Most of missing bison herd found near North Bay
After 19 days on the run, six of eight Bison that went missing last month along Highway 64 near Crystal Falls, between Field and Sturgeon Falls, have been found.
The bison went missing Dec. 16 when high winds knocked over a tree, breaking a fence. One of the bison was struck and killed by a vehicle shortly after they escaped.
Mesut Ates -- who owns the animals -- and the team of volunteers were able to bring six of the remaining seven home Wednesday afternoon.
Ates said one more still missing, but said he knows where it is. Weather permitting, he will get it Thursday.
“It’s been a long time," he said. "I’m exhausted and I’m hoping to get back to normal soon.”
Ates thanked everyone who helped him search for the missing animals, including those who searched on ATVs and horseback.
“We found them actually 15-20 kilometres away from the farm," he said. "They were in the bush in the night time and then they came out to graze in the field.”
Using a portable system, Mesut and the wranglers lured the bison with grain and hay and managed to load them into a trailer to transport them home.
“We have cows down the road, so we had one gate which shut when you pull a wire," said volunteer Sam Verlint. "As soon as they were in there, they were captured.”
Another volunteer, Dale Eastep, said he was happy to be part of the effort.
“I like helping people," Eastep said. "It’s good to help people in need.”
And Chris Maisonneuve said he has never seen such a collective effort over such a long period.
"People just wanted to help," Maisonneuve said. "The comradery and people just wanted to be here to help and that’s what it’s been for 19 days.”
For his part, Ates said he was deeply grateful for the help.
“I would like to thank everyone who has supported me from the beginning… right now I’m relieved. I got most of them so I’m happy.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.