probably humans which built the house on bison territory in the first place. Arn't we tresspassing on them in the first place then?
And, excuse me, but no other choice? I call think of loads of other choices in about 3 seconds of reading this.
Posted by: Fiona | November 5, 2008 12:18 PM
Here is his company
http://www.attachmate.com/Worldwide/Attachmate+Worldwide.htm
Posted by: kelly | November 5, 2008 01:16 PM
D.. I prefer not to comment on 'mentally insane' people who shoot people for trespassing.. the point I wanted to make was that.. it was extreme to KILL something whether human or animal simply because it had 'tresspassed'.. those happy slinging gun-toters obviously couldnt be bothered to deal with the tresspassing bison or herd them away.. or find some other solution so they just 'aimed and fired'.. I dont' approve of gun toting happy slinging shooters.. whoever whatever they kill..
re "...they just stood there like badasses and what not. " uhm.. what did you expect them to be doing.. doing a jig and a dance or something? of course they 'just stood there'.. at the end of the day.. animals have a life for living as worthy as you or me.. whether it is a bison in a field or a little field mouse in a corn field..
Posted by: steph | November 5, 2008 02:13 PM
I've lived almost my entire life outside of the fist and largest buffalo sanctuary in the world. They are the last of their kind that continue to graze in their natural habitat, and everyone in the school system in taught from a very young age the horrors that this species of gentle giants have endured throughout history. It's just normal around here to slow the car at buffalo crossings, see them feeding in neighborhood fields, and even shoo them from our front yards. They are sweet, intelligent, and well respected.
But reading news like this makes me realize that animals will never be respected world wide until we take a stand against these self-elected Buffalo Bills and tell them that we won't stand for cruelty and violence toward any living thing.
I urge anyone who lives in the area to raise their voices to the local media,a dn not let the deaths of 32 innocent creatures be silent.
Posted by: Ashley Gormley | November 5, 2008 02:23 PM
People like Mr. "attachmate" make me sick and I hope the judge throws the book at him!!!
Posted by: Lisa Mearkle | November 5, 2008 02:25 PM
What a disgustingly repulsive self-centered idiot! I wish people like this would just go somewhere and abuse each other and leave good people and animals alone.
Posted by: Sarah | November 5, 2008 02:59 PM
I guess you don't have to be smart to be CEO! What a moron.
Posted by: Ann | November 5, 2008 04:19 PM
He may own the land but*not* the bison.The bison are under regulation of the Colorado Fish and Game Department.
Posted by: Cynthia Long | November 5, 2008 05:50 PM
The fact that he is a CEO of a major company, is exactly why people like him make this country in shambles, oh I'm so sorry the bison were such a problem, he moved to a beautiful state where it is all nature inhibited. What a phsyco.... He needs to be imprisoned. Tear his home down and turn it into a bison sanctuary.
Posted by: Barbara | November 5, 2008 09:52 PM
Bison have roamed this great land longer than we could even dream of. To think of the extreme cruelty they endured the last 200 - 300 years is atrocious and we are very fortunate this gorgeous creature has not become extinct. To hear of cruel acts like this to an icon of our country, the bald eagle of the prairie, sickens me to no end and this individual needs to be made an example of and get charged to the fullest extent of the law. This animals has been tortured too long, it has to end now.
Posted by: Tom Schlipmann | November 5, 2008 10:22 PM
I guess bison could not read the sign that said private property. (eyes roll) Please they were just living their life. He should have enjoyed the visit instead of taking the law in his own hands. After all why pay for manure when the bison gave it to him for free? I bet he have the best looking garden.
Posted by: Crystal | November 6, 2008 11:51 AM
re case in john day or dr kills cows for trespassing
Posted by: sonny field | November 6, 2008 12:34 PM
Uh what about the irresponsible neighbors that let their animals roam free after being warned, how come no mention of the people who care nothing for their bison and don't fence them in to keep them safe. and would you still be as outraged if they were growing the bison for food? why don't you look at all the facts from both sides before you pass judgement. these aren't free roaming bison they are owned by the neighbor, I can't let my horse on peoples property so he can do as he like, so bison are no exception
Posted by: Chris | November 6, 2008 01:11 PM
What an A$$hole, he will pay for this I'm sure of it.
Posted by: Joanne Cruz | November 6, 2008 02:03 PM
Some people's blood thirst just disgusts me beyond comment. Sick, sick people. Why couldn't he just build a fence?
Posted by: Elaine Vigneault | November 6, 2008 02:42 PM
what really makes me happy is to see animals running free. I feel they make the world a better place. I could never hunt or hurt an animal.I wish someday that people would realize before its too late and we loose our beloved wild life to cruelty.sometimes I see a flock of geeze flying and I give them the thumbs up and say God bless You.whats amazing they can fly and sore but we can only watch and wonder.
Posted by: lawrence Iorio | November 6, 2008 05:17 PM
People who hurt animals tend to have a disturbing violent side to them and are a danger to humans aswell. This guy is a sick dangerous man and he should not be allowed to own guns.
Posted by: Shannon Saunders | November 6, 2008 09:57 PM
Chris, you make a good point (though as Christine observed, Colorado has an open range law) but do you think the bison should be the ones who pay for choices made by their owner? What if it were your horse?
Posted by: lynda downie | November 6, 2008 10:36 PM
Sure is a shame when sattelite dishes and tidy grass take precedence over living creatures.
Hope the legal system works!
Posted by: Susan | November 6, 2008 10:36 PM
If I had a lot of money and a home in the middle of Bison country, I would revel in the beauty of their hair and poop falling on snow and I would put my satellite dish on a 10 foot tall concrete structure that the bison couldn't knock down. I would be inclined to drop feed to them in the winter and plant pastures for them in the spring. I would restrain myself from wanting to pet them or baby them too much. I would only intrude upon them with hidden cameras to check their well-being. What I would give to live in that idyllic setting!!! And, this guy kills them??? I don't think we are of the same species. I don't recognize another human being there.
Posted by: Diane Smelser | November 7, 2008 03:05 AM
Is this man completely insane or what?
I can understand that he had warned them in the past and nothing seemed to happening but killing the innocent animals?
The one that should be in big trouble is not the animals but the owner of the animals.
This man should lose his job because he is someone of importance and now he is animal killer and that is a fact.
Posted by: Carol R Hill | November 7, 2008 09:53 AM
WHO REALLY CARES
Posted by: Jerry | November 10, 2008 09:23 PM
Post a photo of this sick fu#*, slap them everywhere use them in your Peta adds, stickers, magazine layout. Print his exact address, phone # everything. Warn people about the dangers of animal abusing sickos like Jeff Hawn graduating to becoming serial killers. No one will care unless they think he could hurt humans & they might be next. If there's a God, what goes around.....
In other words make his life as miserable of a hell on earth as you can Peta.
Posted by: Gina | November 11, 2008 04:52 PM