MICANOPY, Fla. (AP) - Cowboys are thinning the herd of bison in a north Florida state preserve.
    
Officials tell The Gainesville Sun (http://bit.ly/z5ieuG ) that six bison had been removed as of Sunday from Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. The bison are being moved to farms in Florida, Maryland and Texas.
    
Gateway Farms in High Springs is coordinating the roundup. Gateway Farms owner David Hajos says the roundup of adult male bison from the 22,000-acre preserve began a few weeks ago.
    
About 70 bison live in the park. Officials say all the adult male bison will be removed to keep the population down.
    
State officials say they recommended thinning the park's herd because the risks of escape and potential injury to humans increased as the number of bison grew.
    
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Information from: The Gainesville Sun, http://www.gainesvillesun.com

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