[coconutmama]

Originally Posted by toniandjosef@aol.com

We’ve been coming down to the villages for about 40 years now we remember there was an area, fairly close to Spanish Springs, that had buffaloes. You could walk up to the fence and watch them I forget exactly where it was but anyway what happened? Are there still buffaloes in the villages if so where.

Last saw them publicly in a field behind Red Lobster in about 2012. Then they were moved up by Briarwood golf course, as mentioned. They are now still local, but are on private land. Overreaching parents/grandparents ruin many a good thing with a lack of common sense & respect.

[reggiethurlow]

There are still some Buffalo here in the area north of 466, east of the polo grounds.
If you are going west on 466 just past Morse, there is a gate on the right with stone, turn in there, the gate will automatically open, drive in there for about 2 miles and on the left there is a field with Buffalo. You will see a race track across the street.

[allsport]

Originally Posted by glsatterlee

The story I heard was the same. Somebody got into the fenced in area where they should’ve never went, and were injured. Buffalo are wild animals, but some people think they are pets. I heard that they sued the villages, so the villages got rid of the rest of them. Only takes a few idiots to wreck it for the many.

Someone was bitten when feeding the animals right by the sign that said DO NOT FEED THE BUFFALO. Because ignorance is golden the animals were removed from sight because TV did not want the liability. Someone always spoils it for all.

[OhioBuckeye]

Originally Posted by toniandjosef@aol.com

We’ve been coming down to the villages for about 40 years now we remember there was an area, fairly close to Spanish Springs, that had buffaloes. You could walk up to the fence and watch them I forget exactly where it was but anyway what happened? Are there still buffaloes in the villages if so where.

What I heard was a couple of people got bite & they didn’t want a law suit so they got rid of them!

[GRACEALLEMAN]

Originally Posted by JohnN

Some goofy kid, probably unsupervised by parents and grandparents, was up too close by the fence and both the kid and buffaco got spooked. The family complained.

My bet is the buffalo all went to Publix.

Always a dumb ass to ruin things for others...the parents

[dtennent]

There was a scene in the movie "Wild Hogs" where they played a game called Slap the Bull. Didn't work out well there - can't imagine it would work out well in real life.

[DaleDivine]

Some of them are on the menu at Square 1 Burgers.

[Mrodmh]

There were BISON, not buffaloes. They were relocated around 2008, I believe, due to stupid people.

[Guitarman1951]

Originally Posted by toniandjosef@aol.com

We’ve been coming down to the villages for about 40 years now we remember there was an area, fairly close to Spanish Springs, that had buffaloes. You could walk up to the fence and watch them I forget exactly where it was but anyway what happened? Are there still buffaloes in the villages if so where.

Some unintelligent people allowed their child into the enclosure to try and pet a baby buffalo (that sounds smart doesn't it?) and mama didn't like it. I don't remember if the mother buffalo bit the kid or not, but the kids parents sued the Villages so that was the end of the buffalo within public view. They moved them on the other side of CR 102 or 103 where you could see them from the Fox Run course at Glen View for a few years. After Mark Morse passed, I think the Morse family sold them off. Sad and pathetic but that's what dumbing down the school curriculum must have contributed to our society.

[hoopsterdad]

plural of buffalo is buffalo. no s or es.

[Rodneysblue]

Originally Posted by SIRE1

You are right about where the Buffalo herd was on El Camino. It was where they later built Freedom Point. And I can remember taking our visitors there to a parking area, where you could feed them carrots over the fence and take photos. And the story that I kept hearing (can't confirm if it was true) is that Florida taxes have a favorable rate if the land is used for livestock.

So (as the story goes) The Villages would keep Buffalo on land that they didn't need right away for the tax benefits. Plus it was a great for marketing - Give me a HOME where the Buffalo roam (which is how the high school got it's mascot name). As they eventually developed those areas they would keep moving them to more southern areas until those areas were ready for development. Then (as the story goes) when the buffalo were in the southern part of The Villages, someone wanted a close up photo and they climbed over the fence. Didn't hear whether they got injured, but The Villages feared potential law suits and either got rid of, or moved the buffalo out of sight (probably to land they they don't need to develop soon and receive the livestock tax break).

Anyway, that is the story as I heard it when we first starting visiting The Villages back in 2002. I can also remember reading a story where one buffalo got through a fence, and that might have also resulted in there disappearance. But I'm sure it wasn't the buffalo hunters shooting the herd for meat to serve in The Villages restaurants. Although, at some of the restaurants you never can tell.

Farm to table.😂

[toniandjosef@aol.com]

Thanks very helpful

[Rose Ann Vinci Igoe]

Originally Posted by toniandjosef@aol.com

We’ve been coming down to the villages for about 40 years now we remember there was an area, fairly close to Spanish Springs, that had buffaloes. You could walk up to the fence and watch them I forget exactly where it was but anyway what happened? Are there still buffaloes in the villages if so where.

I had them right beside my yard.... near Freedom Point area. However, so many people were trying to Pet them, feed them and bother them... one buffalo either stepped on them, or bit them by accident taking an apple. That they tried to "Sue" the Villages. Now keep in mind , signs were posted, notices out , "do not feed the Buffalo" "do not pet the Buffalo"... but people did. So now a few people were trying to "sue" the Villages. That the Villages Finally Removed the Buffalo, because of the law suits they were getting. Sad, because of the Few, it was ruined for the rest of us. It was a treat to have them...I think if I'm not mistaken, they were rehomed to a farm. Then the Villages, rented out the land and some locals would board their Bulls, which worked very nicely. Land was commercial property and they built on it.

[th2142a]

We ate them.

[beeneyra]

Can you say buffalo burgers?