Buffalo roaming after escape from Sharon farm

By Shweta Karikehalli Staff Writer Jul 29, 2019 Updated 12 hrs ago



Brian Grubb An unsuccessful attempt to corral an escaped herd of buffalo is seen in this Thursday, July 25, photo.

About 75 American buffalo, or bison, are still roaming free after having escaped from a farm in Sharon last week. ... The owner of the herd, Brian Grubb of West Creek Buffalo Company, said there were originally 100 animals that escaped, but he retrieved 25 that stayed close by and didn't head out across state lands.

State police at Richfield Springs received a report that several buffalo were eating second-cutting hay and first-cutting round bales of hay on Honey Hill Road in Roseboom on Thursday, July 25, according to a media release by state police. The troopers learned one of the buffalo broke a gate, allowing the rest of the buffalo to escape. Troopers worked with a Department of Environmental Conservation officer and Grubb last week to corral the buffalo, according to the release. However, the attempt was unsuccessful and the buffalo have since dispersed out over the area. Sightings of the animals have been reported on Mill Pond Road in Sharon Springs and Pleasant Brook in the town of Roseboom.

Lucy Proper of Roseboom said Monday, July 29, to The Daily Star that 80 to 100 buffalo arrived on her family's farm, Honey Hill Farms, Tuesday, July 23. Proper, who had been out of town last week, said she found out on Thursday, July 25, through Facebook, that the buffalo were grazing at Honey Hill. ... Proper called state police, who she said did not assist her. However, DEC has been helping as much as it can, she said.

"The problem is bigger than any of these agencies can handle on their own," she said. "We're losing our hay bales as we speak." ... The herd consists of at least 30 adult buffalo, three of which are bulls; and 45 calves, according to the release.
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