Remembering The Villages Buffalo

[LI SNOWBIRD]

I took these pics around 2011 and the buffalo were in a corral near the 'Tall Trees" villages.-They were close to 466 where the Assisted Living Facility is now. Anyhow here are the pics of a bygone time.
83795

[John41]

We moved to The Villages in 2006 and enjoyed the buffalo along Buena Vista near LSL and on Morse near 466. Harold Swartz had a requirement that they always be kept as part of The Villages. Ultimately greed took over and the buffalo disappeared as many farms south of 44.

[2BNTV]

They were impressive but some woman decided it was a good idea to have her grandson feed them. He was bitten and a lawsuit was filed by the woman.

Gary Morse then removed the buffalo. At least that's what I remember.

[Bobcuse]

They were impressive but some woman decided it was a good idea to have her grandson feed them. He was bitten and a lawsuit was filed by the woman.

Gary Morse then removed the buffalo. At least that's what I remember.

I also remember that a lawsuit against the Villages was filed because of some incident involving a resident or visitor with a Buffalo. I recall taking pictures of the buffalo from a fence and a bull wasn't photogenic and let me know it by charging but thankfully stopped short of the fence. They are an imposing but beautiful creature. But just like feeding gators, some people ruin it for everyone and the rest of us cannot enjoy their presence.

[Number 10 GI]

I remember a story about a couple visiting a national park where there were bears looking for food from the tourists. These two thought it would be a great picture of a bear licking the face of the wife so they smeared jelly on the side of her face. The bear bit the side of her head off killing her. Definitely watched too many Yogi Bear cartoons.

[600th Photo Sq]

We moved to The Villages in 2006 and enjoyed the buffalo along Buena Vista near LSL and on Morse near 466. Harold Swartz had a requirement that they always be kept as part of The Villages. Ultimately greed took over and the buffalo disappeared as many farms south of 44.

You have the wrong information.

The Buffalo were removed because a careless parent (s) let their child get up and close to a Buffalo and the Buffalo bit the child.

Typically they filed a lawsuit and the parents got a few thousand and the Buffalo were removed.

And so it goes. Meanwhile the Buffalo are around everywhere in total privacy.

They were actually near Freedom Point.

A perfect example where in this case 2 people can ruin it for so many. Forever !

And the couple in question ? Could careless. The child ? Who knows may have a scar or not.

[kaydee]

You have the wrong information.

The Buffalo were removed because a careless parent (s) let their child get up and close to a Buffalo and the Buffalo bit the child.

Typically they filed a lawsuit and the parents got a few thousand and the Buffalo were removed.

And so it goes. Meanwhile the Buffalo are around everywhere in total privacy.

They were actually near Freedom Point.

A perfect example where in this case 2 people can ruin it for so many. Forever !

And the couple in question ? Could careless. The child ? Who knows may have a scar or not.


Buffalo were located on 466 where Bob Evans is.

[Inexes@aol.com]

Originally, at least in 2001, the buffalo were in a large fenced area on El Camino Real at the intersection of Buenos Aires. Thank you.

[Bay Kid]

There are a few left by Amberwood 6th hole.

[Bogie Shooter]

We moved to The Villages in 2006 and enjoyed the buffalo along Buena Vista near LSL and on Morse near 466. Harold Swartz had a requirement that they always be kept as part of The Villages. Ultimately greed took over and the buffalo disappeared as many farms south of 44.

Not true.
But, your bashing is...…………..

[ficoguy]

They were impressive but some woman decided it was a good idea to have her grandson feed them. He was bitten and a lawsuit was filed by the woman.

Gary Morse then removed the buffalo. At least that's what I remember.
Yep. Idiots will always ruin a good thing. And 1-800-ForThePeople salivates at the chance to sue the Morses

[SunnyHester]

I took these pics around 2011 and the buffalo were in a corral near the 'Tall Trees" villages.-They were close to 466 where the Assisted Living Facility is now. Anyhow here are the pics of a bygone time.
83795

Thanks for sharing the memory. I miss them, too; but, I do understand why they had to go.

[Chi-Town]

Buffalo roaming -2008

Creekside Landing-2009

Hmmm.

[2BNTV]

I do miss seeing them but I guess they had to go due to expansion. It's a shame they were removed before their time due to one's thoughtless actions.

If I remember correctly, cattle had to be moved first before the new expansion of TV south of 44.

It would have been nice if they could have been moved to a remote area but you can't fix stupid if some people think it's their right to feed them. They are wild animals!

Gary Morse was not the bad guy!

[SIRE1]

I remember seeing the Buffalo as early as 2004 when we started to come to The Villages. You could buy a small bag of carrots to feed them over the fence on both sides of El Camino by Freedom Point. And as I recall the story my friends told to me was that Florida granted a property tax break if you had live stock on your property. So Mr. Schwartz and Mr. Morse decided that they should keep live stock on their property that they didn't yet need to build upon. And I don't recall who it was that came up with The Villages sales marketing slogan, but it was "Give me a Home where the Buffalo Roam". And that is why there were Buffalo on temporary vacant land all over The Villages. They just kept moving the herd as land was being developed. The last Buffalo I remember seeing was on the vacant area along 466 between Walmart and Beall's.

[600th Photo Sq]

I remember seeing the Buffalo as early as 2004 when we started to come to The Villages. You could buy a small bag of carrots to feed them over the fence on both sides of El Camino by Freedom Point. And as I recall the story my friends told to me was that Florida granted a property tax break if you had live stock on your property. So Mr. Schwartz and Mr. Morse decided that they should keep live stock on their property that they didn't yet need to build upon. And I don't recall who it was that came up with The Villages sales marketing slogan, but it was "Give me a Home where the Buffalo Roam". And that is why there were Buffalo on temporary vacant land all over The Villages. They just kept moving the herd as land was being developed. The last Buffalo I remember seeing was on the vacant area along 466 between Walmart and Beall's.

Your post is spot on that's where they were. Then the incident with the child getting bitten.

The rest is history.