Herd of 4 bison euthanized after escape from preserve
Published 7:56 am Tuesday, April 7, 2020
CROSSVILLE (AP) — Four bison, one weighing around 1,800 pounds, that escaped from a private hunting preserve in Tennessee were euthanized after attempts to recapture the animals failed, authorities said.
The small herd broke loose from an enclosed area and had been roaming through an area in Crossville since Monday, The Crossville Chronicle reported.
Cumberland County Sheriff Casey Cox said off-duty Deputy Roy Kemmer had attempted to help the owner round up the animals but the bison continued to evade recapture.
“(Kemmer) told me that the buffaloes would be grazing and as soon as those trying to recapture them got within 150 yards, the animals would smell their presence, raise their heads, and take off,” Cox said.
After the failed recapture attempts, the owner decided the animals should be euthanized in the interest of public safety.
Cox said his department wasn’t involved in the round up and he wasn’t sure if the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency was notified or involved.
“I know it is sad, but they tried to recapture the herd and just couldn’t get close enough to them to accomplish that,” Cox said.
